Consumer Groups Endorse Senator Stevens' Efforts to Bring Affordable Broadband To All
20 February 2006
Today Consumers Union and Free Press endorsed Chairman Stevens' (R-AK) American Broadband for Communications Act (ABC Act) that would help bring affordable broadband to all Americans by freeing unused spectrum within the broadcast frequency for use by providers of wireless broadband and for other services.
The legislation directs the Federal Communications Commission to move quickly to free-up valuable but unused broadcast airwaves - known as empty channels, or white spaces- which could then be used for wireless broadband. In most markets, only half of the broadcast channels are actually used by television stations.
Below is the letter of support sent to Chairman Stevens earlier today.
February 17, 2006
The Honorable Ted Stevens
Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
United States Senate
Washington, D.C 20510
Dear Chairman Stevens:
Thank you for your leadership in introducing the American Broadband for Communications Act and for your commitment to finding solutions to the problem of inadequate access to high- speed Internet for consumers in rural America. We applaud your commitment to this important issue and strongly support your legislation.
Although high-speed Internet adoption has been rising, the United States still lags far behind other countries in broadband adoption. While the problem of limited choice in providers and high cost of problem exists throughout the United States, the problem is particularly acute in sparsely populated areas, where consumers may not even have a single provider to choose from. Broadband adoption in rural areas is less than half that of urban and suburban areas. The numbers are far more stark for distant communities in Alaska and other remote areas.
Fortunately, wireless, or Wi-Fi, broadband, because of its low deployment costs and ability to reach distant consumers without costly infrastructure or equipment, offers the greatest opportunity for providing broadband services and new competitive choices to consumers who currently lack them. Indeed, today, wireless Internet services providers and communities are using the airwaves to deliver wireless broadband to consumers in sparsely populated rural areas who have never before had access to it. In Alaska alone, communities and other providers are using wireless broadband to provide service in McGrath, Gustavas, Hoonah, and Coffman Cove, among others. Broadband and other innovative wireless services offer the promise of increased economic development and jobs, enhanced market competition, improved delivery of e-government services, and accelerated universal, affordable Internet access for all Americans.
Unfortunately, airwaves suitable for wireless broadband are in short supply. Currently, Wi-Fi broadband providers must rely on airwaves that limit the ability of wireless signals to pass through walls, mountains, forests and other obstacles. This makes wireless broadband less viable for communities in densely forested areas and regions with mountainous or uneven terrain. Without access to airwaves that allow signals to penetrate these obstacles, even Wi-Fi broadband will be inadequate for these remote areas.
Your legislation, by directing the Federal Communications Commission to open currently unused broadcast airwaves - known as empty channels or white spaces - for unlicensed use will provide new opportunities even for the most remote village in Alaska. Each television market in the United States has fifty channels allocated for over-the-air, broadcast television. However, in most markets, fewer than half of these channels are actually used by television stations. And in most rural areas, there are more empty channels than used channels. For example, the Juneau area alone will have white space equal to or greater than 74 percent of the digital broadcast spectrum, even after the digital transition is completed. More remote areas of the Alaska will have even more white space available. The American Broadband for Communities Act of 2006 will allow communities, innovators and entrepreneurs to tap that valuable but unused resource to bring high-speed Internet to Alaska's unserved villages and to the thousands of other small towns without broadband access, helping to build stronger, vibrant communities.
Thank you for your leadership on and commitment to this important issue and for working for meaningful, market-based solutions to the problem of inadequate and unaffordable broadband. We look forward to working with you toward passage of critical legislation to free unused white spaces.
Sincerely,
Jeannine Kenney, Senior Policy Analyst, Consumers Union
Ben Scott, Policy Director, Free Press
http://www.usnewswire.com/
Source: usnewswire
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