Definition of broadband service stirs debate
May 11, 2009
As internet service providers and cable providers roll out high-speed internet service, a national debate is ongoing about how to deliver broadband to underserved areas.
At a discussion panel last week in Washington, DC, researchers and other interested parties discussed the implications of the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus grants the federal government will begin disbursing.
Part of the national debate about broadband deployment is defining what exactly is meant by "broadband" and what is meant by "service."
At the event hosted by the nonprofit Benton Foundation, called Urban and Rural Examples of the Best in Breed: Setting a High Standard for Broadband Stimulus Funding, municipal officials and private sector representatives noted the lack of consensus on how to measure broadband penetration.
Bill Schrier, chief technology officer of the city of Seattle, said digital subscriber lines (DSL) and dial-up modems should not be considered broadband, according to BroadbandCensus.com.
Tim Nulty, chairman of a fiber-optics company that is building a network in Vermont, said efforts to map broadband penetration need to be based on non-DSL broadband connections, BroadbandCensus.com reported.
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