Tech, telecom giants take sides as FCC proposes large public WiFi networks

[unhappycamper]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/tech-telecom-giants-take-sides-as-fcc-proposes-large-public-wifi-networks/2013/02/03/eb27d3e0-698b-11e2-ada3-d86a4806d5ee_story.html



A Lexus SL 600 Integrated Safety driverless research vehicle is seen on display at the Consumer Electronics Show on Jan. 9. Super WiFi networks would allow for a driverless car to talk to another car a mile away.

Tech, telecom giants take sides as FCC proposes large public WiFi networks
By Cecilia Kang, Published: February 3

The federal government wants to create super WiFi networks across the nation, so powerful and broad in reach that consumers could use them to make calls or surf the Internet without paying a cellphone bill every month.

The proposal from the Federal Communications Commission has rattled the $178 billion wireless industry, which has launched a fierce lobbying effort to persuade policymakers to reconsider the idea, analysts say. That has been countered by an equally intense campaign from Google, Microsoft and other tech giants who say a free-for-all WiFi service would spark an explosion of innovations and devices that would benefit most Americans, especially the poor. <<- say what????

The airwaves that FCC officials want to hand over to the public would be much more powerful than existing WiFi networks that have become common in households. They could penetrate thick concrete walls and travel over hills and around trees. If all goes as planned, free access to the Web would be available in just about every metropolitan area and in many rural areas.

The new WiFi networks would also have much farther reach, allowing for a driverless car to communicate with another vehicle a mile away or a patient’s heart monitor to connect to a hospital on the other side of town.



unhappycamper comment: The new WiFi networks would also make it easier for the NSA to track/log/save all your internets traffic.

[dipsydoodle]

1. car to talk to another car a mile away

Mornin' - how's your exhaust pipe doin' today after drinking all that gas last night.

[westerebus]

2. Thanks.

This reminds me to file another FCC complaint to get X-finity aka Com cast to fix their billing mistakes for the second time. To clarify, this is the second FCC complaint, Com cast sixth time at screwing up the billing.