Press Release
National Broadband Plan: Competition Policy Is Key
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- Free Press today released Making the National Broadband Plan Work for America, a public interest guide that lays out the central questions that must be answered by the Federal Communications Commission in its efforts to build a National Broadband Plan for America. In the paper, Free Press points to the creation of better broadband competition as the driving issue behind the plan's success. The FCC is meeting on Wednesday to review the latest outline of the comprehensive policy review ordered by Congress.
"The National Broadband Plan is where the rubber meets the road," said Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press. "The success of broadband adoption and deployment issues all hinge on to whether we have a competitive marketplace. If the broadband plan does not address the broadband competition crisis then the FCC will not be in a position to deliver the world-class communications infrastructure Congress has asked for."
"The FCC must create an ambitious blueprint for delivering a future-proof system and correcting major market failures. Broadband is now an essential service like water, electricity and the telephone. No longer is Internet access a luxury service for consumers -- it is a must-have service for the public."
Read Making the National Broadband plan Work for America: http://freepress.net/files/NBP-IssueBrief.pdf
The new issue brief is a tool for measuring the National Broadband Plan’s ability to meet tough challenges. It lays out the core issues the National Broadband Plan must answer to serve the public interest and includes policy recommendations for spurring competition, expanding broadband to rural America, and guaranteeing openness and accountability. In recent years, the United States has been rapidly slipping down the ranks of the world’s leading broadband nations. More than 30 percent of American households do not have high-speed Internet access.
"Millions of Americans from across the country will be watching to see if the FCC delivers on their promises to develop a plan that will put the people of this country first," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "Activists from every state and every region are geared up to push for a meaningful national broadband plan that will allow true universal access to today’s technology. Free Press is watching the development of the National Broadband Plan and will monitor the FCC's progress to judge whether the commissioners are listening to the telecom lobbyists or to the public."
Read Making the National Broadband plan Work for America: http://freepress.net/files/NBP-IssueBrief.pdf
"The National Broadband Plan is where the rubber meets the road," said Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press. "The success of broadband adoption and deployment issues all hinge on to whether we have a competitive marketplace. If the broadband plan does not address the broadband competition crisis then the FCC will not be in a position to deliver the world-class communications infrastructure Congress has asked for."
"The FCC must create an ambitious blueprint for delivering a future-proof system and correcting major market failures. Broadband is now an essential service like water, electricity and the telephone. No longer is Internet access a luxury service for consumers -- it is a must-have service for the public."
Read Making the National Broadband plan Work for America: http://freepress.net/files/NBP-IssueBrief.pdf
The new issue brief is a tool for measuring the National Broadband Plan’s ability to meet tough challenges. It lays out the core issues the National Broadband Plan must answer to serve the public interest and includes policy recommendations for spurring competition, expanding broadband to rural America, and guaranteeing openness and accountability. In recent years, the United States has been rapidly slipping down the ranks of the world’s leading broadband nations. More than 30 percent of American households do not have high-speed Internet access.
"Millions of Americans from across the country will be watching to see if the FCC delivers on their promises to develop a plan that will put the people of this country first," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "Activists from every state and every region are geared up to push for a meaningful national broadband plan that will allow true universal access to today’s technology. Free Press is watching the development of the National Broadband Plan and will monitor the FCC's progress to judge whether the commissioners are listening to the telecom lobbyists or to the public."
Read Making the National Broadband plan Work for America: http://freepress.net/files/NBP-IssueBrief.pdf
