Confronting Broadband Reality

afearon — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

There is a great disparity between the traditional broadband narrative and the American broadband reality.

The IP Transition: An Engineering Perspective

afearon — Fri, 17 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Richard Bennett will present on a panel on the IP transition.

ITIF Responds to Selection of Tom Wheeler as New Chairman of the FCC

afearon — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON (April 30, 2013) – In light of the upcoming announcement of the nomination of Tom Wheeler to be the new Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Rob Atkinson, President of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), releases the following statement:

"ITIF congratulates Tom Wheeler on his nomination to lead the FCC. Wheeler is one of America’s broadband pioneers. His experience in the formative years of the cable and mobile industries gives him a unique perspective on the challenges facing technology businesses that will prove very helpful in his new role. In addition, Mr. Wheeler has been a leading advisor to the Obama administration on science and technology policy and the head of the FCC’s Technological Advisory Committee where he was a major force in supporting Chairman Genachowski’s efforts to promote broadband innovation.

Over the next few years, the FCC will confront the most significant issue it has ever considered, the transition from legacy telephone service to pervasive, all-IP broadband networks. The historic nature of this transition stresses every fiber of communication policy from the Communications Act down to the smallest regulation on pole attachment. It requires a new vision of the public obligations of telecom providers, universal service, and the phase-out of the obsolete telephone network.

The new FCC chairman will have to focus his considerable talents on this challenge and to engage the wide community of policy analysts, technologists, public interest advocates, and business leaders.

ITIF stands ready to lend a hand, mindful that the historic transition from traditional telephone service to pervasive broadband must not alter the powerful, constructive course upon which America’s broadband networks are developing. We lead the world in the deployment and adoption of 4G/LTE networks, we’re installing more miles of fiber optic cable and increasing the speed of our broadband networks faster than any comparable region, and our smartphone platforms set the global standard for mobile innovation. While the FCC has much work to do, its current trajectory is sound and doesn’t need to be altered in a significant way.

We congratulate Tom Wheeler on his nomination as FCC Chairman and look forward to working with him to advance the broadband agenda."

U. S. Broadband Speed Slightly Better in Latest Akamai Report

afearon — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The latest report from Akamai shows U.S. broadband speeds are still moving up in the international rankings.

America’s Broadband Is Not Broken

afearon — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The argument for a massive reorganization of America’s broadband markets depends on a set of facts that don’t exist.

ITIF Event: What's on the Agenda for the New FCC?

afearon — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON (April 18, 2013) - With the departure of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski and Commissioner Robert McDowell, the agency will be resetting its goals for this year and the next, settling open issues, and possibly opening new inquiries. The new Chairperson will be tasked with shaping this agenda, while also dealing with the continued impact of mobile communication, new media and the Internet on traditional communications law and rulemaking.

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) will host a discussion among a distinguished panel of experts to analyze the current path of the agency and propose a future policy agenda. "What's on the Agenda for the New FCC" will be held from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM, Thursday, April 25 at ITIF, 1101 K Street NW, Suite 610. The event will be webcast live.

"Numerous telecommunications policy issues, including the transition to all-IP networks, spectrum allocation, high speed broadband deployment and adoption, and net neutrality, still need to be addressed and the resolutions will have a significant impact on innovation and economic development," notes Rob Atkinson, President of ITIF. "This event seeks to examine these challenges and provide the next Chair with a workable framework that will help spur the continued development of telecommunications in the United States."

Event participants include: Rick Chessen, Senior Vice President for Law and Regulatory Policy, NCTA; Christopher Guttman-McCabe, Vice President for Regulatory Affairs at CTIA-The Wireless Association; Blair Levin, Communications and Society Fellow with the Aspen Institute; Randolph May, President of the Free State Foundation; and Gigi Sohn, President of Public Knowledge.

To watch the event next week or to register, visit: http://www.itif.org/events/whats-agenda-new-fcc

How Much Broadband Choice Do Americans Have?

afearon — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Examining the degree of meaningful choice U.S. broadband providers give their consumers.

ITIF Commends Julius Genachowski on His Tenure as FCC Chairman

afearon — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON (March 22, 2013) - In light of the upcoming announcement of the resignation of Julius Genachowski as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Rob Atkinson, President of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), releases the following statement:

"We commend Chairman Genachowski for his leading role in spurring tremendous advances in broadband innovation and the Internet economy, while assisting the United States in transitioning to an advanced wireless world. During his tenure, the U.S. has made major advances in the speed of our broadband networks and expanded the deployment of next generation broadband technology. As ITIF has recently shown, 82 percent of American homes are now passed by a broadband network with speeds of 100 Mbps or higher, over 96 percent of the U.S. now has access to wired broadband, and we lead the world in adoption of 4G LTE mobile broadband.

These accomplishments are due in part to the FCC's efforts to develop the National Broadband Plan which establishes a road map for expanding innovation and deployment of high speed technology while enhancing the use of advanced networking in education, healthcare, homeland security and numerous additional industries. In addition, Commissioner Genachowski has been a leader in addressing the digital divide - the major factor holding back America's digital progress - creating innovative educational partnerships such as Connect2Compete which seeks to enhance broadband adoption and digital literacy.

