Early glimpses of the FCC's national broadband plan didn't impress consumer advocates, who noted that the plan really didn't do anything to rattle the status quo. Most annoying perhaps is that the plan doesn't even attempt to tackle the broadband industry's biggest problem: a lack of serious competition among ISPs in many markets. The FCC didn't do much to shake off that perception yesterday as they unveiled the "national purposes" outline of the plan. In a press release (pdf) and in the full report (pdf), the agency tackles issues such as health care, energy independence, homeland security, and even "civic engagement."

Once again however, the agency doesn't appear to be focusing on competition, nor does the plan at this juncture appear to make bold choices of any kind. While many of the goals and agendas listed are respectable (technology training for small disadvantaged businesses?), the list is an ocean of "safe," unoffensive policy targets (distracted driving, really?), the report fails utterly to tackle more major concerns in the sector, such as high prices, sub-par service, or the myriad of other problems caused by limited competition.

The report and slideshows do have a lot of very lovely pictures of individuals in various stages of technology use. But pretty pictures aren't of much use to users in broadband markets who have the choice of only one, overly expensive broadband provider. Nor does vaguely tackling "civic engagement" address the use of below the line fees to covertly jack up the amount that wireless and broadband customers pay each month. Addressing distracted driving isn't quite the same as exploring how incumbent carriers essentially control government and the legislative process in most of these partially-wired United States.

One telltale sign that the plan doesn't address competition (which for the biggest carriers means lower revenues and more work) is the fact that the plan is due to be unveiled in just 26 days, and there's still not a single telecom lobbyist complaining. Carriers utilize an endless army of sniping, chatty policy vessels to attack and dismantle any and every competitive threat. They're all dead quiet. In fact, the NCTA (which represents the largest cable carriers) quickly issued a statement that quite simply gushed over the FCC's vague, nebulous outline.

"The FCC’s broadband team deserves enormous credit for their effort to identify key national priorities and achievable goals that will improve America’s economic welfare and enhance basic government and societal services that millions of citizens rely on," says the NCTA. "The key challenges and opportunities outlined today all recognize how critical broadband is and will continue to be to ensure the U.S. remains competitive in key economic and societal sectors."

The NCTA's statement, much like the glimpses of the plan we've seen so far, and in fact most interviews with FCC boss Julius Genachowski for that matter, all appear symptomatic of a broader disease. The plan's primary architects seem to be using a litany of words -- but few appear to be actually saying anything. The FCC appears to have done a bang up job helping everyone involved in the plan feel good, but the end product of this collaboration -- our first national broadband plan ever -- so far looks like a bland, uninspired policy mess that tries to be everything to everyone, and as a result accomplishes very little.

On a bright note, we are hearing from several sources that there are a number of people less than enamored with the end result, and some individuals within the FCC are trying very hard to get some tougher measures built into the plan before it's unveiled to Congress in 26 days. But this is Washington D.C. after all, and companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast have already done their part to ensure the plan doesn't rock the uncompetitive, duopoly boat. Perhaps we'll all be pleasantly surprised, but most indications are that this plan is going to land with a deafening thud heard from coast to coast.