Recently, Americans for Tax Reform responded to an FCC Notice of Inquiry on National Broadband Policy.
ATR primarily focused their comments on the long-term effects of governmental burden borne by Americans as a result of any broadband policy.
Private companies have invested over $850 billion in the last ten years to development viable broadband across the country. Private companies are expected to invest an additional $300 billion through 2012 if they believe they can recoup their investments. Clearly the free market is working.
Why would anyone believe the last, best bastion of the free market needs government intervention? Well, there are some that believe Americans are supposedly being impeded in their opportunities to receive broadband service. Only 4.5% of adults cite availability as the reason they do not subscribe to broadband. In fact, 62% of dial-up users are not even interested in giving up their current connection for broadband.
Click here to read all of ATR’s comments and here to see PRA’s comments on the issue.