EDUCAUSE Comments to FCC on National Broadband

Abstract

The members of EDUCAUSE/Internet2/ACUTA are concerned about the inadequate level of broadband connectivity in the United States and the impact this shortage of broadband facilities is having on education. We welcome the development of a national broadband plan and offer our member’s expertise as a resource for the FCC. We believe the plan must be bold, must look to the future needs of our country, and must be benchmarked against the progress other countries are making. It is a complex issue, with many factors, but our history shows it is very doable. By learning from successful projects at home and abroad, focusing on the most costly areas of deployment and providing capital where needed, and making sure the finished network remains open and allows for maximum competition, we are confident that this plan can produce the broadband roadmap that will last for decades to come.