U.S. communications regulators will unveil on March 17 a blueprint aimed at bringing fast affordable Internet access to more than 90 million Americans being held back by fees and technology.
The Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday that the long-awaited National Broadband Plan will try to help connect 93 million Americans to high-speed Internet to find jobs, access educational and healthcare services, and reduce household energy costs.
“In the 21st century, a digital divide is an opportunity divide," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement, highlighting that various roadblocks are stopping one-third of the United States from subscribing to broadband.
“To bolster American competitiveness abroad and create the jobs of the future here at home, we need to make sure that all Americans have the skills and means to fully participate in the digital economy."
The FCC, which in August started a series of fact-finding workshops, will submit its recommendations to Congress on March 17, in an effort to lift the United States out of the 19th spot behind Japan, Korea and France -- the leaders in a 2008 world ranking for broadband speed.
In the last couple of weeks the FCC has begun publicly talking about key aspects of the plan. More is expected in the coming days leading up to March 17.
Last week Genachowski said he wants Internet service providers to offer a minimum connection speed of 100 megabits per second by 2020, compared with current industry estimates of less than 4 Mbps.
The benchmark was announced a week after Google Inc (GOOG.O) rattled ISPs with its own plan to build a super-fast Internet network but Google's plan was met with some skepticism from some providers such as AT&T Inc (T.N).
The Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday that the long-awaited National Broadband Plan will try to help connect 93 million Americans to high-speed Internet to find jobs, access educational and healthcare services, and reduce household energy costs.
“In the 21st century, a digital divide is an opportunity divide," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement, highlighting that various roadblocks are stopping one-third of the United States from subscribing to broadband.
“To bolster American competitiveness abroad and create the jobs of the future here at home, we need to make sure that all Americans have the skills and means to fully participate in the digital economy."
The FCC, which in August started a series of fact-finding workshops, will submit its recommendations to Congress on March 17, in an effort to lift the United States out of the 19th spot behind Japan, Korea and France -- the leaders in a 2008 world ranking for broadband speed.
In the last couple of weeks the FCC has begun publicly talking about key aspects of the plan. More is expected in the coming days leading up to March 17.
Last week Genachowski said he wants Internet service providers to offer a minimum connection speed of 100 megabits per second by 2020, compared with current industry estimates of less than 4 Mbps.
The benchmark was announced a week after Google Inc (GOOG.O) rattled ISPs with its own plan to build a super-fast Internet network but Google's plan was met with some skepticism from some providers such as AT&T Inc (T.N).
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