[RTC List] National Broadband Policy item

[Sean McLaughlin]

Broadband advocates for the Redwood Coast -

Here's some current national policy perspective on broadband...


May 17, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jen Howard, (202) 265-1490, x 22

FCC Out of Touch with Broadband Reality

Consumer Groups Call on Congress to Remedy Broadband Data Problems

WASHINGTON -- Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott told Congress today 
that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has failed in its 
obligation to effectively collect data on broadband deployment across 
the United States .

Scott testified at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on 
Telecommunications and the Internet on a "discussion draft" of a bill 
that addresses the current lack of information about the availability, 
speed and value of broadband in the U.S.

"We cannot evaluate problems that we don't measure or study -- much less 
can we solve them," Scott said. "The bill under discussion would 
represent a leap forward in our knowledge about broadband markets and 
inevitably improve broadband policy."

The hearing coincides with the filing deadline for an FCC Notice of 
Inquiry (NOI) seeking input on whether high-speed broadband is being 
made available to all Americans. Free Press, Consumers Union and 
Consumer Federation of America filed comments outlining the FCC's 
failure to address the current deficiencies of the broadband market, and 
urging the Commission to develop and implement a comprehensive broadband 
policy.

"The Federal Communications Commission has abandoned its Congressional 
mandate to bring true high-speed broadband service to every American 
household," said S. Derek Turner , research director at Free Press. 
"Until the Commission recognizes the reality of the broadband problem, 
consumers will only be able to purchase high-priced, slow-speed Internet 
connections that aren't worthy of being called broadband."

The consumer groups have urged both Congress and the FCC to develop more 
rigorous criteria for the collection and analysis of broadband data. 
Some recommendations that the groups have put forward include: a 
flexible and evolving standard for what qualifies as advanced 
"high-speed" Internet services; a more targeted approach to reporting 
the availability of broadband; and more research on the structural 
problems of the Internet.

"The need for a change in broadband policy is urgent," concluded Scott. 
"Since better broadband data means better broadband policy, we should 
move this bill with all deliberate speed. We don't have any time to lose."

Ben Scott's full, prepared written testimony is available at 
http://www.freepress.net/docs/scott_testimony_5-17.pdf

The FCC filing is available at 
http://www.freepress.net/docs/cu_cfa_free_press_706_noi_comment.pdf

A webcast of the hearing is available at http://energycommerce.house.gov/

###

/Free Press ( www.freepress.net <http://www.freepress.net> ) is a 
national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Through 
education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent 
media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to 
communications./

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