PHILADELPHIA, Penn., February 3, 2010 – Investment in broadband infrastructure, most believe, is essential to our nation’s future economic health.

In an information economy, the race is to the swift: those who can quickly access more, better information will innovate, communicate, and transact at a far greater rate than those who cannot. That’s how the argument goes. As our nation prepares to invest billions in broadband infrastructure, it appears that “We the People” have accepted that argument.

One nagging question remains: is the argument valid?

WASHINGTON, January 26, 2010 – The Agriculture Department’s Rural Utilities Service is doling out $310 million in broadband stimulus funds, department Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday.

The monies will be spread throughout 14 projects seeking to bring speedy Internet connections to rural communities in the United States in an effort to lift and grow their economies.

“The awards for these broadband projects will support anchor institutions – such as libraries, public buildings and community centers – that are necessary for the viability of rural communities,” Vilsack said.

WASHINGTON, January 15, 2010 – Researchers looking at California to determine whether broadband boosts local economic development found it’s tough to determine since broadband providers tend to target areas of expected high economic growth.

January 13, 2010 – Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, speaking Wednesday at the South Los Angeles WorkSource Center, announced the funding of a number of recovery projects, including $7.5 million to the city of Los Angeles for broadband. The grant will be used to expand Los Angeles’ computer access network.

WASHINGTON, November 19, 2009 – The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates announced new leadership, which was elected at the group’s annual meeting from November 15 to 18 in Chicago. Mary Healey of Connecticut was elected president of the organization

WASHINGTON, November 13, 2009 – Access charges are well above the actual costs to connect telephone calls, despite the efforts made by the Federal Communications Commission, said Andy Regitsky of Regitsky and Associates, in a webinar presentation on “Access Charges and Network costs – A Guide to FCC Reform,” hosted by CCMI.

“The FCC is not ready to give control over access charges which have been flawed for the 25 years of their existence,” said Regitsky.

WASHINGTON, October 12, 2009 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration last week awarded the first four broadband data and mapping grants to organizations that are not Connected Nation.

WASHINGTON, August 12, 2009 – With just two days away from the deadline to apply for federal funds to cultivate broadband projects across the nation, telecommunications experts offered their advice on the future of the grants process.

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2009 – Proper oversight of the $7.2 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program can only take place if key terms are defined properly, a panel of agency officials and policy experts told a congressional committee on Thursday.

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2009 – Making broadband applications more relevant in underserved and unserved communities could be a better use of stimulus funds than building infrastructure, a group of state and local regulatory officials Friday at a cable industry show here.