President Obama has outlined plans for a fund to reach his goal of getting 98 percent wireless broadband coverage in the US for the next decade. Similar to an FCC offer, the proposal mentioned in a Michigan speech will see $5 billion invested in getting 3G, 4G and other high-speed wireless to rural areas where little or no broadband exists.
The move would help address concerns from the Obama administration that the US wasn’t meeting broadband minimums. HSPA+, LTE, WiMAX and other wireless technologies could give many users access equal to or faster than the FCC’s standard for landlines and would eliminate many of the carrier complaints about expensive rollouts that are reportedly unprofitable. Newer wireless technology such as LTE-Advanced is faster than even the best home connections in the US and for many could replace TV and other services at the same time.
Many of the plans could be detailed in the fiscal 2012 budget due on Monday.
