Sascha Meinrath

In developing a national broadband plan the Federal Communication Commission has an unprecedented opportunity to put in place polices that can both bring essential high-speed connectivity to those with limited or no access, and serve as the foundation for long-term broadband and technological innovation that can move the U.S. ahead in the 21st century.

New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative (OTI) submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission on two areas vital to the future of the Internet: Broadband Consumer Information and Measurement.

New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative, together with a diverse consortium of 38 groups (including the Benton Foundation) responded to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and Rural Utilities Service's (RUS) Request for Information regarding changes to the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) grant programs.

The Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation is calling for Truth-in-Labeling by our nation's broadband operators.

Free Press, the Consumer Federation of America, New America Foundation, the Media Access Project, Public Knowledge and Consumers Union have sent Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski a letter offering a set of proposals that reflect both the chairman's desire to run a "fact-based, data-driven agency" and their priorities for policies specific to open items related to broadband data.

This memorandum provides analysis, strategic guidance, and policy concerns and recommendations with regard to the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Language creates our knowledge framework. How we describe our experiences within the world affects our epistemology and warps, for both better and for worse, our understanding and comprehension of our communities and of one another.

A long-term approach to broadband investment seeking to leverage federal spending on traditional infrastructure (road, bridges and possibly railways) to create a fully interconnected, public access fiber infrastructure to bring high-speed connectivity to nearly every community.

An optimal free broadband system would include both wireless (for mobility and cost efficiency) and wireline (for capacity and reliability) components. And, as it turns out, two proposals are currently pending that could make free broadband connectivity for life a reality.

The federal government's media ownership policies have tremendous impact on the community media that has traditionally played an important role in fostering community awareness and involvement. The past 20 years have seen an unprecedented number of media mergers among TV, radio, film, publishing and online holdings.