As the intertubes overtake boob tubes and telephone tubes as our primary mode of communication, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that access is available and affordable for all Americans. The FCC's ambitious new plan looks to do just that.
The plan, which will likely be proposed to Congress on Tuesday, got the front page treatment in today's New York Times. We'd heard snatches of the FCC's vision for a National Broadband Plan, and now, it seems, the long push toward implementation is about to begin.
The Federal Communications Commission's plan includes a variety of measures to ensure the strength of our nation's internet infrastructure
over the next decade, including giving subsidies to companies who extend their networks into rural areas and developing a universal set-top box to streamline cable TV and internet access.
All of this probably sounds good to you, John Q. Internet Using Public, but it won't be come without a fight from the likes of Comcast and AT&T, who will undoubtedly push back as they try to maintain their control (and bottom lines).
Yesterday, the FCC released their own online speed test, encouraging users to report their results and keep their ISPs in check. Perhaps not the most diplomatic move, but it shows that the Commission understands that not everyone can remain a friend as they put their ambitious proposal in motion. [New York Times]
Image credit INCH
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Streaming HD video. Uploading gigantic files. Surfing the web comfortably. These aren't things you'd normally expect on 3G. But T-Mobile's beefed up HSPA+ network, which I tested recently in Philadelphia, handled all these tasks beautifully. At the same time.
