New Start-Up Very Close to Issuing Free Broadband for the Masses

A new start-up is not only looking to enter the broadband market, but hoping to shake up the status quo with an agenda that liberates consumers once and for all: free broadband for the masses!

If free broadband is to become a reality, M2Z will have to win a major portion of the wireless airwaves (known as advances wireless services 3, or AWS-3) which is up for auction next year by the Federal Communications Commission.

While the small company remains optimistic, winning the auction will not be easy. The wireless spectrum is expected to sell for $50 million.

The price alone will not scare M2Z, especially since outside corporations (with deep pockets) have committed to the crusade. Among the companies supporting M2Z is Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers of Silicon Valley and networking giant Cisco Systems. (Source: usatoday.com)

Problem is, there's a coalition of major phone and cable companies looking to pool their resources in an effort to outbid M2Z. An M2Z acquisition would mean force rival companies to drop their broadband prices or revamp offers.

The free broadband proposed by M2Z would run at 768 kilobits per second or ten times faster than dial-up. To put it into perspective, most carriers usually offer 400 to 500 kilobits of broadband and charge their customers between $60 and $80 a month. (Source: benton.org)

Another great feature of M2Z broadband is that the service will come pre-installed in most laptop models, home routers and other web-enabled devices.

If M2Z wins the FCC auction and all goes according to plan, free broadband could fall into the hands of consumers as early as fall 2009.