Diane Cornell, VP at Inmarsat, argues that national broadband policy considerations should be developed from an appreciation of the specific problems to be solved (for example, the need for national competitiveness, innovation, rural development, job creation, affordability and uptake issues) and should stem from defining the goals for broadband deployment. Government intervention has a major role to play, but governments should not "hold their thumbs" on the scale and subsidize unpromising approaches.

1. U.S. and Other Government Intervention in the Broadband Market – Approaches, Implementation, and Impacts International Institute of Communications Telecommunications and Media Forum December 1, 2009 Diane Cornell Vice President, Government Affairs - Inmarsat