home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Ian & Stuart's Australian Mac: Not for Sale
/
Another.not.for.sale (Australia).iso
/
fade into you
/
being there
/
Organisations
/
EFF
/
Articles
/
nii_task_force.q-a
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-05-29
|
10KB
|
235 lines
[note: this is a govt. document]
THE NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the National Information Infrastructure (NII)?
The National Information Infrastructure will consist of (1)
thousands of interconnected, interoperable telecommunications
networks, (2) computer systems, televisions, fax machines,
telephones, and other "information appliances", (3) software,
information services, and information databases (e.g. "digital
libraries"), and (4) trained people who can build, maintain, and
operate these systems. In the future, the NII will enable all
Americans to get the information they need, when they need it and
where they need it, for an affordable price.
2. Who will own and manage the National Information
Infrastructure?
o The Administration believes that the private sector should
own and operate the National Information Infrastructure.
o The private sector currently invests approximately $50
billion annually in the U.S. telecommunications infrastructure.
The privately-owned networks funded by this substantial
investment will continue to be the basis of the NII. Even
current Federally-supported networks operating on a national
scale, such as Internet, rely on facilities leased from private
sector providers, and this relationship will not change.
o The Administration's program stresses a government-private
sector partnership in which the Federal government promotes
necessary development, but does not become the national network
operator.
3. What is the Federal role in the National Information
Infrastructure?
There is much the Federal government can do to accelerate
the development of the National Information Infrastructure,
including:
o Support long-term research and development by industry,
universities, and Federal labs on the technology needed to build
and effectively us the NII.
o Fund demonstration projects to help test applications of the
NII.
o Develop forward-looking telecommunications policies that:
(1) ensure that all Americans have access to the benefits of the
NII, (2) encourage private-sector investment in building and
utilizing the NII, and (3) create a competitive market for
telecommunications and information services.
o Address information policy issues, such as those relating to
privacy and intellectual property rights.
o Effectively utilize the NII and information technology to
provide better government services.
4. How much will it cost to build the National Information
infrastructure?
o Most experts estimate that it will require at least $50 to
$100 billion in private-sector investment over the next ten years
to build the telecommunications links and facilities required for
the NII.
o The Federal government is presently investing about $1.2
billion a year to promote development and deployment of the
information technology needed for the NII.
5. Overall, what do you hope to achieve with the NII
initiative?
o The Administration intends to spur the development of a
National Information Infrastructure (NII), which will ultimately
connect the nation's businesses, residences, schools, health care
facilities, and other public information and social service
providers through a broadband, interactive, telecommunications
and information network. The NII will be capable of transporting
large quantities of data at high speed and make two-way video as
commonplace as phone conversations are today.
o The NII will pay enormous dividends to the nation's economic
competitiveness and the quality of life of our citizens. It will
provide Americans with access to the information they need, where
they need it, when they need it. It is essential if the U.S. is
to compete in the 21st Century and remain an economic superpower.
6. Why is the Information Infrastructure Task Force needed?
o Many different agencies make policies that affect different
components of the National Information Infrastructure. In
addition, Federal agencies will use and contribute to the
National Information Infrastructure. The task force is needed to
ensure that the entire Administration is acting in concert to
accelerate the development and use of the NII.
7. Who will be on the Information Infrastructure Task Force
(IITF)?
o The task force will consist of high-level representatives of
the key Federal agencies involved in telecommunications and
information policy. Participating agencies include the
Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department
of Justice, the Department of State, the General Services
Administration, and a number of research agencies. Within the
White House, the National Economic Council, the Office of Science
and Technology Policy, and the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget will
play key roles.
8. What is the function of the Advisory council of the National
Information Infrastructure and when will it be formed?
o The members of the advisory council will include
representatives of industry, labor, academia, public interest
groups, and state and local governments. The council will
provide advice on all the issues faced the IITF and assemble
groups of experts to work with the working groups of the IITF.
o The Advisory Council will have 25 members, appointed by the
Secretary of Commerce. On behalf of the Department of Commerce,
NTIA is currently compiling a list of potential nominees. The
Administration intends to have the Advisory Council hold its
first meeting in December.
9. Is the National Information Infrastructure going to consist
primarily of fiber-optic networks?
o The NII initiative will leave the choice of transmission
technology to the private sector. Different technologies will
provide different services and capabilities and fill different
market niches. The Administration's goal is to promote
development of a network of high-speed networks, using different
technologies but all interconnected.
o For example, as noted in the "Agenda for Action", the
Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and
Information Administration will provide funding to state and
local governments, health care providers, school districts,
libraries, universities, and other non-profit entities for
planning and developing the infrastructure capabilities they need
to provide critical services. We anticipate that funded projects
will employ a variety of transmission technologies, including
satellite, terrestrial microwave, copper telephone wires, coaxial
cables, and fiber optic cables.
10. How can the NII help the United States by more competitive
in global markets?
o Properly used, information technologies can raise the
productivity of American workers.
o The widespread deployment of personal computers and
local area networks has brought the speed and efficiency of word
processing and electronic mail to the workplace.
o Dramatic cost reductions and impressive gains in
compression techniques, while improving video quality, have
combined to make video conferencing an important business
strategy for firms that could not afford it or rejected its
picture quality in the past.
o Faster data transmission speeds at affordable prices
have resulted in improved performance for some, for example, in
the financial or research communities. Producers have benefited
from "intelligent manufacturing," through employment of robots,
computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing, and other
innovations.
o The NII will provide scientists and engineers with the
tools they need to more quickly develop new technologies and turn
them into products. By reducing the product development cycle,
American companies can increase market share and profits.
o As productivity increases, firms are able to pass cost
savings on to customers in the form of lower prices. Or new
technologies may permit new capabilities, such as the increased
mobility afforded by wireless communications services. These
cost and feature improvements redound to the firms' advantage in
the marketplace.
o In turn, greater U.S. competitiveness translates into a
higher standard of living for Americans as personal and business
incomes rise.
11. Can you explain how a data highway can create new jobs and
enhance the productivity and growth of our small businesses?
o The vast majority of new jobs that have been created in this
country over the past three decades have been with small and
medium-sized businesses. Therefore, it is especially important
that the telecommunications infrastructure is capable of helping
smaller businesses prosper, in order to support their "job
creation" role in the economy.
o A modern telecommunication infrastructure can also promote
small business and job creation by making it easier for larger
businesses to outsource tasks to smaller ones. U.S. businesses
are increasingly operating as so-called "organizations without
walls" and find that relationships with smaller businesses can be
an efficient and flexible means of meeting global competition.
o Regrettably, government policy may not have kept up with
these dynamic trends in the private sector. Although larger,
wealthy firms can readily invest in private telecommunication
equipment and services to meet their needs, smaller,
entrepreneurial firms do not necessarily have the same access to
sophisticated communications capabilities.
12. How is the government effort organized?
TO BE SUPPLIED
13. What are the principal government agencies and their roles?
TO BE SUPPLIED
14. What are the ongoing NII-related programs?
TO BE SUPPLIED
15. List of acronyms
TO BE SUPPLIED