For decades, the phone carriers and cable companies have collected billions in fees and federal funds aimed at subsidizing service to underserved areas like Johnston Square. And yet, the mission has fallen short of the goals, said Ali.“Will we be seeing the largest incumbents swoop down on state broadband offices and simply gobble up the money?” Ali said. “This is the one big shot. We cannot let history repeat itself. Otherwise we’re going to need another $65 billion in 10 years.
That would be Christopher Ali, associate professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. Ali adroitly points up a major flaw in U.S. telecommunications policy of heavily relying on one off grants to subsidize "broadband" bandwidth instead of a coordinated, unified subsidy program combined with a universal service mandate as with voice telephone service. Updated to specify a fiber to the premises (FTTP) infrastructure standard.
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