National Broadband Strategy Symposium

When president elect Barack Obama officially takes office in January, one of his biggest priorities in the realm of technology will likely be a plan to ensure broadband access for every United States citizen. The Internet Innovation Alliance, a nonprofit advocate for universal broadband in the United States, held a symposium at the National Press Club to generate new ideas for both the Obama administration and for Congress on how to bring high-speed Internet connectivity to underserved regions throughout the country. United States Internet Industry Association President David McLure told the panel that the federal government should concentrate mainly on areas where carriers have not yet built out broadband infrastructure. After all, said McLure, it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars for the government to build out infrastructure in areas that are already being served by cable, DSL, WiMAX or other broadband technologies. Additionally, he said that any broadband strategy had to focus not only on broadband access, but on what he called "digital inclusion" that could be solved through better educating the public on computer and Internet use.