At a time when many interest groups are focused on unnecessary Internet regulation, Connected Nation — with support from groups like the Alliance for Public Technology and the Communications Workers of America — has gotten it right. After reading its new study The Economic Impact of Stimulating Broadband Nationally, it’s clear that ubiquitous broadband deployment must be considered one of the nation’s top public policy priorities. How many things can you think of that have the ability to improve health care, education, the environment and our economy all at the same time? Just to name a few!
The new Connected Nation report puts the focus on broadband policy where it should be — promoting innovative approaches that unleash the power of public-private partnerships which then lead to the rapid expansion of access to broadband. The report details the state-by-state impact of legislation aimed at accelerating broadband access and use. Its findings suggest that the United States could realize an impact of $134 billion annually from a modest increase in broadband adoption.
To See Highlights from the Connected Nation Hill Briefing, Click Here
4 Responses to “Where We Should Focus our Public Policy Priorities”
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February 25th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Connected Nation provides convincing evidence that the benefits of broadband adoption
spill over to society as a whole. Moreover, the report rightly concludes that public policies
to spur broadband are critical to ensure the best possible broadband future for the United
States
Rob Atkinson, The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
February 26th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Through its experience in Kentucky, Connected Nation provides an incredibly successful
model for stimulating broadband build out and demand that should be adopted nationally.
Its comprehensive strategy of assessing broadband availability, identifying and aggregating
demand through grassroots county planning teams, and bringing providers and users
together through a public private partnership has resulted in an expansion of broadband
availability that is significant and measurable. Connected Nation’s study identifies the
economic benefits that can be expected if such a strategy is adopted nationally. This study
should strengthen the growing, bi-partisan call in Washington, DC for a national broadband
policy and specific legislation that would enable other states to participate in and benefit
from this proven and successful model of economic development.
Kenneth Peres, Alliance for Public Technology
February 27th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
The Communications Workers of America has long been pressing for public policies that will allow all Americans to share in today’s telecommunications revolution and for our nation to fully utilize the economic engine of the 21st century. Economic growth, quality jobs and the tremendous opportunity for improvement in the personal lives of all Americans depends on substantial improvements in speed, quality and most critically, the build out of true high-speed Internet networks. At the current rates of broadband speed in the United States, the promise of telemedicine, distance learning and civic participation simply isn’t possible. And both developed and developing regions — Europe, Korea and parts of southeast Asia, eastern Europe and more — have moved far ahead of us. This economic impact study spotlights not only the positive benefits that will result from the build out of true high-speed broadband networks, but reinforces the critical need for a national broadband policy and the broadband mapping bills that Congress now is considering.
Larry Cohen, Communication Workers of America
March 6th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
“To retain and gain jobs and to promote learning and earning, every city, town and rural community will need the connected power of broadband. Connected Nation’s research shows that job generating power of having people connected to broadband. I look forward to learning more from their groundbreaking work as communities learn how, from them, to use broadband for improving these services and promoting economic development and job gains.”
Graham Richard, Former Mayor, Fort Wayne Indiana