Shortcuts Sought for Last Mile

Government help is needed to bring broadband Internet access to more homes, according to Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s chief technology officer for advanced strategy and policy. Microsoft is counting on broadband to sell more Windows PCs, new devices, and online services to consumers. To speed adoption, Microsoft wants government to remove barriers that might discourage small operators from setting up wireless networks, and forbid broadband providers from limiting users’ choices of network equipment, applications, and Internet content. Both proposals would help work around incumbent telephone and cable providers that have been slow to deliver broadband service over the “last mile” of wiring to the homes they control.

Mundie’s remarks came at a hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on telecommunications regulation and broadband Internet access. Many of his remarks parallel the goals of the Information Technology Industry Council, a lobbying group that includes AOL Time Warner, Cisco, Dell, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and many other high-tech firms.