To Bridge the Digital Divide, States Need to Allow Community Networks

The broadband funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a good and overdue start, but more solutions must be deployed and supported if we are to solve this persistent challenge of under-connected communities. Specifically, the bipartisan infrastructure law fails to recognize the important role solutions like municipal and community networks can play in building a stronger, more resilient post-COVID economy — particularly in the hardest-hit communities, which are disproportionately low-income communities of color. More must be done to remedy the structural barriers to these simple, community-based solutions. Without changing these policies, municipalities will continue to face challenges in providing local broadband services to their citizens and the historic infrastructure investment will do nothing but replicate our existing connectivity challenges. It is time for communities to take the lead. We need both broader investment in infrastructure from the federal government and policies that support locally owned, operated and affiliated broadband networks at the community level.

[Mark Buell is regional vice president, Internet Society. Boyd Stephens is regional network operator, I85 Cyber Corridor Initiative.]