The Digital Divide - Central planning vs market-based solutions

The application period for the first round of applicants for the National Broadband Stimulus funds ended on Aug. 14. And while it likely won’t be known for a while who will receive funding and how much, we can be sure of one thing: There will be a lot of controversy around these funds. The plan, originally proposed by Obama during his campaign for presidency, is intended to bring broadband to lesser-served portions of the country, such as rural areas and economically challenged neighborhoods.

While the intent is lofty, there are many issues and concerns that need to be addressed...