EDUCAUSE | National Broadband Policy

EDUCAUSE President Diana G. Oblinger Discusses Need for National Broadband Policy

cluckett — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:47:37 -0500

EDUCAUSE President Diana G. Oblinger recently spoke in Washington, D.C., at the New America Foundation–hosted event, Broadband Revolution, about the pressing need for a national broadband policy. Read more about the event and Oblinger’s speech, and access a related press release regarding EDUCAUSE’s proposed new approach to making high-speed Internet services available across the country.

EDUCAUSE Joins Coalition Supporting Access to an Open Internet

agould — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:40:15 -0500

In efforts to support a "fast, affordable and open" Internet, EDUCAUSE recently joined forces in creating and promoting InternetforEveryone.org. This coalition, which consists of public interest organizations, industry groups, and concerned citizens, is devoted to the notion that citizens should have access to an open Internet. The official launch date for the campaign was June 24.

With statistics showing that the United States has fallen to 15th in terms of broadband penetration (down from its 4th place ranking in 2001), members say there is a pressing need for a national broadband policy. Specifically, the coalition at InternetforEveryone.org says "every American must be connected to a fast, affordable and open Internet to serve as an active citzen in a 21st century democracy and to prosper in today's economy. High-speed Internet is no longer a luxury; it's a lifeline for all Americans. Our broad alliance is working together to see that our nation's leaders adopt a national plan to bring open, high-speed Internet connections into every home, at a price all of us can afford."

The group stands for four basic principles: ACCESS (for every home and business), CHOICE (competitive choice with lower prices and faster speeds), OPENNESS (Right to freedom of speech and commerce online in an open market without gatekeepers or discrimination), and INNOVATION (Internet must continue to create jobs and foster economic growth). By coming together as one, the group is hopeful that it will be even more effective in promoting broadband policies when it brings the initiative to federal, state, and local representatives.

The diverse coalition includes Google, YouTube, Internet2, eBay, the ACLU, BitTorrent, Public Knowledge, and the Writers Guild of America (East and West branches), among others. Additionally, individual members include Larry Lessig and Barbara van Schewick at Stanford Law School, Yochai Benker at Harvard Law School, Jack Balkin at Yale Law School, and Jonathan Zittrain at the Harvard Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

U.S. Conference of Mayors Adopts Resolution Calling for National Broadband Policy

agould — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:12:25 -0500

The U.S. Conference of Mayors, which is holding its 76th annual meeting in Miami, voted yesterday in favor of a resolution calling for a national broadband policy. The resolution is as follows:

Resolution #104: "Calling for Federal Action on a National Broadband Policy calls on the Administration, Congress and the FCC to develop a comprehensive national broadband policy that includes high speed broadband deployment to cities as an imperative; that preserves the ability of local governments to provide broadband capability and services within their communities, that the speed of Internet access available to American consumers, enterprises and institutions is comparable to that available in the most advanced industrialized nations, that high'speed Internet services are ubiquitous in availability to all American households in all neighborhoods, and that affordable high-speed Internet access is attainable for all American consumers and families; urges the FCC to begin immediately collecting detailed information on broadband coverage and use and share said data with local governments and urges the Administration, Congress; and calls on the FCC to work with local governments to facilitate an expansion of resources to speed the development of affordable globally-competitive infrastructure in American citiesand urges the Administration, Congress; and calls on the FCC to work with local governments to facilitate an expansion of resources to speed the development of affordable globally-competitive infrastructure in American cities."

Oblinger Discusses Need for National Broadband Policy

agould — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:31:32 -0500

Today EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger spoke about the pressing need for a national broadband policy at an event hosted by the New America Foundation (NAF). Held in the Senate Hart Building in Washington, DC, the event also featured FCC commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, e-NC Authority Executive Director Jane Smith Patterson, Jim Baller of the Baller Herbst Law Group, and Michael Calabrese, the Vice President of the Wireless Future Program at the NAF. This event, which was titled Broadband Revolution, was the first in a series on national broadband policy being sponsored by NAF.

"In the same way that railroads, highways, electricity and telephones grew our economy and benefited our society, broadband is the infrastructure that will take us into the next century," said Oblinger. "We can either sit on the sidelines or we can get it done, and I think it is about time."

She told the audience that a public-private partnership is needed, since relying on the private sector alone will not be sufficient. Furthermore, Oblinger focused on the strong link between education attainment and economic opportunity, saying the two go hand in hand. With only seven percent of a child's time being spent in formal education, she said it is vital that students have access to decent broadband for learning experiences outside of the classroom. Oblinger also said broadband (or lack thereof) will have an impact on where people move, thus effecting local economies and tax bases.

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said there should be a sense of urgency when it comes to developing a national broadband policy. He said "the time has come to fix this problem, which is holding the country back."

"Revolutions have winners and they have losers. We need to be the winners," Copps said in his talk.

The commissioner said broadband policy changes demand leadership and commitment "at the top," especially because developing broadband could cost tens of billions of dollars. In the meantime, Copps told the audience that he believes the FCC should guarantee the openness of the Internet and learn about individual states' innovation efforts.

All speakers agreed that it is unacceptable for the United States to increasingly lag behind in broadband capacity, since it threatens the country's global competitiveness and economic prosperity. As NAF Vice President Michael Calabrese said, broadband is no longer a luxury.

Podcast: A Blueprint for Big Broadband: Moving from Why to How

gbayne — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:19:27 -0500

This podcast features a speech by John Windhausen Jr., President of Telepoly. The speech, "A Blueprint for Big Broadband: Moving from Why to How," was recorded at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Policy Conference in Arlington, Virginia. You can also read John Windhausen Jr.'s EDUCAUSE white paper, A Blueprint for Big Broadband.

