High speed Internet as an economic stimulus

Last week, the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) sent letters to the Democratic and Republican leadership in both houses of Congress, urging them to include funding for high speed Internet infrastructure in their economic stimulus efforts.

As Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania and Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont wrote in the NGA letter,

"[I]nvestments in ready-to-go infrastructure projects are a cost effective creator of high paying jobs. These investments should include a broad array of infrastructure projects including airports, highways, transit systems, clean water, sewers and broadband." (Emphasis added.)

The TIA letter made an even more detailed case, citing a study conducted earlier this year by Connected Nation that found just a seven percent increase in high speed Internet adoption could create $134 billion in economic benefits. And with the housing market in trouble, the TIA also noted that high speed Internet can have major impacts on job creation and home values.

Overall, investing in high speed Internet is an important way for our nation to pull out of the current economic crisis and lay the groundwork for a prosperous future. As the TIA letter stated,

"Broadband networks directly impact the productivity of our industries and our economy, and pivotally affect public safety, education, health care, and countless other functions in Americans' daily lives. Like any other infrastructure project, the deployment and use of broadband will significantly increase and maintain job growth and well beyond the initial investment in the infrastructure itself. Now is the time to invest in the long-term future of our country."

Letter to Congressional Leadership (National Governors Association)

The Economic Impact of Stimulating Broadband Nationally (Connected Nation)

TIA Letter to Congressional Leaders Urging Them to Include Broadband Deployment Incentives in Any Future Stimulus Bill (Telecommunications Industry Association)