1. Default Section

Question Title

* 1. Any "national broadband plan" never include any similar approach, which has proven to create long-term intractable monopolies built on inefficient business models and deep and permanent taxpayer subsidy.

Question Title

* 2. USF funding in the form and concept in which it exists now never apply to ANY internet service.

Question Title

* 3. Internet services be permanently left as private and unregulated businesses - except for those which exist by state, federal, or other franchise or legal establishment. For instance, no company with a "cable tv" franchise in a town could ever be eligible for any subsidy of any kind,
in any place, ever. It's already a monopoly. It, too, would not be protected from regulation, as it concerns rates, net neutrality, etc.

Question Title

* 4. No ILEC is ever eligible for any subsidy within the boundaries of it's incumbency, whether it is expanding broadband to unserved portions of its incumbency or not. Whether or not CLEC status should be included should be a subject of debate.

Question Title

* 5. any financial incentive consist solely as a refundable tax rebate per consumer serviced per month, with the consumers being defined as those who reside in an area currently without broadband, or in an area where infrastructure does not currently exist to serve at least 95% of all residences within that area. Area definition should be tied to local
trade areas. Consumers would be defined as customers of the ISP, be it residential, business, or organization - like schools, businesses, or even other ISP's.

Question Title

* 6. Rebate eligibility expires upon: 2 years after a 3rd provider or 2nd "different" technology covers at least 95% of all consumers within the defined areas. (example, DSL access is limited to a smallish rural area, so the 1st and 2nd WISP can both claim rebates per consumer, but the DSL provider cannot unless it expands to reach 95% of the people. WISP's cannot qualify EITHER, unless or until they can cover 95%. Even if 2 WISP's fully cover, rebates continue until a third joins - then the trigger allows that WISP subsidy for 2 years,, or the telco rolls out universal DSL, at which the telco and WISP's continue for 2 years and then expires. Even if one/any/all go out of business after this threshold is crossed, the expiration is permanent,)

Question Title

* 7. No ISP which opts out of eligibility or competes in any market without eligibility can have its services regulated. "net neutrality" and other such schemes can only apply to subsidized, uncompetitive markets. When the market is competitive by being served by at least 2 technologies and 3 providers, at near "universal" coverage, then no provider regulation is needed.

Question Title

* 8. Middle mile providers who serve ISP's who qualify for incentive rebates are also eligible for rebate per consumer serviced by qualified ISP's who participate. Up to two middle mile providers per ISP can claim subsidy. Middle mile providers would be defined as non-ILEC providers of bandwidth who do not sell connections to residential or otherwise retail individual customers. "Net neutrality" and other regulation can apply to middle mile providers, too- if they claim any eligible rebates.

T