The new high speed 'space race'

During the space race with the Soviet Union, a sense of urgency enabled the United States to catch up technologically. Earlier this month, on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, Charles Benton wrote about how US supremacy is at stake when considering national high speed Internet policy.

Broadband is now, undeniably, the essential communications medium of the 21st century. Recognizing its importance, in 2004 President Bush set an ambitious and critical national goal of achieving universal, affordable broadband access by 2007. Experts agree that universal broadband availability would not only unleash an estimated $500 billion in economic growth and more than 1.2 million high-wage jobs, but it could help bridge the digital divide and unleash a new wave of innovations, transforming almost every aspect of our lives.

Yet just months from the end of 2007, we appear to be far from achieving the president's broadband goal and critically behind in the technology that is driving economies around the world. America hasn't just slipped to second place; we have slipped from first to fourth to 15th among industrialized nations in broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.

Benton believes that without a strong national effort, the US will continue to fall behind the rest of the world. Today, he says, is our Sputnik moment. He believes that without a major initiative we will continue to fall further and further behind. If we do not take action now:

Our children will pay when they have to compete with others from around the globe.

It is outrageous that the United States is the only industrialized nation without a national high speed Internet policy. The time for a major initiative for universal high speed Internet has come. Without it, the continued competetiveness of the country is at risk.

Our new Sputnik moment (The Hill)

International Competition (Speed Matters)

New Policy (Speed Matters)