GAO: Implementing national broadband plan's gonna be tough

The General Accounting Office has told the FCC what any cable, telco, wireless or even satellite provider has probably already said: Implementing a national broadband plan will be a tough row to hoe. The FCC thinks that an NBP is "a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life."

The GAO doesn't disagree; it just thinks that the goal may be a bit tough to attain.

"Action will be required by governments at all levels and the private sector to deploy broadband infrastructure to the last 5 percent of households at a reasonable cost and to promote broadband usage and adoption by increasing digital literacy and making broadband services more affordable for certain populations, especially the elderly and the economically disadvantaged," the report said.

Editorial comment is unneeded beyond pointing to the Sisyphus-like task of generating cooperation between governments at all levels, first of all, then throwing in the private sector-especially at the same time the FCC is trying to impose a set of Title II regulations on the broadband Internet.

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