FCC’s Plan For National Broadband

FCC’s Plan For National Broadband

The Federal Communication Commission’s broadband strategy is coming at the right time. High-speed Internet is on its way to replacing the telephone as the nation’s primary means of communication. The issue behind the whole idea is that the United States is behind in building the physical systems to support such a transformation. The whole ordeal will require federal money, incentives to private business, and updates in the regulatory system.

Less than 27 out of every 100 Americans have broadband service, compared with 33 in South Korea and 38 in the Netherlands. The average advertised download speed is 8 MBs per second and in France it is 51. According to a study by the F.C.C, the average download in the United States occurs at about half the advertised speed. Meanwhile, the elderly, the poor, and other vulnerable groups remain cut off from broadband technology, and therefore from such things as online government services, medical advice, and jobs.

The F.C.C’s plan offers a feasible path to address the previously mentioned issues and unleash investment in the broadband network while fostering competition among service providers. The main goal is to bring broadband to 100 million homes at download speeds of at least 100 MBs per second by 2020 all while vastly expanding broadband over the airwaves. F.C.C’s plan is likely to attract hostility from corporations but in general, Congress should provide all the assistance F.C.C needs to achieve its goals.

A likely flashpoint is the F.C.C’s determination to foster competition. Lack of competition is perhaps the main reason why broadband prices remain so high and speeds so low, especially compared with other countries. The lack of competition allows big wire-line telecom companies to charge big fees to carry the signals of mobile providers over their wires. Telecom companies argue, with reason that the competition goes beyond wires – that many companies that are unregulated also are intrinsic to the development of broadband access.

Congress has to sort everything out. The F.C.C’s authority to police broadband is limited and is being challenged in court. Congress may need to clarify the F.C.C’s authority and other parts of the commission’s plans will also require specific legislation. For instance, the Congress needs to approve a plan for the F.C.C to repurpose 120 megahertz of surplus TV spectrum for mobile broadband, to meet the increasing demand from powerful new wireless devices like the iPhone or Google’s Droid. The F.C.C also need Congress’s approval to spend money on a new wireless broadband network for use by emergency services and to repurpose nearly $8 billion a year from the Universal Fund, established decades ago to ensure that phones got to hard-to-reach places, to do that with broadband Internet access.

The goals that the F.C.C is trying to reach are long overdue, but that makes them no less essential to taking full advantage of the Internet’s promise to improve American competitiveness. So what do you think of the whole ordeal? Are you ready for some of your taxes going towards the purpose to improve American Internet access, speeds, and the general American competitiveness amongst companies. This will affect everyone in one way or another throughout the country. Share your thoughts and comments below.