Broadband research agenda outlined

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the National Science Foundation have released The National Broadband Research Agenda, a report detailing key priorities for broadband research and data. Despite significant advances in broadband connectivity, disparities remain in access, adoption and choice. For example, 10 percent of Americans lack access to the FCC’s prescribed benchmark speeds for downloads and uploads, less than 40 percent of Americans have the choice of more than one internet service provider and approximately 19 percent of schools lack the speed connectivity goals of the FCC.  A 2015 Broadband Opportunity Council report recommended further study to improve data collection, analysis and research; the topics covered in the new report.

Stakeholders contributing to the report include academia, the public, and federal staff. The National Broadband Research Agenda provides a synthesis of their input and a conceptual framework for potential research proposals and data requirements in four key areas related to U.S. R&D in broadband: technology, deployment, adoption, and socioeconomic impacts.