FCC proposes porn-free, cost-free broadband Internet service. Image: FCC.
Parents concerned regarding how easy it is for their children to access online pornography might soon have their fears eased after it emerged that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is to push for the introduction of a brand new and distinctly porn-free Internet network in the United States.
According to out-going FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, if the proposal is successful, it will lead to the creation of a completely free nationwide wireless network that will help address the shortfall of high-speed Internet access in certain parts of the country.
What's more, the proposed network will also employ a pornography filtration system that parents can choose to activate in order to weed out any and all adult material deemed to be unsuitable for children.
"This initiative brings with it the promise of a free basic broadband service to hundreds of thousands of Americans who currently have limited or no access to the high-speed Internet," said Martin in a USA Today statement before outlining the importance of finding "new and creative ways" to make U.S. broadband services more accessible, reliable and robust.
However, the plan is already facing considerable opposition from heavyweight operators such as T-Mobile USA, who have claimed the arrival of any such new service on the spectrum could potentially disrupt the flow of their own high-speed networks. The FCC has since dismissed this eventuality.
The proposal, which initially surfaced back in 2006, is looking to draw upon an unused section of the spectrum (known as AWS-3), which would be auctioned off under the proviso that at least 25 percent of the resulting network capacity is used to deliver a free broadband consumer service.
It is highly likely that the remaining spectrum would carry usage charges for those customers looking to obtain a much higher service speed than that offered on the free broadband network.
Currently, only around 38 percent of rural households in the U.S. have access to broadband services, while coverage in urban and suburban regions is closer to 60 percent.
Martin's proposal is expected to be tabled for agency consideration during an upcoming meeting scheduled for December 18.
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