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June 6, 2008

NATIONAL: FCC chief's free broadband plan delayed

By JOHN DUNBAR

WASHINGTON (AP) — A plan by the nation's top telecommunications regulator to provide free wireless high-speed Internet service hit a snag this week over concerns about possible interference and a proposed censoring feature that upset free speech advocates.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin told The Associated Press on Thursday that the plan will not be voted on at the June 12 meeting as first promised, but he hopes to present it to the full commission in July.

"I want to be clear that I am still very supportive of the cause of providing a lifeline broadband service across the country," he said.

Under the plan, the FCC would auction 25 megahertz of spectrum — a sizable chunk — to a single bidder who would use it to build a nationwide network and dedicate about 25 percent of it for the broadband service.

The concept first was envisioned by wireless startup M2Z Networks Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif. The company asked the FCC to let it use the same frequencies in the current plan so it could offer a free nationwide broadband service.

In exchange, the company would pay the federal government a percentage of revenues earned on sales generated from advertising on the resulting network.

The FCC rejected the proposal because it meant giving the airwaves to the company without it bidding against other carriers for the rights.

Martin said some wireless companies whose frequencies are near those of the proposed network voiced concerns that it may create interference. He also said some were worried about a plan to filter offensive content that could be accessed on the network that might be inappropriate for children.

The chairman said he supports allowing adults to opt out of the filtered service.

Martin said he decided not to put the issue on the June agenda to give other commissioners more time to consider the proposal.

Under Martin's tentative plan, the network that would be built using the airwaves must reach 50 percent of the population in four years and 95 percent after 10 years.

If commissioners approve the plan at the July meeting, the auction could take place by the end of the year.

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