The problem with essays/editorials like this is that they rarely define "broadband." For too long now, the FCC said it was 250kbytes (NB make sure one specifies BITES or BYTES) up and down. In fact, we need to join much of the so-called developing world like Japan and South Korea and set our initial target a 1gigabytes up and down .<br>
<br>-Tom Johnson<br>Santa Fe<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Cummins, Kevin (Tom Udall) <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:Kevin_Cummins@tomudall.senate.gov">Kevin_Cummins@tomudall.senate.gov</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none ; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">FYI
only.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Broadband Is Critical</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">By Terry Brunner</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">USDA Rural Development State
Director for New Mexico</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> It goes
without saying that broadband-high speed Internet is changing the way Americans
live their lives. It's almost hard to remember how many of us got by without
it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> With access to
broadband, we can easily sell a car, rent an apartment, look for a job, read
the news or manage a business. The advantage of the broadband network is that
it can connect you to the rest of the world on your schedule, at your
convenience and almost anywhere that is unless you live in rural
America. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> Today, too
few rural Americans take advantage of the opportunities broadband provides.
Only half of rural residents subscribe to broadband compared to 65
percent nationwide because too many communities in rural America don't
have adequate access to broadband infrastructure. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> Simply put,
building a broadband infrastructure is critical to creating jobs and economic
opportunity in rural America. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> With
investments in broadband we are fostering innovation and bringing America's
rural communities into the digital age. A young person doesn't have to move to
the nearest city to make a living. He or she can create, develop and run a business
at home, in rural America, and be successful. A young parent can work and raise
a family and still connect with business partners across the country or around
the world. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> With new or
enhanced broadband access, the door to economic growth is open. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> When
broadband access reaches into rural communities: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">
Farmers and ranchers will have up-to-the-minute commodity and weather
information to make the best decisions for their operations; </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">
Schools can expand limited course offerings through distance learning
both advancing education and better preparing students to compete in the 21st
century economy; </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> First
responders will have information they need to keep their communities safer; </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> Rural
health care will improve, as medical specialists will be able to use
telemedicine to provide advanced diagnosis for patients or to consult with
colleagues at other hospitals. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> At the
Department of Agriculture, we are focused every day on creating thriving rural
communities where people want to live and raise families. We want every parent
and grandparent in rural America to be able to look their child or grandchild
in the eye and tell them their hometown has the economic opportunities to offer
them a bright future. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> The Obama
administration recently announced investment in 66 new Recovery Act broadband
projects nationwide, the second round of funding for broadband infrastructure
from President Obama's Recovery Act. Thirty-seven of these new projects will
help expand broadband access in rural America. These projects will not only
directly create more than 5,000 jobs up front, but spur economic development in
some of the nation's hardest-hit communities, creating jobs for years to come. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> These funds
will put people to work constructing new facilities, erecting towers to
transmit signals and high speed broadband services installed in homes,
businesses and community education, safety and public health centers. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> But the
investments also will foster long-term economic growth. The more than $7
billion provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help expand
broadband will benefit tens of millions of Americans and over 685,000
businesses, 900 health care facilities and 2,400 schools in all 50 states. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> We will see
the impact of broadband in rural New Mexico with several broadband projects
being funded. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> For example,
the Baca Valley Telephone Co. in Des Moines received a $1.6 million loan and
$1.5 million grant. The funding will expand fiber optics to Digital Subscriber
Line in rural northeastern New Mexico communities. The money will be used to
replace outdated deteriorating copper wire and low bandwidth microwave
transport systems in some areas, while providing new connectivity in others,
and enabling advanced, high-speed DSL service throughout the area. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>==========================================<br>J. T. Johnson<br>Institute for Analytic Journalism -- Santa Fe, NM USA<br><a href="http://www.analyticjournalism.com">www.analyticjournalism.com</a><br>
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