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Obama readies push for faster U.S. internet access


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In advance of next week’s State of the Union address, no one can accuse President Obama of pushing a stale agenda lacking new ideas.

In a YouTube video released by the White House on Tuesday, President Obama speaks to the importance of fast broadband Internet service, and announces his intention to make it accessible to more Americans as a means by which to strengthen the U.S. economy. “One of the things that I’m going to make an early announcement about this week,†Obama says in the video, “is the issue of getting faster broadband.â€

For many Americans, I imagine the idea that the White House, or even the federal government in general, can improve your Internet access may seem a little fanciful.

But it’s not. There are meaningful steps the Obama administration can take in this area that could make a real difference.

Timothy B. Lee had a helpful report on the bigger picture yesterday, noting that the typical American household has a download speed of 10 to 20 megabits per second (Mbps), but some communities have speeds that are up to 100 times faster than that.

ome of these networks were built not by big telecom providers but by municipal governments or publicly-owned electrical utility companies. For example, the city of Chattanooga, TN, has a publicly utility that decided to get into the municipal broadband business in 2007. As a result, households there can now get 1 gigabit (1,000 Mbps) service for just $70 per month.

Municipal broadband supporters view Cedar Falls, where Obama is visiting [Wednesday], as another success story. There too, the local public utility company built a municipal broadband network that provides speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second. Gigabit service is expensive – $135 per month – but you can also get download speeds of 100 Mbps for $70 per month.

Most U.S. consumers don’t know this, because we have no points of comparison, but in many of the world’s largest cities, these higher download speeds are already the norm. Americans may have invented the Internet, but Americans also have some of the slowest online access.

If communities like Chattanooga and Cedar Falls have had success with extremely fast broadband, why haven’t other municipalities developed their own networks? The main issue is that in much of the country, there are state laws prohibiting cities from taking such steps. Obama wants the FCC to use federal authority to override those state statutes, and the White House also hopes to provide federal resources to help municipalities get started.

A few caveats are in order. For one thing, some cities have tried this route and run into trouble. Indeed, in recent years we’ve seen Burlington, Vermont, and Provo, Utah, both try to set up municipal broadband and ultimately abandon failed projects.

For that matter, fast broadband doesn’t always have to come from the public sector. As the Vox report noted, some telecommunications companies – including Comcast, msnbc’s parent company – have already made strides in this area, while companies like Google have built one gigabit fiber optic network and are in the process of expanding.

What’s more, Obama may be excited about improving consumers’ online speeds, but his political rivals are not.

President Barack Obama is delving more deeply into broadband issues as he tries to put his stamp on the nation’s Internet policy – setting up more conflict with congressional Republicans and telecom giants that dominate the industry. […]

Republicans have previously registered their dismay with the idea of FCC acting on community broadband networks. During an appropriations battle last year, all but four of the House’s Republican members voted to block the agency from pre-empting state laws.

For Republican lawmakers, the issue is largely ideological – the public sector is necessarily bad, especially when it competes with the private sector.

That said, one gets the distinct impression that the president, who sees faster Internet speeds as an important economic issue, doesn’t much care about Republican opposition. Expect this issue to get a fair amount of attention in next week’s national address.

Source: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/obama-readies-push-faster-us-internet-access

Video in story.

 

Another video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbol8oMNggs

 

 

SLAY OBAMA! GIVE ME THAT THING THAT I LOVE... SPEED IT RIGHT UP.

 

For a short summary it benefits:

Economic Growth & Quality Jobs

Health Care

K-12 Education

Distance Learning

Rural Communities

Senior Citizens

Bridging the Digital Divide

Energy and Environment

E-Government & Civic Participation

Public Safety

Enabling People With Disabilities

Libraries

Digital Literacy

-Detailed info: http://www.speedmatters.org/benefits/

Xalser
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Why is the president of this country worrying about faster internet access? Seriously? Is fast internet service that important that the president needs to be worried about it? :roll: He is such a lackluster president :roll:

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Because the most pressing issues Americans face today is there internet connection.....

 

So out of touch is disgusting :manicure:

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Sure, what a deploy.

 

Obama turns his  back on the USA and France when it comes to terrorist.   Obama turns his back to all because he does not want to confront terriorist and or even acklowedge terrorist.   And John Kerry "Hug" statement - what a freaking fem. 

 

Obama is gambling that you are very stupid and forget about islamic terriorist in the world by giving you this (faster internet).

 

His speech on Tuesday I am sure will not be about Islamic Terrorist or world affairs.  So why watch? 

He will talk about faster internet ??? - wow that makes me feel safe.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/01/16/obama-vs-cameron-british-pm-takes-hard-line-on-islamist-extremists-obama-avoids/

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Why is the president of this country worrying about faster internet access? Seriously? Is fast internet service that important that the president needs to be worried about it? :roll: He is such a lackluster president :roll:

 

 

 

Because the most pressing issues Americans face today is there internet connection.....

