Harvard Study Supports an Open Internet

We know we’re right, but it’s always comforting when an institution like Harvard thinks so, too.

We’ve long been arguing that the United States lags far behind other nations in Internet deployment, speed and cost. Now Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society has released a study examining broadband deployment and usage throughout the world. The study finds that the United States is only “a middle-of-the-pack performer” on most broadband measures. Oh good, the country that invented the Internet is just average in broadband. That's just appalling.

The study also finds that open access policies – the very policies abandoned by the United States – have sparked competitive broadband markets in other leading countries. While these countries have created marketplaces for innovation that have lowered prices and improved broadband speeds, we’re still stuck with a few clunky ISPs.

The study was commissioned by the Federal Communications Commission for use in developing the national broadband plan. The commission is now seeking public comment on the study to evaluate the findings and the amount of weight the agency should give them in crafting broadband policy.

The United States should be approaching connectivity as a key way to contribute to sustainable economic growth, and performing at mid-level is simply unacceptable. Every day, consumers face higher prices, slower speeds and fewer choices than our overseas counterparts. As this study confirms, much of the blame for this reality falls squarely on the FCC and the failed deregulatory policies of the past decade. As the agency crafts our national broadband plan, it should review the outcomes of past decisions and overturn those that have created the current lackluster state of U.S. broadband.

The Berkman study provides the most comprehensive presentation of international broadband data available today, and is another nail in the coffin for the arguments of the phone and cable companies and their hired mouthpieces.

What’s more, the study’s conclusions clearly demonstrate what should be obvious to any reasonable observer: Far from being overbearing regulation, Net Neutrality is the bare minimum needed to protect consumers and promote competition in our broadband marketplace. Other countries have implemented far more stringent regulations and (gasp), they’ve worked. The study’s strongest conclusion is that pro-competition policy, coupled with a determined regulator, led not only to more choices for broadband but also to higher speeds at lower prices.

Thanks, Harvard. It’s nice to have some backup.

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