Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 4
The Federal Communication
Commission's National
Broadband Plan
John B. Meisel
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA
John C. Navin
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA
Timothy S. Sullivan
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA
ABSTRACT
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 charged the US Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) to develop and deliver to Congress a national broadband plan by February 17,
2010. The FCC formally commenced the process of developing the plan by issuing a Notice of Inquiry
(NOI) on April 8, 2009. The NOI identified broadband issues and critical questions and asked stake-
holders to respond to these issues and questions with data and analysis. The purpose of this chapter is
to analyze the written documents generated by stakeholders' responses concerning the specific issues of
open networks and competition and to make recommendations to the FCC in its formulation of federal
policy as to the position that makes the most economic sense on these issues. We find that many of the
arguments and concerns of stakeholders are dependent upon predictions regarding the competitiveness
of ISP markets. We predict with confidence that technological innovations are likely to make many legal
arguments (on all sides) obsolete in the near future.
INTRODUCTION
to develop and deliver to Congress a national
broadband plan by February 17, 2010. The FCC
formally commenced the process of developing
the plan by issuing a Notice of Inquiry (NOI)
on April 8, 2009 (FCC, 2009). The NOI identi-
fied broadband issues and critical questions and
asked stakeholders to respond to these issues and
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
of 2009 (Public Law No. 111-5, 123) charged
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
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