We knew the White House was on board with the FCC's desire to free up an additional 500MHz worth of spectrum over the next decade from private and federal holders, as announced last year, and now Obama has announced the plan to do it. The plan is to incentivize the current spectrum squatters with a share of the revenue gained from auctioning off the spectrum -- mostly for mobile broadband use -- which only seems fair, and for now it seems those auctions will be voluntary. But that's just the tip of the iceberg: the plan also includes a $5 billion investment in constructing 4G networks in rural areas (with a goal to reach at least 98 percent of Americans with the service), a $3 billion fund for 4G R&D to help the rollout, and $10.7 billion for a wireless public safety network. The beauty of this plan is that all these proposed costs are offset by the spectrum auction, which is estimated to raise $27.8 billion, of which $9.6 billion will be dedicated to deficit reduction. Oh, and the best news? The government has already found 115MHz worth of Federal spectrum that it can free up by using its other spectrum more efficiently, and has another 95MHz worth in its sights. Hit up the source link to see President Obama's speech on the subject, which has just begun, or check it out embedded after the break.
via EnGadget c/o Chris Fisher
Yet another case study in how things have become more mobile, and if this bill goes through, true information will be more available wherever you are, ambitious to shoot for 98% but certainly possible. As so many today have really become more and more mobile as phones have become less expensive with more functions then a typical pc had in the 80s and early 90s. Devices that by themselves may as well be something as simple as pocket pcs. The abilty to access the internet and it's associated information no matter where you may travel is another benefit to an ever mobile society as well as a travelling classroom, to learn from the collective resources on the interconnected web, the limitations on access has been the one thing, that the hope is with this bill become a thing of the past.
More On Mobile Phones;
If your child spends anytime alone, walking to school etc, a cellphone may make sense for your peace of mind, right? 3 minutes ago from TweetChat
Mobile telephones are a powerful medium, some examples below speak to that idea, and why this tweet as shared by TheOnlineMom was quite powerful and quite appropiate for this time and these days in being help to keep track of, keep in touch with your children and relatives.
Cell Phones have made it many times easier to get in touch and stay in touch ... adding to the social benefit of having one available. Although it is a luxury while not so much a necessity it does insure the ability to communicate, with family and friends.
Cell phones and the elderly, a good combination? Yes it does hold true, the necessity of the times, as the years pass, and life is lived eventually there is a point where it is important to be able to communicate to any one person in the event of an emergency
In today’s society, we have gone mobile in more ways then you can imagine, as such it only makes sense that teens are following suite, though they are more willing to grasp technology earlier on. The difference is a teen may or may not be ready for the responsibility of a cell phone, though they seem to want one because everyone else has one.
Certainly having a cell phone enhances communication but it also extends the ability to get into trouble, or to communicate with someone who may not be officially authorized with less then good intentions, that may result in things that otherwise should not be. Though it should not also be the one thing that sways the decision to buy or not.
c/o Knatchwa @ Home Of Knatchwa
In closing cell phones, they are beneficial, and it is good if your child has one with it's integrated gps enabled, that way there is always a way to communicate.
An explorer of new mediums, a 