The Internet: Wired to whose advantage?

[Commentary] When the Federal Communications Commission released its National Broadband Plan earlier this year, the agency's task force estimated that it could cost as much as $350 billion to deploy universal broadband throughout the country. Much of the investment will have to come from the private sector. Currently, the FCC is considering changing broadband regulation, including applying additional rules governing how Internet service providers manage their networks. These proposed changes could decrease incentives for private-sector investment in broadband build-out, should the new regulations be too burdensome. If the FCC chooses to dramatically alter broadband regulations without congressional input, it could result in a lengthy period of uncertainty as companies struggle to understand the economic and legal ramifications of the changes. That uncertainty could have negative consequences for Minnesota's farming, rural and tribal communities, because it is more costly to deploy broadband in rural areas.

[Donna Champion is president of the Minnesota State Grange and Nicole Palya Wood is the legislative director for the National Grange.]