ConnectED costs are underestimatED

[Commentary] The Obama Administration put forth the ConnectED program and estimated that it would cost $4-6 billion to reach 99 percent of schools with speeds of 1Gbps. While centrally planned estimates of any kind are rarely spot on, this cost is severely underestimated.

According to data collected by Infonetics, American Internet service providers invested approximately $75 billion in broadband infrastructure in 2013.Taking into consideration that this$75 billion, along with investments from prior years, have resulted in no more than 28% of schools having 1 Gbps service, it is difficult to imagine that the Administration will be able to cover the remaining 72% with a budget of only $4 - 6 billion. The state of American broadband is quite healthy due to intermodal competition between DSL, cable, fiber, and wireless ISPs. The vast innovations we have seen over the past 15 years in broadband should be applauded, not criticized by the media and replaced by Federal programs. Can this goal be achieved? Yes, but only if local communities are willing to pay for it through a bottom-up system of broadband growth.

[Michael Horney is a second year MA Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, studying policy topics such broadband, technology, education and regulations]