[imgbelt img=NewCableModem.jpg]The Obama administration intends to spend $6 billion wiring rural and urban center for high speed internet access. Saul Hansell asks in today’s New York Times, “Does Broadband Need a Stimulus?” Hansell writes that the problem with the plan is providing subsidies for increasing the speed of existing broadband connections. Hansell writes that “noise” about “how America has fallen behind other nations in its broadband infrastructure” is “hooey.” There is new technology that will easily jump the connection speed for 19 out of 20 American homes.”Most of the $6 billion is meant to subsidize broadband service in “underserved areas,” mainly the small fraction of households in rural and some urban areas that can’t readily connect to any broadband service,” Hansell writes approvingly. “Interestingly, much of the money will go to fund wireless broadband service. That may be an efficient way to reach some rural areas.”