Closing the Digital Divide Means Policy, Technology Modernization

The Telecom Act of 1996 turns 20 in February, and while the more open path for competition that the Act accomplished has resulted in a breathtaking expansion of communications options for many, the Digital Divide still persists. The Federal Communications Commission and private industry are looking to modernize their approaches to rural and underserved communities in order to address this. While the FCC has worked on many policies that have real effects on the market -- notably the Open Internet Order -- the Commission is now focused on crafting a broadband-led policy that translates into real benefits for consumers and for the economy, according to FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.

A first area of focus for broadband expansion is in schools and libraries. When it comes to the Lifeline program, Commissioner Rosenworcel noted that this too is a legacy policy. It was first implemented in 1985 under President Ronald Reagan. “Washington is not a normal place, and you can get lost in policy discussions and get into pitched battles about specific word choices in a regulation,” she said. “But it’s so important to remember what those words mean on the ground. It is incredibly valuable when you can remind everyone in Washington on every issue that there are real people at the end of the line. Hearing from consumers directly is critically important.”