The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing a new ten-year plan intended to make the Internet the country's dominant communications network. The plan demands an intense build-up of high-speed Internet services to all sectors of the country, including rural and economically-challenged households. The FCC may propose in the plan a goal of 100 Mbps speeds to be in place at 100 million American homes in 10 years. The current average is less than 4 Mbps.

Dramatically increasing Internet speeds to 25 times the current average is one of the myriad goals to be unveiled in the National Broadband Plan by the FCC.

The plan is aimed at spurring the ever-changing communications industry to bring more and faster online services to Americans as they increasingly turn to the Internet to communicate, pay monthly bills, make travel plans, and be entertained by movies and music.

One aspect of the plan is to reform the Universal Service Fund, which is currently used to provide telephone access to rural and indigent citizens. Reducing phone subsidies and instead supporting the growth of broadband into these households would support access and affordability, according to the commission.

The plan would also promote a digital literacy program designed to help people learn online skills who have not had any experience with the Internet.

At odds with this plan are broadcasters and other media outlets that rely on alternative communication models. For example, the government is considering the reallocation of some of the broadband spectrum for Internet usage presently used by Blackberry and iPhone customers.

Communications and marketing executives should consider this push towards digital expansion as a key opportunity to accelerate their digital efforts as media outlets utilizing broadband models continue to grow and gain market share as each expands down the last "digital mile."