I have been thinking lately about why parts of Wisconsin still don’t have high-speed, high-quality Internet access. When it comes right down to it, regions remain underserved because as a state and a nation we have tried to apply out-dated business and service models to an industry that is now critical for the vitality of our state and region.

We want to treat high-speed Internet access with the same approaches we used for the telephone and cable television industry.  In those industries, the network infrastructure and the service are coupled in a way that allows businesses selling a specific service to dominate service areas regardless of the quality of services or the menu of services they offer. Telecommunications and cable TV vendors only build infrastructure in places that are profitable for them.

Traditionally we have classified these services by the devices or the media delivery technology used. We would buy “telephone service” or have “cable television” installed. Now voice, video, music, television shows, movies, and text are all just data that can run over a network.

It is time to decouple the network from the services. Consumers and businesses should be able to buy the device that best meets their needs on the service that they view as the highest quality for their needs.

Our state and national broadband policies and funding strategies should support ever-increasing bandwidth to all parts of our state. Vendors should not own the network and the state should not support any network policies that give any vendors an advantage over their competitors. The vendors should focus on delivering services over a network that is open to all those who wish to compete to deliver services.

Encouraging innovation by establishing a level playing field would enhance education, stimulate research, and accelerate business vitality throughout Wisconsin.  The broadband stimulus program is an opportunity for Wisconsin. I hope we have the wisdom to make decisions that position us to better compete in the region and the world.