WORDS.
"We are the country that once brought electricity to every ranch and a phone to every farm. Now, our broadband providers tell us, we can't get broadband a short drive out of Manhattan.
Instead of acknowledging our broadband problems, the industry seems to want a prize for showing up. Its message is this: See, we're doing our job, now leave us alone so we can continue to make magic. No regulations, no policy changes.
Why worry about those pesky gaps in connectedness, as long as you can update your Facebook status with your smartphone? Why be concerned that your kids can't get the bandwidth to support massive open online courses or that your doctor can't practice telemedicine? After all, ESPN is in negotiations with wireless Internet providers over data caps, and soon every ESPN subscriber will get unlimited sports!
And even if our broadband is still too slow, too expensive or too nonexistent to support a digital economy and create jobs, remember, we're ahead of Europe (a claim, by the way, that some sources have challenged).
For those of us concerned about the broadband future, this isn't about whether our broadband is better than Europe's. We need policies that put affordable broadband within the grasp of everyone. We need every corner of the nation cheaply, reliably connected to the digital future.
Our broadband report card may "show improvement," but let's not kid ourselves. We, and our elected officials, need to push the broadband industry to provide affordable, reliable broadband to everyone. America was once known for bringing electricity to every farm, so it's hard to believe that we can't bring a reliable connection an hour and a half outside New York City."
LOS ANGELES TIMES: America's broadband blues
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