Moving Toward a Continuum Model for Broadband Affordability

The availability of reliable, high-speed internet throughout the United States has been a focus of policymakers for decades, with the need for an expansive broadband infrastructure listed as “the great infrastructure challenge” of the 21st century by the Federal Communication Commission. However, federal guidelines have never set a benchmark for what “reasonable prices” might mean for residents in each state, and there are no established benchmarks for determining what an affordable level of broadband service would look like throughout the country. Complicating the matter is the federal government’s goal of universal broadband access by 2030, pledging to connect “every resident and small business to reliable, affordable high-speed internet." However, as with previous telecommunications policies, the lack of a precise definition for what “affordable” means hinders achieving the goal of universal, affordable access. To advance assessments about affordability, this paper opens the discussion on what publicly available data would be needed related to broadband pricing that could fit within a continuum approach to broadband.