We're not alone. The Valley understands what's needed. Hopefully this recession will get people's asses into gear.
Project Broadband Fights For Fast Net
By Michael Singer
"Broadband is central if we are going to continue the digital revolution plain and simple."
Most people have dial-up Internet access at home to surf the net, with speeds that are generally
restricted to about 52 Kbps.
But, if Americans are to get faster Internet access, there are going to have to be some major
changes in our broadband policies. So finds a panel of experts at a conference Monday hosted by
Hewlett-Packard (Nasdaq: HWP) at its Palo Alto-based campus.
The Progress & Freedom Foundation's "Project Broadband" is bringing together leaders from the IT
sector, including top telecommunications and computer industry executives and policy leaders from
government and academia.
"Broadband is central if we are going to continue the digital revolution plain and simple," says
Progress & Freedom Foundation chairman and science advisor to former president Ronald Regan,
Jay Keyworth.
Projections for high-speed access in the US seem to have missed. Currently, less than half of the
1996 estimated projections for broadband access have come to pass.
In the broadband world, the US ranks a mediocre fifth this year behind Korea, Canada, Singapore
and Hong Kong for homes with broadband access.
"At the same rate our forecast for 2005 would bring us from mediocre to an even more mediocre
number nine," says Les Vadasz, executive vice president for corporate development at Intel. "At our
present rate in the US, it will take us more than 10 years to bring broadband access to 65 percent of
the homes. We can't even get TV quality video on the net."
To fix the problem, Vadasz recommends a mere $100 billion investment to help the US target a
third-generation broadband infrastructure and get the US back in the game.
So, who is to blame for the slow adoption rate?
Intel's (Nasdaq: INTC) Andy Grove blames the Telecom Act of 1996. The chip making giant chairman,
last week complained that the legislation is failing. Grove is now urging more deregulation of the
Baby Bells in order to encourage faster broadband deployment - even at the expense of
independent telecommunications providers (CELECs) or long distance providers.
Combine that with consumer's fears of the current high prices for DSL and cable access and
equipment as well as an "always on" attitude that requires constant firewall protection.
Many in the sector also say that without some type boost to broadband policy, an economic
upswing might stall.
"It has been our belief that the tech sector is the center of the American economy and that the
broadband sector is the lynchpin that holds it together," says Progress & Freedom Foundation
president Jeffery Eisenach.
The group will be bringing the same argument to Aspen, Colorado, Fairfax County Virginia and New
York City in the next four months. |
