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TechNet has called for an affordable 100-megabit per second broadband connection to 100 million homes and small businesses by the year 2010 and a national strategy to achieve this goal. While today's broadband offers significant improvements over dial-up Internet, it is still not fast enough to unleash the full capabilities of new, high-quality applications. A national strategy and policies that encourage investment in a next-generation broadband infrastructure, applications and services will be essential if the United States is to maintain its global leadership.

Broadband -- the capacity to deliver Internet access with a continuous "always on" connection and the ability to both receive and transmit digital content or services at high speeds -- has the potential to significantly improve our economy. Universal access to high-speed Internet connections could inject an estimated $300 billion into the U.S. economy each year.

The United States, however, continues to fall behind our global competitors in the deployment of next-generation broadband infrastructure. The. U.S. ranking in world broadband deployment continues to fall, placing the U.S. behind Korea, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Italy and other nations.

Many states, recognizing the transformational impact that broadband can have on their citizens, economies and delivery of government services, have adopted state policies to spur broadband deployment and demand. As a nation, however, we can and should do more.

Broadband is the foundation for continued technological and economic leadership. It is critical that the United States show leadership in clearing roadblocks to broadband deployment and adopting innovative policies to foster demand. TechNet calls on the Administration and Congress to adopt an aggressive broadband deployment goal and enact policies to achieve the goal.

In 2005, TechNet will continue to work with the Administration, Congress and the states to accomplish the following:

1. Preserve the policy of network neutrality that has been the foundation of Internet growth and innovation by preventing network operators from engaging in discrimination based on the source or ownership of Internet content.
2. Accelerate the transition to digital television, freeing up valuable spectrum for wireless broadband applications and enhanced public safety services.
3. Continue to reduce regulatory burdens and uncertainty that impede or delay the deployment of broadband networks through technology-neutral reforms.
4. Exercise regulatory restraint with respect to emerging broadband applications and services; Specifically, the Federal Communications Commission should ensure that advanced services such as Voice over Internet Protocol communications are subject to minimal regulation.
5. Drive adoption of broadband through e-government initiatives, and policies that encourage research and development.
6. Continue efforts to modernize U.S. spectrum policy and increase spectrum availability and efficiency.
7. Encourage broadband deployment to underserved communities and businesses through investment incentives, where necessary.
8. Promote state policies that spur broadband deployment and demand.