Press Release
Free Press Outlines Key Policy Components for National Broadband Plan Success
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, Free Press filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission outlining policies that are most critical to the success of the congressionally mandated national broadband plan to bring high-speed Internet to all Americans. In the comments, Free Press emphasizes the importance of both practical policy recommendations and benchmarks and aspirational goals in planning the country's Internet future.
Free Press urges the commission to take policy action in several key issue areas. These recommendations include:
Ben Scott, policy director at Free Press, made the following statement:
"The FCC's broadband plan is an opportunity to chart a new direction for technology policy in America. This is the time to lay out bold steps that are in line with the goals set forth by Congress in the Recovery Act to build a world-class information infrastructure in a reasonable period of time. In order to fix the American economy, we must have high-speed Internet access in every community. Businesses need high-speed Internet access to compete today and Americans need it for every activity from filling out government forms to doing homework to applying for jobs.
"This plan must be far-reaching enough to deliver the Internet that Americans need today and that they will need ten or twenty years from now. This will require a balance of aspirational goals and practical benchmarks and policy recommendations to get us there -- a delicate balance -- but one that is absolutely critical to ensure the success of America’s digital future."
Read Free Press' reply comments on the national broadband plan: http://www.freepress.net/files/Free_Press_FinalNBPReplyComments.pdf
Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to communications. Learn more at www.freepress.net
Free Press urges the commission to take policy action in several key issue areas. These recommendations include:
- Encourage broadband adoption through policies to increase competition: The plan should focus on competition in order to spur the deployment of high-capacity networks and drive down consumer costs to expand access for all Americans.
- Enact Universal Service Fund reform: The "High Cost Fund" that currently supports basic telephone service must be reformed to support the construction of broadband networks to promote universal deployment. The fund should only provide ongoing subsidies for telephone service as truly needed, and the commission should aim to reduce the size of the fund dramatically over time.
- Treat broadband as essential infrastructure: The plan must account for the critical information needs of people and communities. Libraries, schools and other essential institutions must have access to low-cost robust broadband.
- Maximize the public utility of spectrum: Adopt "use it or lose it" spectrum rules to limit waste and open new portions of public spectrum to unleash innovation and improve the wireless broadband market.
- Undertake set top box reform: The FCC must move decisively to prevent cable companies from acting as gatekeepers in the set top box market.
Ben Scott, policy director at Free Press, made the following statement:
"The FCC's broadband plan is an opportunity to chart a new direction for technology policy in America. This is the time to lay out bold steps that are in line with the goals set forth by Congress in the Recovery Act to build a world-class information infrastructure in a reasonable period of time. In order to fix the American economy, we must have high-speed Internet access in every community. Businesses need high-speed Internet access to compete today and Americans need it for every activity from filling out government forms to doing homework to applying for jobs.
"This plan must be far-reaching enough to deliver the Internet that Americans need today and that they will need ten or twenty years from now. This will require a balance of aspirational goals and practical benchmarks and policy recommendations to get us there -- a delicate balance -- but one that is absolutely critical to ensure the success of America’s digital future."
Read Free Press' reply comments on the national broadband plan: http://www.freepress.net/files/Free_Press_FinalNBPReplyComments.pdf
Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to communications. Learn more at www.freepress.net
