NDIA Comments to FCC on Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

On Jan 25, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance submitted comments in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s public notice on the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB). Along with thirty-six signatories, they wrote their comments focusing on:

1. The FCC and Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) should implement the EBB program with maximum public transparency with respect to providers’ offerings, participation data, and operational issues.
2. They support placing the administration of the EBB fully within USAC. Still, USAC must aggressively step up to this role — assuming primary responsibility for the overall marketing of the EBB and offering program participants and community stakeholders easy access to a robust ombudsman resource.
3. The FCC and USAC should make every effort to engage experienced digital inclusion practitioners as partners in program design, marketing and troubleshooting; and to encourage provider and third-party support for EBB education and enlistment efforts led by competent, trusted community leadership.
4. In creating its process for qualifying EBB providers, the FCC must recognize the growing role of nonprofit, mission-driven affordable networks in many communities, as well as innovative arrangements that community bodies such as school boards and housing authorities have made with a variety of providers to ensure broadband access for their students, unemployed residents and others during the pandemic.
5. The EBB should offer participating households the greatest degree of choice among internet services and plans that is possible within the law’s requirements.