FCC Commissioner criticizes Bush administration's apathetic approach to high speed internet
At the Freedom to Connect technology conference FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein took the Bush administration to task for its lack of action to expand high speed internet access. The digital divide in the United States is not shrinking, as countries around the global are expanding their own high speed internet networks.
I really believe we lack a coordinated vision for success," he said at the Freedom to Connect technology conference held in the Washington suburbs. "This has got to be a greater national priority than it is now.
The Bush administration set a goal in 2004 to make universal high speed internet access available by 2007. Critics contend that the strategy to achieve this has been flawed and will not be anywhere near the promised levels by the end of this year. Administration officials continue to insist the plan is on track.
Adelstein and fellow commissioner Michael Copps continue to cite the quality of the FCC’s data as a problem. The FCC continues to measure high speed internet penetration by assuming that if one customer in a ZIP code has broadband, then the entire ZIP code has access. By continuing to base policy on this flawed data the problems will never be properly addressed.
The US needs a real comprehensive policy to expand high speed internet access. The FCC commissioners agree that a new policy which must include benchmarks and timetables are essential to expanding the availability of high speed internet.
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