Bush calls for universal broadband by 2007
President calls for more choices for consumer, but doesn't say how

Gerald Herbert / AP
President Bush gave no details of how he would extend broadband access to
all U.S. homes and businesses in his speech to Hispanic lawmakers Friday in
Albuquerque.
MSNBC staff and news service reports
Updated: 02:00 PM PT  March26, 2004

ALBUQUERQUE - Reaching back to revive an idea promoted by the man he beat
for the White House, President Bush urged Friday that affordable high-speed
Internet access be available to all Americans by 2007, saying it was
essential to the nation's economic growth.

Bush traveled to the Southwest largely to promote home ownership but spoke
briefly about Internet access in remarks reminiscent of 2000 Democratic
presidential nominee Al Gore's call for an "information superhighway"
available to all Americans.

The president did not say how high-speed access could be extended to all
the nation's homes and businesses, but in an address to Hispanic lawmakers
in New Mexico, a state he lost to Gore by just 366 votes four years ago,
Bush said a key would be to "make sure that as soon as possible thereafter
[that] consumers have plenty of choices."

There is already a fund that subsidizes telephone service in rural areas
and for those who cannot afford it. Policymakers have debated whether the
Universal Service Fund should also subsidize Internet access to U.S. homes.

Democrats, including Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Bush's presumed
Democratic opponent in November, accused Bush in a letter last month of
failing to implement a "national broadband policy." About 20.6 million
homes and small businesses subscribed to high-speed Internet service as of
last June, the latest data available from the Federal Communications
Commission.

Telephone companies that dominate a market have to share their networks
with rivals for telephone service, and there have been extensive debates
about whether those rules should apply to broadband.

Cable companies do not presently have to share their networks with rivals
but some allow subscribers to have an alternative Internet service
provider. More consumers have signed up for the broadband from cable
companies, with about 13.7 million lines compared to 7.7 million using
telephone companies' digital subscriber line (DSL) service

BINNEH S MINTEH
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY.

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