Democratic convention brings calls for broadband policy

The US needs a broadband policy targeting unserved areas that's backed by action, not just words, said several speakers at a technology forum that was held in conjunction with the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The US has gone from "leader to laggard" in broadband rollout and adoption during the past eight years under President Bush, said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), speaking today at the forum, which was hosted by Silicon Flatirons, a technology law center at the University of Colorado. In early 2004, Bush called for broadband to be universally available across the US by 2007, but that hasn't happened, Sen Rockefeller said. "Despite all the rhetoric about improving Americans' access to broadband, the Bush administration never made achieving their goal a serious matter," he added. "Why? For starters, deploying broadband is really hard work."