In his remarks directly following GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said expanded broadband deployment and adoption will be transformative, just as when electricity became ubiquitous. Chairman Genachowski made this comparison during a speech at The Innovation Economy Conference held in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.

The two-day conference was focused on exploring what American businesses, governmental and academic institutions, private citizens and others can do to generate the innovation on which the nation’s economic recovery and future depend.

During his speech – Building the Infrastructure for Progress – Genachowski devoted a significant amount of time to deployment and adoption. NGW has been keenly focused for some time on the challenge of increasing consumer broadband adoption and helping people understand the many benefits of broadband.  In addition to touching on new economic opportunities, better education and improved health care through broadband, Genachowski discussed the consequences of failing to overcome digital exclusion and leaving certain members of our society behind.

If innovation is the key to helping our nation recover, compete and modernize, then we need constructive policies that promote investment and new ideas. We also need policies that focus on helping people understand the benefits of broadband, so they can participate in the diverse opportunities and possibilities that drove these provocative discussions by leading innovators.

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