Research: Flawed Broadband Analysis
Scientific American’s Flawed Broadband Analysis
Technology Policy Institute
Scott Wallsten
October 2010
Wallsten examines the October issue of Scientific American in which an article declares that broadband in America is behind and that, “…prices in the United States are too high and speeds are too low.” Wallsten reports that the article calls for three things to be changed to improve the situation:
- Unbundling access to local loops
- Mandating Net Neutrality
- Reclassifying the Internet under Title II of the Telecommunications Act of 1996
The author points out that this is a narrow view of the policy and adoption problems with broadband in the U.S. And that a focus on how an individual connects, for instance, is not as important as making sure innovation continues in the wireless broadband sector. Wallsten discusses several issues including the realities of the U.S. broadband system, and also examines aspects of the future of broadband. These issues include:
- Pricing
- Unbundling
- Broadband and the Knowledge-Based Economy
- Forward-Looking Policies Focused on Spectrum and Wireless Broadband
In conclusion, Wallsten argues that policies that improve the state of innovation in wireless broadband and that will make more spectrum available will ultimately be more vital to the nation that making available 100Mbps service to residential subscribers.
You can find the article here.
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