ISPs: Broadband a 'Great American Success Story'

Speaking at SuperCOMM on Thursday, Cox Communications President Patrick Esser challenged the audience to imagine their lives without broadband and everything it enables. In his view, broadband adoption has changed the lives of millions of Americans. "Broadband is a great American success story, don't let anyone tell anyone tell you anything different," Esser said. "By the end of this year, approximately 95 percent of U.S. households will have access to broadband. This still-developing marketplace has revolutionized the communications landscape forever and it did in just over a decade." Esser added that over the last decade the cable industry alone as invested more than $145 billion into network infrastructure to help further the promise of broadband. Yet even with the investments made to date and his own company's extensive broadband footprint, Esser said that more needs to be done to ensure that schools and under-privileged families also get access. According to Esser, no one company or government agency can achieve the goal of expanding broadband to all Americans. In his view it will require a public-private partnership with a shared vision and a detailed roadmap.