President Obama has been on a mission of late, announcing plans to ramp up America’s infrastructure via a $58 billion high-speed rail system and, more recently, a plan to bring high-speed wireless to almost all U.S. households. Obama announced the initiative in Marquette, Michigan, a small portion of the state’s upper peninsula. Even as Obama announced that "we are witnessing history unfold" in response to the planned resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the president remained focused on his message of improving America.
Using a metaphor, the president noted, "For millions of Americans, the railway hasn’t shown up yet. For our families and our businesses, high-speed wireless service: that’s the next train station; it’s the next off-ramp. It’s how we’ll spark new innovation, new investments and new jobs." The president’s plan would bring high-speed wireless access to 98% of the population within 5 years. Noted President Obama, "This isn’t just about faster Internet. It’s about connecting every corner of America to the digital age."
Part of the plan will entail increasing available airwave space for high-speed wireless by virtue of auctioning space on the radio spectrum to commercial wireless carriers. That process would, according to White House estimates, raise about $30 billion over the course of ten years, with that money then being invested in increasing the availability of wireless access to the masses. Not everyone is on board, however, with Representative Fred Upton, R-Michigan, noting, "Before we target any more of our scarce taxpayer dollars for broadband, it is critical to examine whether the money already being spent is having an impact."
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