Can Federal Broadband Programs Work Together Better?

In May 2022, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published an oft-quoted report that described federal funding for broadband as a “fragmented, overlapping patchwork.” Despite more than 100 broadband-related programs investing millions of dollars into deployment, affordability, planning, digital skills, and connective devices, GAO found that “millions of Americans still lack broadband, and communities with limited resources may be most affected by fragmentation.” GAO asked the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to present to Congress a report that 1) identifies the key statutory provisions limiting the beneficial alignment of broadband programs and 2) offers legislative proposals to address the limitations, as appropriate. On September 6, 2024, NTIA released Proposals to Improve Broadband Program Alignment to fulfill GAO's request. Here we highlight NTIA's major findings.