‘Just Good Enough’ Broadband Isn’t Good Enough

The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a bright spotlight on the fact that we still need to connect all Americans with the best possible broadband, no matter whether they live in urban or rural areas or upper or lower-income neighborhoods. The problem is that too many have a shortsighted view of what “the best broadband” means. To some, it means “just good enough” – speeds or latency that may appear okay today but will fall short tomorrow. This myopic view makes no sense when you’re investing in networks meant to last for 10 or 20 years. To the members of our associations, “the best broadband” means a connection that meets the needs of families and businesses for years to come and whenever the next crisis hits. It means a network where upstream and downstream speeds are equally important. For these reasons, we need to aim higher and do better — and we cannot afford to resign rural or lower-income Americans to second-class service. Not everyone will get the best broadband right away, but we should not adopt policies and programs that aim for “just good enough” speeds today. We should not see “technological neutrality” become a codeword for awarding “soccer trophies” when it comes to broadband goals. We should not put ourselves in the position where, when another crisis arises, we’re wondering yet again why people don’t have robust and reliable connections at home. Instead, we need to drive investment in broadband infrastructure that will provide the kinds of performance consumers will want and need for years and even decades to come. That means driving more investment in fiber.

[Shirley Bloomfield is chief executive officer of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association, which represents nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies across rural America. Lisa R. Youngers is the president and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, the largest and only trade association in the Americas dedicated to the pursuit of all-fiber-optic network infrastructure.]