FCC announces National Broadband Plan

In recent weeks, U.S. Federal Communications Chairman Julius Genachowski has revealed small details of the organization’s National Broadband Plan, but Wednesday morning the plan was made public. As expected, the primary goal of the plan is eliminating the digital divide that prevents millions of low-income families or those in rural areas from obtaining reliable, high-speed internet access.

As part of the announcement, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology revealed technology that will make it easier for ISPs to provide web access to people in rural areas and other regions currently without infrastructure for broadband.

“If we don’t act, we put at risk the promise of America as a land of opportunity, stranding on the wrong side of the digital divide a host of important American communities: rural Americans, low-income Americans, minorities, seniors, Tribal communities and Americans with disabilities, too many of whom will be left fighting the challenges of a 21st century world with 20th century weapons,” Genachowski said in a statement.

The move brings the U.S. a step closer to complete broadband coverage, which is one of the Obama Administration’s stated goals. A survey conducted by GlobeScan for the British Broadcasting Company revealed that more than 80 percent of 27,000 people in 26 countries believe that internet access should be considered a basic human right.

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