Why Broadband Matters

Why Broadband Matters Working Group Notes

Yuka's DC Trip Notes and Links:

Comments:
* We need to "leap frog" vs. catching up (as voiced by many task force members already), which means,
* We need to focus on a larger picture (not issues that industry or individual companies can address), such as
* Affecting federal policies ( e.g., deregulation of white spaces: see references below)
* Affecting state level policies (regulatory)
* Backbone transport to the Islands (i.e., not worrying just about the "last mile" problems)
* Fundamental infrastructure issues ( e.g., individual companies each building cell towers for mediocre coverage vs. pooling resources to build a more robust network)
* Adoption of non-cable/phone line communication technologies (e.g., fiber)
* Consistency and raising the bar of currently non-regulated telecom services
* Awareness that many of the challenges we face are not legislative problems but enforcement and implementation challenges
* (last but not least) Open access

Resources:

Internet Innovation Alliance
Broadband Fact Book

Internet Society "Worth a Read" Selections

Bruce Mehlman's Technology Administration Speeches on Broadband
(some are outdated in terms of data, but similar arguments still hold/  can the Legislative Reference Bureau update some numbers for the report, or is that something we have to hire a consultant for?)

21st Century Policy Challenges for American Innovation Leadership

 If You Want to Network the Home You Need to Plug into Washington

Understanding Broadband Demand: Digital Content and Rights Management

The Broadband Revolution is Alive & Well.  And Coming Soon to a Home, Neighborhood, Office, School, Hotel, Airport, Airplane, Coffee House and College Campus Near You (If It's Not Already There)

Info on White Spaces

This is a good introduction to the white spaces issue

Here is the saga of the devices that the FCC are testing now:
fcc-begins-testing-mysterious-white-space-wireless-broadband-device microsoft-fcc-used-broken-white-spaces-device-for-test-neglected-backup-unit.html

This is an advocacy group lobbying for unlicensed use of the white spaces

This is a report on the white spaces in Honolulu: 62% after the digital television switchover