Why does Google want to Free The Airwaves?
Posted by ClifNotes, Aug 2008, permalink Rants and Raves
Why would Google want to turn America's free radio spectrum into wireless internet service? I think that's obvious since Google's search engine gets the most traffic of any site on the net. If more people surf, they make more money.
Aside from that, I'd be all for the idea. I do have some questions about how this would all work. I keep thinking of Heinlein's old quote "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch". Who pays for a free internet service that gets broadcast across the nation?
My bet would be that the plan would be to make it ad supported. The idea leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but if they can solve the technology side of this, I can only hope that it helps people access free and useful information, instead of serving fluffy entertainment and advertising.
Quote from Google's "Free the Airwaves" site:
Remember that fuzzy static between channels on the old TVs? Today more than three-quarters of those radio airwaves, or "white space" spectrum, are completely unused. This vast public resource could offer a revolution in wireless services of all kinds, including universal wireless Internet. The FCC will soon decide whether to open this unused spectrum for general usage, and your voice matters -- a lot. So if you agree that freeing the white spaces represents a vote for the future of the Internet, please sign our petition and help spread the word about this campaign
http://www.freetheairwaves.com/
Quote from Business Week:
... while the idea has appeal, and has gained support from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, I just don’t see it going anywhere any time soon — despite this additional pressure from Google. Television broadcasters and wireless service providers are dead set against it. Devices supposed to work over white spaces keep failing government tests. And Google’s publicity campaign doesn’t help address either of these problems.
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2008/08/googles_freethe.html
