USA - Analysis of broadband policy developments in early 2010

Synopsis

Archived report: this report was archived in December 2010 and has not been updated.

Before, during and after his inaugural speech President Obama spoke of the national benefits of broadband and changes have been set in motion in the US telecoms market that were unheard of even a year ago. During the previous Administration the incumbent telcos and cable companies had been given more freedom. As a consequence innovation and competition dwindled and the US was no longer a leader in telecoms. With the digital economy just around the corner the new Administration clearly sees telecoms as a spearhead in its social and economic policies.

However, as the President also indicated in his State of the Union address, the current political environment is not particularly conducive to the introduction of serious change and innovative policies. Serious political changes are needed for that, as before and after his inauguration the President will need to regain his leadership and lead from the top together with the many people and business who support him. This will eventually lead to changes similar to those that are taking place in other developed telecoms markets.

The post-GFC economy will increasingly be digital, and it will be based on social and environmental innovation. This will lead to smart cities and smart buildings, and a new smart approach to national infrastructure will also be necessary. In Europe and the Asia Pacific other governments are politically more open to social innovation, while the word ‘social’ still has a stigma attached to it in the USA. On the other hand it is the American companies that are leading the trend for social innovation in the business world: IBM, Cisco, Microsoft, Google and others. It will be interesting to see how quickly the American political system can adjust itself to these new developments.