Information about http://www.redpoint.com/files/news/wsj_8-16-07_m2z_seeks_fcc_review_of_free_internet-service_plan_-_wsj.pdf
Firm Seeks FCC Review of Free Internet-Service Plan - WSJ.com …
Tags: boles, broadband internet service, colleagues, dow jones, fcc, federal communications commission, free internet service, m2z networks inc, megahertz, menlo, menlo park, page b3, personal internet service, ready copies, reprints, silicon valley, silicon valley entrepreneurs, spectrum, wsj,Pages: 2
Language: english
Created: Sun Aug 19 06:45:03 2007
Display cached document
Page 1
Page 2
Firm Seeks FCC Review of Free Internet-Service Plan - WSJ.com http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB118720450065998722.html
August 16, 2007
DOW JONES REPRINTS
Firm Seeks FCC Review of Free This copy is for your personal,
Internet-Service Plan non-commercial use only. To order
presentation-ready copies for
distribution to your colleagues,
By COREY BOLES clients or customers, use the Order
August 16, 2007; Page B3 Reprints tool at the bottom of any
article or visit:
The Federal Communications Commission is seeking to shut the door on a www.djreprints.com.
plan by a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to offer free wireless · See a sample reprint in PDF
broadband Internet service nearly everywhere in the U.S., the chief format.
· Order a reprint of this article now.
executive of the group said.
M2Z Networks Inc. issued a statement in which it said it would take the FCC to court in an attempt to
force the agency to conduct a thorough analysis of the plan before it determined whether it would back it.
The Menlo Park, Calif., company has proposed taking 25 megahertz of spectrum that is currently vacant
and using it to build a wireless broadband Internet network to provide free service to 95% of Americans
within a decade.
In addition to the backing of well-known Silicon Valley venture capitalists who count among their earlier
investments Amazon.com Inc., Netscape, Google Inc., social-networking site MySpace and TiVO Inc.,
the plan has the backing of a number of prominent lawmakers.
"Every American should have access to high-speed broadband Internet service," said Democratic Rep.
Anna Eshoo of California. "It's beyond me why the chairman of the FCC would be circulating an order
within the commission to kill the M2Z application."
According to John Muleta, a former head of the FCC's wireless bureau and now chief executive of M2Z,
the group was informed last week by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin's office that Mr. Martin had circulated
a proposed decision to the other four commissioners that would deny M2Z's plan. An official in another
commissioners' office confirmed that Mr. Martin had circulated a letter suggesting the plan be declined.
An FCC spokesman declined to comment.
In order for the M2Z plan to succeed, it would require the FCC to hand over 25 megahertz of spectrum,
which goes against a principle established a decade ago that the agency should sell off any spectrum in an
auction. In exchange for being given the spectrum, M2Z would return 5% of any gross revenue its
network derived to the U.S. Treasury. The company would then use that spectrum to construct a wireless
broadband network covering 95% of the U.S. population within 10 years.
The company would seek to gain a return on its investment by offering access to the network on a
wholesale basis. A group of high-tech companies including Google, Intel Corp., eBay Inc. and Yahoo
Inc. had lobbied the FCC to mandate that another swath of spectrum being sold early next year be
operated on a wholesale basis. The companies were ultimately unsuccessful in their campaign.
In March, CTIA, the wireless industry's Washington lobby group, urged the FCC in a filing to "move
1 of 2 8/19/2007 6:43 AM
Firm Seeks FCC Review of Free Internet-Service Plan - WSJ.com http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB118720450065998722.html
immediately to dismiss or deny M2Z's application." The group opposes the proposal because it said it
would circumvent the agency's auction process.
Write to Corey Boles at corey.boles@dowjones.com1
URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118720450065998722.html
Hyperlinks in this Article:
(1) mailto:corey.boles@dowjones.com
Copyright 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our
Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones
Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com .
RELATED ARTICLES AND BLOGS
Related Articles from the Online Journal
· FCC Backs Spectrum Open Access
· Spectrum Sale May Open Market
Blog Posts About This Topic
· FCC Opposes Plan For Free Broadband radio-nerd.net
· FCC wants to block freebie Internet service dialzero.blogspot.com
More related content Powered by Sphere
2 of 2 8/19/2007 6:43 AM