free internet

FreedomPop offers free home broadband

Wednesday's CNET Update wants to break free:

Freedom Pop is offering 1GB of free home Internet service every month with purchase of its router, which costs $90. Those that stream video or need more data can upgrade to 10GB for $10 a month, or pay-as-you-go for $5 a gigabyte. The service uses Clearwire's 4G WiMAX network. Free home Internet service can shake up the broadband industry, much like Skype changed the voice industry.

Also in today's news roundup:

- Facebook added new ways to access privacy settings.

- Microsoft's Surface tablet is now sold at Best Buy and Staples. … Read more

Get free multiuser video chat with OoVoo

So you Skype; do you OoVoo too? Because OoVoo is a free HD video, voice, and IM chat app that lets you chat with up to 12 friends at once (6 via video and 6 on the phone). It records voice and video on your hard drive, not an online account, so file size is unlimited. You can use OoVoo to share large files (up to 25MB) as well as make phone calls to landlines, text chat, record video messages up to 1 minute long, and do a whole lot of other cool things. Mobile and tablet users have a … Read more

FCC cancels meeting for free Internet vote

The Federal Communications Commission has canceled a meeting scheduled at which it planned to vote on a controversial free Internet plan.

The group has been considering whether it should auction off 25 megahertz of wireless spectrum in the 2155MHz to 2180MHz band. In exchange for using the spectrum, the FCC would require license holders to offer some free wireless broadband service, as a way to provide free Internet access to millions of Americans who either can't afford or don't want to pay for high-speed Internet access. That Web service would have been filtered for pornography and material deemed … Read more

White House opposes FCC's free Internet plan

The Bush administration opposes a Federal Communications Commission plan for free, nationwide wireless Internet access, according to a report Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal.

The FCC has been considering auctioning 25 megahertz of spectrum in the 2155MHz to 2180MHz band. As part of the rules for using the spectrum, the FCC plans to require license holders to offer some free wireless broadband service.

The FCC sees the idea, which is based on a proposal submitted to the FCC by M2Z Networks in 2006, as a way to provide broadband Internet service to millions of Americans who either can't … Read more

FCC report negates free Internet interference claims

Correction: This post initially misstated the portion of spectrum cited in newly released FCC report. It was updated 3:15 PDT with corrected information and related background.

A Federal Communications Commission engineering report released late Friday essentially backs a plan to create a free wireless Internet service by dismissing concerns about interference for existing providers.

The FCC sees the plan, which … Read more

FCC seeking comment on free wireless auction

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday formalized its plans to auction off a section of wireless spectrum to buyers who promise to provide free Internet service that filters out pornography and other inappropriate content, and offers open access to third-party devices and applications.

The agency is seeking public comment on the plan details, of which are posted here. Winning bidders of the 25 megahertz of spectrum in the 2155MHz band would also be required to provide free wireless coverage to at least half of the United States within four years, and to at least 95 percent of the population by … Read more