Technology & Communications

The City of Longmont, Colorado is considering providing not only Wi-Fi but also a whole package of telecommunications services, from voice to broadband to video, which would put the municipality in direct competition with multiple private companies. But market-oriented solutions are more efficient and less risky. Adopting the failed model of municipal networks is a mistake, as many municipalities across the country can attest.

On July 26, 2011 over 70 industry experts, policy analysts, Hill staff and members of the media joined IPI on Capitol Hill to examine the explosion of new and innovative ways wireless connectivity is changing the face of health care and the spectrum challenges that could kill real health care reform in its tracks.

While there is consensus that carbon-based energy sources will continue to meet the vast majority of the world’s energy needs for years to come, it is also clear that major breakthroughs across a range of clean energy technologies are essential to reconcile finite natural resources with seemingly infinite global energy demand.

An estimated 58 million Americans have embraced the convenience of pre-paid wireless service, but the "Pre-Paid Mobile Device Identification Act," sponsored by Senators Schumer (D-NY) and Cornyn (R-TX) would impose new regulations and costs on consumers of prepaid wireless service, and erode users’ privacy. These new burdens on consumers are not an acceptable tradeoff for what would likely be an ineffective tool against a handful of criminals.

In this letter the Institute for Policy Innovation provides input regarding the direction given in The Recovery Act tasking the Commission with developing a national broadband plan.