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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Will The Real Kevin Martin Please Stand Up?

Populist or corporate tool?  You make the call.

Does it seem strange that the same guy that let XM and Sirius Satellite Radio merge - creating a de facto monopoly - is now trying to single-handedly create nationwide wireless broadband?  Rings strange to me.
USA Today is reporting that the FCC commissioner is pitching the idea of selling a block of frequencies coveted by cell-phone carriers with the proviso that a chunk of it be reserved for nationwide wireless broadband.  Oh, and did I mention that this access might be free?

From the article:

“There’s a social obligation in making sure everybody can participate in the next generation of broadband services because, increasingly, that’s what people want,” said Martin.

Of course, corporations like Verizon, AT&T and others that users pay for that kind of access are unimpressed. (In fact, it seems that T-Mobile might actually already be encroaching on the offered frequencies where they shouldn’t be.) You can understand the corporate consternation, since Martin has been reliably in their pocket throughout his 3-year tenure as Chairman.  Even prior to his ascension to the Chairmanship, Martin was a reliable Republican vote on such matters as media consolidation - a subject that, when public comment was counted, was 99-1 against expansion of ownership limits.  This sudden populist turn has me concerned, frankly.  He must not be feeling well.

What’s next?  Low-power FM radio freedom?  Heaven forfend! 

LATE ADD:  Check THIS out - Martin says the lack of cable ala carte pricing is the “single biggest problem” facing consumers these days!  What, even more than $4 gasoline?!  The Washington Times has the scoop.

I have to add that on cable ala carte, Martin has seemed to buck the corporate view, but that’s pretty easy to do when there is essentially zero chance he can actually do anything about it.  Looks good on the resume’, though.  Wonder who he’ll end up lobbying for in a few months.

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Internet == ala cart

Posted by Rob  on  08/21  at  12:40 PM

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