Obama's Goal: 98% of US Covered By 4G 324
alphadogg writes "Ninety-eight percent of US residents would have access to high-speed mobile broadband service within five years under a plan that President Barack Obama detailed Thursday. Obama's proposal, which he alluded to in his State of the Union speech last month, would free up 500MHz of wireless spectrum over a decade by offering to share spectrum auction proceeds with current spectrum holders, including television stations, that have unused airwaves. The cost of the proposal is likely to raise questions from lawmakers, and some backers of government broadband spending have already raised concerns that the plan would give money and spectrum to large mobile carriers."
Re:Simple answer (Score:2, Informative)
So where in the constitution does it grant that to the Federal Government?
Federal highways come under "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;" one of the enumerated powers in Article 1, Section 8, for example.
Re:Simple answer (Score:3, Informative)
That's a very simplistic view of the situation. I am not sure why people think this only benefits people who choose to live in the middle of nowhere for the fun of it. First, high speed mobile broadband is not available in a lot more areas than just rural Montana. Second, people live far from cities because they just can't afford to live anywhere closer. As I mentioned above, these people probably can't afford a landline, internet access, and a home PC but they probably can afford an internet ready smartphone to replace all three. That then gives them the ability to perhaps find a new job and improve their life.
Re:Let's not let broadband history repeat itself.. (Score:3, Informative)
I believe those "4G" are meant to denote the 4th generation network; and not actual 4G the standard since it's not been finalized/implemented yet. That's why like every carrier has a 4G network, but use different technologies; there is no standard for them to actually adhere to.
3G and CDMA are actual standards and for a carrier to use that title it has to adhere to those standards and use certain technologies.
4G at this time is just a marketing term meant to capitalize on the fact that everyone was touting their 3G networks, and T-Mobile decided to one up the others.
Re:Simple answer (Score:3, Informative)
Actually it is - just like federal highway administration. There are certain things that just can't be done on the small scale local government level. I am curious what you think the federal government's purpose IS if it isn't to take on national scale projects.
I'd say that's pretty well spelled out in Article 1, section 8 of the constitution. It's unfortunate that the general welfare clause and regulating trade among the states clause have been so badly abused. They were never intended to give the federal government unlimited power.
Re:Let's not let broadband history repeat itself.. (Score:5, Informative)
More people need to read Atlas Shrugged.
No. No no no. No no no no no no no. Nononononononononononononnonononono.
Ayn Rand was a decent novelist, and a travesty of an economist and philosopher.
Re:Simple answer (Score:2, Informative)
You do understand that the constitution was supposed to be an explicit power grant, where powers not granted were not to be available to the government, even the legislative branch? If the government truly needed more powers than those expressly granted, it was supposed to require a constitutional amendment. That's why the constitution provides for amendments.
No wonder the government doesn't really like the idea of strong contract law...
Re:Great for middle-class employed people. (Score:4, Informative)
>>>5-7% of it.
Well I googled it. POTS copper line leads into 95% of Alaskan homes, mainly due to FDR's universal service fund subsidizing the lines. In other words - you were waaaaay off.