National Strategy, Focus on Openness, Competition Can Inform U.S. Broadband Push

NATIONAL STRATEGY, FOCUS ON OPENNESS, COMPETITION CAN INFORM US BROADBAND PUSH
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation press release]
As key Congressional panels examine U.S. broadband competitiveness today, the Benton Foundation releases two new research papers highlighting the international, innovative policy approaches that have propelled other countries into positions of broadband leadership. Pennsylvania State University's Amit M. Schejter finds that Europeans have embraced, perfected, and are benefiting from the open competitive network concepts first developed, but later abandoned by, U.S. policymakers. The strengths of the European system are focus, simplicity, relative efficiency and willingness to change the course of policy as needed, an effective balance between centralization and delegation of power, and innovation. The result is broadband penetration that exceeds that of the U.S. in many European Union nations. Pennsylvania State University's Krishna Jayakar and Indiana University's Harmeet Sawhney examine the national broadband strategies adopted by countries around the world. Many embrace "ubiquitous" broadband for the competitive advantages it offers not just as a societal goal. Effective national strategies focus on development of "soft infrastructure" that enables broadband innovations -- applications, services, and devices - and thereby make broadband more valuable to ordinary consumers and drives its uptake.
http://www.benton.org/benton_files/bentonresearch.doc

* What Lessons can the U.S. learn from Broadband Policies in Europe?
http://www.benton.org/benton_files/Schejter.doc

* Universal access in the information economy: Tracking policy innovations abroad
http://www.benton.org/benton_files/Jayakar_Sawhney.doc

* Studies Question Effectiveness of U.S. Broadband Build-out
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6435745.html