Communications Crossroads - Spring 2008 - (Page 22)

straight talk Here are excerpts from an address delivered by USTelecom President and CEO Walter B. McCormick Jr. at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service in December, 2007. opportunities into any community, fueling the entrepreneurial spirit of our nation, especially in rural America. Education? We can bring together bright, curious minds with talented teachers based on their interests and expertise, rather than their zip code … a true revolution in access to a quality education. The environment? Who doesn’t President Clinton famously was want to spend less time on the “the man from Hope”—a son of freeways and less money at the rural Arkansas, someone who was gas station? Broadband-enabled committed to ensuring modern telecommuting can prevent billions opportunities and advancements of tons of greenhouse gas emissions reached everyone, no matter where and reduce U.S. dependence on they live. At the dawn of a new foreign oil. millennium, he spoke of “building a Health care? Just imagine the bridge to the 21st century.” peace of mind knowing loved ones Looking back today, it seems with health conditions can get the that bridge was paved in 1s and 0s; care they need from the comfort a virtual bridge to a digital future. of home with in-home health One in which geography is far less monitoring—brought to you by of an obstacle to doing business and broadband. One million Americans staying connected: to people; to today have in-home cardiac health quality health care and education; monitoring. and to a future in which our So if there’s a theme today, economy is based less in physical it is making the opportunity of labor and more the innovations that broadband real for every American. come from our minds. great distance—become very real, very fast. The University of Arkansas’ ANGELS network connects medical experts with young parents and community physicians across the state—making sure the next generation of Arkansans get a healthy start in life. Through this network, broadband is bringing leading-edge health care to people throughout the state—not off in the future, but right here and now. Investing in our Future So how do we ensure these beneﬁts that broadband makes possible reach all Americans? The answer starts with investment and with local, state and national policies that encourage the billions of dollars of capital necessary to build a true broadband nation. Broadband service providers will invest some $70 billion this year alone to expand and upgrade North American communications infrastructure. As a result, Americans enjoy the most competitive and diverse broadband market in the world. The U.S. has today one of the largest broadband populations on earth— about 60 million households— rivaled only by China, a country that has us vastly outnumbered. And, broadband adoption is growing fast—a 21 percent leap just in the past year. Making Progress That’s where we are today. And, by every meaningful yardstick, we are making progress. Investment? Up. Adoption? Growing rapidly. Speed? Accelerating. Affordability? Prices are coming down. If you want to learn more about this issue, I encourage you to visit nextgenweb.org. There you’ll ﬁnd information about the promise of broadband … about all it can and is doing today to enhance our lives and grow our economy. A New World of Opportunities This new world raises daunting questions about America’s future: our competitiveness and our status as an economic superpower. But it also raises extraordinary opportunities. The employment growth possible with ubiquitous broadband? 1.2 million U.S. jobs. Our information economy? Broadband can bring its Making Broadband Real If you live in a community that’s far from a major health center like the University of Arkansas, timely access to top-notch medical specialists can be a life or death issue. If you’re a young family expecting a child living in such a town and you hear from your community doctor the words “high-risk pregnancy,” these issues of quality health care— of timely, specialized care across 22 COMMUNICATIONS CROSSROADS www.ustelecom.org http://nextgenweb.org http://www.ustelecom.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Communications Crossroads - Spring 2008

Communications Crossroads - Spring 2008 Up Front Contents TeleBites Cover Story: IPTV Technology Today: Network Transitioning: It’s Not a Matter of If, but How Business Advantages: Turning Knowledge and Growth into Profit and Success Industry Calendar Advertisers DotCom Index to Advertisers Straight Talk

Communications Crossroads - Spring 2008

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