Under the Chairman's leadership the FCC has also been a leader in expanding spectrum access through the first of its kind incentive auctions, which have the potential to free up large amounts of valuable spectrum for wireless broadband. Chairman Genachowski has also successfully navigated the thorny issue of net neutrality, adopting a "third way" approach that addresses open access concerns without inhibiting continued Internet innovation.

We praise the Chairman for his efforts and hope that his successor takes the same reasoned and innovative approach to these important issues that have tremendous implications for the continued health of our growing Internet environment."

Britain in America’s Rear View Mirror

afearon — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

American broadband networks are not only faster than those in the UK, they’re also improving more rapidly.

Reacting to the Rankings

afearon — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Richard Bennett responds to the criticism, primarily from "Ars Technica," of the ITIF broadband report.

The Whole Picture: Where America’s Broadband Networks Really Stand

afearon — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 05:00:00 +0000

United States has made rapid progress in broadband deployment, performance and price.

ITIF Releases Comprehensive Ranking of International Broadband Performance

afearon — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 05:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON (February 12, 2013) - A comprehensive report assessing American broadband networks, by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), indicates that, in contrast to some claims, the United States is in fact among the world leaders in several areas and is making significant progress in improving broadband quality and use as a whole.

Some critics of the U.S. broadband system assert that the United States is significantly lagging other nations in broadband and that we are falling even farther behind. The Whole Picture: Where America's Broadband Networks Really Stand analyzes broadband in OECD nations to create a more accurate and meaningful picture of where America stands in broadband deployment, adoption, performance, and price.

"Despite the frequent claims that the United States lags in international broadband comparisons, the studies cited to support this argument are out-of-date, poorly-focused, and/or analytically deficient," notes Rob Atkinson, President of ITIF. "Through this report we identify multiple areas where America is doing well, where improvement is needed and most importantly the real reasons for some areas of lagging performance."

The U.S. is near the top of the rankings in terms of the deployment and adoption of high-speed, wired networks and leads the OECD in adoption of advanced wireless LTE broadband networks. In addition, U.S. broadband speeds, while behind nations such as Korea and Japan, where government has subsidized deployment of fiber optic networks, also rank in the top 10 in the world.

The reason U.S. adoption rates are lower than about half of the OECD, but ahead of the EU-15 as a whole, has nothing to do with the price or availability or price of broadband, the report finds. It is because so few U.S. households, relative to other OECD nations, actually own a computer or have an interest in buying one. When looking at the adoption rate for households with computers, the U.S. rate is close to the top, only four percentage points behind the leader, and three percentage points above the EU-15's average of 85.9 percent.

Adoption also doesn't lag because of higher prices. America enjoys the second lowest prices in the OECD for introductory level broadband. The U.S. does rank lower in the price for faster broadband, but this is not, as some critics have claimed, because of relatively higher profits. In fact, among OECD nations, profits of U.S. broadband providers are fourth lowest. The price differential is a result of the fact that the U.S. has the second least densely populated urban areas in the OECD (dense areas are much cheaper to serve) and has devoted relatively little in tax dollars to subsidizing broadband in comparison to other nations.

"Taking into account the high cost of operating and upgrading broadband networks in a largely suburban nation and the wide economic diversity of our population, the U.S. has made significant progress in creating a vibrant and high-quality broadband ecosystem," adds Richard Bennett, Senior Research Fellow at ITIF.

The report does add that the United States needs to invest significantly more in policies and programs that encourage more residents to embrace computers and the Web and reap the benefits of the broadband Internet. It also needs to do more to expand broadband deployment to high cost rural areas. Finally, the government needs to more aggressively transfer underutilized spectrum from the public sector to wireless broadband.

"Overall, the state of broadband in the U.S. is strong, but new initiatives are required to address our key challenge in particular: the relatively large share of Americans who do not own or know how to use a computer." Atkinson says.

Read the report.

To view a panel discussion beginning at 9:00 AM EST on broadband performance featuring Mindel de la Torre, chief of the International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission, as well as Scott Wallsten and John Horrigan, former members of the FCC's National Broadband Plan team, visit: http://itif.org/events/where-do-americas-broadband-networks-really-stand

An Inconsistent Mandate

afearon — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Lawmakers should ignore the “single technology mandate” before this ill-considered notion sets the U.S. on the road to an innovation-killing mobile regulation regime.

Captive Policy

afearon — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Susan Crawford’s “Captive Audience” book fails to make a credible case for radical change in the broadband policy space.

The Charlatan’s Cartels

afearon — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:00:00 +0000

We have some issues in telecom policy in the U. S. these days but broadsided criticisms that are all but completely divorced from the facts aren't going to help policymakers.

ITIF Endorses Industry Cooperation to Reduce Online Piracy

afearon — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 05:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON (November 27, 2012) - Today the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) endorsed the new "Six Strikes" initiative by Internet Service Providers and creators of digital content to educate users on the costs of piracy and to reduce its incidence. Digital piracy is a serious problem with an estimated 25 percent of all bits on the Internet being infringing content.

