Digital Future Becoming Today’s Reality

May 22nd, 2009

The prospect of a digital future is becoming the reality of today. High speed internet access is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for so many facets of everyday life. This BroadbandCensus article  explains how broadband is a priority of the Obama Administration. In the piece, National Economic Council official Susan Crawford called broadband “the new essential infrastructure” and continued that “lack of access to broadband will guarantee economic decline.”

Universal high-speed internet access is only the beginning. It is what we do with the access that has the power to positively transform our communities. By truly integrating the innovative uses of broadband and digital technologies, we can improve our day to day lives. The Intelligent Community Forum named Stockholm, Sweden the 2009 Intelligent Community of the Year at an annual gathering of global best-practices communities that emphasizes a “culture of use,” not just access to broadband technology or “households passed” availability. Click here  to read more about the conference that focused on “Building the Broadband Economy: Local Growth in a Global Economic Crisis.”

Creating the technologies of tomorrow is already in the works today. For example, AT&T is working on a telehealth device that could help to reduce the numbers of falls in the home of elderly people. According to this article , the shoe insoles “with built-in sensors that take gait, stride, and pace measurements as patients walk. The measurements are beamed wirelessly to a modem-like gateway box that’s connected to a health-care network via the Internet.” The hope is that by monitoring any change in their walking, doctors will be made aware of any problems before a fall would occur.

Companies and organizations of all kinds are coming to understand how they can use the internet to their advantage. Even the Vatican is taking advantage of the internet as a method of communication by launching iPhone and Facebook applications, as well as creating a new Vatican Website, www.pope2you.net. Archbishop Claudio Celli said the purpose of the website is to help attract young people and “present the message to the young generation through technologies that they know how to use.”

Recent Legislative Successes for Consumers

May 13th, 2009

With several state legislative sessions coming to a close, it’s a good time to take a look at some of the policies and legislation from this year that encourage deployment and adoption of broadband.  CDF has supported legislation in a few states that would modernize and update telecommunications law, and we have seen legislative successes for consumers already this year in Alabama and South Carolina.  Currently, North Carolina is considering a bill that would modernize outdated laws and allow the market to keep pace with the ever expanding variety of telecommunications options for consumers.

All these pieces of legislation have one thing in common – they are public policies that encourage transparency, broad deployment and robust enhancement of broadband and digital technologies. Such policies benefit consumers by bringing a host of additional services and opportunities to their communities, spurring innovation and investment in new technologies and increased competition for customers.  This type of increased competition for customers is exhibited by the recent AT&T acquisition of wireless spectrum from Verizon Wireless, which will allow AT&T to offer wireless services in more areas, primarily rural areas, in 18 states, including Alabama.  This type of industry investment in the state will help to bring digital technologies to more consumers, particularly in rural areas.  We hope the legislation referenced above will result in investments like this one as increased competition is a byproduct of an environment that is favorable to business investment.  All these pieces of legislation are examples of public policy that encourage investment in states and create favorable business environments, which could increase access to broadband and digital technologies for consumers.

South Carolina Passes the Customer Choice and Technology Investment Act

May 7th, 2009

South Carolina’s legislative leaders and Governor recently passed the Customer Choice and Technology Investment Act.

The bill allows the consumers of South Carolina to benefit from more choices and better service when it comes to their telecommunications needs.  This bill will also create incentives for companies to invest in new and advanced technologies as they compete for consumers’ business.  A bill such as this that moves a state towards more deployment and greater adoption of broadband and digital technologies is a fine example of what other states can look to do to get more citizens connected. 

When people have access to high speed internet, the whole world becomes available to them.  Every American deserves access to the benefits of broadband, whether it is greater education options through online learning, or improved healthcare through the use of telemedicine.  And the ability to telecommute not only allows people to take advantage of jobs without geographic restrictions, but it also helps the environment by decreasing the number of commuters on the road. Citizens for a Digital Future is pleased to see South Carolina pass this important legislation that will bring us closer to a completely connected America.