Broadband data collection bill clears Congress

Providing universal broadband may very well start with simply finding out who has broadband access and who doesn't. The House of Representatives on Monday passed a bill that could help answer that question by improving broadband data collection.

Passed unanimously in the Senate on Thursday, the Broadband Data Improvement Act now awaits the president's signature. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, in 2007, calls for the Federal Communications Commission to collect a broader swath of information regarding who has broadband access.

"We cannot manage what we do not measure," Inouye said. "This bill will give us the baseline statistics we need in order to eventually achieve the successful deployment of broadband access and services to all Americans."

The bill requires the commission to redefine broadband. In April, the commission voted to consider 768Kbps, which is the entry-level speed offered by major DSL providers like Verizon, the low end of "basic broadband," a range that extends to under 1.5Mbps. For years, the commission had considered 200Kbps service to be "high speed."

Internet service provider reports to the FCC would also have to be adjusted under the bill, so the FCC can identify the actual numbers of broadband connections by customer type and geographic area. The commission would also be required to identify tiers of broadband service in which most connections can transmit high-definition video, as well as collect demographic data for geographical areas not served by any advanced telecommunications provider. The bill also requires other government offices to collect information, such as whether Internet subscribers use dial-up or broadband.

The bill also establishes a grant program for organizations to track and promote Internet usage.

"With this legislation, the Senate has taken a crucial step toward a national broadband policy," said Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, a media reform organization. "The data collected would lay the foundation for policies in the next Congress to promote universal, affordable high-speed Internet access for all Americans."

[michaelo1966]

This is getting out-of-control. Nancy -- It's time to knock down that gavel, adjourn, and send Congress home. Suppose since Bush can call you back if you formally adjourn just recess ... until Nov 5th. There's nothing he can do about that.

[benjaminstraight]

Wow under the radar, huh?

[mpitogo]

I hope its all anonymous data mining and not more intrusive on our privacy.

[rayjr13]

uh huh...cause that would be the right thing to do..........
Now if only we could make "the right thing to do" a national priority :skeptic:

[sythara]

wow. Read the act its actually rather interesting.

Sec 214(a)...establish an Online Safety and Technology working group comprised of representatives of relevant sectors of the business community, public interest groups, and other appropriate groups and Federal agencies to review and evaluate--

(4)the development of technologies to help parents shield their children from inappropriate material on the Internet.

-----------------

Sec 214(b) REPORT- Within 1 year after the working group is first convened, it shall submit a report to the Assistant Secretary and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation that--
(1) describes in detail its findings, including any information related to the effectiveness of such strategies and technologies and any information about the prevalence within industry of educational campaigns, parental control technologies, blocking and filtering software, labeling, or other technologies to assist parents; and
(2) includes recommendations as to what types of incentives could be used or developed to increase the effectiveness and implementation of such strategies and technologies.

Are these people serious?

Does anyone else see where this is headed?

[sythara]

Forgot to post this. For those interested in reading the whole act:

S. 1492

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s110-1492

[Jeff Mowatt]

The main point, monitoring to ensure Americans have full access to information, is a long overdue call. 12 years in fact from the first study to associate the absence with poverty.

It's taken the experience gained from deployment in the developing world with economist CK Prahalad saying recently that poor people remain poor due to lack of information.

The paper delivered in September 1996 with the same message can be found here:

http://www.p-ced.com/about/history/

Jeff