Public Knowledge, Common Cause, The Media and Democracy Coalition, Reclaim the Media and Main Street Project released a report today that outlines the reasons that Connected Nation is a bad choice for public funding to do mapping.
There is $350 million available in the federal stimulus funding for mapping. Connected Nation is currently working with several states, including Minnesota.
The report states that, “In order to be effective, a national broadband data-collection and mapping exercise should be conducted by a government agency, on behalf of the public, with as granular a degree of information as possible and be totally transparent so that underlying information can be evaluated.”
And as the report points out, Connected Nation is none of those things.
I have to say, it would be nice to have maps where the raw data was available to everyone – especially if we’ve paid for it. It would also be nice to have data other than vendor-provided info as a check and balance. I know Connected Nation uses the speed tests but that puts the onus on the general population to take the tests.
The report includes tons of useful info on CN, such as their board of directors and a non-disclosure contract that they use with providers when they are gathering info for their maps. It’s an interesting report.
Congress should repeal this portion of stimulus funding and redirect the $350 million to what’s truly needed: subsidizing last mile fiber.
Local businesses and residents don’t need a map to tell them all they can get is outmoded dialup, substandard or costly satellite Internet access or if they’re a bit more fortunate affordable fixed terrestrial wireless with low latency. They have the motivation to form telecommunications cooperatives and petition local governmental entities to seek stimulus funding for broadband buildout — motivation that no map can discern.
By: Fred Pilot on March 24, 2009
at 6:26 pm