Winning the silicon sweepstakes : can the United States compete in global telecommunications?

In this timely book, Rob Frieden points out the many ways the United States has fallen behind other countries in telecommunications and broadband development. Despite the appearance of robust competition and entrepreneurism in U.S. markets, there is very little of either. Because of an inattentive Congress and a misguided FCC unwilling to confront real problems, industry incumbents can earn healthy profits while keeping the United States in the backwaters of Internet-based information, communication, and entertainment markets. At every turn, regulators have tipped the scales in favor of large established companies, creating an environment that stifles innovation. As a consequence, Americans are stuck with relatively slow connectivity and with equipment that lacks features that have been staples in other countries for years. In telecommunications, the United States is a little like a third world country that is developing under crushing bureaucracies without recognizing that the rest of the world has passed it by. Professor Frieden not only shows how failure can intrude on the ability of the United States to compete but suggests how to restore its competitiveness. In this timely book, Rob Frieden points out the myriad ways the United States has fallen behind other countries in telecommunications. Despite the appearance of robust competition and entrepreneurism in U.S. telecom markets, there is very little of either. Because of an inattentive Congress and a misguided Federal Communications Commission unwilling to confront real problems, industry incumbents have been able to earn healthy profits while keeping the United States in the backwaters of Internet-based information, communication, and entertainment markets. At every turn regulators have tipped the scales in favor of large established companies, creating an environment that stifles innovation. As a consequence, Americans are stuck with relatively slow connectivity and with equipment that lacks features that have been standard in other countries for years. In telecommunications, the United States is a little like a third world country that is developing under a crushing bureaucracy without recognizing that the rest of the world has passed it by. Frieden shows how failure can intrude on the ability of the United States to compete and suggests how to restore its competitiveness.--Publisher's description Contents 5 Preface 7 Acknowledgments 15 1. The Law Of Unintended Results 17 2. Feast And Famine In The Information Age 38 3. How The United States Lost Its Digital Advantage 60 4. Case Studies In Wrongheaded Policymaking 84 5. Best And Worst Practices 125 6. Understanding The Dotcom Implosion 148 7. The Fundamentals Of Digital Literacy 163 8. Challenges And Choices 181 9. The Impact Of Technological And Market Convergence 200 10. Capturing The Benefits Of Convergence 254 11. What Government Should Do 270 12. Unresolved Issues 306 13. The Way Forward 315 Notes 329 Recommended Readings 397 Index 413