The Future of Universal Service is Broadband

[Commentary] On Tuesday, a House hearing will consider the future of communications in America. The question of the day is whether America's future communications system should be based on 19th century technology - the telephone - or on 21st century digital broadband. In determining how to modernize the multi-billion dollar annual Universal Service Fund (USF), created to bring telecommunications services to all Americans, policymakers must come to grips with the fact that the copper wire telephone system - once the foundation of our communications networks - is now holding us back. The future of telecommunications in America is access to high-speed Internet or broadband. Reform of the USF is essential to making that access a reality. The House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet is holding a hearing titled, The Future of Universal Service: To Whom, By Whom, For What, and How Much? These are critical questions that deserve future-focused answers:

1) The future is broadband.

2) To whom should broadband reach? Everyone.

3) By whom should broadband be deployed? By any willing company.

4) For what reason do we support broadband deployment? For a more competitive and better America.

5) How much should we spend on broadband deployment? No more than we're spending now.

Its time to transition the universal service program to broadband and set a national goal of making broadband Internet service available and affordable to all Americans.
http://benton.org/node/14876