A push for more broadband across the United States could benefit internet and other exchange traded funds (ETFs) in the long run.
Kevin Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, says that high-speed internet access is so important to the welfare of U.S. consumers that America can’t afford not to offer it for free to anyone who wants it.
He hopes to use a chunk of wireless airwaves about to hit the auction block next year to help him realize his vision, reports Leslie Cauley for USA Today. In his position, Martin is responsible for looking out for the interests of U.S. consumers, and the FCC has regulatory sway over such businesses as cable, radio and telecommunications.
Martin sees broadband as being the main means of communications for millions of Americans, just as copper phone lines had been for decades. He’s primarily concerned about consumers in rural areas, where dial-up and satellite-based Internet are still the norm.