NCTA-The Internet and Television Association

Congress is going big on broadband. It has appropriated more than $20 billion to spend on broadband in just the last several months. That is a huge amount compared to past efforts, equating to almost 25% of the annual revenues of the entire fixed broadband industry. And, in the wings is an infrastructure bill that could deliver another whopping $100 billion in spending. As legislators begin to sign more broadband stimulus checks, it is imperative that they establish critical safeguards and avoid classic traps that have undermined past programs.

NCTA members have connected over 10 million consumers to broadband internet through low-income broadband programs. The Federal Communications Commission is currently seeking public input on the program and will adopt program rules by the end of February. To rapidly connect more Americans to broadband using the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, NCTA recommends that the FCC:

A recent Morning Consult survey reports that over half of Americans today (55 percent) say they are interested in subscribing to gigabit speed internet service. The same survey asked consumers about the attributes they see important for future internet services, and perhaps not surprisingly, speed and security rose to the top. Eight-six percent of those surveyed said “unparalleled speed” was critical while 89 percent said that greater encryption, privacy and protection is necessary in broadband internet to keep their information and online activity safe online.