Regina Hopper's Blog

It’s only the first week of January and already natural gas is showing tremendous potential in 2010 and beyond.  As consumers and businesses turn increasingly to this clean, abundant and domestic energy source, experts are predicting that natural gas will play a key role in helping meet our country’s growing clean energy needs.

Fort Worth Business Press reported today on the Energy Information Administration’s recently released “Annual Energy Outlook 2010,” which looks at power generation and consumption for the next 25 years. The federal agency forecasts that natural gas and its partner, renewable power plants, will account for the majority of new electricity expansions.  The Outlook also forecasts that annual domestic natural gas production will grow to 23.3 trillion cubic feet by 2035. Put in perspective, just 1 Tcf can heat 15 million homes (or fuel 12 million natural gas powered vehicles) for a year!

This clean energy growth also underscores the critical partnership between natural gas and renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.  Natural gas provides the essential foundation for the build-out of renewables, providing clean, reliable back-up energy when the wind dies down or on cloudy days. And according to the EIA, we will continue to have abundant supplies of North American natural gas that can help fuel our clean energy future for generations to come.

Vast new domestic supplies of natural gas are also good news for our recovering economy. Pennsylvania’s Morning Times today reported on a Pennsylvania College of Technology study estimating the creation of 98,000 jobs and $14.2 billion in contributions to the state’s economy in 2010. If that’s just for Pennsylvania, imagine what natural gas can do for the nation as a whole.

Last year, IHS Global Insight completed a study that found the natural gas industry already supports over 2.8 million jobs and contributed over $385 billion to the U.S. economy in 2008.  From national policymakers to state utility regulators, auto manufacturers to consumers, these numbers are sure to grow as our nation continues to show its resolve to renew our economy while advancing our low-carbon future.

Great news to start the year off! Let me know what you think on Twitter @reginahopper!

I just wrapped up my first two weeks as President and CEO of a new industry organization here in Washington, DC – America’s Natural Gas Alliance, or as we all call it, ANGA. And, for all of my social media friends, yes, I am VERY late getting this posted. Forgive me – a friend asked me if I was drinking from a fire hose. My reply – “Nope… 50 water cannons at full blast!” So, I know I should have posted this sooner… but, here is it! Better late than never!

As you all know, I have been working on behalf of the broadband industry for several years now and to say it was a difficult decision to leave that very important debate would  be a huge understatement. I truly believe in the power of broadband and the absolute necessity of giving all American’s access to the technologies which are changing our country’s education and  health care systems, economic stability and environment. (See my last blog on the NextGenWeb site.) But, when I was presented this opportunity to work on making a difference in one of these fields, the environment, while at the same time being professionally challenged on a whole new level, I couldn’t walk away from it.

I have learned so much during the transition period and during these last two weeks. I have met the most extraordinary people. ANGA is made of the leaders of North America’s natural gas exploration and production companies. And, they have great news to share on new finds of natural gas, right here at home – natural gas that is abundant, supplies that are sustainable, and an energy source that is better for our economic development and our environmental future. It is a clean, green, domestic fuel, ready to take our country forward.

I hope you will check out the site and my blogs postings both current and future! And, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @reginahopper and @angaus

More later.

We are so excited that our work in the social media space is being recognized! We made TechPresident’s Top Ten list of organizations which use social media effectively for advocacy! We are very proud to talk about broadband, what it can do on so many levels for all of us, and highlight the companies who make this all possible – our broadband providers. I hope you will take a look at our USTelecom site where we have tried to bring broadband alive… and share with you the debates that are currently on-going on deployment, investment, adoption and the government’s role. Also, take a look at the NextGenWeb site where folks are talking about how they use broadband and you can watch all the latest debates through our blogs, vlogs and live streams. Thanks for following us. Let me know what you think on Twitter @reginahopper.

As our nation’s policy makers debate the best approach for reforming America’s health care system, broadband is bringing revolutionary new services to patients.  Not only does broadband’s reach expand medical access, it is also offering lower-cost alternatives that can help ease the burden on our nation’s healthcare system.

Want personalized health care in the comfort of your own home?  American Well has partnered with a variety of insurance providers to connect patients visually with their doctors via webcam.  Through this service, doctors can prescribe treatment or medication, or request the patient follow up in person.  Or, at RelayHealth.com, patients submit detailed information describing their symptoms, which is shared with a doctor who responds digitally with questions, or a prognosis and recommended treatment.

For some primary care practices, digital health savings are already alleviating costs.  For example, physicians’ offices using hellohealth.com claim the service cuts overhead costs in half.  Hello Health links patients and doctors via instant messaging tools, enabling the doctor to bill the patient on the spot, thereby reducing paperwork and manpower. VisionTree increases efficiency by facilitating digital record-keeping in which patients fill out medical histories online and can make appointments and refill prescriptions via the Internet.

How does this technology play in rural areas? One example is Maryland eCare – a service enabling doctors to remotely oversee patients in rural areas via the Internet, so they can get quality care no matter where they live.  The Keas system also aims to improve Americans’ health – regardless of their geography – by sending customized health tips and reminders based on an individual’s age, gender, weight and health conditions.

