email: tompoe [ at ] fngi dot net
Broadband infrastructure in Iowa is pretty pathetic, today (February, 2008). To counter the downward spiral of Iowa, and the rest of the country, the Iowa Broadband Cooperative is being formed. The idea behind this initiative, is to rethink how Iowa, and the rest of the country approaches broadband infrastructure. Historically, our efforts to bring broadband access to all Iowans, and the rest of the country, has been driven by the corporations who might provide access to high speed Internet access. That thinking has resulted in America falling to 16th place in the world in terms of broadband infrastructure. Everyone but our administration and the corporations that provide telecommunications agrees that we have utterly failed this mission.
Rethinking, starts with the premise that broadband infrastructure is what it says it is. No longer, is it acceptable to discuss broadband access as a commodity, or service. If we literally view broadband infrastructure as the means by which all Iowans, and the rest of America communicate, it is reasonable to consider a fresh option that calls for a statewide, and nationwide mandate to provide every American with broadband capabilities. This approach starts with a "last mile solution", and moves towards intercommunity connections, then regional connections, then statewide connections, and finally, to nationwide connections.
Stay tuned, as we flesh this new strategy out for you, and join us in our Forum to discuss how we can bring all Iowans together in a statewide broadband network that rivals Japan, and the other leading countries in broadband infrastructure.