A Plan for Broadband

[Commentary] The Federal Communications Commission's broadband strategy comes not a moment too soon. High-speed Internet is on its way to replacing the telephone as the nation's primary means of communication. But the United States is woefully behind in building the physical systems to support this transformation. That will require federal money, incentives to private businesses, and updates in the regulatory system.

The FCC's blueprint offers a feasible path to address these lacunae, unleash investment in the broadband network and foster competition among service providers. The core goal is to bring broadband to 100 million homes at download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second by 2020, and to vastly expand broadband over the airwaves. The ambitious plan is likely to attract hostility from corporations -- like TV broadcasters and telecommunications companies. They have legitimate concerns, but, in general, Congress should provide all the assistance the FCC needs to achieve its goals. The FCC needs Congress's approval to spend money on a new wireless broadband network for use by emergency services, and to repurpose about $8 billion a year from the Universal Service Fund, established decades ago to ensure phones got to hard-to-reach places, to do that with broadband Internet access.

These goals are long overdue, but that makes them no less essential to taking full advantage of the Internet's promise to improve American competitiveness.