Can broadband-driven medical advances reduce costs on a large scale? According to the Congressional Budget Office, if all doctors and hospitals participating in Medicare used health IT, including electronic medical records, the federal government could save $34 billion over 10 years, by reducing medical errors and avoiding unnecessary tests and procedures.  That’s good news for everyone…so stay healthy and meanwhile enjoy the benefits of broadband.

We talk about this a lot on Twitter @reginahopper. Join me!

With global Internet use surging well beyond the 1.5 billion mark, it’s clear that broadband has become a part of our daily lives. Consider this: from 1997 to 2007 Internet subscriptions tripled in the U.S. alone, with unprecedented numbers using high-speed connections. Given the ubiquitous nature of this technology, it comes as no surprise that our habits have changed in a hyper-connected way.

For example, phones are not just for making calls anymore. For many, these Internet-enabled devices serve as an alarm clock, navigation system, email device, newspaper, music maker, shopping and financial assistant, as well as a link to Facebook and Twitter. Indeed, social media has helped fuel our hyper-connectivity. New stats released by Forrester Research indicate that more than four in five U.S. adults online use social media at least once a month, with the 35 and older set rapidly adopting the technology.

In addition to triggering new marketing tactics, social networking has reinvigorated online gaming. A few games on Facebook have attracted 12 million monthly active players, and the gaming industry projects $600 million in revenue from social networks this year – a giant leap from $150 million in 2008. These games are meant to be consumed quickly – a trend that extends to Twitter’s 140 character messages, and the desire to digest information quickly.

While younger generations gravitate toward online gaming, older groups often tap Internet technology for online searches. The sheer volume of ever-changing information online has prompted individuals to search the same key words repeatedly over the same day – a tactic that often produces different results, and is emblematic of the rapid evolution of online information.

Is all of this connectivity hurting our productivity? According to the University of Melbourne, those of us who use the Internet at work for personal reasons are actually 9% more productive than those who don’t. It’s an exciting broadband world out there, and we’re participating with vigor.

Add another influential voice of dissent to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski’s proposal to dramatically expand and codify so-called “net neutrality” principles into regulation.

In its editorial this morning, The Washington Post asks the fundamental question at the center of the gathering storm: “Is this intervention necessary?”

In questioning the need for a greater government regulatory role, the Post draws polar opposite conclusions from Chairman Genachowski, noting the few breeches he highlighted have been rare exceptions that were quickly and successfully resolved under the current high-scrutiny government approach.

Today’s editorial comes on the heels of a series of prominent network engineers, including David Farber—the “grandfather of the Internet”—speaking out to express grave concerns from the network engineering community about a growing government role in the day-to-day operations of the high-speed Internet

We at NextGenWeb are unwavering supporters of the open and free Internet consumers already enjoy every day. And, that is precisely why we stand with The Washington Post today in asking the central question of this entire debate: Is this intervention necessary?

Given the stakes from our innovation economy, to the future of health care, education and so many other vital areas, we owe it to our nation and to all broadband stakeholders to get the answer right. We must listen to those who really know the internet infrastructure, engineers and others, as they explain to the policy community the complex technical implications of greater government intervention—and its potential impact on the Internet’s ability to deliver ever more compelling innovation to consumers and to our economy.

Americans have an open and free Internet today. We also deserve a robust and innovative Internet tomorrow. The bar is now set very high for policymakers to explain how our nation would benefit from adopting a government-knows-best approach to the complex, dynamic and profound innovation that broadband has brought into our lives.

We had the honor of live-streaming this event. Sen. Rockefeller: “Broadband Brings the World to Everyone” – http://shar.es/17FLd

I hope you will take a few moments to take a look at my new Broadband Now video – this one on the FCC’s Natioanl Broadband Plan. You can access here.

Or, if you are a reader, here is the text!

From the halls of Congress…to the White House…to the corridors of the FCC…our nation is looking to the future—and broadband’s central role in it.

The clock is ticking on Congress’ mandate to the Federal Communications Commission to develop a national broadband strategy.  How are those efforts going?  What conversations are underway?  And, how can you participate?

The FCC is counting down the days to its deadline to deliver a national broadband plan.  Congress asked for the plan as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which authorizes the FCC to develop a strategy “to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability.”

August is usually a quiet time in Washington.  But staff members of the FCC were hard at work conducting a series of workshops to inform the broadband plan.  The conversations with various stakeholders are continuing into the fall and can be viewed on the FCC’s new broadband.gov website, where you can share your thoughts on a national broadband plan.

The workshops range in topic from infrastructure deployment to consumer adoption to how broadband can enhance key national priorities—kick-starting our economy, transforming our health care system and bringing education into the information age.  Broadband and the environment, wireless high-speed Internet, cybersecurity and global competition also have been among the many issues explored.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has expressed his commitment to data-driven decision-making.  What do the facts tell us today about the state of U.S. broadband?

96% of Americans have access to the high-speed Internet—and more than 4 out of 5 consumers have multiple choices in terms of the companies and technologies we use.

In fact, the U.S. is virtually the only country in the world with competing national infrastructure from both cable and telecom companies.  And, this is before you even get to the fastest-growing segment of broadband today—wireless broadband.

