Obama calls for expanding broadband Internet
Source: Dave Boyer and Ben Wolfgang
President Obama bit the hand that helped to fund his re-election Wednesday, criticizing big cable companies for holding monopolies in many communities and calling for faster broadband Internet service across America.
Many Americans are “pretty much at the whim of whatever Internet provider is around,” Mr. Obama said. “Meanwhile you’re wondering why your rates keep getting jacked up while your speed doesn’t improve.
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“In too many places across America, some big companies are doing everything they can to keep out competitors,” he said.
One of Mr. Obama’s biggest supporters during his reelection effort in 2012 was the cable giant Comcast. Mr. Obama has played golf with Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, and Comcast executive vice president David L. Cohen hosted big-money fundraisers for the president in Philadelphia.
Speaking at a utilities complex in Cedar Falls, which has a broadband network about 100 times faster than the national average, the president said he’s asking the Federal Communications Commission and his Cabinet agencies to push back against state laws that “stamp out competition.”
“In some states, it is virtually impossible to create a community network like you’ve got here in Cedar Falls,” Mr. Obama said. “We’re going to change that. Enough’s enough. I’m saying I’m on the side of competition. I believe that a community has a right to make its own choice.”
The president praised Cedar Falls for its high-speed network, saying, “You can log on for about the same price as some folks pay for a fully loaded cable bundle. Folks around the nation want these broadband networks.”
Cedar Falls is home to a 1 GB broadband network, which the town upgraded about five years ago. Other Internet providers are available to consumers who don’t want to pay for the fastest service.
The president said faster Internet access is crucial to success in the global digital economy.
“Today high-speed broadband is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Mr. Obama said. “This is about helping local businesses grow and prosper and compete.”
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