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 Information
and Communications Technologies are fundamental and essential
infrastructure for productivity and success in the knowledge
and information economies of the 21st century.
Around
the globe, business leaders, policymakers, community leaders
and academics are lining up around the strategic importance of
very high-speed, reliable, versatile and open ICT networks and
systems. Many governments around the world are instituting
comprehensive and powerful policies to deploy, maintain and
manage high performance ICT systems which are available and
affordable to all.
- According to
Communications Workers of America, the median download
speed for the U.S. is 2.3 Megabits per second (Mbps),
compared to median download speeds in Japan (63 Mbps),
South Korea (49 Mbps), Finland (21 Mbps), France (17 Mbps)
and Canada (7.6 Mbps).
- A recent
study presented by Cisco places the U.S. 16th in the
world in broadband quality.
- In 2007, the U.S. was 18th in the world in bandwidth
pricing per Mbps according to the
OECD.
U.S. trends in most ICT infrastructure measures are down. We
are continuing to drop in these rankings, as intelligent
policies abroad have impacts and a complete lack of public
policy in the U.S. does nothing.
 ICT
is essential, strategic, enabling infrastructure for the 21st
century - like roads, electricity and airways were to the 20th
century. We have to recognize and do something about that in
the U.S., where this issue has languished. Outcry from U.S.
public, industry, academics and communities over this issue is
almost deafening. Search U.S. Broadband Policy to hear it.
The Obama administration appears to understand the
importance of ICT infrastructure to the U.S. economy and the
value of improving ICT infrastructure as a means of improving
the U.S. economy. Building and managing U.S. ICT
infrastructure means real jobs to real Americans! (Most of the
jobs are not easily outsourced.)
MPICT is participating in the
US Broadband
Coalition, A Call To Action For A National Broadband
Strategy by a large number of concerned organizations, which
presented a report to the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) on September 23, 2009. MPICT provided
input into the Goals Committee.
In the Mid-Pacific ICT
Center region, we have roughly an army division of students
taking affordable classes at community colleges this year who
can be quickly trained and enlisted in ICT infrastructure
upgrades. Having a skilled ICT workforce is an essential part
of modern, functional ICT infrastructure.
MPICT can
play a key role in developing an ICT workforce to regain U.S.
competitiveness and economic strength!
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