FCC releases 'Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan'
The report is finally complete. Months of meetings, public input and feedback from websites like reboot.gov, broadband.gov and others, the FCC has released the report being submitted to Congress; Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan. The 360-page report to Congress details recommendations that will impact everyone over the next decade and beyond. There are no startling revelations in the report but the FCC suggests investments need to be made and some reforms are required.
The commissioners recognize change has already past them. Technology and services (television, radio, multimedia/social networks) are coming together as integrated consumer product offerings. Many of the regulations in place are out of date and are difficult to apply to the next generation of services that are already 2 or 3 versions ahead of existing law. In essence, the FCC recognizes that it needs to jump a few editions to FCC 4.0 .
Among the big ticket items, the FCC envisions broadband providers building 100 Megabit connections to the home. It also wants to shake up the television set top box device market space allowing more competition and rebuild the public safety network.
Highlights;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100 megabits per second download speed AND 50 megabit UPLOAD speed in 100 million homes by 2020.
Build the fastest wireless network in world
Affordable broadband (not identified is what the definition of "affordable" is)
Community facilities such as schools, hospitals and government buildings should have 1 Gigabit access
Public Safety first responders should have access to wireless network that is interoperable with commercial and private broadband public safety network.
Build the infrastructure with clean energy policies
Request for comments from national ISP's and Social Media providers were sent out to Sprint, Google, Facebook, Myspace, AT&T and Comcast. Sprint is working on a response. Update: Sprint Response: Commends report;
Sprint is particularly pleased that the FCC has included a set of pro-competitive recommendations in the plan. Sprint believes that expeditious adoption of these recommendations will increase broadband competition, which in turn will create jobs, spur capital investment in new broadband networks, and bring lower broadband prices and increased capacity to customers.
. The others, except Comcast, have not responded or declined further comment until it can digest the report.
Comcast was the first to respond late last night. The comments are also posted on their blog site.
"We commend the FCC for the immense effort involved in researching and writing the National Broadband Plan. The Plan appears to reflect the emerging consensus on a number of paramount broadband goals, most notably the need to achieve universal adoption and digital literacy; the need to fix and redirect outdated subsidy schemes to more efficiently deliver broadband to unserved areas and to close the affordability gap for low-income families; and the need to break down policy barriers that keep broadband from serving critical national purposes such as health care, education, and employment.
With the demand for bandwidth doubling every two years, most recognize the critical need for continued private investment in faster competitive broadband networks, and the importance of maintaining a regulatory environment to promote that investment. We hope that implementation of the many recommendations contained in the Plan will help to achieve that critical balance and we look forward to playing our part in helping to make America the most connected nation on earth."
Joe Waz, SVP, External Affairs and Public Policy Counsel, in Public Policy offered further comment on his blog;
Most of what I read about the Plan in the article is consistent with what FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and Blair Levin, the executive director of the FCC's Omnibus Broadband Initiative, have been previewing for the last several weeks.
A major focus on addressing the full range of barriers to broadband adoption? We think that approach is right on, as evidenced by our advocacy on the subject since "the plan to do a Plan" was first announced. And we think the proposed "digital literacy corps" is a brilliant idea that can build on the success we have had in our Digital Connectors partnership with One Economy.
Coming up with a better way to get broadband to the remaining corners of America where it's not economically viable to serve? We're for that, too. Working with the cable industry, we've advanced a number of constructive ideas that we anticipate will find their way into the Plan.
Getting faster networks in front of Americans over the next decade? We're on board, and we're doing our part with the rapid rollout of DOCSIS 3.0 technology, which we're using to deliver 50 Mbps speeds, and soon 100 Mbps speeds, just about everywhere we serve over the next year or so.
Finding more spectrum to promote mobile broadband? It is long overdue and needs to be done.
Additional resources:
Update: CSPAN coverage of FCC Commissioner's of National Broadband Plan
Office of Science & Technology Policy - Overview: Connecting America
Google links up with Dish Network; Opening gambit against Apple TV?
Cable and satellite providers want revised FCC rules and fees
Cisco's timing announcing the CRS-3 was, shall we say, "well planned"
FCC Chairman forecasts wireless spectrum crunch
FCC: Broadband Recommendations, Education E-Rate Programs and Future of Media Presentation
Google dives into ISP ocean; will search giant float or sink?