Connections: Beyond Universal Service in the Digital Age

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 67 I. BROADBAND IN AMERICA......................................................... 69 II. UBIQUITOUS BROADBAND ........................................................ 72 A. The Floor and the Ceiling ....................................................... 73 B. A Three-Ring Approach .......................................................... 76 III. UNITARY BROADBAND .............................................................. 80 A. Unitary Service ...................................................................... 81 1. From past to present ....................................................... 81 2. The Value of Federation................................................. 83 B. The Threat of Fragmentation.................................................. 85 1. Application discrimination ............................................. 86 2. Addressing ...................................................................... 87 3. Interconnection patents .................................................. 89 IV. MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SUBSIDIES AND FEDERATION .............................................................................. 90 CONCLUSION......................................................................................... 93