Broadband and the States: The Critical Role of Partnerships

The recently signed $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill sets aside $65 billion to expand broadband access and equity across the nation. It is a once-in-a-generation investment that acknowledges how critical high-speed Internet is to quality of life and opportunity in America. The next move in broadband expansion belongs to the states, which are required to submit five-year action plans that illustrate how they will use the federal broadband funds to improve local economic development, education, health care and other vital needs. It’s an important requirement because it will force states to focus on broadband as a means to a greater end, not as the end itself: Laying fiber in the ground is only a first step to creating a truly connected nation. Now is the time for businesses, research organizations, community partners and others to participate in continuing state planning efforts, help to shape state strategies for using federal dollars, and develop plans that meet the needs of the state and its communities. These needs take shape in many ways, such as sharing information on skills gaps in the labor force, identifying evidence-based solutions for increasing telehealth usage, or elevating how living on a fixed income may influence aging Americans’ ability to access digital resources. It is more important than ever to find ways to help communities maximize the economic, educational, health and social benefits of high-speed Internet.

[Kathryn de Wit directs The Pew Charitable Trusts' Broadband Access Initiative.]