http://www.detnews.com/article/20110721/OPINION01/107210336/1008/opinion01/B lanket-Michigan--nation-in-broadband
Blanket Michigan, nation in broadband Lewis N. Dodak and Rick Johnson A century ago, President Woodrow Wilson set out a bold vision that paved the way for America's tech future: ensuring that every American would have access to a telephone. President Obama faces a similar modern-day challenge: extending all Americans access to broadband Internet. We need that now in our country and especially here in Michigan. The challenge is especially stark for wireless broadband, demand for which is expected to grow 40-fold over the next four years as more Americans embrace their smartphones and their burgeoning applications. The Federal Communications Commission is attempting a variety of bold actions to address the problem, but special interests are resorting to politics to slow progress and competition. Wireless broadband is more than just our ability to download music. It allows public safety workers to exchange information in an emergency. It provides small business owners tools they need to compete with corporations. The 26 million Americans who lack broadband access are, in a sense, denied an equal shot at the American dream. What can government do to encourage the $350 billion investment needed for all Americans to have broadband access? Several government programs have aimed to spur investment; each has met with resistance. The Department of Agriculture has implemented programs like the Farm Bill Broadband Loan Program, the Broadband Initiatives Program (from the stimulus bill) and others aimed at encouraging investment. But special corporate interests have commandeered these programs and misappropriated them for giant corporate subsidies in areas that already have broadband. The FCC has suggested that broadcast stations voluntarily auction off their unused spectrum in an attempt to free up 500 MHz of spectrum to encourage more high-speed wireless deployment. But broadcasters have balked, leaving taxpayers to continue footing the bill while they hoard the public spectrum. The most viable solution is to convert other parts of the public airwaves for wireless broadband use. Many experts and the FCC agree that a hybrid satellite-terrestrial network, in the works for the past decade, is the next wireless broadband chapter. And while new technologies are taking off in Europe and Asia, giant incumbent companies are trying to fight them here. Some GPS companies are arguing their now-outdated receivers can "hear" the previously unoccupied satellite bands that the new 4G-LTE networks will use to deliver broadband to America. Every decade we see new technological breakthroughs. Our country and our state need to take advantage of these breakthroughs to create jobs. If we don't, others will. It is foolhardy not to move forward. Lewis N. Dodak and Rick Johnson are both former speakers of the Michigan House of Representatives. Email comments to lett...@detnews.com. >From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110721/OPINION01/107210336/Blanket-Michigan--na tion-in-broadband#ixzz1SqkEwGuQ Regards, Jeff Jeff Broadwick Sales Manager, ImageStream 800-813-5123 x106 (US/Can) +1 574-935-8484 x106 (Int'l) +1 574-935-8488 (Fax) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
