It is refreshing to see the Federal Communications Commission concentrating on a comprehensive plan to ensure Americans have access to high-speed Internet as opposed to, say, policing "wardrobe malfunctions" and celebrities with potty mouths.
The FCC's new blueprint to expand broadband connections envisions a vast new digital platform for American commerce, government and social interaction. It is an ambitious plan, and one that contains elements we support and others we have questions about.
The proposal aims to connect an additional 100 million households to the Internet at speeds about 20 times faster than what most households have now.
"Broadband is very important for economic opportunities, for jobs and innovation," FCC chairman Julium Genachowski said in an interview on PBS's "NewsHour." "It's also very important for tackling a series of national challenges that will require a world-class broadband infrastructure to solve."
He's right about that. If teachers are confident that all of their students have high-speed Internet access at home, they not only have new resources, but their students will become digitally literate in the process.
Fast Internet connections also can bring innovation to medicine, allowing practitioners expanded access to telemedicine resources, which would be helpful in rural areas.
The implementation of such a plan will not be without controversy. And as is the case with any bold change, there will be winners and losers.
One of the clear losers would be broadcasters, who could be forced to give up some of their spectrum, or airwave space, to wireless competitors. The FCC has for some time now been talking about the impending shortage of wireless spectrum in the U.S.
Without additional spectrum, the growth of broadband Internet services unquestionably would be stifled.
The FCC has proposed auctioning off some of the spectrum that broadcasters aren't using, with broadcasters being compensated for what they'd give up. Details are scarce at this point, but ensuring broadcasters are dealt with equitably is an important piece of the puzzle.
Another issue overall with the plan is cost. An estimate in The Wall Street Journal puts the pricetag at $25 billion in new federal spending.
That's a lot of money at a time when the American people are rightfully concerned with the country's burgeoning debt.
Other concerns include the FCC's using the plan as cover for gaining more regulatory power over the Internet and imposing rules that could hinder business growth. The plan, at this point, is too broadly defined to make an informed assessment about FCC overreach, but it is certainly an issue to keep an eye on.
The FCC's vision of broadband as the backbone of communications is an intriguing window on what the future could look like.
But its success will hinge on whether Congress and FCC commissioners can translate it into beneficial and affordable concrete proposals.
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Quelle/Source: The Denver Post, 21.03.2010
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