IP: A New Article by John Berresford . . .on broadband and universal service

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> about Universal Service and Broadband has appeared in Boardwatch.
>
> Hardcopies provided on request.
>
> Part II to follow next month.
>
> Regards,
>
> John
>
>  http://www.boardwatch.com/bw/may01/Broadband_Not_Everyone.htm


Why Universal Service Doesn’t Work for Broadband• Any Universal Broadband 
program should be created slowly and carefully• The collective goal is to 
make some form of service physically available and financially affordable 
by, every home in this country• A very few of existing programs work on 
"the supply side," giving or lending money to companies that will build or 
improve networks• There may be legal obstacles to expanding traditional 
Universal Service to include broadband because the Act explicitly favors 
de-regulatory and private sectors to any "Broadband Divide," and implicitly 
disfavors government mandates• Many of the distinctions that are basic to 
traditional Universal Service simply don’t fit broadband service.

Why You Should CareThere is talk at the FCC to include access to broadband 
in Universal Service programs. This article is the first of a two-part 
series on Universal Service and broadband access. Part one focuses on the 
arguments against using the current Universal Service program to extend 
broadband to rural areas. Part two will discuss a sound Universal Broadband 
program and how it would affect ISPs.
Disclaimer
Although the author is an employee of the FCC, the opinions herein are his 
alone and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the FCC or anyone 
else there.

John W. Berresford is a senior antitrust attorney at the FCC. Most of his 
career has been in the private sector, however, and he has taught 
Communications Law at George Mason University School of Law. He works 
mostly on new technologies, such as broadband, major mergers and 
deregulation. Mr. Berresford is widely published on telecom law and policy, 
gay rights and the espionage case of Alger Hiss and Whittaker Chambers. He 
can be reached at jberres can be reached at jberres ford1 () home com.








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