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from the how-many-times-do-we-have-to-pay-for-broadband? dept.
U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has proposed up to $275 billion in infrastructure investment, including investment in broadband:
Hillary Clinton has announced a $250bn plan to build out the United States' broadband infrastructure and ensure that everyone has fast internet access at an affordable price by 2020.
That's the headline figure anyway in her new policy position called "Building Tomorrow's Economy Today." In reality, the presidential candidate has pledged to fund a $25 billion dollar "national infrastructure bank" over five years that will cover all infrastructure improvements for roads, bridges, pipes, and internet network.
That bank will provide "up to an additional $225 billion in federally supported investment," according to the policy paper, by leveraging "the $25 billion in direct loans, loan guarantees, and other forms of credit enhancement."
[...] Interestingly however, even Clinton's $25 billion infrastructure bank idea doesn't appear to have been her own. Democratic rival Bernie Sanders has been talking about the US' lackluster networks for some time, noting that the US comes 16th globally in terms of broadband access, and 12th in terms of average speed, according to the OECD. "Today, businesses, schools, and families in Bucharest, Romania, have access to much faster internet than most of the United States. That is unacceptable and has got to change," Sanders says in his policy position on "rebuilding America."
Interestingly, Sanders pledged the exact same figure as Clinton – $5 billion a year – but solely for internet rollout, rather than all infrastructure needs, through an Act of Congress. "The Rebuild America Act will invest $5 billion a year to expand high-speed broadband networks in under-served and unserved areas, and to boost speeds and capacity all across the country. Internet access is no longer a luxury: it is essential for 21st century commerce, education, telemedicine, and public safety," he said.
DSLReports calls the promises "painfully ambiguous". Other outlets have gravitated to the promises of "smart cities", "free Wi-Fi", "5G networks", and supporting "tomorrow's Internet of Things".
Billions in broadband investment? Hmm, where have I heard that one before?
(Score: 2) by Hairyfeet on Saturday December 05 2015, @12:58PM
The giant cable/DSL duopoly, just like the payout her husband backed in the 90s [pbs.org], and ironically damned near the exact same amount and just like that deal all we'll get for all that cash is a nice low res picture of the CEOs burning a c-note from their brand new mega-yacht while flipping us the bird.
Remember folks, socialism is only for rich people, you poor actually have to pay your bills and do the job you get paid a pittance for while the rich can just hold out their hand and get billions for absolutely nothing. old Billy proved that with his 200 billion dollar kickback in the 90s and if Hillary gets elected she is just gonna follow his example. After all they've had 20 years of letting the infrastructure fall apart and they can't milk anymore money out of it with caps and gouging, won't somebody think of the rich CEOs of these corps? Those 10k hookers and McMansions don't pay for themselves ya know!
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.