FCC to begin broadband policy overhaul
The Federal Communications Commission is set to start holding hearings on how to spend taxpayer money on building and upgrading broadband access in the U.S.
The $787 billion stimulus package passed by Congress earlier this year calls on the FCC to come up with a road map for how billions of dollars in government money should be spent to improve broadband in the U.S. The FCC has until next February to come up with a plan, and it's starting to hold hearings on Wednesday to discuss what will hopefully become a national broadband strategy.
As part of the process, the agency will look at ways to improve broadband coverage so that people living in rural areas have access to high speed Internet. And it will also be looking at ways to improve the speeds of existing broadband infrastructure. The FCC will also consider updating outdated communications policies to make them more relevant as more Americans get communications and TV service from non-traditional companies.
Many telecommunications experts say the new broadband framework being laid out will be the biggest task the FCC has handled since implementing the Telecom Act of 1996.
But getting the road map in place will likely spur heated debate among consumer groups and cable and phone companies, especially when it comes to controversial issues such as Net neutrality. Several consumer groups have already suggested that the government impose requirements on any money given as part of the stimulus package to ensure that Internet service providers keep their networks open. These groups don't want cable or phone companies blocking new services offered by competitors.
Phone and cable companies argue that imposing new regulation or laws could preclude them from managing their networks and therefore would stifle investment in this area. They are lobbying Congress and the FCC to ensure that stricter rules are not put in place.
Congress has allocated $7.2 billion for broadband as part of the overall stimulus package, but the issues that the FCC is hammering out will likely entail billions more of investment from the government in the future. Most likely, future funding will come from revisions to the Universal Service Fund.
This fund was originally created to help provide telephone access to rural Americans. But now it looks like the fund will be expanded to also provide funds for expanding broadband services. But this, too, is likely to be controversial, as rural phone and wireless companies would likely receive less money from the fund if it was expanded to cover broadband.
Marguerite Reardon has been a CNET News reporter since 2004, covering cell phone services, broadband, citywide Wi-Fi, the Net neutrality debate, as well as the ongoing consolidation of the phone companies. E-mail Maggie. 
That same county doesn't even have cell phone access at the state park. Now that is something that would be worthy of my tax dollars as that would be a safety issue. Faster internet does not involve public safety.
As we march forward, broadband access is going to be just as important as telephone access. The fact that the United States ranks behind most technologically advanced countries in the world in braodband access should tell you that something is wrong which the "free market" has not been capable of correcting.
You're missing the point about the telephone service. That town and area have telephone lines not because of public funds, but because the cost to provide the infrastructure were much lower later on. The private sector was able to fulfill the telephone service gap. Broadband is no where near being as important as phone service and even then phone service is not something that is essential. Using your logic then the government ought to make sure everyone has a car. Cars are arguably much more "important" than phones, yet you don't see a concerted effort to take tax dollars to make sure everyone has a car. (Ignore what Obama has done with GM, please.)
Tax dollars should only be spent on public uses as per the Constitution. Building roads, schools, jails, courthouses, rest stops, etc. are all public uses. Taking my money through the police power of government to make sure someone who lives in a rural area of Virginia or Washington has broadband internet is not in the public interest to someone who lives in Tennessee or New York. Nor is it a public use.
If these trials succeed you can be sure YOUR local ISP will be following suit.
See http://www.stopthecap.com for more info and get involved now before it's too late.
Keep track of this issue because since the appointment of the new FCC chairman it's clear that the USA will never get real Broadband, now more than ever , what a shame ! and when we hear today's news about Australia installing a national network of 100 Mbps with 31 billion dollars, what an insult to the the country that invented the Internet, the USA, we will never get true broadband, just more proprietary cable or proprietary FIOS ,higher prices and more wireless content control, that's all....but please stay on this issue which is vital for all and for the USA Economy, for the Health IT ( where they just put another cable guy to spend 19 billion taxpayers dollars !!! ) and the new jobs that we need so badly....a sad day for the USA !
- by Robert_Naramore April 8, 2009 7:42 AM PDT
- It is going to be a fight here in Tennessee to get access to broadband wireless or not. Lewis County Tennessee is mostly of middle age to the older generation. My family (in-laws) as most people in Lewis County are bull headed and dislike change with a passion.
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(11 Comments)I'm wondering how to advocate here in this county for a rural broadband infrastructure.