Journal 6, October 4th

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-10364590-266.html?tag=mncol

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) bringing broadband internet to the entire United States will not be cheap. The FCC has been put in charge of forming a national broadband policy that would ensure that every American has access to broadband internet. Last Tuesday the FCC task force issued its initial report which estimated the project would cost more than $350 billion to bring universal broadband to the United States. This estimate is the result of many workshops and hearings that will continue until the FCC presents its final report to Congress in February. While it is estimated that it would only cost approximately $20 billion to set up nationwide broadband at speeds between 768Kbps and 3Mbps, the FCC has concluded that these speeds would be insufficient for future computing demands. Therefore the FCC has suggested a plan that would allow 100Mbps or greater and cost around $350 billion if not higher. This exorbitant price can be attributed to a number of factors in delivering nationwide broadband. One such factor is the process of implementing the service in rural areas where not only capital costs are high but upkeep expenses as well. As of now Congress has appropriated $7 billion to the project and is expected to contribute more tax payer money but the bulk of the funding will come from the private sector. FCC has decided that it is necessary to implement faster networks to accommodate the "bandwidth-intensive applications" that will become popular among users in the near future. These include include streaming video, video teleconferencing, and electronic medical monitoring, all which require significantly more bandwidth. The FCC is also looking into implementing policy for the use of wireless networks and expanding the wireless spectrum available for commercial use.

Expanding the United State's availability of broadband internet has many obvious benefits not only to consumers but also to businesses and government programs. With a more robust national network people will be able to communicate like never before to even the most remote parts of the country. Also having access to quicker speeds will allow users to take advantage of the newest technology and stay on the cutting edge. Although a nationwide broadband policy would incur high costs it will ultimately become a necessity and be implemented eventually due to popular demand.

Reference:
http://www.wral.com/news/technology/story/4913467/