Unless you are the type of person that poaches off of your neighbor’s Internet connection you pay a monthly service to keep your laptop and other wireless devices connected. Some users are able to get a deal if they also own a PC, but purchasing a separate plan is sometimes necessary. The FCC is devising a plan that would help nine different major companies get the licensing that they need to offer consumers free Internet access. Companies such as McDonald’s and Starbucks already afford paying customers to opportunity to use their Internet access for free, but this doesn’t help them if they want to surf the web at home.

LightSquared has been given the green light on this project by the FCC, and they will likely be the service providers for companies such as Apple major television stations. The project will take more than five years to be developed partially because the number of Internet users is expected to increase substantially. Although it is not known exactly how each individual company will offer their free WiFi connections, many in the industry have speculated that the will bundle it with other services. For instance, Apple product owners frequently upgrade their devices as soon as an upgrade is made available. If Apple offers a free WiFi connection it will probably be included in the purchase price. Companies such as Best Buy will probably take a different approach, but Internet service providers will need to come up with their own strategies if they want to stay competitive.