[Perhaps Cisco has a point. I believe that not only is universal broadband access required to usher in the New Economy and spark the next stock market rally and maintain America's competitiveness -- but so is access to adequate news and information services. They are, of course, modern society's lifeblood. My modest proposal is that Congress subsidize access to tech-politics news services. Coincidentally, Politech will now be subscription-based and your humble editor will soon be relocating to his new yacht on St. Martin. God bless Congress! --Declan] --- Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 23:26:38 -0400 Subject: Re: FC: The new pork: Tech firms ask Feds to pay billions for broadband From: David Akin <dakinat_private> To: <declanat_private> In-Reply-To: <20010626100601.B24277at_private> on 6/26/01 10:06 AM, Declan McCullagh at declanat_private wrote: >> > [Where's John McCain when you need him? --DBM] > > > http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB993418457489449631.htm > # > # Tech Industry Seeks Its Salvation June 25, 2001 > # In High-Speed Internet Connections > # > # By SCOTT THURM and GLENN R. SIMPSON > # Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Hey Declan -- Of course, US lawmakes could look north of the border where, last week, the Cdn Govt released its Broadbank Task Force report, a report which could lay the political foundation for the federal government in Canada to spend CDN$1-billion or more to pull 1.5 Mbps lines to every community in Canada. Total cost to run 1.5 Mbps lines by every Canadian home: CDN$4-billion. Personally, I think that's pretty cheap but all experts say that that estimate is more or less pulled out of a hat. 11 of the 35 members of the task force -- a sort of advisory body to Canada's Industry Minister -- represent incumbent telcos or cablecos. Canada's Broadband Task Force report/rationale/estimates at http://broadband.gc.ca News coverage: Report kicks off debate on who picks up the bill for broadband Telecoms look to Ottawa to pay bulk of costs OTTAWA - The heavy negotiating over who will foot the $4-billion bill for the federal government's Canada-wide broadband network begins in earnest today when Ottawa releases its long-awaited report of the National Broadband Task Force. The report will help the government decide how to coerce telecommunications companies such as AT&T Canada, BCE Inc., and Rogers Communications Inc. to help finance a project to provide every community in Canada with a high-speed Internet connection. [Full story at: http://www.nationalpost.com/search/story.html?f=/stories/20010618/reportkick s.html&qs=broadband%20task] ALSO: Review urged for telco Tobin promises early review to broaden Internet access OTTAWA - The federal Cabinet will consider changes to foreign ownership limits in the telecommunications industry as early as this autumn, Brian Tobin, the Minister of Trade, said yesterday after receiving a report that recommends an urgent review of the issue. The National Broadband Task Force said the 47.6% cap on foreign ownership may block the industry from getting the large amount of capital needed to fulfill the government's goal of high-speed Internet access in every community by 2004. [Full story at: http://www.nationalpost.com/search/story.html?f=/stories/20010619/reviewurge d.html&qs=broadband%20task ALSO: Task force misses the mark on investment, technological issues Observers doubt penetration goals can be realized Linking all Canadians to a high-speed Internet connection is an important and laudable objective, but observers say an Industry Canada report released yesterday that makes broad recommendations toward that policy goal misses key assumptions. A key recommendation calls for the federal government to review regulations that restrict the ownership of telecommunications assets to Canadian firms . . . [Full story at: http://www.nationalpost.com/search/story.html?f=/stories/20010619/taskforce. html&qs=broadband%20task ] David Akin / Senior technology reporter National Post / http://www.nationalpost.com 300-1450 Don Mills Road, Don Mills, Ontario CANADA / M3B 3R5 VOX: 416.383.2372 FAX: 416.383.2443 dakinat_private / AIM: DavidAkin Click to add my contact info to your organizer: http://my.infotriever.com/DavidAkin ------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice. To subscribe, visit http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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