Free national wireless internet certainly sounds like a desirable goal.  Indeed, for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin, the quest to put free internet to policy has been one he has held close to heart.  However, the proposal was mired in questions about the implementation.  Some initially called for the internet to be filtered to prevent minors from "inappropriate" access, but critics later blasted the proposals calls for the free internet to filter out pornography and other offensive materials.

Now in hopes of winning over the measure's detractors, Chairman Martin has given the green light to free browsing of the internet's red light district, dropping provisions for filtering from the proposal.  In an interview with tech blog Ars Technica, Chairman Martin confirmed that partners licensed to provide the service would no longer have to filter the internet.  He also said he has already begun to circulate the new version of his plan.

The FCC has been planning an auction of the 25 MHz portion of the 2.1 GHz spectrum, the 2155 MHz to 2180 MHz band to be particular, in the coming months.  As part of the auction's provisions, telecoms or other parties who buy a piece will have to offer free services on a portion of it.  Previously an additional provision was that the providers must also filter their free service.  The intention was to provide free in-home internet to many across the country who could not otherwise afford it.

After civil liberties groups complained about the filtering, Chairman Martin did a sharp about face.  He says in the new interview, "I'm saying if this is a problem for people, let's take it away.  A lot of public interest advocates have said they would support this, but we're concerned about the filter. Well, now there's an item in front of the Commissioners and it no longer has the filter. And I've already voted for it without the filter now. So it's already got one vote."

Public Knowledge, Consumers Union, and the Media Access Project are among the groups who have pledged to support the project if it were to drop its filtering.  These groups have praised the open access provisions, which require providers to allow any wireless device to connect to the service.

The measure still has powerful opponents.  The adjacent spectrum was acquired by T-Mobile USA for $4.2B USD in 2006, and T-Mobile says use of these parts of the 25 MHz section would interfere with transmissions in its own purchase.  The FCC says that its own thorough testing have proven these claims false.

With a new chairman likely incoming with President-elect Barack Obama, Chairman Martin's last chance to pass the measure will be at the Commission's open meeting on January 15.  He is expected to possibly bring the proposal to a vote at this meeting.