In advance of his State of the Union address next week, US President Barack Obama announced plans to boost broadband internet speeds while bringing costs down, The Verge reports.
On Wednesday, the president will speak at Cedar Falls, Iowa — where citizens and businesses enjoy 1 Gbps internet speeds, thanks to a locally run service — to push the Federal Communications Commission to remove restrictions that keep local municipalities from creating their own fast and efficient broadband networks.
At present, 19 states have such restrictions, and the president will urge the FCC to remove legal barriers that prevent them from running locally owned networks.
In addition, the White House has announced that over 50 cities have come together as the Next Century Cities coalition, to offer “community-supported” local broadband service.
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The president also outlined other measures to promote local network initiatives, including support for rural communities, increased investment incentives and a new Broadband Opportunity Council to oversee operations across the country.
Obama believes that the move will help businesses, students and consumers access information and global services. Yesterday, he spoke at the FCC to propose new legislation to address data hacks.
➤ Broadband That Works: Promoting Competition & Local Choice In Next-Generation Connectivity [The White House via The Verge]
Featured image: Ralph Alswang/Wikipedia
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