F.C.C. Plan to Widen Internet Access in U.S. Sets Up Battle

[babylonsister]

F.C.C. Plan to Widen Internet Access in U.S. Sets Up Battle
By BRIAN STELTER and JENNA WORTHAM
Published: March 12, 2010


The Federal Communications Commission is proposing an ambitious 10-year plan that will reimagine the nation’s media and technology priorities by establishing high-speed Internet as the country’s dominant communication network.

The plan, which will be submitted to Congress on Tuesday, is likely to generate debate in Washington and a lobbying battle among the telecommunication giants, which over time may face new competition for customers. Already, the broadcast television industry is resisting a proposal to give back spectrum the government wants to use for future mobile service.

The blueprint reflects the government’s view that broadband Internet is becoming the common medium of the United States, gradually displacing the telephone and broadcast television industries. It also signals a shift at the F.C.C., which under the administration of President George W. Bush gained more attention for policing indecency on the television airwaves than for promoting Internet access.

According to F.C.C. officials briefed on the plan, the commission’s recommendations will include a subsidy for Internet providers to wire rural parts of the country now without access, a controversial auction of some broadcast spectrum to free up space for wireless devices, and the development of a new universal set-top box that connects to the Internet and cable service.

The effort will influence billions of dollars in federal spending, although the F.C.C. will argue that the plan should pay for itself through the spectrum auctions. Some recommendations will require Congressional action and industry support, and will affect users only years from now.

Still, “each bullet point will trigger its own tortuous battle,” said Craig Moffett, a senior analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Company.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/business/media/13fcc.html?hp

[RC]

1. This will be opposed by those players that supply "broad band"* now because

they will have to spend some of their profits on upgrades to their systems instead of their salaries and bonuses.

*Broadband = Any speed above dial-up

[babylonsister]

2. That's probably why there's going to be a battle. Lobbyists, start

your engines! Where money and profits are involved, all bets are off.

[rucky]

3. This will be good for rural areas.

Sherrod Brown is a big proponent of this, citing a digital divide that correlates broadband access with economic growth of an area.

[starroute]

4. My son sent me a link to a federal site to test your current speeds

It's basically a government survey to find out what kind of download and upload speeds Americans are currently getting so that they know what has to be improved.

There's an article about it here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20000377-266.html

And the test itself (plus a lot more information) is here:
http://www.broadband.gov/

[Igel]

5. "Reimagine."

What a horrible word. And weaselly. If not Orwellian

"Imagining," re- or otherwise, is not the issue. Compelling companies and citizens to alter their behavior to be what somebody else wants it to be, that's the issue.

It might be a good idea. It might not be. That's not the point.

The point is to have a good reimagination, to reimagine the possibilities.

After all, a policy wonk in this democracy has a plan, a goal. So I must reimagine my attitude towards it. To reimagine democracy. To reimagine my opinion to bring it in line with the right policy, the pravil'naya politika. Nuzhno, chtoby bylo politicheski pravil'no, that it be politically/policy-wise correct.

Been there, done that. Didn't like it. I've unreimagined it. I'm on Democracy reversion 0.9 beta.