[RTC List] Broadband Data Improvement Act advances

[Sean McLaughlin]

Coincidentally this item came in today:

The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously passed the 'Broadband Data 
Improvement Act' (S. 1492) today. This important legislation will 
address current gaps in data on the availability, speed and value of the 
U.S. broadband market.

Note:  Senator Barbara Boxer is a co-sponsor of the item and a member of 
the Commerce Committee.

 From the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation's 
press release:

*For Immediate Release*
*July 19th, 2007*

*COMMERCE COMMITTEE APPROVES INOUYE BROADBAND DATA COLLECTION BILL

*
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation unanimously approved a bill to improve the quality of 
federal and state broadband data collection and encourage initiatives 
that promote broadband deployment.


* "Broadband communications are fast becoming the great economic engine 
of our time," said Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye 
(D-Hawaii). "The first step toward securing broadband for all Americans 
is getting better broadband data." *

* *The /Broadband Data Improvement Act/ (S. 1492) was introduced by 
Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) and cosponsored 
by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Maria Cantwell 
(D-Wash), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Bill Nelson 
(D-Fla.), Thomas Carper (D-Del.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), and Barack 
Obama (D-Ill.). S. 1492 now awaits consideration by the full Senate.


The Broadband Data Improvement Act specifically would:


    * Direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to decide
      whether the current 200 kilobit standard for broadband---which was
      adopted in 1999---should be revised. It also would require the FCC
      to revise its broadband reporting form to help identify which
      service tiers can be used by consumers to reliably receive
      high-definition video content.


    * Direct the FCC to revise existing broadband reporting obligations
      to require providers to report the actual numbers of broadband
      connections either within a census tract, 9-digit postal zip code,
      or 5-digit postal zip code.  Under the current system, if there is
      a single subscriber in a 5-digit zip code, it is assumed there is
      broadband availability to all within the 5-digit zip code.  


    * Direct the FCC to conduct inquiries into the deployment of
      advanced telecommunications services on an annual, rather than
      periodic, basis.


    * Direct the Census Bureau to include a question in its American
      Community Survey that assesses levels of residential computer use
      and determines levels of dial-up versus broadband Internet
      subscribership.


    * Direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to develop
      broadband measurements that may be used to provide consumers with
      broadband connection cost and capability information and improve
      the process of comparing the deployment and penetration of
      broadband in the United States with other countries. 


    * Direct the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy to
      conduct a study evaluating the impact of broadband speed and price
      on small businesses.


    * Authorize a 5-year, $40 million per year program that would
      provide matching grants to state non-profit, public-private
      partnerships in support of efforts to more accurately identify
      barriers to broadband adoption throughout the state. 

 
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