Who benefits from America’s enormously complex broadband infrastructure plans?

The US broadband effort is massive and complex. Much of this confusing intricacy is unavoidable given the Federal structure, size and complexity of the United States and the fact that almost everything in education, health care, farming, transportation, defense, employment, shopping, entertainment, civic affairs, the arts, regulation, banking and much more may now involve broadband.  In the end, the greatest beneficiaries of our $100+ billion universal broadband commitment are not just the eventual recipients of broadband service but the providers of internet-based services, including internet platforms, merchants, banks, streaming services, messaging services and many more. Entirely new markets will be opened for those who use the “Information Superhighway” for their business; their direct contributions to expanding universal affordable broadband remain less clear.

[Roger Cochetti provides consulting and advisory services in Washington (DC).]