Today’s announcement that a consortium of companies is investing $3.2 billion in a new wireless broadband company is big news.  While the details are just coming available I am hopeful.  Sure there is still a lot of golf to be played in the match but, if nothing else, it seems like the spirit of the deal is right on. 

We desperately need more and better wireless broadband options in this country.  I firmly believe that there is a hurricane of innovation just waiting to happen if someone can provide an open, fast, affordable and unrestricted (to the extent that’s responsible) wireless network.  Just look at the countries that have this in place now (S Korea, Japan, etc). 

I’m really hoping the naysayers and worriers are proven wrong.  If you recall early days of the Arpanet, there were many ways it could have gone (and that was a closed system built by the US Government).  How’d it end up? Open.  Think about services like Google Maps/StreetView, which the company could easily charge for and lock down tightly.  Instead, they are effectively open to virtually any type of reuse, even commercial implementations. 

Anyone who follows what we’re doing here won’t be surprised that we eager to get something like this in place.  Cloud-enabled gadgetry will be huge.  And you can bet we’re working hard on making it happen.