Press Release
Why the U.S. Doesn't Measure Up
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- In testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee today, Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott urged lawmakers to pursue a comprehensive national broadband policy that will bring more broadband competition to American households.
"Above all, we need competition policy to drive down prices, accelerate speeds, and deliver an attractive value to the consumer," Scott said. "We must not sacrifice the long-term interests of the country for the short-term interests of incumbents that have long shielded themselves from an open market."
Scott testified at a hearing titled "Communications, Broadband and Competitiveness: Does the U.S. Measure Up?" on behalf of Free Press, Consumers Union and Consumer Federation of America. A webcast of the hearing is available at http://commerce.senate.gov/
The hearing coincided with a study released this week by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United States dropped from 12th to 15th in broadband penetration among the 30 member nations in just the past six months. Relative to other OECD nations over the past year, the United States ranks 20th in broadband growth.
"This isn't just a matter of pride at stake," Scott said. "This is real money. The economic benefits of higher broadband penetration accumulate exponentially. Even a small increase in broadband penetration can generate a consumer surplus measured in the billions of dollars. While we aren't capturing these dollars, someone else is."
Free Press, Consumers Union and Consumer Federation urged lawmakers to move forward on a number of key policy initiatives, including opening unused TV "white spaces" for wireless broadband use; protecting the rights of local governments to offer broadband services; transitioning Universal Service Fund programs to broadband; safeguarding free speech and the free market online with Network Neutrality rules; and opening networks to unleash competitive market forces.
"This is a paradigm-shifting moment for American telecommunications," Scott concluded. "It is imperative that we choose wisely."
The full, prepared written testimony is available here.
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"Above all, we need competition policy to drive down prices, accelerate speeds, and deliver an attractive value to the consumer," Scott said. "We must not sacrifice the long-term interests of the country for the short-term interests of incumbents that have long shielded themselves from an open market."
Scott testified at a hearing titled "Communications, Broadband and Competitiveness: Does the U.S. Measure Up?" on behalf of Free Press, Consumers Union and Consumer Federation of America. A webcast of the hearing is available at http://commerce.senate.gov/
The hearing coincided with a study released this week by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United States dropped from 12th to 15th in broadband penetration among the 30 member nations in just the past six months. Relative to other OECD nations over the past year, the United States ranks 20th in broadband growth.
"This isn't just a matter of pride at stake," Scott said. "This is real money. The economic benefits of higher broadband penetration accumulate exponentially. Even a small increase in broadband penetration can generate a consumer surplus measured in the billions of dollars. While we aren't capturing these dollars, someone else is."
Free Press, Consumers Union and Consumer Federation urged lawmakers to move forward on a number of key policy initiatives, including opening unused TV "white spaces" for wireless broadband use; protecting the rights of local governments to offer broadband services; transitioning Universal Service Fund programs to broadband; safeguarding free speech and the free market online with Network Neutrality rules; and opening networks to unleash competitive market forces.
"This is a paradigm-shifting moment for American telecommunications," Scott concluded. "It is imperative that we choose wisely."
The full, prepared written testimony is available here.
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