Friday, May 7, 2021
Headlines Daily Digest
The government is making broadband more affordable — for now. How do we make that permanent?
Don't Miss:
Broadband Equity: Addressing Disparities in Access and Affordability
Price Too High and Rising: The Facts About America’s Broadband Affordability Gap
Fake Comments: How US Companies & Partisans Hack Democracy to Undermine Your Voice
Digital Inclusion
Broadband Infrastructure
Net Neutrality
Platforms/Social Media
Satellites
Broadcasting
Privacy
Stories From Abroad
Company News
Digital Inclusion
The House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing on the disparities that exist in accessing affordable, reliable high-speed internet in the US. The panel heard from the National Urban League's Joi Chaney, Public Knowledge President Chris Lewis, Francella Ochillo of Next Century Cities, and George Ford, the chief economist at the Phoenix Center. As you are probably aware, not all households in the United States can subscribe to home internet service, sometimes due to non-existent or inadequate infrastructure and other times due to the inability to afford the cost of service. While a higher share of rural households lacks a broadband subscription compared to the share of urban households, by total numbers, three times as many non-subscribing households are located in non-rural areas. And while 80 percent of White adults report having home broadband, this is true of only 71 percent of Black adults and 65 percent of Hispanic adults. The hearing was aimed at examing three issues related to universal broadband use: access to high-speed networks, affordable service, and digital literacy and skills. [much more at the URL below]
Priorities and Policies To Connect the Unconnected Worldwide in Light of the 2021 International Telecommunication Union World Telecommunication Development Conference
The World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC–2021) will set the priorities and activities for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecommunication Development Sector in areas such as connectivity and digital inclusion. Through this Notice, NTIA is seeking public comments regarding activities, priorities, and policies that advance telecommunications and information and communications technology (ICT) development worldwide to assist the US government in the development of its position for the conference. NTIA is seeking comments and recommendations on activities, priorities, and policies that advance telecommunications and information and communications technology (ICT) development worldwide. In general, the US government’s goal is to strengthen open, inclusive, and secure digital ecosystems as nations work towards universal connectivity. Additionally, the US government seeks to leverage private sector collaboration to strengthen local capacity, create improved outcomes for development and humanitarian assistance, encourage adoption of US values, ensure adherence to internationally recognized standards, improve cybersecurity, and foster open markets to close the global digital divide.
Comments are due on or before June 7, 2021.
The facts on pricing and profits for the US broadband industry, the varying ways to measure prices, the important differences between these methods, and how certain methods can be used to obfuscate the reality of what is happening in the market and at the kitchen table. Government and industry data note the strength and weaknesses in each form and highlight how the ISP industry and its apologists use this kind of data to mislead. Some of our findings include:
- Monthly Broadband Bills Continue to Rise Far Faster than the Rate of Inflation
- Low-Priced Offerings Are Disappearing, Threatening to Cement the Digital Divide and Disrupt the Post-COVID Economic Recovery
- US Government Data Contradict ISPs’ Claims About U.S. Price Superiority
- ISPs Are Enjoying Record Profits as They Increase Prices and Reduce Investments
Congress created a $3 billion fund to provide low-income Americans with $50 per month for broadband service. The subsidies start May 12 and the program is, for now, temporary. Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, "I think we have to study this program ... see what good it did, who it was able to connect, because I think if we study that data, we’re going to learn more about what we need to do with respect to affordability in order to get everybody connected in this country." Asked about the potential impact on the Lifeline program which offers just $9.25/month, Chairwoman Rosenworcel said, "the Lifeline program is a program that’s been around since President Reagan was in office. And most [phone] calling involved a curly cord that was attached to a jack in the wall. And today, dial tone in the digital age is internet access. And that program has not been really right-sized and fully shaped for the internet era. But this new emergency broadband benefit program is. So I really hope we can study it, learn from it, and work with Congress to extend it, or figure out how we update and reform Lifeline so that we have a stronger and more enduring broadband affordability program in this country."