What makes it all possible? Innovation and investment.

Here, too, our nation has good news.  According to the Tech Policy Institute, the U.S. leads the world in broadband infrastructure investment.  The nation’s 1,400 high-speed Internet providers invest between $50 and $60 billion annually in these modern networks.

Where can we improve?

First, we need to connect everyone—and that means deploying to remotes corners of rural America where the private sector alone cannot reach.

Only about [5%] of Americans say they don’t have broadband because service is unavailable.  But the $7.2 billion in federal stimulus funds mark an important down payment on the nation’s commitment to reaching all Americans.

Of course, this is a relatively modest complement to the $60 billion in annual private sector investment U.S. broadband receives. So innovative solutions to reach the final 5% should build on our overall progress through constructive policies for private companies and government to work together to bring broadband to all corners of our nation.

The bigger challenge?  Ensuring all consumers take advantage of broadband in their daily lives.  As it stands today, 2 out of every 3 U.S. households has broadband.  Among those who have yet to make the digital leap, most say they simply have no interest in the Internet, don’t own a computer or aren’t comfortable with technology. Community-based digital literacy efforts are also among those seeking broadband stimulus funds and will be a critical component of any successful future national broadband plan.

Want to hear more about what the various stakeholders are telling the FCC?  Visit our sister site—NextGenWeb.org—for first-hand testimonials and in-depth coverage of the FCC workshops and other critical milestones to developing our nation’s broadband plan.

A future where all Americans not only connect to the high-speed Internet, but take full advantage of all that it can bring into our lives?  Our nation isn’t just betting on it—we’re planning for it. That’s all for this edition of Broadband Now.  Until next time, stay connected and stay informed about the nation’s broadband plan—and you.

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For sports fans and professional players alike, the online life of sports has taken off.  The recent U.S. Open is a prime example.  The website usopen.org gave tennis enthusiasts abundant opportunities to stay connected to the latest coverage.  Through the site, fans could watch matches live, see a Williams’ sister interview, and download the iPhone app to receive official U.S. Open Twitter updates, live scores, streaming radio coverage, or on-demand video clips.  A widget designed for U.S. Open coverage was also available for fans’ social media or home pages

Need even more of a social community to interact around sports games?  The new website, Fanbase.com, was created expressly for this purpose.  With the goal of serving as the web’s largest online almanac of pro and college athletes built by fans, Fanbase invites members to share news and reactions to the latest games. You can even sign in with Facebook to connect with friends who are fellow fans.  From SportsMates.com to GolfLink.com to BikeSpace.net, sports-driven social networking websites are springing up across the Internet and attracting followers.

Players, too, have become social media centric.  The U.S. Open’s tennis authorities sent out a “Twitter warning,” forbidding on-court tweeting and asking players to keep their off-court tweets to a minimum.  The NFL also recently adopted a no fun social media policy prohibiting tweeting by players before, during, and after games after a Cincinnati Bengal’s wide receiver was caught in-game tweeting.  But, for some players, Twitter is a powerful way to beat the press to the punch.  For example, Allen Iverson recently broke the news via Twitter that he signed with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.

Whether you’re an athlete or a spectator, the modern life of sports online is rich in broadband applications and information – uniting these communities in new and innovative ways.

Like millions of Americans, I listened to President Obama address on health care to the Joint Session of Congress. While I’m no expert on health care policy, I couldn’t help but hear some important points that resonate in the broadband policy debate.

Universal coverage. President Obama spoke passionately about the importance of leaving no American behind. By all accounts, his Administration appears equally committed to this important notion when it comes to broadband. Where are we today? A full 96% of Americans have access to broadband—and from federal stimulus efforts to private investment—there is near-universal commitment to finding innovative ways to reach these final digital frontiers. We still have a ways to go promoting digital literacy and overcoming other barriers to broadband adoption (the subject of recent FCC workshops on a national broadband strategy). But we also shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that U.S. broadband adoption has occurred at a much faster pace than any previous landmark innovation (see chart below). We have made extraordinary progress to date—and all stakeholders are committed to making universal broadband a reality.

A pro-market POV. The U.S. government is investing $7.2 billion in broadband deployment thanks to the recent stimulus package. Too often overlooked is the fact that the nation’s nearly 1,400 broadband providers invest more than $50 billion each year in U.S. communications networks. President Obama’s exact words last night: “Consumers do better when there’s choice and competition. That’s how the market works.” Today, the vast majority of Americans have multiple choices for their broadband service not only among companies, but also technologies, platforms and service plans. And, our nation stands virtually alone with its redundant nationwide broadband infrastructure. It’s a truly remarkable achievement given our country’s vast geography. The market works. And, when consumers have choices, their decisions, not static government policies, guide innovation.

We have 160 days to for the FCC to deliver a national broadband strategy. President Obama’s words last night were clearly focused on health care. But the lines he drew say something, too, about his underlying core beliefs. If the result is a passionate commitment to universal access and a pragmatic understanding of the constructive public, private and community engagement it will take to get us there, then our connected future may be healthy indeed