California Communities Need Broadband Action

CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES NEED BROADBAND ACTION
[SOURCE: San Diego Business Journal, AUTHOR: John M. Eger, San Diego State University]
[Commentary] California should act now on the recommendations of the California Broadband Task Force.
1) The state’s General Services Department or the chief information officer can start by aggregating demand — every state agency for telecommunications services and perhaps other local and federal agencies to join forces with it — and begin creating a statewide Internet service.
2) The Public Utilities Commission can set statewide policies that support and encourage municipal efforts. Cities not only need to know that it’s all right to begin planning the new information infrastructure for their region, they need the economic and political incentive to do so.
3) The electric utilities play a large and promising role in developing an alternative supplier. Here too, clarity from the PUC, the administration and the Assembly would do much to provide that support and guidance.
http://www.sdbj.com/article.asp?aID=122912&link=perm