Seven New Broadband Ambassadors join the Internet Innovation Alliance Program

Business and Community Leaders Support National Broadband Effort

Washington, D.C. - March 1, 2010 - Underscoring the need for an effective National Broadband Plan—a simple, coherent set of goals that complement and accelerate the efforts in the marketplace to achieve universal adoption of high speed Internet—seven community leaders joined the Internet Innovation Alliance’s Broadband Ambassador program today. Coming from diverse professional backgrounds, each ambassador’s common tie to the IIA is enthusiastic support for broadband Internet access and adoption for all Americans.

“These new Ambassadors bring strength to the IIA’s goal of developing and implementing the strongest possible National Broadband Plan,” said Bruce Mehlman, a founder and co-chair of the IIA. “Each of our new ambassadors knows firsthand the transformative capabilities of broadband Internet .”

The seven new IIA Broadband Ambassadors represent a diverse spectrum of talent. The ambassadors are:

Sylvia Aguilera, Executive Director of Http: Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership (HTTP)

Harry Alford, President and CEO, National Black Chamber of Commerce

Ed Foster Simeon, President, United States Soccer Foundation

Joseph P. Fuhr, Professor of Economics, Widener University and Senior Fellow, American Consumer Institute

Jimmy Lynn, Managing Partner, JLynn & Associates

Marcia Thomas-Brown, Program Manager for the National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved

 

Navarrow Wright, Social Media and Internet Consultant, Maximum Leverage Solutions

Internet Innovation Alliance Reacts to FCC Broadband Survey

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 23, 2010 - Bruce Mehlman and David Sutphen, co-chairmen of the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA), a diverse coalition that has supported broadband development since 2004, today released the following statements in response to a new FCC survey and study on broadband Internet adoption in America. 

From Bruce Mehlman:

“I commend the FCC for its leadership on broadband adoption and for recognizing the role the Internet plays in the American job market.  We no longer operate in a brick-and-mortar economy.  Broadband increases opportunities for American businesses large and small to succeed and advance and enables new job creation as well.  Investing in Internet technology and infrastructure benefits all business sectors, and at a time when economic recovery is at the top of our national agenda, broadband advancement has never been more critical.”

From David Sutphen:

“The new FCC study underscores the need to remain focused on closing the digital divide by addressing the American public’s attitudes about broadband and reinforces the IIA’s belief that digital literacy must be a key component of the National Broadband Strategy, due to Congress next month.  In a 2009 survey of 900 African Americans and Hispanics by Obama pollster Cornell Belcher, 43 percent of respondents cited not knowing how to use the Internet or not seeing the need for the Internet as the reason why they are not online, and 44 percent of those same minorities polled said they would be more likely to subscribe to Internet services if they were provided free lessons on how to use the technology.  Bridging the digital divide and getting every American online should be our top priority—broadband Internet is the great enabler and the great equalizer.”

10 Reasons Broadband Focus Must Remain on Getting Every American Online

Internet Innovation Alliance Addresses Recent Comments on Proposed Internet Regulations

Sutphen: Net neutrality debate distracts from addressing the digital divide, common goal of connecting all Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 4, 2010 – David Sutphen, co-chair of the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA), a broad-based coalition that has supported broadband development since 2004, today released the following statement and facts to help clarify recent public comments on net neutrality and the digital divide:

“There are many more effective ways to address the digital divide than divisive new regulations unrelated to adoption or deployment, which bring a high degree of uncertainty and could have unintended consequences.

“The FCC should invest its time and political capital where the returns are highest:  in the National Broadband Strategy – a common goal for all parties – if it really wants to help connect every American to the benefits of high-speed Internet. The net neutrality distraction will disserve efforts to remedy persistent digital divides and imperil critical elements of the National Broadband Strategy.”

