We Need Broadband for America Now

“We should construct broadband policy based on the ways people use broadband, and that has changed drastically,” writes Benton Senior Fellow Jonathan Sallet in “Broadband for America Now.” He’s absolutely right. Everything has changed since the coronavirus pandemic began – including the ways we use broadband. SHLB has long argued that community anchor institutions (CAIs) require high-quality broadband to serve their communities in the 21st century. We also push for deploying broadband “to and through” anchors to connect surrounding residents. In his essay, Sallet acknowledges that the need for policies enabling “to and through” has never been more clear. Sallet offers the following recommendations with regard to CAIs: 

1. Ensure that everyone can access anchor institution broadband: Congress should adopt broadband credits and deployment funding, promote competitive rates for anchors, and guarantee CAIs access to spectrum. 

2. Ensure that CAIs have the necessary bandwidth to meet increased demand, at competitive prices: Policymakers must establish connectivity goals to accommodate this ever-rising demand, support CAIs with direct funding, and fully fund the RHC program to sustain the telehealth boom. 

3. Use anchors as a launching pad for community-based broadband access and competition: To build broadband “to and through” CAIs, the FCC must allow E-rate participants to share their networks with the community.