Obama Executive Order Targets Broadband Acceleration

President Obama on June 14 signed an executive order easing broadband construction on federal roadways and properties. The administration says this could cut costs by up to 90 percent.


President Obama on June 14 signed an executive order easing broadband construction on federal roadways and properties. The administration says this could cut costs by up to 90 percent.

The order compels federal agencies to adopt a uniform approach to allowing broadband carriers to build networks on and through federal assets. The order specifically requires the Postal Service and the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Transportation and Veterans Affairs to offer carriers a single process to leasing federal assets for broadband deployment.

The administration also has announced the US Ignite broadband initiative, with 100 partners including government agencies, health care organizations, vendors, universities, communities and not-for-profit firms. The goal is to develop new programmable broadband networks that are 100 times faster than today’s Internet services.

Some of the programs under US Ignite will focus on advanced telehealth technologies, such as development of medical body area networks in Washington, D.C. Hospitals participating in various programs include Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and University of Kansas Medical Center.

The executive order is available here and a fact sheet is here.

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