FCC chair making progress to bridge the digital divide

[Commentary] At a time the federal government is politically divided and posting record budget deficits, it would seem absurd to even think about tackling ambitious policy initiatives such as closing the digital divide. I have argued that this remains one of the most pressing issues of our time and was heartened it was also high on the agenda of Julius Genachowski when he was appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission more than three years ago. But I figured he'd have to shelve any large initiatives after the November 2010 election when Republicans took control of the U.S. House of Representatives. But to my pleasant surprise, he has not. Over the past two months, the FCC has announced several programs aimed at furthering the goal of national broadband adoption and closing the persistent digital divide. On Dec 15, Chairman Genachowski was in Silicon Valley for a news conference at the offices of VC firm Andreessen Horowitz, and his commitment to tackling the digital divide was on full display. "The costs of digital exclusion are high, and getting higher every day," Chairman Genachowski said. The occasion for his appearance was to announce the winners of Apps for Communities Challenge, staged in partnership with the Knight Foundation. On the scale of these things, it's a smaller but interesting example of the ways the FCC is approaching the digital divide.

Back in 2010, the FCC released a National Broadband Plan that was an ambitious attempt to reach universal broadband adoption while addressing the many complexities of the digital divide. Rather than fading away, the FCC made three important announcements this year that show it still has momentum:

1. The Universal Service Fund that for decades had been dedicated to telephone adoption was transformed into the Connect America Fund, which will generate $4.5 billion to help millions get access to broadband connections.
2. Connect to Compete, an agreement with broadband providers to create a $9.95-a-month plan for families that are eligible for federal lunch programs.
3. And the creation of a nonprofit public-private partnership with a long list of telecommunications and tech companies that will provide digital literacy and skill training.