FCC May Require Free Broadband Access

The Federal Communications Commission may make the provision of free wireless high-speed Internet service a reqirement for winners of its upcoming auction of unused spectrum.The FCC is reported to be likely to vote on the proposal at its June 12 meeting. "We're hoping there will be increased interest, and because this will provide wireless broadband services to more Americans, it is certainly something we want to see," said FCC spokesman Rob Kenny. Kenny said that details of the auction still have to be worked out, but that any network would have to reach 50 percent of the population four years after the winner gets a license and 95 percent after 10 years.

A similar proposal was rejected last year, and the wirelesss industry opposes this one.Associated Press via SiliconValley.com