The last major overhaul of U.S. federal telecommunications laws occurred nine years ago, with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Now Congress--along with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), state and local governments, and a cast of thousands representing the interests of the telecommunications industry, its customers, and many other stakeholders--is reopening the reform debate. This time around, a central theme will be the Internet, and higher education has a particularly high stake in the outcome. Colleges and universities are both major customers and major suppliers of telecommunications and information services. More important, they are banking on the rapid deployment of an affordable broadband Internet that connects everyone, everywhere. Although nearly all parties in the telecommunications debate support the goal of extending broadband Internet services to everyone, they differ substantially in "how" to do so. This article discusses the differences in tactics and details that make up the heart of the debate on telecommunications reform, and why higher education must take a large and direct role in this debate. (Contains 1 figure and 3 notes.)