The United States has fallen behind its international competitors in broadband deployment, price, and openness in part because it has no national broadband policy. In contrast, most other countries adopted proactive programs to address the broadband needs of their citizens at the beginning of the decade that are now proving successful. Several U.S. states are now developing their own broadband plans because of the void at the national level. This session proposes an action plan for the nation based on the lessons learned from Europe, Asia, and some U.S. states and discusses what it will take to get such a plan through Congress.

EDUCAUSE Now - Show #3 - Current Issues Survey, Big Broadband Policy

gbayne — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:27:45 -0500

EDUCAUSE Now is a monthly podcast focusing on the intelligent use of information technology in higher education. Each episode features a variety of stories, interviews, and views that relate to IT in higher education.

This episode of EDUCAUSE Now features:

The EDUCAUSE 2008 Current Issues Survey
We hear from Current Issues Committee Chair Debra Allison and EDUCAUSE staff liasion Peter DeBlois. The Current Issues Survey resource page is now available.
A Commentary from EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger
EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger talks about current issues facing higher education and how IT can be a solution, even for non-technical challenges.
A Look at Big Broadband Policy in America
John Windhausen Jr. speaks to EDUCAUSE Now about his white paper, "A Blueprint for Big Broadband".
Music for EDUCAUSE Now:
- "Groove IT" by Denis Kitchen
- "Symmetry and the Pocket of Angels" by Josh Woodward
- "Anapop" by Sebastian6

May/June 2008 EDUCAUSE Review Now Available Online

cluckett — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:42:38 -0500

The May/June 2008 EDUCAUSE Review is now available online. It features Brad Wheeler on the need for providing answers that are good enough and quick enough in the Era of Certitude; John Windhausen Jr. on the demand for "big broadband" connectivity in the United States; a summary of the 2008 EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey findings; and Chris Dede on Web 2.0 and the seismic shift in epistemology.

EDUCAUSE Now - Show #1 - Premiere Episode

gbayne — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:46:49 -0500

Welcome to the premiere episode of EDUCAUSE Now!

EDUCAUSE Now is a monthly podcast, focusing on the intelligent use of information technology in higher education. Each episode features a variety of stories, interviews, and views that relate to IT in higher education. EDUCAUSE Now will also inform you about upcoming events, report on past events, and feature the movers and shakers in policy, teaching and learning, security, and a whole host of other important topics for our members. Let us know what you would like to hear at podcast@educause.edu.

This episode of EDUCAUSE Now features:

The EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR) Study entitled, "Service on the Front Line: The IT Help Desk in Higher Education"
We talk about some of the surprising findings with ECAR Fellow and author of the study, Mark Sheehan.
ELI in Conversation: Future Learning
A conversation between George Siemens, director of the Learning Technologies Centre at the University of Manitoba, and Michael Wesch, assistant professor of cultural anthropology at Kansas State University. This conversation was recorded at the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative 2008 Annual Meeting. George Siemens is the author of "Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age", and - Michael Wesch has produced two important videos on Web 2.0, "Information R/evolution" and "The Machine is Us/ing Us." You can listen to the full length podcast of this conversation.
A Commentary from EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger.
Diana introduces herself as the new president of EDUCAUSE and provides some background information on her career path. She also speaks about her vision for the future of EDUCAUSE.
The EDUCAUSE Policy Office: Update
We check in with EDUCAUSE Vice President Mark Luker regarding current hot topics -- federal broadband policy, net neutrality, and peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. You can read the EDUCAUSE report, "A Blueprint for Big Broadband", and visit the talking points for P2P filesharing issues.
Music for EDUCAUSE Now:
- "Groove IT" by Denis Kitchen
- "Lorge" by El Ten Eleven
- "Guitar Suite I, Movement I" by Dan Tharp

Tune in March 7 for a Free Web Seminar on U.S. Internet Access Policy

pkurkowski — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:38:30 -0600

A worldwide tussle over Internet access policy is playing out right now, and many countries are closely watching what the United States does. In this free March 7 EDUCAUSE Live! web seminar, U.S. Internet Access Policy, presenter Susan Crawford, Visiting Professor, Yale Law School, will provide a brief overview of the U.S. regulatory structure for high-speed Internet access.

Those unable to attend may wish to visit the archives after the event or browse related EDUCAUSE resources on Access to Advanced Networks, Broadband Access and Pricing, National Broadband Policy, Net Neutrality, and Telecommunications Policy.

EDUCAUSE Podcast: Washington Update with EDUCAUSE Vice President Mark Luker

gbayne — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:39:31 -0600

In this 50 minute podcast we feature a keynote speech by Mark Luker, Vice President of EDUCAUSE. The speech was delivered at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Southwest Regional Conference in Houston, Texas, and is entitled, "Washington Update: We're from the Government, and We're Here to Help You!"

Mark A. Luker is vice president of EDUCAUSE, where he heads Net@EDU, a 'thought-leadership' coalition of university CIOs and state network directors who work to advance national networking for both research and education through joint projects and federal policy. Net@EDU was the spawning ground of Internet2, and is now expanding its focus to include advanced connections between campuses and their customers in surrounding communities and regions. He also leads the EDUCAUSE office of government relations and policy analysis in Washington, D.C., which works with partner associations to help shape the emerging policy and legal framework of the Internet, intellectual property, and other issues of importance to higher education.

Luker served two years as program director for advanced networking at the National Science Foundation and the federal Next Generation Internet project. Prior to that he was CIO at the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, where he was active in national projects including the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative and the Coalition for Networked Information.

Luker received his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, and served as a faculty member and then a dean at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, before moving into information technology management.