Broadband the New "NEW" deal

by Mark Hewitt

Saturday Obama placed the National Broadband strategy at number 4 on his list of priorities for reviving the nations strength, security, and economic prosperity. I applaud the president elect for his action and recognition of just how fundamental broadband is to our overall success as a nation.

Thousands of thought leaders throughout the industry have pushed hard to find leadership willing to establish a national broadband strategy and while I personally think that it is a shame that a catastrophic economic recession was necessary to get one, I'll take it none the less.

Now it the time to rally for unification and to reestablish the separation between broadband as a utility and an open market for competitive services. Broadband as a utility belongs to everyone this needs to be regulated not the services that broadband make possible. The original "Community Broadband Act of 2007" would have been a great leap forward in achieving this goal if it had not been for the US Senate that gutted the bill on pressure from wealthy lobbyists.