FCC unveils 360-page national broadband plan
The plan also recommends the development of standardized cable set-top boxes that would enable Internet surfing on televisions.
The FCC released it long-awaited national broadband plan Monday -- a 360-page document that agency officials dubbed a "call to action" for extending low-cost, high-speed Internet service to all Americans by 2020, CongressDaily reported.
The technology blueprint, required by last year's economic stimulus package, outlines six long-term goals, including superfast connectivity to 100 million households and transforming the U.S. into a world leader in mobile broadband use and innovation.
"The National Broadband Plan is a 21st century roadmap to spur economic growth and investment, create jobs, educate our children, protect our citizens, and engage in our democracy," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement.
The plan also recommends the development of standardized cable set-top boxes that would enable Internet surfing on televisions, and suggests the idea of a free, advertiser-funded wireless broadband service available regionally or nationwide. During a news conference Monday, FCC officials said the plan would require dozens of new commission rulemakings, but only limited congressional action, for implementation. That action would include allocating $12 billion to $16 billion to create a nationwide wireless broadband network for public-safety officials.
The report outlines four ways that the government can affect the "broadband ecosystem," according to the executive summary of the plan. These including establishing "robust competition policies" to boost innovation, investment and benefits to consumers, as well as ensuring efficient allocation and management of assets government influences such as radio spectrum; overhauling the universal service fund to support deployment of broadband and voice services; and updating policies, setting standards and aligning incentives to maximize the benefits of broadband in such sectors as public education, and government operations.
The agency's five regulators, three Democrats and two Republicans, are expected to approve a joint statement at a public meeting Tuesday endorsing the overarching goals of the plan, which has a Wednesday deadline for submission to Congress.