The bell has sounded on round one of the Broadband Stimulus application process the doors closed Friday (August 14th, 2009) at 5:00 pm with an extension for electronic filing until this Thursday (August 20th, 2009) at 5:00 pm.  Round two has already begun with a plethora of anticipated improvements in both the process and definitions.  It may be important to remember that when Obama set the FCC in motion to stimulate the advancement of Broadband in our country it was to place us “Second to none” where today we at best might be ranked at 20th in the world for speed, affordability, and access to Broadband networks.

Extending access and moving toward a more affordable Internet requires the construction of new fiber optic lines and a new era of openness and cooperation among networks and service providers. The stimulus has specifically required networks receiving Federal Grant or Loan funds to abide by the Interconnection and Non-Discrimination Requirements in the NOFA for Broadband funds.  This  has led most if not all of the major incumbents to reject participation in the expansion of American broadband.  I specifically note the recent piece in the Washington Post about how major carrier still flush with cash shun the broadband stimulus.

This I believe will lead to the next major round of obstacles for potential stimulus funded networks to bring competition and new access to our schools, homes, offices, and communities.  I think of this as a back door clause or a concession given to incumbents at the last minute.  “The NOFA has a rule that gives existing service providers 30 days to review your application and challenge it, saying they already provide adequate service in the areas your network would cover.”

The facts are pretty straight forward for our country to be competitive in the world, to raise the US to a position of leadership requires a commitment to achieve a minimum of 100 mbps of service to homes and small businesses and 1 gbps of service to our schools, institutions, government, and large commercial operations – NOW!  The eNC commitment to achieve 100 mbps by 2012 and 1 gbps by 2015 was quoted by Obama once during his campaign and is a goal that the FCC and our nation must seek to achieve.

If we consider any area of our nation not yet served by 100 mbps symmetrical service as “UnderServed” then any argument to maintain the current status quo would be moot.  I highly recommend reading the Baller/Herbst report on Broadband for America as you have a chance.

It is time to start a campaign aimed at breaking the chains of thinking everything is “Good Enough” as citizens we must take up the challenge of setting goals and policies that are now required for us and our children to compete in a new world that we helped to create.

The Internet is the new public square where we share ideas, observations, values, and lead ourselves and the government we create into the future.  It would be xenophobic to think we can wrap ourselves in a cocoon of limited broadband access away from the rest of the world hungry for an exchange of ideas, applications, education, and innovation.