Why We Can't Forget Cost When Discussing Broadband Mapping

Broadband deployment is important. But deployment is just one piece of the digital divide. Another crucial piece of the puzzle: the cost of broadband service. Policymakers can’t afford to leave out the collection of pricing data. Affordability is the biggest barrier to broadband adoption, yet is continually left out of the conversation about availability. For many Americans, this lack of focus on pricing data results in a flawed picture of access, hinders policymaking, and distorts funding decisions that could promote competition in their areas. Not only is the currently available data misleading for the government—it’s also misleading for the millions of Americans who live in areas where although a provider has deployed high-speed broadband, they don’t have effective access because the service costs too much. Should high-speed broadband be deemed “available” to that area if nobody can actually afford it?