The MegaPath Connectivity Blog

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave a speech today in which he discussed his vision for the future of broadband and the Internet, specifically as related to keeping it ‘open.’  Also, the Washington Post has an article which says the FCC is about to pass a new set of net neutrality rules.  The new rules seem to be meant to enforce the idea that network providers will need to allow any application to run on their network, and that if they use ‘traffic management’ tools, they will need to do so in a transparent way. This would also likely mean that content providers will be happy, as network operators wouldn’t be allowed to provide faster or slower access to specific sites or applications.

Interesting stuff.   We’ll be keeping track of these developments with an eye of how they might affect your business’s ability to stay well connected.

Wired has an good story about how we are currently living ‘The Summer of Broadband.’  Specifically, the story speaks to the focus the new administration, through the FCC, is placing on America’s IT and communications infrastructure. FCC chairman Julius Genachowski has been busy this summer, meeting with just about everyone to discuss the development of the National Broadband Plan.  He has been quoted as saying that Broadband is this generations National Highway System.  With the various stimulus work underway, and the upcoming workshops on broadband, there is definitely a push to more widely implement the transformational technologies that can increase productivity, lower costs and increase our ability to communicate.

Now is a good time to review the way that your business is taking advantage of broadband technologies.  Whether you need to process payment transactions, lower telephony costs, secure your critical data, get closer to your customers and suppliers, or keep your employees more productive, it is in your best interest to review and update your technology initiatives.  One call to the right partner  and you can get the help you need examining which solutions can both lower your costs and increase your profits.

I always did like summer.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Meredith Attwell Baker and Mignon Clyburn last week to the  last two FCC seats.  This means the commission is now operating with all 5 seats filled.  Congratulations to Baker and Clyburn on their unanimous confirmation.  This will be a very active time for the FCC, with various important issues facing the commission, including the national broadband plan, broadband  stimulus and taking another look at USF.

Clyburn was previously a  commissioner for the South Carolina Public Service Commission. Baker was formerly the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and was once counsel for Covad. 

The full commision consists of Julius Genachowski (chair), Michael Copps, Robert McDowell, Meredith Attwell Baker and Mignon Clyburn, and has  extensive combined experience in the issues they will be addressing.

The FCC has launched a new website, Broadband.gov, where it will place information relative to the US National Broadband plan. One of the items on a site is a list of the advantages of broadband.  If you are involved in running a small business and haven’t implemented broadband, I think you should check this page out for some good information.

The site will contain important information about workshops and other data items relative to the development of the plan it needs to deliver to the President next February.

The FCC has issued an order (PDF) extending the comment period on the National Broadband Plan to July 21, 2009.  The initial due date had been July 7, 2009.  Several organizations asked for the extension, noting that over 500 comments had already been submitted, and that they needed more time to process those comments and come up with responses.  They also said the 4th of July weekend would limit their ability to respond.

The FCC is to report its plan to the President on February 17, 2010, the anniversary of his signing the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.

So, you still have time to get your comments in, but you better get started reading.  Google’s initial response alone (PDF) is 43 pages, and others are just as long.