The Keys To Unlocking Universal Broadband Are in the Hands of Our Communities

For so many people living in rural or low-income city neighborhoods, access to high-speed fiber-fed broadband would be a game-changer. Jobs are going remote, school is taught at a distance, and broadband is opening the door to telemedicine, reducing the need for trips to the doctor, but many people across the country still have no access to these options. After the pandemic hit, local governments rushed to step in to broaden internet access in rural and less affluent city neighborhoods, but unfortunately, in 18 US states, legal restrictions still make establishing municipal broadband prohibitively difficult. Federal governments will have to update their broadband information with expert input before their grant money can start flowing, but for now, communities can access infrastructure money going directly to the state or the city. With it, they can bring in broadband experts and facilitate its rapid deployment by removing roadblocks. By taking opportunities to pursue creative partnerships, communities can make broadband happen without having to worry about building it out themselves. Here are some examples of communities that already have.

[Cheri Beranek is the CEO of Clearfield and a 2021 Minnesota Business Hall of Fame inductee.]