We Finally Have a Federal Fiber Broadband Plan

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There is a lot to appreciate in the recently published Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) by the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA). It is arguably the first federal government proposal that seeks to promote infrastructure policies focused on the future, rather than the usual subsidizing “good enough for now” access. That means that the US government, or at least part of it, finally recognizes what appears obvious: that the future of internet access is in fiber. The NOFO contains a strong emphasis on the deployment of open-access infrastructure designed to facilitate competition and meet the growing needs of communities. Lastly, it promotes affordability key priority outcome of the many projects that will get financed with federal tax dollars. The Electronic Frontier Foundation dives into the details here.

[Ernesto Falcon is senior legislative counsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.]


We Finally Have a Federal Fiber Broadband Plan