USA Today reported yesterday that the FCC will vote on December 18th to approve a plan to turn a currently inactive broadband spectrum (AWS-3) into a free wireless Internet network across the US. The plan would accept bids from service providers to run the network, at least 25% of which would have to be free. Users will likely be able to pay more for faster speeds.

Best of all, free broadband could be available in under a year.

Well, it’s about time. I’m sick of sitting in my room with a 100-foot Ethernet cable following me around anytime I need to use the Internet. (Yes, I know I could get a router, but I’m being frugal). More importantly, free broadband would give easy Internet access to rural areas that currently only support hideously slow dial-up or hideously expensive satellite DSL.

So, why don’t we already have this free Interwebs available to us? Ah, the wireless phone companies. They are claiming that the new spectrum will interfere with the existing one, used by the companies. The FCC thinks not. I’m guessing profits have a lot to do with their argument.