10 Reasons Why New Internet Regulations Impede Common Goals of Connecting All Americans, Closing Digital Divide

1. Considerable progress has been made in our first broadband decade – progress that has only been achieved because of the FCC’s longstanding, deregulatory approach to the Internet. In roughly ten years we have gone from practically zero broadband deployment to more than 95 percent availability and 63 percent adoption, according to the FCC and Pew.
2. The open Internet exists today. We have been living with ‘net neutrality’ since 2004, when it was established that companies cannot control the content and applications that people are able to access online.
3. The net neutrality debate, which only concerns those already online, is a distraction from creating an effective National Broadband Plan. The people who have the most to lose from this balancing act are the socially and economically disenfranchised – members of rural, low-income, urban, tribal, minority, non-English speaking, unserved and underserved populations.
4. The Commission’s recent request for an extension of time to deliver a National Broadband Plan underscores the need for the agency to devote more – not less – attention and resources to completing a national strategy.
5. Experts on the digital divide have not cited “lack of net neutrality regulations” as either a cause or a cure for race or income-based differences in broadband adoption. The current net neutrality war that has erupted in Washington , DC has very little to do with the interests of the unserved and underserved.
6. It is impossible to know for sure how new Internet regulations would impact private investment, and a decline in capital investments in broadband could have a harmful effect on jobs and the US economy. In fact, a reduction by five percent would reduce employment by 47,073 according to research from the ITIF or 78,455 according to former FCC commissioner and economist Harold Furchtgott-Roth.
7. Today’s open Internet is making possible huge innovation. We reduce the possibilities and raise barriers if we don’t give everyone access to smart networks.
8. Lack of net neutrality regulations cannot be reduced to “charging more fees and extracting more money from wealthier customers.” On the contrary, the FCC has laid out six principles of net neutrality, which have the potential to impact Americans at every level of income.
9. In a 2009 poll of 900 African Americans and Hispanics conducted by Brilliant Corners Research, led by Obama Presidential Campaign and Democratic Pollster Cornell Belcher , 43 percent of these minorities cited either not knowing how to use the Internet or not seeing the need for the Internet as the reason why they are not online; however, 44 percent of these same respondents said they would be more likely to subscribe to Internet services if they were provided free lessons on how to use the technology and 30 percent would be more likely to adopt if they had more information about how they could benefit from going online.
10. There are more significant policy challenges and opportunities demanding FCC attention and cooperation with industry, such as reforming the universal service fund, expanding spectrum availability for commercial use, and improving digital literacy.

Minimize Government Regulation, Taxation and Burdens to Achieve Universal Broadband

CES Tech-Enthusiasts Say: Poll

Attendees of the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas strongly agree minimal government regulation and taxation are key to reaching all Americans with broadband Internet, according to the results of an informal survey conducted at the conference by the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA).

Out of six potential answers related to how the government should ensure universal broadband availability and adoption, 31 percent of 259 survey respondents chose “Minimize regulation, taxation and government oversight of innovators, entrepreneurs and private companies” as the most important. This result points to a belief among the tech-savvy attendees of CES that a light regulatory touch could spur innovation, whereas heavy-handed regulation and bureaucratic red tape could stifle the investment and creativity that led to some of today’s greatest technology inventions, many of which were featured at the world-renowned convention.

Less than Half of African Americans and Hispanics Regularly Use the Internet

Yet Overwhelming Majority Agrees that Internet Access is Critical to Success in Education, Business, Community and Family Life

New Findings of Groundbreaking National Survey on Minority Internet Use from Cornell Belcher – Former DNC and Obama Presidential Campaign Pollster – To Be Discussed at Internet Innovation Alliance Broadband Symposium Today in Washington, D.C.

California State Assembly Speaker Emeritus Fabian Núñez, Rey Ramsey, CEO of Nonprofit OneEconomy, among Speakers Addressing Opportunities and Advantages of Broadband Internet

WASHINGTON D.C. – December 10, 2009 – Only 42 percent of African Americans and Hispanics regularly use the Internet, yet they overwhelmingly agree that Internet access is critical to achieving success, according to new findings from a national survey of 900 minority adults conducted by Brilliant Corners Research, led by Pollster Cornell Belcher. The results from this survey will be revealed today in Washington, D.C., at the Internet Innovation Alliance’s (IIA) Symposium, “Universal Broadband:  Access for All Americans.”

The Honorable Fabian Núñez and Entrepreneur David Steward to Lead National Broadband Call to Action

- Núñez and Steward join Internet Innovation Alliance as Honorary Chairmen of the IIA Broadband Ambassador Program; will lead educational and advocacy campaign for broadband access and adoption for all Americans -

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 9, 2009 - The Honorable Fabian Núñez, Speaker Emeritus of the California State Assembly, and David Steward, chairman and co-founder of World Wide Technology, Inc., the largest African-American-owned business in America, will lead the IIA Broadband Ambassador Program, the IIA announced today.  As Honorary Chairmen of the program, Núñez and Steward will seek to harness their legislative and business experience to highlight the critical importance and benefits of every American having access to broadband, particularly at a time when adoption and accessibility of wireless Internet is receiving increased focus.

