The Media and Democracy Coalition is a collaboration of over two dozen local and national organizations committed to amplifying the public's voice in shaping media and telecommunications policy.
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Applause for Google's Announcement to Build High Speed Broadband Networks
February 10, 2010
Executive Director, Media and Democracy Coalition
The Media and Democracy Coalition applauds Google’s announcement that it will build experimental high capacity fiber-optic networks serving between 50,000 and 500,000 consumers. This announcement comes as the Federal Communications Commission is putting the final touches on the National Broadband Plan, due to Congress in mid-March. We urge the Commission to embrace in the Plan many of the commitments Google is making today: networks that are open access, offer symmetrical high-speed, and that involve community input. We are pleased to see the company will abide by the principle of network neutrality, and urge Google to offer services over these networks at prices low-income consumers can afford.
We’re thrilled that Google committed to making these networks open access, meaning the infrastructure will be shared by other Internet Service Providers. A recent study by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University found that open access rules have played an important role in spurring competition, delivering higher speeds, and lowering prices in other parts of the world. Here in the U.S., dominant ISPs have vociferously resisted open access rules, and policy makers in Washington have bowed to that opposition. Meanwhile, other nations that embraced open access rules have far surpassed the U.S. in terms of broadband access, speed, adoption and price.
Google’s decision to build high-speed networks that offer symmetry in speed – meaning users get an equal amount of bandwidth to download and upload – is critical in spurring adoption and innovation. Entrepreneurs, innovators, artists, and those who are historically disenfranchised will greatly benefit from an Internet where creating and sharing their own content is done just as easily as consuming content made by others. Most networks in the U.S. offer paltry upload speeds.
We strongly support Google’s plan to work with local governments, and to favor projects where there is community input. Countless local governments across the nation have been working to meet the broadband access needs of residents through approaches that include public-private partnerships, publicly owned networks, and linking of anchor institutions such as schools and libraries. Community organizations that advocate on behalf of the poor, the disabled, people of color and other historically disenfranchised populations have been actively part of these initiatives in many cities. The cooperation between local government, community organizations, anchor institutions and a willing corporate partner is necessary to build networks that improve broadband adoption in the U.S.
Google has long been a supporter of network neutrality rules, so it comes as no surprise the company has pledged to operate these networks in a non-discriminatory manner. If implemented properly, network neutrality principles would lead the company to treat all legal content equally. Regardless of Google’s voluntary commitment, we strongly support the Commission’s attempt to codify network neutrality rules into law. We believe Google’s continued commitment to this principle demonstrates that networks can be operated profitably and fairly.
In Google’s statement, the company says that broadband services over its network will be offered at a price that is “competitive.” It’s too soon to tell if competitive prices will be affordable to consumers, particularly those that are low-income. As it moves forward, we encourage Google to ensure its networks can be of benefit to those consumers currently unable to afford prevailing monthly service fees, let alone the costs of hardware and software to connect. We would welcome the opportunity to work with Google, or any other ISP, to advance adoption and digital inclusion programs in local communities.
In closing, we are very excited by Google’s announcement, and hope it spurs the Commission, Congress and other corporate broadband providers to look closely at bold, practical Internet policies that will bring high-quality broadband services to all U.S. residents.
The Media and Democracy Coalition is a collaboration of move than thirty local, regional and national non-profit groups that work to amplify the voice of the public in debates over media and telecommunications policies. Visit www.media-democracy.net
Applause for Google’s Plan to Build High Speed Broadband Networks
Statement of Beth McConnell
Executive Director, Media and Democracy Coalition
The Media and Democracy Coalition applauds Google’s announcement that it will build experimental high capacity fiber-optic networks serving between 50,000 and 500,000 consumers. This announcement comes as the Federal Communications Commission is putting the final touches on the National Broadband Plan, due to Congress in mid-March. We urge the Commission to embrace in the Plan many of the commitments Google is making today: networks that are open access, offer symmetrical high-speed, and that involve community input. We are pleased to see the company will abide by the principle of network neutrality, and urge Google to offer services over these networks at prices low-income consumers can afford.
We’re thrilled that Google committed to making these networks open access, meaning the infrastructure will be shared by other Internet Service Providers. A recent study by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University found that open access rules have played an important role in spurring competition, delivering higher speeds, and lowering prices in other parts of the world. Here in the U.S., dominant ISPs have vociferously resisted open access rules, and policy makers in Washington have bowed to that opposition. Meanwhile, other nations that embraced open access rules have far surpassed the U.S. in terms of broadband access, speed, adoption and price.
Google’s decision to build high-speed networks that offer symmetry in speed – meaning users get an equal amount of bandwidth to download and upload – is critical in spurring adoption and innovation. Entrepreneurs, innovators, artists, and those who are historically disenfranchised will greatly benefit from an Internet where creating and sharing their own content is done just as easily as consuming content made by others. Most networks in the U.S. offer paltry upload speeds.
We strongly support Google’s plan to work with local governments, and to favor projects where there is community input. Countless local governments across the nation have been working to meet the broadband access needs of residents through approaches that include public-private partnerships, publicly owned networks, and linking of anchor institutions such as schools and libraries. Community organizations that advocate on behalf of the poor, the disabled, people of color and other historically disenfranchised populations have been actively part of these initiatives in many cities. The cooperation between local government, community organizations, anchor institutions and a willing corporate partner is necessary to build networks that improve broadband adoption in the U.S.
Google has long been a supporter of network neutrality rules, so it comes as no surprise the company has pledged to operate these networks in a non-discriminatory manner. If implemented properly, network neutrality principles would lead the company to treat all legal content equally. Regardless of Google’s voluntary commitment, we strongly support the Commission’s attempt to codify network neutrality rules into law. We believe Google’s continued commitment to this principle demonstrates that networks can be operated profitably and fairly.
In Google’s statement, the company says that broadband services over its network will be offered at a price that is “competitive.” It’s too soon to tell if competitive prices will be affordable to consumers, particularly those that are low-income. As it moves forward, we encourage Google to ensure its networks can be of benefit to those consumers currently unable to afford prevailing monthly service fees, let alone the costs of hardware and software to connect. We would welcome the opportunity to work with Google, or any other ISP, to advance adoption and digital inclusion programs in local communities.
In closing, we are very excited by Google’s announcement, and hope it spurs the Commission, Congress and other corporate broadband providers to look closely at bold, practical Internet policies that will bring high-quality broadband services to all U.S. residents.
The Media and Democracy Coalition is a collaboration of move than thirty local, regional and national non-profit groups that work to amplify the voice of the public in debates over media and telecommunications policies. Visit www.media-democracy.net