The broadband problem : anatomy of a market failure and a policy dilemma

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Bibliographic Information

The broadband problem : anatomy of a market failure and a policy dilemma

Charles H. Ferguson

Brookings Institution Press, c2004

  • : cloth
  • : pbk

Available at  / 13 libraries

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Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 217-225) and index

Contents of Works

  • Introduction
  • Telecommunications in the internet age : very high stakes
  • Technological performance
  • Financial, strategic, and political conduct of the ilecs
  • The ILECs? competitors
  • The policy system and alternatives in the United States : causes and implications
  • Policy recommendations

Description and Table of Contents

Description

As the Internet revolution continues to unfold and transform telecommunications, pressure is building for faster, less expensive, and more widely accessible broadband service. Such a development would facilitate improved and less expensive traditional applications such as voice telephony and web browsing. It would also enable new and useful applications such as Internet-based television, videoconferencing, and software distribution. Broadband has great potential to improve efficiency and productivity, even to improve national security in some cases. Broadband service and affordability, however, have consistently lagged well behind demand and progress in information technology, with damaging results. The Internet revolution remains incomplete and threatens to stagnate if the situation continues. In The Broadband Problem, economist and technology entrepreneur Charles H. Ferguson explains the causes and ramifications of this damaging bottleneck, and he offers suggestions on improving the current state of affairs. He asserts that current telecommunications law and policy have not provided sufficient levels of new entry, competition, and innovation in the local telecom market. The continuing dominance of ILECs (incumbent local exchange carriers) in that market impedes the healthy, and much-needed, development of an efficient broadband market. The result of these policy and market failures is inadequate technological progress, innovation, and productivity in advanced Internet services and telecommunication services generally. The broadband problem is holding us back, and thus must be addressed and solved. With this important volume, Charles Ferguson has contributed mightily to that mission.

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