Statement of Support from IIA for the National Cable & Telecom Association’s Adoption Plus Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 1, 2009 – The Internet Innovation Alliance, a broad-based coalition supporting broadband availability and access for all Americans, today released the following statement in support of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) Adoption Plus (“A+”) program:

Internet Innovation Alliance Launches “IIA en Español” on Website

Internet Innovation Alliance Launches “IIA en Espanol” on Website

- Online tool is designed to serve as a resource on technology and broadband-related issues for Spanish language communities -

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 4, 2009 - The Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) today launched “IIA en Espanol,” a section of the website designed to serve as a resource on important broadband and technology-related information for Spanish language communities. The content includes key studies and facts about broadband, developments with IIA Members and Ambassadors from the Hispanic community and news related to the Internet industry, all available in Spanish at http://www.internetinnovation.org/Spanish.

Internet Innovation Alliance Names David Sutphen New Co-Chair

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 27, 2009 – The Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) today named David Sutphen Co-Chair of the broadband-focused organization.  Sutphen has held significant leadership positions in Congress, the entertainment industry and trade associations.

Investment in Broadband Critical to Job Creation

-Policy that deters investment would lead to significant job loss; impact unlikely to be offset by gains in other industries -

WASHINGTON - October 21, 2009 - Updated research shows that a decline in capital investments by the broadband services industry could eliminate jobs, the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) announced today.  An updated report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and updated research conducted separately by former FCC Commissioner and economist Harold Furchtgott-Roth both illustrate the potential risks of changes in regulatory policy.

“In making policy decisions, it’s important to consider the possible risks, as well as the benefits,” said Co-Chairman of the Internet Innovation Alliance Bruce Mehlman.  “At IIA, we’ve long-focused on private investment to advance broadband.  Just as we’ve analyzed the job-creating impact of pro-investment policies, we think it’s important to quantify the possible risks at a time when economic recovery is at the top of our national agenda, because if investment goes down, jobs are lost.”

Internet Innovation Alliance Commends FCC Staff Workshops for National Broadband Plan

Encourages Focus on Adoption, Importance of Private Investment and Planning for Future Innovations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 6, 2009 – The Internet Innovation Alliance, a broad-based coalition that has long supported a comprehensive national broadband strategy to achieve universal broadband availability and adoption, today released the following statement on its support for the Federal Communications Commission’s staff workshops for the development of a National Broadband Plan, the first of which begins today:

Internet Innovation Alliance Stresses Broadband Adoption in Comments to FCC

- Highlights the Importance of Private Investment, Touts Consumer Benefits of Broadband -

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 21, 2009 - The Internet Innovation Alliance, a broad-based coalition that has long supported a comprehensive national broadband strategy to achieve universal broadband availability and adoption, today released the following statement on its feedback to statements filed with the FCC regarding a National Broadband Plan:

Consumers Receive More Than $30 Billion in Benefits Annually From Using Broadband at Home -New Study

- Broadband increasingly a necessity for U.S. households -
- U.S. Households turn to broadband Internet during recession -

WASHINGTON D.C. – July 14, 2009 – With $32 billion gains in 2008, consumers increasingly benefit from using broadband at home, according to a research study released today by Jonathan Orszag, a former Economic Policy Advisor on President Bill Clinton’s National Economic Council; Robert Willig, Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University and former chief economist in the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division; and Mark Dutz, a Special Consultant with Compass Lexecon, an economic consulting firm. 

Read the study here - http://internetinnovation.org/files/special-reports/CONSUMER_BENEFITS_OF_BROADBAND.pdf.

Larry Irving to Step Down as Co-Chair of the Internet Innovation Alliance

WASHINGTON D.C. - July 13, 2009 - Larry Irving will step down as co-chairman of the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) in September, the IIA announced today. Irving will join Hewlett Packard, the world's leading technology company, as vice president of Global Government Affairs. At HP, he will be responsible for shaping public policy and building relationships worldwide with government officials, community leaders, non-governmental organizations and business partners.

Consumers Favor Internet over Cell Phone and Cable TV According to New Study from Pew Research

- Study to be discussed at Internet Innovation Alliance Broadband Symposium today in Washington, DC -
- Governor Joe Manchin III of West Virginia to deliver keynote address -
- NBA All-Star, Blogger and Technology Proponent Chris Bosh to Appear -

WASHINGTON D.C. - June 17, 2009 - Americans value broadband more than ever with home broadband adoption rates up 15 percent in 2009 and consumers favoring Internet over cell phone and cable TV, according to new research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.  The 29-page study will be unveiled today in Washington, DC at the Internet Innovation Alliance’s Symposium “Developing a National Broadband Strategy:  Deployment, Adoption and the Stimulus.”

The Symposium will feature notables and pioneers in the technology space such as West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin and NBA All-Star Chris Bosh and will highlight two main issues:  bringing broadband to unserved communities and making broadband affordable for all Americans.  Featured speaker at the event John B. Horrigan, Associate Director of the Pew Internet Project, will discuss the findings of Pew’s new report “Home Broadband Adoption 2009.”