FCC Concedes to Testing on Free Internet Plan

Bowing to requests from wireless carriers, the Federal Communications Commission has agreed to postpone its plans to move forward with a controversial initiative to create a family-friendly network that would provide free Internet access to nearly all Americans. The tension arises from T-Mobile's claim, supported by its fellow carriers, that the spectrum the FCC would auction for the proposed network would interfere with transmissions on existing wireless networks. "We're going to participate in some testing with T-mobile in Seattle to determine to what level there maybe interference before we proceed," FCC spokesman Robert Kenny told InternetNews.com. The trial will take place Sept. 3 through 5 at Boeing's test facility outside the city. Julius Knapp, the chief engineer at the FCC's office of engineering and technology will conduct the trials with three other engineers from the commission, along with a contingent from T-Mobile. The FCC has not previously conducted its own testing.