Obama’s 5-Year Tech Plan: High Speed Wireless Internet For 98% Of Americans

Remember when the study came out that most broadband connections in America weren’t really broadband? Well that might be a thing of the past after Obama just pledged to deliver high-speed connections to 98 per cent of Americans.

Here’s what the president had to say during his State of the Union speech:

“Within the next five years, we will make it possible for business to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98% of all Americans. This isn’t just about a faster internet and fewer dropped calls. It’s about connecting every part of America to the digital age. It’s about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers and small business owners will be able to sell their products all over the world. It’s about a firefighter who can download the design of a burning building onto a handheld device; a student who can take classes with a digital textbook; or a patient who can have face-to-face video chats with her doctor.”

Only one point of contention: FaceTime chats with my doctor? Sounds creepy. NO THANK YOU. (Also, what the hell is that thing in front of John Boehner?) [New York Times]


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.

At Gizmodo, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.