FCC: Free Wireless Internet Services Won't Interfere
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Comments 11
Oct 13, 2008, 8:29 AM by Eric M. Zeman
The FCC issued its final report on the use of white space spectrum. It stated that any fears of interference are "overblown". The FCC report said in particular that wireless broadband services can be offered "without a significant risk of harmful interference." The report clears the way for the FCC to auction off the airwaves. Some — but not all — of the airwaves will be set aside for free Internet. The free Internet network would have to cover 50% of the U.S. population by 2012 and 95% by 2018. The use of white space spectrum has been fought fiercely by a number of organizations, including T-Mobile USA.
Wall Street Journal »
But who's going to BUY the spectrum?
I always like the idea of getting something I don't have to pay for, but I also know that somewhere along the line somebody has to pay for it. And I have yet to have these questions answered: who is going to spend billions of dollars to win the next spectrum when the current winnings have yet to be developed? After the company wins the spectrum, how are they going to get the extra billions to deploy the network? And how are they going to recoup those costs when the service is free?
We as the taxpayers will pay for it somehow, someway. So it will never actually be "free". It's the sad way of this country now =(
zaleeOct 13, 2008, 9:56 AM
Nice! Radio waves in the air you breathe.
Now when you take your morning jog, you'll be breathing in fresh WIFI. How wonderful!
That's kind of poetic in a hi-tech/science fiction kinda way.
A little background radiation never hurt anyone...
...Chernobyl, on the other hand...