Broadband Stimulus Notes
Small business needs should be weighed when agencies are developing rules for broadband stimulus grant programs, Senate Small Business Committee Chair Mary Landrieu, D-La., told the heads of the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture and the NTIA and FCC in a letter Wednesday. “Socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses” should get priority consideration in the Commerce Department’s Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program, Landrieu said. And priority should be given to applications deploying broadband in unserved rural areas, she said. “Rural small businesses stand to benefit greatly from this funding,” she said. Landrieu said she would like to schedule a hearing “at the appropriate time” where the agencies could update her on how the programs are helping small businesses.
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Motorola, which sees itself as uniquely qualified to offer advice since its business is so broad, advised the FCC that the agency’s regulatory structure must create the “incentives and cost structure” necessary for broadband deployment. The advice was in comments on the broadband inquiry. “Spectrum is a core building block for wireless broadband, and the Commission should place a high priority on ensuring that sufficient spectrum is made available in a manner that enables the greatest overall benefits from the use of the spectrum,” Motorola said. Motorola said the FCC should: continue the “light touch” broadband regulatory policy Congress mandated in the Telecom Act; urge Congress to approve tax credits for broadband investments “which are essential to creating the proper incentives”; extend federal universal-service support to broadband; and ensure technological neutrality “so that decisionmakers are free to utilize the broadband technology that best suits their needs and that can be economically supported.” The FCC’s plan also should guarantee faster broadband speeds by encouraging the digitalization of cable, Motorola said: “Digitization, which is the process by which the cable industry is transitioning from analog to digital transmission, frees up bandwidth that can be used to offer greater broadband speeds and other digital services, such as high definition programming.” The plan also should address “the unique broadband needs of public safety and homeland security,” the equipment maker said.
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Texas’ Agriculture Department and Public Utility Commission have begun seeking proposals from telecom companies on how to map broadband availability, the Department said on Monday. The agencies will also create a task force to put together a broadband plan for how best to connect the state’s underserved, using its portion of the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus funds (CD May 7 p17). The deadline for submitting proposals is June 19.