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Brian Dabson, President and CEO
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) invited comments to inform the development of a National Broadband Plan. On June 8, 2009, the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) was party to two submissions to the FCC.
The first was in conjunction with the Benton Foundation, the Center for Rural Strategies, and the Telecommunications and Information Policy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. Comments focused on the Universal Service Fund (USF) and its potential to provide funds for building and maintaining a national broadband system that provides meaningful access to all Americans, particularly rural populations where provision would otherwise prove too expensive and where residents have few opportunities to receive the necessary equipment and training to obtain meaningful broadband access. Recommendations were made on needed reform and expansion of the USF, based on five key principles:
- Broadband or advanced telecommunications services need to be available to all Americans;
- Investments in technology-neutral and open infrastructure, a broader set of network managers and anchor tenants in rural regions, and transparency and accountability in public funding are required;
- Broadband policy should address more than the availability of physical infrastructure - it should address the population's ability to use the network to best effect and consider how demand can be stimulated and used in rural regions.
- Network transmission connection locations, costs, speeds, and other connectivity parameters should be broadly available and transparent to users as well as the provider communities. FCC policy should support ongoing research and innovation in connectivity in order to insure hard-to-reach areas have appropriate options.
- Definitions of 'unserved', 'underserved', and 'rural', created in the Recovery Act must be carefully considered to ensure that they best serve rural communities and other marginalized communities going forward.
Click here to open the PDF document.
The second submission was made in conjunction with Appalshop, Access Humboldt, Benton Foundation, California Center for Rural Policy, Center for Rural Strategies, Institute for Self Reliance, Main Street Project, Mountain Area Information Network, and Native Public Media, collectively known as the Rural Internet and Broadband Policy Group. The group was concerned to articulate national broadband policies that provide opportunities for rural communities to participate fully in the nation's democracy, economy, culture, and society. Recommendations included:
- The National Broadband Plan must be accountable to local communities.
- Symmetrical and ambitious speeds are part of the definition of broadband capability as advances in technology inform its evolution.
- The Plan must ensure universal access.
- Data that assesses the adoption of broadband technology will help the FCC to measure progress.
- The Universal Service Fund must be reformed to improve wired telephone and broadband service to vulnerable rural communities.
- Open networks must be a key principle of the Plan.
- In order to maximize the use of broadband infrastructure, the FCC must make broadband access affordable for all income levels.
Click here to open the PDF document.
The FCC is required to submit its National Broadband Plan to Congress by February 17, 2010.
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