H.R. 5846, The Wireless Internet Nationwide for Families Act of 2008

• This item is from the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.

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H.R. 5846 would require the Federal Communications Commission to auction spectrum for a free and open access broadband service.

Detailed Summary

Wireless Internet Nationwide for Families Act of 2008 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promote nationwide broadband competition through the use of wireless services by issuing nationwide licenses, for a term of at least 15 years, for two bands of frequencies, each composed of 20 megahertz of unpaired contiguous spectrum, one band under 3 gigahertz and not part of the recovered analog spectrum and the other band between 2155 and 2180 megahertz.

Requires licensees, among other things, to offer to consumers and authorized public safety users, without subscription, airtime, usage, or other charges, a data service that is faster than 200 kilobits per second and that has technology that protects underage users from accessing obscene or indecent material.

Requires a separate rule-making or other procedures for licensing through auction additional unpaired contiguous spectrum of 20 megahertz below 3 gigahertz, but auction shall be conducted without the conditions specified in the immediately preceding paragraph unless the Commission finds it is in the public interest.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 4/17/2008: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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