"Why our broadband policy's still a mess" — CNET

CNET shares an interesting and informative interview with Michael Copps, a member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC is the enormously powerful regulatory agency that covers all telecommunications. Its regulations have the effect of law and the FCC, rather than congress, is (unfortunately in my judgment) the actual policy-maker for our nation.
Copps is in the minority on the FCC right now and that makes his frustration all the more visible.

From the story:

CNET: Looking at the state of broadband from the consumer perspective, is adoption at a good point right now?

Copps: Well, if I was a consumer I would say, 'Why in the hell is the United States No. 13 and heading south in broadband deployment? Why are folks in Korea and Japan maybe getting 10 times the capacity at a half or a third or a quarter of the price? I am paying for the slow setup I've got--that is called high-speed broadband?'

There is also excellent stuff to think about on the topics of universal service, municipal broadband (that's us, folks) and the digital divide.

Worth the read.