FCC faces steep challenge in developing national broadband policy

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: dewayne () warpspeed com (Dewayne Hendricks)
Date: July 10, 2009 3:02:25 PM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <xyzzy () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] FCC faces steep challenge in developing  
national broadband policy

FCC faces steep challenge in developing national broadband policy
Input from stakeholders features discord, widely differing opinions

By Doug Adams, Knight Center of Digital Excellence

<http://www.benton.org/node/26386>

It's well chronicled how the past nine years have seen the U.S. move  
from a leader in broadband service to being ranked somewhere in the  
high teens among all nations (depending on the survey). With slower,  
more expensive service, our nation is not in the position it should be  
to make sure broadband services are available and able to foster  
innovation at home. The U.S. is quickly losing out on economic  
opportunities while its position as a generator of patents slips to  
nations with robust broadband platforms for innovation in place.

The broadband stimulus package brings with it hope that the U.S. can  
get back on track to being globally competitive. While at the same  
time, with $7.2 billion for broadband on the table, opinions vary as  
to the best way to leverage this investment. While the broadband  
investment is both significant and welcome, the jury is out on the  
economic development impact it will have as the first round (and  
perhaps future rounds) are focused more on rural and underserved than  
urban centers of innovation and development.

In seeking input towards a national broadband strategy, the FCC drew  
more than 1,800 responses from a wide range of players including  
telecoms, cable companies, think tanks, advocacy groups, and  
individual cities.

It's not surprising there was little common ground on nearly every  
issue, from whether the government should protect net neutrality, to  
whether cable companies and telecoms should lease their lines to  
competitors, to whether the FCC should back local cities and towns  
that want to build their own broadband networks.

Internet Service Providers

In general, telecoms and cable companies are asking the FCC to take a  
hands-off approach. While the rankings suggest otherwise, one cable  
company argued in its 123-page filing that high-speed cable has  
"succeeded beyond anyone's predictions." The company says that the  
FCC's "regulatory restraint" induced cable companies to deploy high- 
speed cable Internet service that's now available to more than 92  
percent of households.

It's not a lack of affordable service, claims one telecom  
organization, that accounts for a lack in broadband penetration - it's  
because people don't see the value in the service.

"The adoption challenge is four times as large as the access  
challenge, and deserves commensurate attention," the company argues.

The U.S. Telecom Association likewise argues that, "While much of the  
public debate on broadband has focused on access issues, a potentially  
larger challenge facing policy makers is on the demand side: Lack of  
computers, lack of computer education and perceived lack of Internet  
relevance at least are major impediments to America becoming a truly  
broadband nation."

[snip]
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