The Federal Communications Commission could be proposing a bill that would further the expansion of broadband services through out the country.
The bill, as a New York Times article reports, would forbid broadband Internet service providers from blocking lawful content from its users, allowing providers to charge different rates for different levels of service to consumers.
In Philadelphia, according to the U.S. Census, 41 percent of residents reported not having access to Internet in their homes, compared to the 34 percent without access nationwide.
This lack of access in Philadelphia has been largely attributed to poverty. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 25 percent of Philadelphians live below the poverty level.
On Nov. 15, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Austin Burke announced the launch of an interactive broadband map that would help individuals identify the availability and speed of broadband connections throughout the state.
The map, which will officially launch in February 2011, is the result of a $7.3 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Burke said it aims to identify the “gaps in service so [the state] can implement [the] statewide broadband plan and meet our access goals,” according to a press release.
Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski plans to give a speech in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday announcing the potential broadband expansion bill.
Maria Zankey and Tracy Galloway
Group 18
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