Back to the RadioSpace™ home page
NewsDirect story topics:
Consumer, Business & General Interest
Current Events & Public Affairs
Entertainment & Sports
Health & Medicine
'Network Neutrality' and Other Regulations May Make It More Difficult for Rural Communities to Enjoy Broadband Access
Fully produced report in MP3 format:
48 kbps |
96 kbps
(103 seconds)
-- How Will You Use This Story? --
(OPEN):
AS THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION HOLDS
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS TO SHAPE A NATIONAL BROADBAND POLICY, MANY
ORGANIZATIONS ARE URGING BOTH THE F-C-C AND CONGRESS TO AVOID ENACTING
ANY NEW GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS ON THE BROADBAND INDUSTRY--INCLUDING
WIRELESS BROADBAND. LEROY WATSON--THE LEGISLATIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL GRANGE--THE NATION'S OLDEST
GENERAL FARM AND RURAL PUBLIC-INTEREST ORGANIZATION--EXPLAINS HOW
REGULATIONS ON BROADBAND ARE HARMFUL FOR RURAL AMERICANS...
(WATSON):
"RURAL AMERICANS ARE ONE OF THE NATION'S LARGEST
UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, WHEN IT COMES TO BROADBAND. THE NATIONAL
GRANGE APPLAUDS THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FOR WORKING TO
DEVELOP A PLAN THAT ENSURES THAT ALL SEGMENTS OF OUR SOCIETY HAVE ACCESS
TO BROADBAND. GRANGE MEMBERS BELIEVE THAT COMPETITION IS ESSENTIAL
FOR DELIVERING BROADBAND TO ALL AMERICANS--AND WE MUST ENSURE THAT OUR
FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DO NOT ADOPT REGULATIONS THAT
WOULD DISCOURAGE COMPETITION, REDUCE INVESTMENT, OR STIFLE JOB-CREATION
BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR. RURAL AMERICANS HAVE PLAINLY SEEN HOW
COMPETITION IN THE DELIVERY OF BROADBAND SERVICES IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN
MARKETS CONTINUES TO LEAD TO WIDER ACCESS, LOWER PRICES, AND BETTER
SERVICE. TODAY, MOST AMERICANS ENJOY A VERY COMPETITIVE BROADBAND
AND WIRELESS-BROADBAND MARKET. BUT, FAR TOO MANY OF OUR FARMING,
RURAL, AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES STILL DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE BROADBAND
ACCESS. THAT'S WHY THE NATIONAL GRANGE IS DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT
ENACTING PRESCRIPTIVE REGULATIONS LIKE 'NETWORK NEUTRALITY'--AS PART OF
A NATIONAL BROADBAND POLICY--WILL ONLY INCREASE THE COSTS OF
TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES, AND HINDER BROADBAND ACCESS, FOR UNDERSERVED
RURAL AMERICANS."
(CLOSE):
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NATIONAL GRANGE--AND THE GRANGE'S EFFORTS TO
ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS PROMOTE UNIVERSAL DEPLOYMENT, GREATER
COMPETITION, AND BETTER SERVICE FOR ALL INTERNET USERS--VISIT
W-W-W-DOT-"NATIONAL-GRANGE"-DOT-ORG.
