HOUSTON—The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday announced a plan to make the Internet better for all Americans.
"The plan is premised on the understanding that high-value broadband is the great enabler of our time," FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps said.
The new plan is complex and expensive, but the explanation is as easy as this:
At the turn of the century, railroads connected one end of the United States to the next. They were the engines that drove a growing economy.
A century later, the FCC sees broadband the same way – connecting a country, creating jobs and enhancing everything from medicine to education.
But when it comes to broadband in the U.S., we’re still plodding along at the rate of an Amtrak, while Japan is zooming ahead like one of their high-speed bullet trains.
The average broadband download speed in Japan leads the world at over 93,000 megabits per second.
The U.S. is ten times slower than that – even slower than countries like Finland and Luxembourg.
The problem is, the FCC needs more broadband space to make us faster.
They’re say they should get that space from some of the signals broadcasters like Channel 11 might not be using at the moment.
But from digital TV to cell phone video, broadcasters aren’t willing to just give up that space. They’re developing their own programming.
"It’s the beginning of a process. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves. The staff is looking forward to rolling up its sleeves and working with broadcasters and others," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said.
The FCC may have made its grand broadband announcement Tuesday, but the debate over how to make it better – and at whose expense – is just beginning.
