Broadband Reform: Jobs, Not Download Speed

[Commentary] When it comes to broadband, we Americans are a bit like Maverick and Goose in Top Gun. We feel the need for speed -- download speed, that is. No one is denying that download speeds matter. But too heavy an emphasis on megabits and gigabits per second threatens to obscure a more pressing issue during a period of high unemployment: how broadband can be harnessed to create jobs.

The Agriculture and Commerce departments should target broadband stimulus projects that can quickly reach displaced workers. There also need to be more funds made available to, and a greater focus on, public institutions, such as libraries, community centers, job training facilities, and adult education sites, where broadband spending may have the largest impact on jobs. Greater broadband competition, which the FCC recognizes is essential to promote more infrastructure development and more varied pricing, also will be helpful. So, too, will be more efficient use of our spectrum resources, particularly those that have been controlled by colleges, schools, and other educational institutions for decades.