The importance of broadband continues to grow around the world. High-performing companies, countries and citizens are
using broadband in new, more effective ways. Some countries have recognized this already and are trying to get ahead of the curve. South Korea, Japan, Australia, Sweden, Finland and Germany, among others, have already developed broadband plans.
A high-performance America cannot stand by as other countries charge into the digital era. In the country where the Internet was born, we cannot watch passively while other nations lead the world in its utilization. We should be the leading exporter of broadband technology—high-value goods and services that drive enduring economic growth and job creation. And we should be the leading user of broadband-enabled technologies that help businesses increase their productivity, help government improve its openness and efficiency, and give consumers new ways to communicate, work and entertain themselves.
To ensure we lead the world, this plan addresses the troubling gaps and unrealized opportunities in broadband in America by recommending ways federal, state and local governments can unleash private investment, innovation, lower prices
and better options for consumers. Its recommendations fall into four general categories:
➤➤ Design policies to ensure robust competition and, as a result, maximize consumer welfare, innovation and investment.
➤➤ Ensure efficient allocation and management of assets government controls or influences, such as spectrum, poles,
and rights-of-way, to encourage network upgrades and competitive entry.
➤➤ Reform current universal service mechanisms to support deployment of broadband and voice in high-cost areas; and
ensure that low-income Americans can afford broadband; and in addition, support efforts to boost adoption and utilization.
➤➤ Reform laws, policies, standards and incentives to maximize the benefits of broadband in sectors government influences significantly, such as public education, health care and government operations.