M2Z
In addition to the white
spaces and 700
MHz issues I've mentioned recently, there's another spectrum
matter that I keep bumping into and wondering about: M2Z.
This
is a bid to offer wireless broadband to all, if the venture can get the
spectrum for free:
The company in a filing
with FCC says if it was to get the soon to be vacated 2155 MHz
to 2175 MHz spectrum for free for 15 years, it would offer universal
broadband access nationwide, and in exchange it would hand over 5% of
its gross revenues from its premium broadband service. In addition, it
will give free 512 kilobits per second wireless access to one and all,
which will be supported by advertising.
I can't tell how
their petition
is being received at the FCC. For political reasons, they're
promising an “automatic, default blocking of access to pornographic,
obscene, and/or indecent material” and a secondary network for public safety. But they're also
promising a new nationwide wireless broadband system, and rumor has it
that M2Z has $400 million in venture capital to implement their plans.
M2Z stands for “move the cost of data transport to
zero.”
Daily Wireless says that the block of
spectrum that M2Z wanted (20MHz of bandwidth) has been taken out of an
FCC auction — because “The FCC has decided that “free” nationwide
broadband wireless (and
exclusive use) is not an idea whose time has come.” I don't have confirmation of this — expert advice welcome.
Big day at USC's Annenberg Center today. Very interesting people — many projects going on — very glad I went.