Regulators have submitted a national broadband plan to congress earlier this week, with the aim of the plan being to expand broadband access, increase broadband speeds, and improve mobile broadband services.
It was announced earlier this week that regulators have submitted a national broadband plan to congress, and the measures that form the plan are aimed at making a number of improvements within the broadband sector including the improvement of access to broadband services, an increase in the speeds that come with broadband services, and advancements in the mobile broadband sector.
A summary of the national broadband plan was unanimously approved by the five members of the Federal Communications Commission, but it now needs to be auctioned by congress before the proposals can become reality. A hearing to discuss the proposals has been scheduled for March 23rd by the Senate Commerce Committee.
The national broadband plan has made a number of recommendations as part of the strategy, and this includes increasing Internet speeds by up to twenty five times the current national average, ploughing billions of dollars into the provision of broadband services in rural or low income areas, and freeing airwaves for improvements and advancements to mobile broadband services over the coming years.
A number of industry groups have supported the plan but have said that the FCC needs to increase competition to reduce prices and increase speeds. One group said: “This will require confronting the market power of the cable and telephone giants that control the broadband market. The problems caused by the lack of competition are what led the Congress to order up a National Broadband Plan.”
Source – NY Times