The White House released state-by-state examples on Monday to highlight what it says is the urgent need for the investments proposed by President Biden in the American Jobs Plan. Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure package includes $100 billion in subsidies for broadband deployment, Inside Towers reported last week.
The “fact sheets” highlight the percentage of households without access to broadband, in addition to other infrastructure needs. For example, the White House rates the state of Maryland a “C” overall for infrastructure needs. On broadband specifically, it states: “3.8 percent of Marylanders live in areas where, by one definition, there is no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds. And 34.5 percent of Marylanders live in areas where there is only one such internet provider. Even where infrastructure is available, broadband may be too expensive to be within reach. 10.9 percent of Maryland households do not have an internet subscription.”
The state of Georgia fared better, getting a “C-plus” overall infrastructure rating. On broadband specifically, the fact sheet states: “10 percent of Georgians live in areas where, by one definition, there is no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds. And 38.8 percent of Georgians live in areas where there is only one such internet provider. Even where infrastructure is available, broadband may be too expensive to be within reach. 15 percent of Georgia households do not have an internet subscription.”
Several states, including Arkansas, didn’t get a grade. The White House noted these states have suffered from a lack of infrastructure investment “for decades.”
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