| Popis: |
With Internet access increasingly a vital element of day to day life, this paper explores the concept of the universal service obligation (USO) in telecommunications law and policy, and considers the arguments for it to be expanded in the digital age to include access to broadband as a fundamental right. It considers aspects of United States, European Union, and United Kingdom policy to consider the digital inclusion limitations of a legal concept that was created in an analogue time. Highlighting the increasing use of broadband and mobile telephony, the paper argues for a broader concept of universal service to emerge to help connect the digitally excluded and let them take their rightful place as digital citizens. |
