The heads of three broadband trade associations sent a letter to the White House Thursday urging stronger action on universal broadband access.
Signing the letter were Chip Pickering from INCOMPAS, who represents competitive fiber and fixed wireless builders, Shirley Bloomfield of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association representing rural providers, and Jonathan Adelstein from WIA, which counts wireless infrastructure companies as members. In the letter, they called on the Biden Administration to make “Broadband for All” central to its COVID-19 recovery efforts as infrastructure investment will stimulate education, telemedicine and small business growth.
The letter states, “Despite best efforts, we still face serious challenges in connecting all Americans, including businesses of all sizes, to high-speed broadband. We realize that the mission to achieve universal broadband availability is an ambitious but essential goal. In order to address the growing digital divide in this country and to expand the availability of faster, more affordable broadband in our communities, we call on your administration, Congress, and the [FCC] to support additional funding for a better broadband future for all Americans.”
The associations call for action that targets underserved areas that need it most, helping low-income Americans stuck on the wrong side of the digital divide purchase broadband services at affordable prices.
The letter calls for federal investment in wired, wireless and 5G infrastructure and better state and local coordination to remove barriers to deployment, ensuring that funding from the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program and future investments reach families and communities in need faster, stating, “COVID-19 has exposed deep gaps in Americans’ ability to access the internet, and it is time for our nation’s leaders and for Congress to act. Unfortunately, we hear too often about kids doing homework in parking lots because they lack access to fast, affordable broadband at home. This is a national tragedy. To meet this challenge, we ask the federal government to enable solutions that will make a significant difference in the lives of many.”
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