Free Broadband internet

Reuters reports that the FCC wants to auction a section of wireless airwaves for a buyer to provided free wireless broadband to Americans. Conditions would include coverage for at least half of the U.S. in four years and a filter to prevent access to pornographic content.

If successful, free wireless broadband would have far reaching social implications. Not only would a greater degree of the population have access to the Internet, but access anywhere.

This consistent wireless coverage would provide an infrastructure for all sorts of network devices, not the least of which would be portable wifi phones. If reliable, consumers could forgo expensive cell service and access the Internet and telephone service anywhere for free.

I can imagine phone companies won't just roll over and take it, as they certainly haven't taken domestic VoiP services competition lying down. One hopes that network neutrality will prevail and consumers will have access to the best and cheapest service.

Universal wireless Internet connectivity is the future of the Internet's evolution and a necessary step towards a truly hyper-connected society. As barriers to information access come down, more and more people will turn to the Internet as a resource for information sharing.

Not only does this lead to further democratization of information, but a reliance on the technology for more and more intra and interpersonal activities.

If we cannot fathom living without our Internet and cell phones, does that already make us transhuman?

-Robot Crusoe

FOOTNOTE: Here's the FCC's proposal