M2Z's Plan for Free and Family Friendly Broadband Sparks Debate on Constitutionality of Indecency Filters

M2Z calls for a full and informed deliberation on the merits of its application and related issues WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the PublicInterest Spectrum Coalition ("PISC") consisting of Free Press, Media AccessProject and Consumers Union and other organizations, filed comments intoM2Z's public record at the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC")seeking 'on the record' confirmation of M2Z's wholesale, open device andnetwork neutrality positions. Additionally, PISC opposed the familyfriendly filtering on M2Z's proposed free service adding that, "grantingthe license subject to a filtering condition ... raises serious FirstAmendment concerns as well as statutory concerns." "We applaud PISC's thoughtful and considered comments. They've raisedimportant questions to the FCC and M2Z agrees that additional time isneeded for a full and informed debate on the merits of M2Z's pendingapplication," said John Muleta, co-founder and CEO of M2Z Networks."Although we filed our application over 15 months ago and seek anexpeditious decision, we have also called for a fair and transparentprocess that must be deliberate and based on the record. Unfortunately,it's clear that the full Commission has not yet had adequate time for afull review of our extensive docket. The public interest will not be servedby a rushed decision made because of an arbitrary September 1 deadline." "We intend to provide additional clarification on some of the questionsraised by PISC in the public record," added Mr. Muleta, who was formerlyco- head of the communications practice at Venable LLP, a leading US lawfirm. "However, on the issue of family friendly filtering, we respectfullydisagree with PISC's viewpoint on the constitutionality of a voluntaryapproach. Our position is that there are no legal issues with voluntaryfamily friendly filtering of the free broadband service as this is the sametype of innovative market based solution that has been advocated recentlyby a number of groups that are under the FCC's purview such as the NationalCable Television Association and the Creative Coalition with regard toInternet safety for children." PISC's reservations about allowing a licensee to voluntarily filterindecent content stand in stark contrast to the hundreds of federal, stateand local elected officials and organizations who have written into the FCCin support of M2Z's family-friendly broadband Internet service. On August22, 2007, the Family Research Council ("FRC"), one of the nation'spreeminent social advocacy organizations wrote a letter to the FCC urgingChairman Martin to use the agency's considerable regulatory authority toserve the public interest by immediately granting M2Z's application. TonyPerkins, FRC's President added, "This could be a revolutionary product, andas the docket shows, the reception to the M2Z concept has beenoverwhelmingly favorable." Other prominent supporters include the InternetKeep Safe Coalition, United Families International, Bishop Paul Loverde ofthe Diocese of Arlington, and Enough is Enough. M2Z has a long pending application at the FCC to provide a free andfamily friendly wireless broadband Internet service nationwide. M2Z's freebroadband service will provide parents and teachers with a safe way to usethe Internet for education and entertainment by filtering pornographic andindecent material at the network level. Unlike existing tools which requiresoftware and updates to be loaded on individual machines, parents usingM2Z's wireless broadband service will be spared playing IT administrator inorder to provide a safe internet environment for their children. Althoughthere is widespread adoption of network level filters in corporate Internetuse, M2Z's service would be the first major nationwide commercial providerto deliver a free and family friendly nationwide broadband Internetservice. M2Z will also offer a premium subscription service at higherspeeds that allows users the option of turning off the network based filtershould they choose to do so. "M2Z believes that our voluntary commitment to filtering, rather than agovernment mandated requirement, obviates constitutional issues.Furthermore, we believe that offering a free broadband service withoutfamily friendly filtering would not make us a responsible corporatecitizen," said Muleta. "Similar to free-over-the-air TV, we would have noidea whether a user of the free service is 9 years old or 40 years old. Wealso believe, and that includes our investors who are Silicon Valleyleaders, that offering Americans free and family friendly broadband makesgood business sense since it provides consumers more choices in thebroadband market." According to M2Z's co-founder, Chairman and CTO, Milo Medin, "It isincreasingly difficult to protect children from indecent material,especially given the pervasive nature of harmful content. While theInternet is an indispensable resource for all kinds of information, forcingparents to choose between all or nothing in terms of content is bad policy,especially when technology can enable more choice." Medin added, "Webelieve that creating an additional choice for broadband access that is notonly free, but family friendly will enable all families to enjoy thebenefits of the modern information age without also having to endure atleast some of its dangers. A new network offering where the default is'safe' makes common sense, and as the record shows, is widely supported bya wide cross section of American families. We are committed to thisposition and will deliver on that commitment if allowed to by the FCC." To view Family Research Council President Tony Perkins' letter ofsupport, please visit: http://www.M2Znetworks.com/letters For Background on M2Z's Free & Family Friendly Nationwide BroadbandService Proposal, The Recent Comments from Family Values Advocates InSupport of M2Z, and the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition RaisingConstitutional Concerns, please visit:http://www.M2Znetworks.com/resource-center To view Appendix 3 of M2Z Networks' Application, "M2Z's Commitment toProtect Minors From Indecent Material on M2Z's Network," please visit:http://www.M2Znetworks.com/resource-center Background M2Z Networks currently has an application before the FCC to lease 20MHzof fallow spectrum to build a nationwide network to offer fast, free andfamily friendly broadband to 95 percent of the U.S. population within tenyears. The service will be supported by locally targeted search results andwill include a network-level filter to shield children using the servicefrom indecent content. If licensed, M2Z would pay the U.S. Treasury 5percent of annual gross revenues from its premium subscription services,which could total payments of up to $1 billion over 15 years. Theintroduction of M2Z's broadband service would generate $18 to $32 billionin direct consumer benefits over the next 15 years according to twouncontested economic studies. About M2Z Networks: Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., M2Z Networks'goal is to transform the current state of the broadband marketplace bybuilding a high-speed wireless network throughout the United States. In May2006, the company submitted a license application to the FCC to constructand operate a nationwide broadband wireless network in the 2155-2175 MHzspectrum band. Approval of the application would guarantee delivery offree, fast and family-friendly wireless broadband service to at least 95percent of Americans in a 10 year timeframe. M2Z is backed by Kleiner,Perkins, Caufield and Byers; Charles River Ventures; and Redpoint Ventures;three of the most successful venture capital firms in Silicon Valley with$5 billion of capital under management. For more information, please visithttp://www.M2Znetworks.com and http://www.FreeBroadbandNow.org.