M2Z (News - Alert) Networks, Inc. (“M2Z”) has called on the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) to move forward and adopt the service rules for a nationwide wireless broadband network. The company claims that this will provide all Americans with a lifeline broadband service at 768 kbps downlink speed for free.

 

According to the FCC's (News - Alert) pending AWS-3 rules, the auction winner of spectrum should provide free lifeline wireless broadband to 50 percent of the population in four years and 95 percent of the U.S. within 10 years. M2Z claims that the economic benefits of putting such a plan in place could be significant. The company quotes the Congressional Research Service, which states that ubiquitous broadband adoption would result in a cumulative increase in gross domestic product of $179.7 billion. It also states that an additional 61,000 jobs will be created per year over the next nineteen years.

 

On October 11, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology released a technical report that declared that two-way broadband service in the "AWS-3" spectrum will not cause harmful interference to wireless services of other carriers. This includes Germany's T-Mobile (News - Alert) and AT&T, two of the world's largest monopoly phone companies and the most vocal opponents to the FCC's Lifeline Broadband proposal.

 

M2Z Networks also quotes a Connected Nation (News - Alert) study, named The Economic Impact of Stimulating Broadband Nationally, which states that there will be a massive $134 billion per year in total direct economic impact with a small 7 percent increase in broadband adoption in the U.S. M2Z Networks states that prices for broadband in the U.S. are among the highest in the world (the U.S. ranks 24th in the world, just behind Estonia).

 

“These technical findings support the use of this long fallow spectrum for broadband and puts to rest the false technical arguments that were thrown in at the last minute in order to thwart competition,” said John Muleta, CEO and founder of M2Z Networks. “All of the policy and technical benchmarks have now been met and all that is needed is an affirmative vote by the FCC Commissioners so that this spectrum can be auctioned and be put into productive use as quickly as possible. The need for more affordable broadband is clear and the time to act is now. American consumers and the public interest should not be held hostage another month or even another day to phone company lobbyists that are now calling for even more delay.”