In light of many moving pieces and the potential broadband funding streams, we recommend communities take the following steps to develop a funding strategy and position themselves competitively for federal dollars:
- Explore potential partnerships. If you already know the areas of your community that are served and unserved by broadband, reach out to potential partners directly or write a request for proposals (RFP) or a request for information (RFI) to get a better understanding of potential partnerships. It can be a good strategy to target larger geographic areas at the outset and refine the service area later to reflect factors such as partner priorities, community need, and funding eligibility.
- Develop a community mapping initiative. If a broadband mapping effort is not already underway in your community, it would be a valuable project to pursue. In some cases, especially if there is a potential partnership on the table, incumbent broadband providers will share their actual network maps. The local school district may also have data about which neighborhoods have broadband gaps.
- Watch for updates from the Federal Communications Commission. It is prudent to keep a close eye on FCC announcements of Rural Digital Opportunity Fund bidder certifications or denials, to understand whether any areas will open up for second-round bidding (or other funding) in your community.
- Build support for a broadband project. Finally, make sure your executive stakeholders are in the loop and supportive of project priorities. At minimum, you may need their approval, and you may need a pool of matching funds available, too, depending on the funding program. It is never too early to start having internal conversations about how to gather community resources behind a potential broadband initiative.
One policy issue that has haunted every Federal Communications Commission in the past decade, and then some, is net neutrality. That’s the idea that internet service providers have to treat all content equally and can’t slow down or charge more for certain kinds of content. Rules have ping-ponged between administrations. Obama’s FCC put neutrality rules in place in 2015 and Trump’s appointee repealed them in 2017. New Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel supports net neutrality rules. She said, "I think things are always sturdier when they’re written into law. But I also think that when the FCC chose, in 2015, to update its rules and make sure that net neutrality was in its policies, that decision was ultimately upheld in the courts. So I think that the agency can move here, too." Since the 2017 repeal, she said, "Congress has expressed a lot of interest in this issue. There was a law passed in the House of Representatives to try to bring back net neutrality, [but] it did not make its way through the Senate. But one result of Congress working on this issue is that most of our providers have been on their best behavior. I’m not sure that we have a real assessment of what’s happened over the last few years, like you’re describing, but I think interest in this issue is still high. And I still support net neutrality, no doubt about it."
This report is the product of an extensive investigation by the New York Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of the parties that sought to influence the Federal Communications Commission’s 2017 proceeding to repeal the agency’s net neutrality rules. In the course of that investigation, the OAG obtained and analyzed tens of thousands of internal emails, planning documents, bank records, invoices, and data comprising hundreds of millions of records. Our investigation confirmed many contemporaneous reports of fraud that dogged that rulemaking process. The OAG found that millions of fake comments were submitted through a secret campaign, funded by the country’s largest broadband companies, to manufacture support for the repeal of existing net neutrality rules using lead generators. And millions more were submitted by a 19- year old college student using made-up identities. The OAG also found that the FCC’s rulemaking proceeding was not unique. Some of the same parties and tactics have infected other rulemakings and processes for public engagement.
- The Broadband Industry’s Campaign to Repeal Net Neutrality Rules in 2017 Resulted in Over 8.5 Million Fake Comments to the FCC — Nearly 40% of the FCC’s Total — and Over Half a Million Fake Letters to Congress
- The FCC Received Over 9.3 Million Fake Comments Supporting Net Neutrality That Used Fictitious Identities, Most of Which Were Submitted by a 19-Year Old College Student Using Automated Software
- Lead Generators’ Fraud in Other Advocacy Campaigns Resulted in Millions More Fake Comments, Messages, and Petitions to Government Entities
Benton (www.benton.org) provides the only free, reliable, and non-partisan daily digest that curates and distributes news related to universal broadband, while connecting communications, democracy, and public interest issues. Posted Monday through Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments, policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are factually accurate, their sometimes informal tone may not always represent the tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang (headlines AT benton DOT org) and Robbie McBeath (rmcbeath AT benton DOT org) — we welcome your comments.
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