Ahead of a speech tomorrow by U.S. president Barack Obama, the white house released a ringing endorsement of community broadband this afternoon, and promised at least administrative and political support for local government efforts to build broadband networks (h/t to Gladys Palpallatoc at CETF for the timely tweet). No new money for construction was include or, indeed, anything that would require the cooperation of the republican majority in congress. But direction to the commerce and agriculture departments to assist local broadband projects will be heard, as will a request to the FCC – which has a democratic majority – to override state restrictions on what local governments will do. The white house also published a study by economic advisors on the need for better broadband.
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