Wireless Internet Reviews

Despite being a lame duck FCC chairman, Kevin Martin still wants to get something done with free wireless Internet. His Commission met for December, and they’re looking to push a wireless broadband program that would provide free service to anyone who wants it. Sounds killer. The catch, of course, is that it would contain a filter that would sift out porn and other material not suitable for children. But that’s a small price to pay for free service, right? Plus, the Commission has proposed a workaround that would allow adults to access all the smutty material they desire.

The process will begin with an auction to determine who controls the spectrum. A quarter of those winnings would go towards the free service, while the rest the winning company could use for a faster premium service — one that would not require a child filter. Adults can also opt out of the filter on the free service, if I’m reading the article correctly.

The wireless industry clearly doesn’t want this to happen. They have their own mobile broadband services, which would be in direct competition with a free service. As we learned yesterday, carriers could continue seeing mobile broadband growth despite the state of the economy. This could throw a wrench in those forecasts.

Still, for the greater good this sounds like a good deal. They’ll have to work out the kinks, of course, and they’ll have to find a company willing to bid on the spectrum. If that falls into place, though, we could be surfing the Web for free before we know it.