Kerry, Snowe urge FCC to hurry up on freeing spectrum for wireless

Sens John Kerry (D-MA) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to free up unused spectrum, known as "white spaces," because it could help narrow the digital divide.

Arguing the move would "empower manufacturers and consumers to construct multiple paths to the Internet," the senators said the proposal would help bring the Internet to the 14 million people in the United States who still lack access. "The 'white spaces' spectrum provides an opportunity to reach these Americans," Snowe said. The agency makes the same recommendation in its National Broadband Plan. In the plan, the agency says its must move "expeditiously" to unleash white spaces for wireless broadband, completing a proceeding it took up six years ago.