...[Eric] Schmidt's involvement with New America is personal rather than corporate and predates his move to Google. Still, Google recently collaborated with New America on a topic of mutual interest--wireless policy. Since 2001, New America has run a Wireless Future Program, which describes its mission as promoting "fair and efficient use of the airwaves" to help allow more Americans, especially low-income individuals, to connect to the Internet. Greater Internet access is a goal that Google has also championed, and in May, New America hosted an event at which Google co-founder Larry Page answered questions about its efforts to expand that access...

New America and an array of consumer, minority, and religious groups, as well as Google and a coalition of information-technology companies, want these portions of the spectrum, known as "white spaces," to be made available to the public to increase wireless access to the Internet through, for example, citywide wireless networks, rather than left vacant or auctioned off. Broadcasters oppose the idea, saying that it will interfere with their transmissions.

Michael Calabrese, director of New America's Wireless Future Program, says he invited Page to the event in May in a bid to help counter the greater influence of the broadcasters at the Federal Communications Commission. "The high-tech companies are relatively underrepresented in Washington compared to incumbent interests" such as the broadcasters and the big telecom companies, Calabrese said. "Google generally has supported openness, open networks, and open airwaves, and making Internet access open and affordable..." LINK