EMFA: T3E6 - Telecommunity and Universal Service - Heady

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Theme:  Networking Communities - Essay 6
Author: Stuart Heady 
E-mail: stuart@88net.net

Telecommunity and Universal Service 

Exactly a century ago, 10% or less of the population, mainly the
most well-to-do business people in cities and towns were getting
the first phone service, and electric power.

In Texas, a few people still remember Lyndon Johnson, as he
campaigned for Congress, up-ending washtubs and getting up on
them to point to power lines going overhead. Power companies and
phone companies didn't think it cost effective to provide service
to poor and rural folks.

7 decades after telephone and electric utility systems were first
installed, (in the mid 1940s when telephone service reached 50%
of American homes) Universal Service became law. 

Subsequently, universal access to phone and electric utility
infrastructures pulled a lot of people into middle class
prosperity and had a lot to do with creating the economy as we
know it today. 

We are now at the turn of the next century, hopefully looking
back for lessons. Infrastructure decisions that redlined certain
population groups out of reach of the prosperity others enjoyed,
created many urban problems. Can we do better this time around?

Will it take 6 or 7 decades for universal access to high speed,
broadband infrastructure to become a reality? We are now in the
foundation-laying time for the 21st century society and economy.

In Austin, we have been concerned with this question. At this
time, we are awaiting the results of restructuring the ordinance
that installation of telecommunications infrastructure in the
public rights of way is governed by, under municipal authority.
Following the Federal legislation, we moved from a regulated
monopoly model to one of open competition. In terms of broadband
capacity, there is no universal service provision. So far, one
company has said it will put a 150 million dollar down payment
into engineering a broadband network to compete with the
incumbent phone company, Southwestern Bell. They have said they
are committed to providing universal service because it makes
good business sense.

We'll see. So far, only a few lines have been laid. 

Meanwhile, other avenues have engaged our thinking.

In this high tech center where unemployment is lower than a
Horned Toad's belly, technology oriented enterprises and chip
manufacturers are hurting for employees. Meanwhile, there are
teenagers joining gangs and getting into the cynical Junior
Achievement of selling crack.

By putting those two issues together, we have begun an initiative
that uses the city's resources as a catalyst for leadership in
bringing the conservative business community together with
liberals concerned with the social fabric.

The Telecommunity Partnerhip Initiative -
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/telcommission - is beginning to go
into effect as a first year pilot program with 200,000 in funding
from the City Council. 

If this initiative works, we will be able to address workforce
development, the potential of new technology to empower and
vitalize local democracy, and maybe foster universal service as
an outcome of cultivating a cooperative local relationship
between the telecommunications industry and the public. 

Perhaps it is overly optimistic to think that a 21st century way
of setting up infrastructure might come from replacing the
embattled conflict model of 20th century politics with
enlightened self interest and win/win. 

If not, then the question remains open: How long until public
pressure builds for broadband digital universal service, or
before Congress grasps the issue? The 2030s or the 2040s?



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