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Google and Microsoft Agree on Airwaves

Both Google and Microsoft agree on one thing -- that the airwaves that will be abandoned when we move to digital television should be used for wireless Internet access. The FCC agrees, and is making these airwaves available for 'Net services.

That's the great part. Here's my fear, though: I worry that these spectrums, even though they're unlicensed, will be sold or given to service providers who will charge whatever the market will bear.

That's capitalism and isn't an entirely bad thing. But we also have an opportunity to serve some poor rural communities and poor urban communities here (hey, we might even find some suburbs that could use cheap or free access). I'd especially like to see this access spread to school kids so they have the same opportunity as Bunny and Biff in Greenwich, Conn.

Posted by Doug Barney on November 11, 2008


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