The US National Broadband Plan’s lasting contribution to global broadband development

[Commentary] Five years ago, the Federal Communications Commission released the first-ever US National Broadband Plan, a 376-page document. That plan was mandated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, known commonly as the stimulus. In addition to $787 billion in new spending to help jumpstart an economy in deep recession, Congress required that the federal government, under the FCC’s leadership, develop broadband policies that would contribute to this critical effort in a meaningful way. As a result, the US then became the 52nd country to develop a national broadband plan; in the intervening years, more than 100 other countries have followed. Today, over three quarters of all United Nation members have a national broadband plan that is being implemented -- a truly global phenomenon. Today, a number of federal agencies, including the FCC, continue to support and implement the US National Broadband Plan. The Plan continues to make a great contribution to a global conversation about broadband development.