by Roger Osburne, Local 9415 Contractual Vice President

A true high speed digital network offers advantages far beyond increased entertainment choices; it will accelerate business development and innovations in telemedicine, interactive distance learning, and e-government. As with the Internet itself, it is difficult to predict advances that a true high speed network will inspire.

The United States has been slow to develop truly high speed networks. Other countries have overtaken the U.S. both in the speeds that are being provided and the percentage of people who have access to high speed networks. In fact, the U.S. has fallen to 16th in the world in terms of high speed Internet access,” among other countries like Japan, Sweden and South Korea while the cost per kbp to consumers is much higher.

It’s time for the United States to adopt a telecommunications policy for the 21st century.

Even though we are in one of the most high tech areas of the Country, California ranks around 40th in the United States for broadband speed; a good example of the problem we’re facing.

Rural and underserved urban areas of California are being neglected in favor of record profits. The State on the cutting edge of technology is being left behind in the Digital Divide with a median speed about 7 times slower than Japan. Only 17% of adults in rural areas subscribe to broadband compared to 31% in urban and 30% in suburban areas. And there is a farm/non-farm divide: only 15.8% of farm households have adopted broadband.

We are putting our future generations at a huge disadvantage!

CWA’s Speed Matters campaign is going strong to promote “A National High Speed Internet for All Policy”. We now have the first-ever state-by-state report on Internet connection speed and you can see how internet speeds compare county to county and state to state. Take the test for yourself.

Check out the Speed Matters website www.speedmatters.org and join the movement www.speedmatters.org/action/join.html - help to enable an open internet for all and insure High Quality Jobs and Services for California and the entire country.

Speed Matters - Five Key Principles

* Speed and Universality Matter for Internet Access

* The U.S. “High Speed” Definition is Too Slow

* A National High Speed Internet for All Policy is Critical

* The U.S. Must Preserve an Open Internet

* Consumer and Worker Protections Must Be Safeguarded