A plan to invest sizeable funds in order to increase the coverage of the nations broadband network so that it will cover areas that have yet to receive broadband access.
Plans are currently under consideration into an investment plan of $6bn (4bn) by the US House of Representatives to allow for the expansion of the national broadband network throughout the US.
According to the latest proposals from the House Appropriations Committee the funds from this investment plan would allow for the current gaps in both the rural and the more underdeveloped areas of the country where commercial broadband has not yet been rolled out could be filled.
In order to spark economic growth in both technology and science the funds that have been proposed are part of a bigger package. A considerable investment into scientific research facilities have also been proposed worth an additional $10bn (£6.7bn).
In a written summary of the plan by committee member, Dave Obey said “For every dollar invested in broadband the economy sees a tenfold return on that investment. We need to put scientists to work looking for the next great discovery, creating jobs in cutting-edge technologies, and making smart investments that will help businesses in every community succeed in a global economy.”
For a long time one of the most hotly contested issue in the US has been funding from the Federal government for telecoms and broadband networks. This is especially true in areas of the country like the more rural areas where the population is quite sparse and where hesitation into investment into wireless and cable broadband is common with most if not all commercial providers.
The possibility of even greater investment for the IT industry has been raised by the plan, which calls for $1bn (£670m) to improve school technology and a further $32bn (£21bn) for the development of “smart energy grids”