WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission last week began gathering evidence for its second report on whether advanced telecommunications capabilities-defined as upstream and downstream bit rates of at least 200 kilobits per second-are being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.
The notice of inquiry “seeks objective, empirical data about the current state of broadband deployment … seeks information about the present deployment of broadband to business and residential customers, and to different geographic areas and socio-economic groups, [and] what actions will accelerate deployment,” the FCC said.
By asking for this information, the FCC will be able to examine actual data regarding the size of the digital divide-the line between those who are on the information superhighway and those who are not-at a time when there is some criticism of whether a digital divide actually exists.
The NOI also includes what the FCC believes is the current status of planning, deployment, actual offerings and sales, and competition in the residential broadband market.
The FCC’s first report on the subject, released Feb. 2, 1999, was the subject of much criticism from Capitol Hill after the FCC said it appeared that advanced telecommunications capabilities were being deployed in a reasonable and timely fashion. To come to this conclusion, the FCC compared the rollout of advanced telecom to the take rate for cellular/wireless phones and found it to be significantly faster.
Members of Congress from rural areas were outraged, and regional Bell operating companies took the opportunity to urge these members to remove barriers in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that prohibit them from offering long-distance services, including high-speed data services, within their regions. Those bills are still pending.