 

So out of touch is disgusting :manicure:

 

 

Listen Dumb and Dumber, the President of the United States is able to multitask. Neither Obama nor anyone else is saying net neutrality or faster internet speeds are the biggest issues facing the American people. If this is the only issue you have heard him speak about recently that is your fault for not keeping up with current events. This week alone Obama vowed to veto new sanctions on Iran and the Keystone Pipeline, however neither of those things are as interesting to discuss on a pop music forum. 

 

I don't care for Obama, but you guys are really just being silly. 

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Listen Dumb and Dumber, the President of the United States is able to multitask. Neither Obama nor anyone else is saying net neutrality or faster internet speeds are the biggest issues facing the American people. If this is the only issue you have heard him speak about recently that is your fault for not keeping up with current events. This week alone Obama vowed to veto new sanctions on Iran and the Keystone Pipeline, however neither of those things are as interesting to discuss on a pop music forum.

I don't care for Obama, but you guys are really just being silly.

Dumb and dumber? :roll: I'm dumb, because I think our lackluster president has other things to worry about other than Internet? For one he does a **** job at multitasking, two is multitasking shouldn't involve internet speeds. I'm not being silly, for his title, duty, and responsibility American citizens internet speeds should be the last of his concerns.

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Listen Dumb and Dumber, the President of the United States is able to multitask. Neither Obama nor anyone else is saying net neutrality or faster internet speeds are the biggest issues facing the American people. If this is the only issue you have heard him speak about recently that is your fault for not keeping up with current events. This week alone Obama vowed to veto new sanctions on Iran and the Keystone Pipeline, however neither of those things are as interesting to discuss on a pop music forum. 

 

I don't care for Obama, but you guys are really just being silly. 

Do you know what "Veto" means. 

 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-cameron-speak-out-against-iran-sanctions-1421417585

 

Obama will not call a spade a spade - and as President of USA that is scarey.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/01/16/obama-vs-cameron-british-pm-takes-hard-line-on-islamist-extremists-obama-avoids/

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I think our lackluster president has other things to worry about other than Internet? For one he does a **** job at multitasking, two is multitasking shouldn't involve internet speeds. I'm not being silly, for his title, duty, and responsibility American citizens internet speeds should be the last of his concerns.

It is one of the many things he is doing.. I posted this as it appealed to me personally with my interest in technology.

 

But, think about it.. Having fast internet is crucial to a successful economy in many aspects. Countries compete for the fastest internet for a reason.

 

Take into consideration:

 

Ask yourself: "Why is the Internet important?"

 

The things you use the Internet for - education, bill-paying, running your business - become faster and easier with a high-speed Internet connection. Broadband allows citizens more affordable and more efficient access to basic amenities such as education, healthcare, public safety and government services by:

 

Affording citizens the opportunity to participate in online learning and distance education

Giving entrepreneurs and small and home-based business owners with e-commerce business ideas the opportunity to compete alongside large corporations

Increasing the productivity and efficiency of businesses who utilize the Internet for their operations

Connecting patients in remote areas to healthcare services

Making government services more readily available to citizens

Saving companies and organizations money by letting employees telework

Allowing friends and families to stay in touch with one another.

- See more at: http://www.connect-arkansas.org/toolkit/broadband-basics#sthash.8pi4znr2.dpuf

 

For a short summary it benefits:

 

Economic Growth & Quality Jobs

Health Care

K-12 Education

Distance Learning

Rural Communities

Senior Citizens

Bridging the Digital Divide

Energy and Environment

E-Government & Civic Participation

Public Safety

Enabling People With Disabilities

Libraries

Digital Literacy

-Detailed info: http://www.speedmatters.org/benefits/

Xalser
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does this mean i can ditch comcast? :air:

I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.
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100 Mbps for $70 per month

:air:  :air:  :air:

 

I pay for this like $15 a month and I think it's way over-priced... :duck:

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Listen Dumb and Dumber, the President of the United States is able to multitask. Neither Obama nor anyone else is saying net neutrality or faster internet speeds are the biggest issues facing the American people. If this is the only issue you have heard him speak about recently that is your fault for not keeping up with current events. This week alone Obama vowed to veto new sanctions on Iran and the Keystone Pipeline, however neither of those things are as interesting to discuss on a pop music forum.

I don't care for Obama, but you guys are really just being silly.

First of all don't try and disrespect me on my opinion. Im a political science and international relations major and clearly know more about the subject of politics judging by your DUMB examples that struggle to show the president muti tasking. Vetos require almost no effort of the executive branch and the president does not have to accomplish any action until they get to his office. Takeing a stance isn't multitasking. Hell playing golf is more of an effort. So don't talk about things you know nothing about you look foolish.

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