The "Six Strikes" initiative is a voluntary, six step graduated response program in which users who are suspected of engaging in piracy will receive a series of warnings and educational messages before legal action can be taken. The first three steps are warnings that the user may be downloading material in violation of copyright. If these are ignored, in the next two steps the user is redirected to an educational page in which they will need to complete an online tutorial about copyright before proceeding to the requested web page. If all three warnings and two tutorials are ignored, the content owner becomes free to seek a court order to obtain the user's personal details so that legal action can be pursued. In no case does the ISP interrupt Internet service without a court order, nor does the content rights holder have access to the user's identity without a court order.

The system is a small step compared to the measures that were proposed by the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT-IP Act a year ago, but it makes considerable improvements over the status quo without altering due process or violating the privacy of lawful users.

The program reduces the massive compliance costs that burden ISPs under the "safe harbor" provisions of existing law (Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.) The number of violations that are easily observed by rights holders today is so large that they result in a massive stream of take-down notices that have become a major burden to ISPs, in many cases amounting to considerably more technical support resources than those devoted to direct customer service. By automating the front end of the anti-piracy process, occasional violators may be convinced to stop "sharing" content unlawfully without the stress and expense of a summons to appear in court.

ITIF Senior Research Fellow Richard Bennett said today, "The "Six Strikes" system is a win for broadband users, ISPs, and content creators alike. ISPs benefit from lower compliance costs than the notice-and-takedown systems impose, content creators get at least some protection for their rights, and users are ultimately afforded a richer stream of new content."

He continued, "There may be some glitches in ramping up the system and there will certainly be loud complaints from the anti-copyright crowd; but it's worth remembering that copyright protection is guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and shouldn't be treated casually. Ultimately, the health of the Internet ecosystem depends on the ability of creative people to make a living, and measures that protect the rights of hard-working artists and scientists are good for the Internet and society as a whole. It's also commendable that ISPs, content creators, and the public interest community have been able to come together to produce a consensus system that improves the status quo."

Facilities-based Competition is Working

afearon — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 05:00:00 +0000

America’s facilities-based competition model is working.

Restoring Networks After Sandy

afearon — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Many cellular network operators have responded to Hurricane Sandy in a number of creative and interesting ways, as have many Internet operators.

The Tech Industry’s Odd Relationship with Government

afearon — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Two recent posts on TechCrunch about tech industry efforts to influence and work with government deserve comment.

Breaking Mexico Out of Middle Income Trap

afearon — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

The widespread use of information and communications technology is a major driver of economic growth.

Ideas for Communications Law and Policy Reform for 2013

afearon — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Rob Atkinson will give a presentation for the Free State Foundation at the National Press Club.

Privacy Complaint in the Silly Season

afearon — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

The CEI appears to be complaining that the FCC’s privacy disclosure is too expansive, not that it’s insufficient.

De-Spinning the UN Broadband Report

afearon — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON (October 10, 2012) - What the public and policymakers do not need is another poorly constructed report claiming that the United States lags behind in broadband, which advocates are already holding up as yet more evidence of America's failed broadband policy.

But before jumping to this erroneous conclusion, it's important to look underneath the hood of such reports. ITIF's Senior Research Fellow Richard Bennett did that in examining the recent United Nations Broadband Commission report and found a number of problems.

First, the report measures broadband connections per capita, but in a nation like the United States which has larger average household sizes than many other nations, measuring broadband on a per-capita basis, rather than a per-household basis, will bias the results against the United States. After all, a household with four members does not have four wired broadband connections.

Second, the report ignores the fact that the most important factor determining whether someone subscribes to broadband, after whether they have access, is whether they have a computer. Many Americans still lack computers at home and do not see any reason to purchase the broadband subscriptions that are available to all via satellite (to 95 percent via at least one fixed location wireline or wireless carrier, and to 90 percent from three service providers (of all types) or more). In the UN ranking of "People using the Internet," the United States is in 23rd place worldwide (at 78%), behind a collection of countries that have invested in computer ownership.

The U.S. low ranking in broadband is not because of the broadband networks, it's more a result of our low level of computer ownership and digital literacy. This is an area where we can do more work, as ITIF has long argued. As such, ITIF believes our policy efforts should concentrate on expanding digital literacy, not on subsidizing redundant networks or bringing irrelevantly high-speed connections to those who are already connected. This is especially true since the UN notes that 100 percent of United States connections to Akamai servers are at 5 Mbps or higher.

See Bennett's full analysis: http://www.innovationfiles.org/de-spinning-the-un-broadband-report

De-Spinning the UN Broadband Report

afearon — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

The recent United Nations Broadband Commission report jumps to a number of erroneous conclusions.

Winning the Race 2012 Memos: Digital Communication Networks

afearon — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

As the 2012 presidential campaign moves in the final stage, ITIF is presenting general principles and specific recommendation ideas across several policy areas.