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Dear Friend,
Time's up. Pencils down.
How did you do on the SpeedMatters.org speed test?
Believe it or not, you had one of fastest connection speeds in the country – and you're probably paying a pretty penny for it. The majority of people who took the test didn't come close to scoring as high as you did.
But fact is, even some of the fastest internet connections in the United States pale in comparison to many of our global competitors like Korea, Sweden, and Japan. These countries have average speeds that are almost ten times faster than the United States -- at about 1/12 the cost to the consumer.
FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps recently admitted "America's record in expanding broadband communication is so poor that it should be viewed as an outrage by every consumer and businessperson in the country."
It's time to fix this problem, and the first step is redefining just what "high-speed" means. Right now, the FCC claims "high speed" is 200 kilobits per second (kbps) downstream. That's slower than most online videos need to function properly and far below the requirements for the next generation of services being rolled out in other countries.
The election results last November created an important opportunity for us. This new Congress replaces one that sat on the sidelines for years while the world passed us by. All of that can change in the coming months.
What's next? Growing our movement. Affecting the Telecommunications Act is the best way to change the high-speed landscape, but we're going to need people across the country who are committed to this project. So think about anyone you know and forward the following message to them.
Thank you,
Beth Allen
speedmatters.org Online Mobilization Coordinator
P.S. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly SpeedMatters.org blog update email to stay up-to-date on the nationwide effort to expand high speed internet access and the amazing things that people are doing with the improved technology.
http://www.speedmatters.org/blogsignup
Dear Friend,
Americans are charged more for slower internet speeds, and our current high-speed networks don't even reach millions of households. It's time for that to change -- and you can play a part. Testing your own speed will help make our new community research project, SpeedMatters.org, a success.
Are you getting your money's worth? Find out now:
www.speedmatters.org/fastfriend
We're falling behind in the global economy because we won't invest in the technology to bring the benefits of this telecommunications revolution to most of our population. We're the only industrialized country without a national policy to promote high- speed Internet access.
That's why you're getting this email. Testing your connection's speed now will help us better understand the American average -- and craft an effective public policy and awareness campaign.
Take the speed test:
www.speedmatters.org/fastfriend
High speed Internet means more than smooth web videos or fast downloads.
Advanced high capacity communications networks can increase democratic and civic participation, improve the delivery of health care, education, job training, public safety and other vital services.
What are we waiting for? It's time to close the digital divide.
Thanks!
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