Wall Street Journal: FCC to ask for $25 billion for broadband, first responder airwaves

The FCC will propose up to $25 billion in new federal spending for high-speed Internet lines and a wireless network for police and firefighters, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The benefit to the public is clear - if approved by Congress, the additional $12 to $16 billion in funds will go towards allocating more airwaves for wireless broadband service, including a block of waves for use by first responders.

One of the plan's most ambitious goals is to expand broadband service to 100 mbps to 100 million homes by 2020.

The FCC currently estimates that 4 percent of Americans don't have access to high-speed Internet because they live in rural areas where service costs are prohibitively high.

The $9 billion in suggested federal spending for new broadband lines is in addition to the $7.2 already included in last year's economic stimulus legislation.

According to the article, major network operators, such as AT&T, are pleased with the FCC's plan. It is not expected that the plan will require carriers to share existing broadband lines with rivals.

FCC officials ultimately rejected several controversial measures. One such idea was a proposal that major networks open up and share their broadband lines with competitors.

The proposal will also seek to expand the use of the federal Universal Service Fund, an $8 billion annual program that guarantees phone service for low-income and rural Americans.

Under the plan, the fund will be used to help ensure universal access to high-speed Internet, as well.

The FCC will deliver the National Broadband Plan to Congress on March 17, 2010.

FCC Broadband Plan Calls for $25 Billion in New Spending (Wall Street Journal)