FCC Compromise Could Win Free Broadband

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin told media outlets this week that he is willing to drop a porn-blocking provision to win approval of a free U.S. wireless broadband service.

Under the FCC's Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) plan, frequencies in the 2155-2180-MHz band would be auctioned off, with the winning bidder required to devote up to 25 percent of the spectrum to a free Internet broadband with a minimum download rate of 768 Kbps.

"The most important thing was that the winner be required to offer free broadband," Martin said, according to the Los Angeles Times. "I am doing everything I can to still move forward with that item."

One Last Chance

The FCC's proposed content filter was intended to prevent minors from accessing objectionable materials, while at the same time giving adults an opportunity to opt out. However, the proposal raised concerns among freedom-of-speech advocates and public-interest groups, which Martin is now attempting to defuse.

Even worse, Martin's hopes for free broadband have been opposed by key legislators on Capitol Hill and by the Bush administration. Bowing to political pressure, the FCC canceled what was supposed to have been its final AWS vote on Dec. 18.

But Martin's latest statements suggest the issue may be debated once again when he and the FCC's other four commissioners meet for the final time on Jan. 15. To move the plan forward, Martin will need to convince at least two other FCC members to vote yes.

Either way, broadband is certain to become a hot topic for the five FCC members that Barack Obama will appoint after his inauguration on Jan. 20. The president-elect has already made it clear that improving the nation's broadband capabilities is part of his plan for economic recovery.

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