A Call for National Broadband Policy by Frederic Martin, workingarts Marketing

Broadband News
TechNet is an interest group formed in 2000 and composed of over 300 executives from leading high technology firms. TechNet's mission is to build bipartisan support for policies that strengthen America's leadership of the New Economy.

On January 15, 2002, TechNet announced a Call for National Broadband Policy: TechNet called on the federal government to adopt a goal of 100 megabits per second to 100 million homes and small businesses by the end of the decade. TechNet recognizes that the goal of 100 megabits per second will be achieved incrementally. In the short-term, the group outlined a goal of at least 6 Mbps from two or more providers to at least 50 percent of U.S. households and small businesses by the end of 2004. Currently, the vast majority of so-called "broadband" connections are at less than 2 megabites per second. Even these connections are estimated to reach only 8% to 10% of American households, while only 6% of small and medium-sized businesses have broadband access. TechNet's goals are lofty by they are realistic, particularly if our Congress swiftly moves legislation that fosters investments in broadband infrastructure.

The reason behind the call for federal action is one of world competition: America must retain its world technology leadership; as John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems, the world leading internet hardware vendor and co-founder of Tech Net, recently stated: "“In order to stay competitive, educate the workforce and increase productivity, the United States must have ubiquitous broadband."

TechNet has developed the following principles to guide a national broadband policy:

1. Government policies should foster innovation and reduce regulations -- especially with respect to broadband applications and services;

2. Public policy should encourage new investment in broadband infrastructure and networks through competition and the removal of regulatory uncertainty and disincentives;

3. State and localities should promote streamlined laws and regulations that encourage broadband investment, and interstate consistency should be achieved whenever possible;

4. National spectrum policy should utilize market-based approaches that reduce the artificial scarcity of spectrum for valuable broadband applications;

5. Investment incentives, potentially including targeted tax incentives, should encourage broadband deployment to underserved communities and businesses; and

6. Broadband policy should encourage innovation and government should not pick technology winners and losers.

The Madera Tech Team will look into the meaning of this call for action, draft and present its recommendations to the local government bodies and examine the feasibility of Madera's inclusion into the first wave of the communications infrastructural upgrade. Your Tech Team will keep you appraised on its progress.

Technet is located at www.technet.org

DSL|TechTeam|Madera Chamber of Commerce

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