Did the FCC Get the Right Answers on Broadband Deployment?

In October 2019, the Federal Communications Commission released a Notice of Inquiry (NOI), launching its annual review to determine if broadband is reaching all Americans in a timely fashion. Back then, we examined the questions the FCC was asking and how they might color its decision. On April 24, the FCC released its 2020 broadband deployment report. Spoiler alert: the FCC majority found for the third consecutive year that broadband is being deployed on a reasonable and timely basis. But past this headline-grabbing conclusion, what else did the FCC find? Perhaps most importantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the FCC found that at least 18 million people in the U.S. do not have access to 25/3 Mbps broadband service at any price. These people can't work from home, can't continue their education while schools and university campuses are closed, and can't use telehealth services to avoid doctor's offices and hospital visits.