ITIF-政府拥有的宽带网络没有在公平的竞争环境中竞争（英）

itif.org Government-Owned Broadband Networks Are Not Competing on a Level Playing Field ELLIS SCHERER | DECEMBER 2024 In most cases, local governments have neither the competence nor the economies of scale to deliver broadband as well as private ISPs. So, favoring government-owned networks wastes societal resources, creates unfair competition, and is frequently unsustainable in the long run. KEY TAKEAWAYS  ITIF evaluated the finances, regulatory status, and economic sustainability of 20 government-owned broadband networks (GONs). The analysis found they are not competing on a level playing field with private Internet service providers (ISPs).  Governments are generally less efficient at building and operating broadband networks because they lack the experience, skill, and economies of scale of private broadband providers.  GONs often operate on an unlevel playing field, allowing them to compete unfairly with private ISPs.  These advantages include capital grants not available to private ISPs, tax exemptions, and more favorable treatment by state and local regulatory authorities.  When favoritism results in choosing duplicative or inefficient networks, the result is wasted U.S. societal resources.  States should be careful about using Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding to make GONs sustainable. U.S. broadband policy should advance broad national interests, not prop up subsidized GONs. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION FOUNDATION | DECEMBER 2024 PAGE 2 CONTENTS Key Takeaways ................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3 What Is a Good GON? ......................................................................................................... 4 GONs Lack Transparency .................................................................................................... 4 GONs Waste Scarce Resources ............................................................................................ 4 Profitability .................................................................................................................... 6 GONs Compete Unfairly ...................................................................................................... 8 Right-of-Way and Infrastructure Access Advantages ............................................................ 8 Minnesota ................................................................................................................... 8 Tennessee Valley Authority ........................................................................................... 9 Alabama ..................................................................................................................... 9 Funding Source Advantages ....................................................