Broadband should be in every home

BROADBAND SHOULD BE IN EVERY HOME
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Sen John Kerry (D-MA)]
[Commentary] A very important piece of public property is about to be auctioned off. You won't find it on a map, but it is prime real estate. And the sale of this property has profound implications for schools, businesses, emergency first responders, rural communities and the future of wireless communication and innovation in America. In the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction, the Federal Communications Commission will auction off an important slice of our airwaves. The FCC has a choice: It can either provide extraordinary benefits to millions of Americans or tilt bandwidth policy to line the pockets of a privileged few. The airwaves belong to the American people -- and their use should serve the public interest, not corporate interests. In recent auctions, the big communications companies actively used their bidding power to shut out new providers. As a result, these new companies faced near impossible barriers to entry in the wireless communications industry. What does this mean for us? Consumers don't enjoy the lower prices and better service that would result from more choice in the communications marketplace. The upcoming auction presents a real opportunity to promote economic competitiveness and address affordability and availability of important wireless services. The Internet and our airwaves are public property. All Americans should benefit from and be able to access it -- not just in revenues the government earns from selling spectrum to corporations, but also in expanded access to revolutionary new technology for every American. Our economy, our schools, our families and our first responders are counting on the FCC and conduct a fair auction in the spirit of competition and innovation that drives the Internet today. Previous generations ushered in new eras of economic progress with electricity for rural areas and a car in every driveway. In 2007 to stay competitive, we should strive to do the same with broadband in every home.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/broadband-should-be-in-every-home-20...