Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
By Andrew Feinberg, Deputy Editor, BroadbandCensus.com
WASHINGTON, September 29, 2009 - Current broadband mapping data is not specific enough in detail to help the Federal Communications Commission produce a national broadband plan, despite recent revisions to agency data-collection practices, staff members said Tuesday.
That assessment came during presentations at the agency’s marathon open meeting, which lasted more than three hours and included presentations from many members of the broadband task force, which is responsible for crafting a strategy by February 2010. The workshoprepresented an opportunity for a "mid-course correction" after numerous open workshops and public meetings - an open process that chairman Julius Genachowski (D) called "unparalleled in FCC history."
The most important part of the process is starting by examining the facts already in the record, said Omnibus Broadband Initiative Managing Director Eric Garr. But while Garr welcomed the numerous participants in the process so far, he asked for more information and less rhetoric.
"Bring opinions, but also bring your data," he said.
Outside data is especially important to the process because the commission lacks needed information, said broadband task force head Blair Levin. "The task we are being asked to do cannot be done with the resources we have," he said.
The commission's lack...
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Tuesday, July 15th, 2008
Commentary
The following commentary appears in the current issue of Opastco Advocate, a monthly newsletter published by the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies. Reprinted by permission.
By Drew Clark, Executive Director, BroadbandCensus.com
Most Americans who have high-speed Internet can’t imagine life without broadband. How could you connect to the Internet of today without it? In today’s world, broadband is as basic as running water and electricity. And yet the U.S. is falling behind globally. As a technology reporter, I’ve been writing about the battles over broadband and the Internet for nearly a decade in Washington. Yet there is one fact about which nearly everyone seems to be in agreement: if America wants better broadband, America needs better broadband data.
That’s why I’ve recently started a new venture to collect this broadband data, and to make this data freely available for all on the Web, at http://BroadbandCensus.com.
The information and news that is available for free at BroadbandCensus.com is more important now than ever before. The FCC has just made important changes to how it will collect data from carriers. The agency may make even more significant changes in the near future. Public and private sector groups...
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Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
Blog Entries
By Drew Clark, Editor, BroadbandCensus.com
Over at the Communications Workers of America's blog,
Speed Matters, the union claimed credit for the Federal Communications Commission's
recent order requiring broadband companies to provide the FCC with more information, including data about availability by Census tract.
The blog notes:
The CWA Speed Matters campaign can claim another victory – this time at the FCC. As part of our Speed Matters campaign, CWA called on the FCC to increase its definition of "high speed" – a definition that had not changed for nine years -- and to improve its broadband data collection.
Well, it is possible that the FCC's broadband data collection will be improved. But the public is not likely to benefit from any improvements.
The blog post makes no mention of the fact that the FCC will continue to shield the names of the broadband providers that offer service in a particular ZIP code or Census tract. BroadbandCensus.com
criticized the FCC for its failure to change this policy. The current policy limits consumers' and citizens' ability to benefit from local broadband information.
Also, with regards to speeds, the CWA post appears to misstate what the FCC required.
It is correct that,...
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