IEEE Urges Government to Accelerate Broadband

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Federal, state and local government policymakers should ensure that Ethernet networks over fiber infrastructures are fully considered and given enough opportunity to prove their value in accelerating advanced broadband deployment, according to an IEEE-USA position adopted by the organization's board of directors last month in Dallas.

IEEE-USA said scalable gigabit broadband networks are not receiving serious consideration at policy levels in the US and are not being rapidly deployed.

"This lack of scalability leaves us behind other countries, which recognize that rapidly deploying broadband communications networks offers the potential to enhance a nation's productivity, homeland security and international competitiveness," IEEE said.

In practical terms, IEEE-USA's recommendations mean that the convergence of video, voice and data services could occur because gigabit Ethernet infrastructures offer over 1000 times as much bandwidth as current digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable broadband networks. A transfer of data taking 15.5 minutes on DSL (8.5 mbps) takes just eight seconds with Ethernet over fiber networks. Speed like that will allow businesses to operate far more efficiently, according to IEEE.

The organization's position grew out of an international broadband workshop held in June 2002, and subsequent discussion and analyses by technology, policy and economics experts. These meetings established that technological and economic potential exists for accelerating broadband deployment through Ethernet networks capable of gigabit speeds, especially those complemented by compatible wireless technologies, IEEE said.

For more information, visit: www.ieeeusa.org/FORUM/POSITIONS/broadband.html