[1st-mile-nm] Are politicians foreclosing on high-tech future?

[Richard Lowenberg]

From yesterday's Santa Fe New Mexican - My View section.
www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_view/are-politicians-foreclosing-on-high-tech-future/article_6813cb82-5952-5926-82c9-725ef0a0aecc.html

Posted: Friday, June 12, 2015 8:11 pm
by Tom Johnson 

It is sad, frustrating and discouraging to read something written by politicians that demonstrates they apparently have not done appropriate research before making public declarations.

This is especially so when such an elected official is in a position of specific legislative influence.

That happened last week when Rep. James Smith of District 22, chairman of the interim Science, Technology and Telecom Committee in the New Mexico House, wrote about telecommunications policy (“Could the FCC foreclose on high-tech future,” My View, June 6).

Addressing the Federal Communications Commission’s regulation of the Internet, Smith wrote, “light regulation … gave Internet providers freedom to innovate with new services and new infrastructure … .” Further, “this move … has fueled the dramatic expansion of Internet technology in America.

“This symbiotic relationship between minimal regulation and maximum investment and innovation continues,” he said.
First, remember that the initial Internet concepts and technologies were developed with taxpayer research dollars, not private enterprise investment. Second, the “new services” are coming not from the digital providers, but from clever individuals and talented startup teams that could possibly do even more if they had access to true broadband at affordable prices.

Third, research year after year indicates that U.S. citizens are paying higher prices for slower connectivity. As the Open Technology Institute reports: “Data that we have collected in the past three years demonstrates that the majority of U.S. cities surveyed lag behind their international peers, paying more money for slower Internet access.” (See http://bit.ly/1FJL1vB and http://bit.ly/1MAlYRa)
Companies providing Internet connectivity — and we really only have three in Santa Fe, and none providing true high-speed, fiber-optic connections — all seek to minimize their costs and maximize their revenue. That’s inherent in capitalism. For customers, that means minimal connectivity, slow speeds and high monthly bills.

Appropriate “regulation” of the Internet would seek collaborative government/private enterprise endeavors with the goal of maximizing customer benefits (i.e. fiber to the home with maximum digital up and down speeds) at minimal cost. Such would be the feedstock for economic, social, educational, health and governmental progress in the digital era.

The high-speed, digital train is rapidly leaving stations around the world. New Mexico needs political conductors and engineers capable of running that train with informed knowledge, insight and vision.

Tom Johnson is co-founder of the Institute for Analytic Journalism in Santa Fe.

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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute          www.1st-mile.org  
P. O.  Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM    87504
505-603-5200                 rl at 1st-mile.org
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