Now that the FCC has announced it will be auctioning off the 700 megahertz part of the wireless spectrum -- it will go unused once broadcast TV stations make a complete switch to digital in 2009 -- its use has become a political and commercial hot button. Internet activists have gone on the offensive to try to convince the FCC of the public importance of the newly-freed spectrum, and to be fair when assigning it, and today they've made a key ally in John Edwards.

As this petition and a statement from the Ad Hoc Public Interest Spectrum Coalition make clear, the new chunk of the spectrum is perfect for wireless communication; it's strong, it can go through walls, and it can go far and wide, which means it could be used to cheaply connect many more people to the Internet by bypassing expensive wired broadband installations.

The fear is that the major broadband players, Verizon and AT&T, will be awarded the spectrum without giving other, smaller players a chance to bid. That would give these telecoms, who have already expressed an interest in making the Internet less free by proposing to charge users additional fees for high-traffic sites, too much power over this much-needed public resource.

The Ad Hoc group's mission is to ensure that these public airwaves (yes, they are public!) are used for the public good, and not to aid the bottom line of the big telecoms.

Now John Edwards has joined in the call, releasing a statement today. “In recent years, the Internet has grown to touch everything and transform much of what it touches. It's not the answer to everything, but it can powerfully accelerate the best of America. It improves our democracy by making quiet voices loud, improves our economy by making small markets big, and improves opportunity by making unlikely dreams possible.” Edwards wants smaller business and wholesalers to have access to at least half the spectrum to guarantee that rural and underserved areas benefit from it. It's amazing that so many businesses and schools in rural areas around the country must still rely on dial-up because Verizon or AT&T simply don't find it profitable to build out broadband networks there.

It's great to see Edwards on the forefront of this issue, and we hope more candidates wake up to this important moment. They could help reverse a dangerous trend toward corporate ownership of what should be a public good.

If you feel the same, sign the petition.

AT&T | FCC | John Edwards | Verizon
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