A new President of the USA President Obama and Evolving Broadband Policies
Obama Will Aggressively Push Broadband let s lay down broadband lines through the heart of inner cities and rural towns across America President Obama s 5 principles i for Technology and Innovation for a New Generation Ensure an Open Internet Create a transparent and connected democracy Encourage a modern communications infrastructure Employ technology to solve our nation s most pressing problems Improve America s competitiveness
Broadband Expansion in Recovery Plan In January 8 speech Obama said that a key goal of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan is: Expanding broadband across America, so that a small business in a rural town can connect and compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world Obama: It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15 th in the world in broadband adoption
Recovery Plan Offers an Initial $6 B for Broadband $6 billion to expand broadband internet access benefits for e-commerce, education, health care Tax breaks for phone and cable companies not included Arguments over several aspects of the legislation Extent to which Congress should attach conditions, such as minimum connection speeds and open network requirements Require ISPs to open access to the networks but does not clarify what open access would entail
Rationale for Broadband Investment Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) predicts that stimulus package $10 billion of investment in 1 year in broadband networks support app. 498,000 new or retained U.S. jobs for a year Mixture of tax breaks, low-interest t loans, subsidies, and public-private partnerships Qwest and others urging transition team to give federal money to states to contract with private companies
Articulating Broadband Stimulus Efforts At core of $20-$30 billion effort under discussion tax breaks for companies that extend availability or boost speed Bell companies and cable operators primary beneficiaries; unlikely adm. will forcefully push for more competition promoted by activist groups Free Press and Public Knowledge Robert Atkinson, Pres. of ITIF argues broadband is a natural duopoly; proposals to create third competitor are misguided id d Stimulus Effects -- ITIF proposes three-tiered set of investments for three primary broadband goals
Other Groups Propose Different Policy Mix Free Press, Public Knowledge, industry experts argue for more government investment the private sector has failed us --Tom Evslin The money should be given to the states with a requirement for state matching funds Evslin Free Press argues: creation of a grant program for rural broadband investment should be a top priority
A CalltoAction A Call to Action for a National Broadband Strategy launched December 2 57 members Google, AT&T and Verizon, nonprofit organizations, trade associations, labor unions National Broadband Strategy should set out several clear, forward-looking, and attainable goals that take into account the ability of broadband to generate huge benefits in education, environmental protection, scientific research, medicine, health care, energy efficiency, transportation, and overall economic vitality
A Concrete Broadband Buildout Plan Open Technology Initiative New America Foundation Coalition of Internet scientists, network implementers, and public interest groups 21 st Century Information Superhighway Initiative Fund, mandate installation of high-capacity, dark fiber bundles along federal aid and direct federal highway projects Six Key Facets