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Coincidentally this item came in today:<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
Note: Senator Barbara Boxer is a co-sponsor of the item and a member
of the Commerce Committee.<br>
<br>
>From the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation's
press release:<br>
<br>
<strong>For Immediate Release</strong><br>
<b>July 19th, 2007</b><br>
<br>
<b>COMMERCE COMMITTEE APPROVES INOUYE BROADBAND DATA COLLECTION BILL<br>
<br>
</b>
<div>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.</div>
<br>
<br>
<div><b> “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.” </b></div>
<br>
<div><b> </b>The <i>Broadband Data Improvement Act</i> (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.<br>
<br>
</div>
<br>
<div>The Broadband Data Improvement Act specifically would:</div>
<ul type="disc">
<br>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<br>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<br>
<li>Direct the FCC to conduct inquiries into the deployment of
advanced telecommunications services on an annual, rather than
periodic, basis. </li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<br>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<br>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<br>
<li>Direct the Small Business Administration’s Office of
Advocacy to conduct a study evaluating the impact of broadband speed
and price on small businesses. </li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<br>
<li>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. </li>
</ul>
<div> </div>
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