2010 Broadband Outlook

With a National Broadband Plan close at hand and key issues from the economy to health care high on our domestic agenda, 2010 promises to be a defining year for broadband.  From creating jobs to controlling skyrocketing health care costs, the high-speed Internet can help.

In the latest USTelecom vidcast, USTelecom President and CEO Walter B. McCormick Jr. takes a look at what broadband can do to aid today's top issues, and what potential Internet policies lie ahead.  Here are some featured highlights:

• Renewing the Economy. Broadband continues to be a tremendous economic engine.  In fact, in 2008 nearly half of all new American jobs resulted from the broadband and IT sectors.  And these positions also rank among America's best-paying jobs.
  
  
• Aiding Health Care. Broadband can help deliver the health care savings consumers are eager for - saving the average household an estimated $670 per year.  Patients can also receive care in the comfort of their own homes, thanks to remote patient monitoring.  As an added bonus, this technology promises to reduce costs by $200 billion over the next 25 years.
  
  
• A National Broadband Plan.  As the FCC works to complete its National Broadband Plan, consensus on its key principles is clear.  Extending broadband's reach to remote unserved pockets of our nation is crucial.  So too is encouraging Americans to seize the opportunity broadband provides by focusing on digital literacy and awareness.  Ensuring a stable investment climate is also essential - particularly given the fact that broadband providers are the leading investors in the U.S. economy today.
  
  
• Potential Regulation.  As the FCC considers so-called 'net neutrality' regulations, many continue to question the need for greater government control of the high-speed Internet.  Imposing more regulation could have stifling effects on investment, innovation, and the broadband experience for consumers. 

Interested in learning more?  See USTelecom's 2010 outlook by clicking here.