Posted on 08/19/2008 10:39:31 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
About freeing the airwaves
One of America's most valuable natural resources is our "white spaces" -- the radio airwaves, or spectrum, that have long carried analog TV signals. Three-fourths of the white spaces are completely unused today, and -- especially once TV is broadcast in digital only starting in 2009 -- could be used to kick-start a revolution in wireless technology, including universal wireless online access and numerous new products and services that can't even be imagined today.
This fall, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will decide whether to make this spectrum available for anyone to use. At Google, we think more open access to the white spaces is essential, not only for companies like ours, but for society in general. But this outcome is far from certain, so we've joined a broad coalition of public interest groups and industry peers who are working to convince the FCC to free the airwaves and unleash the next generation of Internet innovation. We hope you'll add your voice to the debate by signing our petition and helping spread the word about this campaign.
Google launched this website because we believe strongly that freeing the white spaces is crucial to the future of the Internet. Make no mistake: open access to this unused bandwidth would surely be good for our own bottom line (not to mention those of many of our industry peers); better access to the Internet means more people doing web searches and using our software products.
But we think the public interest here is paramount, and just as clear. Opening up the vast unused portion of spectrum will enable a new generation of innovation and competition from which consumers -- especially those to whom the white spaces could soon deliver high-speed online access -- should benefit tremendously, both from a wealth of new products and services and from far lower cell phone and Internet access bills.
We don't presume to speak for you and your interests, though; our goal is simply to explain why we think this issue is crucial and to highlight the many public interest groups, companies, activists and academics who also support this cause. We hope that once you've explored the facts for yourself, you'll want to make your voice heard, too, and urge the FCC to free the airwaves now.
A truly open source web, over which governments could have no control.
Stop it, you are going to make the geek trapped inside my body start to drool and mess up my keyboard.
I like the idea, but broadcasting the internet would probably make our freedom-hating government censor it like they do television.
Exactly! That's why it's a bad idea. Nothing is free.
Knowing govt logic you’re probably right.
“A truly open source web, over which governments could have no control.”
~~~~~
Uh-huh!
That’s what “they” would have us believe....
Everything is proceeding nicely according to plan....
;)
Semper Fidelis
The “G” Dick
~~~~~~~~~~
Rumor has it, this has been part of their play to make Android (a portable device OS) and their move behind the google phone.
It's truly a great idea, and I applaud for it, and at least for saying that they are going to make a buck off of it too.
Who’s plan? Google, or the Government?
/johnny
Free? ok cool
The only problem with that is that they would selectively enforce the law, just like they do with the drug laws.
As long as they don't select you for selective enforcement, you're fine, but the threat would always be there.
The federal government has deep pockets. You cannot afford to defend yourself. You would have to take a plea bargain.
Take yer pick.
Gubmint, big biz, etc. all bin orgying together at the citizen’s expense forever!
So instead of the pornography superhighway, it will be the pornography super-duper highway?
Better than that, it would be the RIAA's worst nightmare.
Look at all the fees and taxes added to your telephone bill...almost 40% of my monthly charge. Now imagine similar taxes and fees on your Internet service bill. Internet access and commerce is seen by bureaucrats and politicians as a great untapped source of new taxes. FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein has already discussed making broadband Internet access universal so that those of us currently with broadband will be taxed to make it available to the six people with computers in middle of nowhere South Dakota.
This would allow a peer-to-peer Internet that has nothing to do with the Internet provided by phone/cable/satellite companies.
The government would have no more control or taxation power over it than over CB radio.
If you were to actually RTFA you would see that they freely admit to the free-enterprise (profit = evil?) aspects of freeing up the airwaves.
Why should laws written during the days of Marconi still apply when technology has advanced far beyond those limitations?
“Is this the same Google that was helping the Chinese government censor access to the Internet for political reasons?”
No. This is the Google that took the roads and cities off the map of Georgia the day after Russia invaded.
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