Damn. They'll end horribly, all of them. On Thu, Sep 2, 2010 at 3:56 AM, Mr. Worf <hellomahog...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > The lobbyists won... :( > > FCC rejects proposal for free wireless service > > Federal Communications Commission rejects proposal for free wireless > broadband service > > JOELLE TESSLER > AP News > > Sep 01, 2010 17:47 EDT > > Federal regulators have shot down a proposal by a startup called M2Z > Networks Inc. to build a free, nationwide wireless broadband network using > a spare slice of airwaves. > > The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday said it has rejected > M2Z's request that the agency demand that the winner of an auction for the > radio spectrum provide free Internet service to anyone who connects to it. > > That condition would have mirrored M2Z's business model of offering free > basic wireless broadband access — with speeds of up to 768 kilobits per > second — that would be supported by advertising in addition to a faster, > premium service. > > "We gave careful and thorough consideration to the proposal, but ultimately > determined that this was not the best policy outcome," Ruth Milkman, head > of the FCC's wireless bureau, said in a statement. The FCC did not explain > its rejection further. > > M2Z's plan had encountered resistance from T-Mobile USA and other big > wireless carriers, which warned that it would interfere with their own > services. > > "A designer allocation auction that would be tailored for one company was > not in the public's interest, especially when that company was offering > broadband service that is slow by even yesterday's standards," Steve > Largent, head of industry trade group CTIA-The Wireless Association, said > in a statement. > > M2Z was founded in 2005 by John Muleta, a former FCC official who at one > time also headed the agency's wireless bureau, and Milo Medin, co-founder > and chief technology officer of cable modem pioneer (At)Home. The company's > investors include several top Silicon Valley venture capital firms, > including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Redpoint Ventures. > > In a statement, Muleta said "the FCC's decision to delay the use of this > valuable spectrum forgoes the consumer welfare and economic stimulus that > would result from putting new spectrum into the marketplace." > > The FCC is still studying possible uses of the spectrum. > > > -- "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
