FCC Chief Seeks Broadband Plan to Aid the Poor

For 30 years, the federal government has helped millions of low-income Americans pay their phone bills, saying that telephone service is critical to summoning medical help, seeking work and, ultimately, climbing out of poverty. Now, the nation’s top communications regulator will propose offering those same people subsidized access to broadband Internet.

On May 28, that regulator, Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, will circulate a plan to his fellow commissioners suggesting sweeping changes to a $1.7 billion subsidy program charged with ensuring that all Americans have affordable access to advanced telecommunications services, according to senior agency officials. The effort is the FCC’s strongest recognition yet that high-speed Internet access is as essential to economic well-being as good transportation and telephone service. Chairman Wheeler will propose potentially giving recipients a choice of phone service, Internet service or a mix of both, the officials said. He will also suggest new measures to curb fraud, a source of criticism in recent years. While the plan is likely to secure the support of the FCC’s Democratic majority in a vote next month, it is almost certain to also set off fierce debate in Washington.