Friday, March 02, 2007

South Carolina To Get Free Wireless Broadband

A House resolution in South Carolina regarding plans to give residents and businesses free broadband access has been approved.

The South Carolina Wireless Technology and Communications Commission will now implement a wireless network across the state and will assess any feasibility issues, reports Greenville Online.

South Carolina will be the first state to have statewide wireless broadband Internet, said Greenville Rep Dwight Loftis, who was behind the proposal.

"Creating a wireless cloud over our state would be a step in the right direction in continuing to move South Carolina toward a knowledge-based economy," said state House speaker Bobby Harrell. The state already owns Internet infrastructure and will work with private Internet providers, which could charge if users wants faster speeds. According to ABI research, the number of broadband subscribers across the country is expected to climb by nine per cent every year for the next five years.

"The idea is to leverage the state infrastructure and work with private Internet providers, states Mark Weibel EVP of Marketing for Broadband National, who operates the industries leading comparative shopping website. "A basic level of service would be free inside the state, but the providers would still charge fees for faster speeds and other add-on services."

For more information on wireless networks and other digital products and services visit www.broadbandnational.com

1 comment:

Carla Sadlier, Kellie Fitzgerald and Brandon Watts said...

It is now December 2007. I have heard that this was passed but have not hear anything else since March 2007. I think this would be a great thing for Education in this state. When is this going to happen? The next thing would be to issue laptops to all students in middle school or high school.