Indiana’s identity as the Crossroads of America is an expression of its superior infrastructure. Roads, railroads and waterways gave Hoosiers access to the world around them – and allow Indiana-made products to be easily transported in any direction.

These easy logistics in part have made Indiana a manufacturing hub for the United States and the globe.

Infrastructure matters.

What will be the “roads” of the next century – and will Indiana be able to take advantage?

Just as commerce rumbled along the roads of the last century, in the new economy commerce is transmitted instantaneously along high-speed fiber-optic lines that crisscross our state, making Hoosiers more interconnected than ever. To compete in the global economy, Indiana job creators must have access to the most technologically advanced networks.

In an industry where technology advances and changes by the day, only nimble ever-evolving private providers can keep up.

Private companies have invested billions in infrastructure in Indiana to make advanced communications possible – extending broadband to every corner of the state supported by a sustainable business plan that allows for affordable service while keeping pace with constantly changing technology.

All of this is made possible through robust market-based competition and a level playing field for all private service providers.

In the midst of this competitive market is a state government-owned service provider called I-Light.

Operated by Indiana University, I-Light is an information- and data-sharing conduit among Indiana’s public and private colleges, universities and community colleges. It is an important resource available to Indiana students and researchers and a useful tool to connect with similar institutions across the state and the globe.

I-Light is part of the reason that our state has such a world-class university system.

For this reason, it is critical I-Light maintain its exclusive higher education mission.

If the I-Light network were to expand beyond its higher education mission, Indiana’s private communications providers would be forced to compete on an uneven playing field with this taxpayer-subsidized competitor.

Expansion of the network would mean the government could edge out private telecommunications firms that already provide service and have made multi-million dollar investments in high-speed networks.

Scarce taxpayer dollars should not be used in anti-competitive, duplicative practices that put private firms at a disadvantage and cost jobs.

According to a recent report from the Coalition for the New Economy, the road is littered with failed government-owned broadband networks.

Notably, the networks “lack a sustainable business plan and long-term resources to invest in maintenance and necessary upgrades as technology evolves.” Worse yet, when the networks fail, the taxpayers are still holding the bill.

This session, the legislature should promote a fair and open communications market by limiting I-Light to its traditional mission of serving higher education alone.

By keeping the government out of the telecommunication business, Indiana can ensure that all Hoosiers reap the benefits of access to faster and more affordable broadband service all over the state without unnecessary government interference.

As the Crossroads of America, Indiana has always been a national leader in infrastructure – a heritage that has allowed our state to grow and create jobs.

Today, Indiana’s telecommunications companies are continuing to provide the new information infrastructure necessary to transport Indiana into the new economy.