Universal Broadband

Approximately 85% of residents of Tribal lands in rural areas lack access to high-speed fixed broadband. Put more plainly, if you are part of that 85%, it’s almost like living in a different era—one in which it’s much harder to improve your life and the lives of your families. Discussions in Washington about 5G wireless networks, superfast Wi-Fi, and telemedicine don’t mean much if you don’t have access to them.

What can the Federal Communications Commission do to bring the benefits of digital communications to Indian Country? This past April, the FCC unanimously proposed several measures aimed at encouraging greater Internet access. These proposals build upon previous FCC decisions to make federal funding available for building new broadband networks. I’ve made clear that constructing these networks in rural areas, including unserved and underserved Tribal lands, is a top priority of mine.

[Commentary] Admittedly, “infrastructure” might not immediately come to mind when you think “Federal Communications Commission.” But maybe it should. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai often begins and ends his speeches talking about infrastructure investment. The analogy may be getting shop-worn, but in this day and age, who can doubt that reliable high-speed broadband networks are as crucial a component of the nation’s infrastructure as last century’s interstate highways.

Eliminating public utility-like regulation in the Restoring Internet Freedom rulemaking is an important part of the FCC’s focus on spurring greater investment by our nation’s internet service providers. And the pending proposals to encourage more investment in high-speed wireline and wireless broadband networks by eliminating, or at least curtailing, unnecessary or costly regulatory impediments have the same objective. Spurring private sector investment by internet service providers in high-speed broadband networks should be viewed as a key part of the nation’s infrastructure program. And the FCC should be viewed as a key infrastructure agency.

[Randolph J. May is president of the Free State Foundation]

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai issued the following statement on introduction of the Gigabit Opportunity (GO) Act (HR 2870) by Rep Doug Collins (R-GA) originally co-sponsored by Rep Jason Smith (R-MO). The companion bill in the Senate was introduced by Sen Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).

Pai said, “I'm thrilled to see the effort to establish Gigabit Opportunity Zones continue to gain steam in the House of Representatives, thanks to Congressman Collins' leadership in introducing the GO Act. This legislation, which complements legislation introduced last month by Senator Shelley Moore Capito, would create targeted tax incentives and streamline regulations in order to remove some of the barriers that hold back high-speed Internet access in too many communities I'm thankful for Congressman Collins’ leadership on this issue. Having just traveled across five Midwestern and Northern Plains states, I can tell you that much of rural America is on the wrong side of the digital divide. Many urban areas are, too. Encouraging investment in economically disadvantaged communities can close that divide and benefit all Americans."

Several organizations representing or serving rural telco and electric/utility providers have launched a campaign aimed at facilitating rural broadband deployment partnerships between telecommunications, municipals and electrics/utilities in unserved or underserved communities. The campaign, dubbed Partners in Broadband, comes from NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association and several key rural broadband supplier organizations, including National Information Solutions Cooperative, NRTC and National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance.

Rep Doug Collins (R-GA) has introduced a bill that would provide a tax incentive to companies to build out rural broadband, providing a House version of a Senate bill, with both backing up a proposal long-advocated by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai. The Gigabit Opportunity (GO) Act would allow companies to defer capital gains taxes when they converted those gains into "long-time" investments into designated Gigabit Opportunity Zones. That means expensing investments on rural broadband buildouts on the "front end." The goal is to boost competition and speed investment, something Chairman Pai has said is an FCC priority for rural areas. Rep Collins said his bill would "dovetail" with the FCC's proposal to streamline broadband regulations, both wired and wireless. The bill is actually dovetailing with another dovetail, as it is a companion to one introduced in the Senate in May by Sen Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).

In an effort to better understand the challenges facing rural broadband internet service providers, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has been traveling west from Milwaukee (WI) toward Wyoming for the past week, making stops in rural towns across America. On June 9, he made a stop at Black Hills State University for a roundtable discussion with area telecommunications stakeholders. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) was also in attendance.

Asked, "Can you speak a little bit about the FCC’s efforts to increase broadband service to rural areas as it relates to closing the digital divide between rural and urban areas?" Chairman Pai said, "This to me is the No. 1 issue that we need to be focused on." Asked, "There’s been a pretty consistent characterization of you as an enemy of net neutrality. What’s your reaction to this label? Is it wrong?" Chairman Pai said, "I would hope that people of goodwill would focus on the facts, and the facts are that everyone supports a free and open internet....No one is talking about leaving consumers to the mercy of any competitive monopolist. All we’re talking about is how to best preserve that core value of the open internet and preserve the incentive to invest in the networks going forward."

Some states, including Colorado, are not relying solely on federal programs to help bring broadband to unserved rural areas. Telecompetitor recently interviewed Tony Neal-Graves, associate director of the Colorado Broadband Office, about Colorado broadband policy and about the $2.1 million in grant funding that will be made available to network operators for broadband policy.

The Colorado Broadband Office will administer the fund. As Neal-Graves explained, the fund that the Colorado Broadband Office will award is the second of two Colorado-based broadband programs. The first program, administered through the Department of Local Affairs, was funded through royalties paid to the state for metal extraction. The program provided close to $20 million on a one-time basis to create a strategic plan for each region in the state and for middle mile deployments.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that the US Department of Agriculture is awarding four loans to help provide broadband service in rural portions of California, Illinois, Iowa and Texas. USDA’s partnerships with more than 500 telecommunications providers across the country fund broadband infrastructure investments that are uniquely designed to meet the specific needs of each rural community. These projects connect residents, businesses, health care facilities and community facilities – including schools, libraries and first responders – to the internet. The $43.6 million announced today will add nearly 1,000 miles of fiber to fund broadband service.

Thanks to an “extraordinary” response to an RFP issued earlier in 2017, a Pennsylvania broadband aggregation group called the Monroe Gigabit Project, which unites more than three dozen public agencies and private companies, will continue through 2017. Four local and national providers submitted bids to 44 organizations across Monroe County, AcceleratePA — a statewide pro-business and technology organization — said after the close of business on Wednesday, June 7.

As a result, the project, which likely would have wrapped before the end of the year, will instead continue through Dec. 31 so consultants can help participants — including the Monroe County 911 Call Center; a regional police force; several townships, boroughs and hospitals; East Stroudsburg University; and Pocono Raceway — shape the best possible deals on broadband.

[Commentary] When politicians talk about infrastructure, people generally think of roads and bridges. But these are just a part of the nation’s infrastructure, and not necessarily the most important part for millions of poor and working-class Americans who have limited access to public transportation, broadband and even clean water.

If we’re going to talk about how infrastructure can get America back to work, President Trump needs to think beyond concrete and steel spans. Only 62 percent of rural Americans have access to high-speed internet. Imagine what that means to a high school student applying to college or a small-business owner trying to connect with customers. Without investment in these critical systems, millions of families are barred from a shot at the American dream — and our economy loses valuable talent from the work force. While the nation’s unemployment rate is low, at 4.3 percent, joblessness remains a challenge for many, especially people of color and those living in isolated neighborhoods. Most infrastructure jobs do not require college degrees and they pay above-average wages, offering a path to economic mobility. What should President Trump do about these issues? Successful models exist. Increasing broadband access would help people throughout the country, especially in rural communities. We’re leaving those communities behind by refusing to adequately invest in the modern-day infrastructure they need.

[Angela Glover Blackwell is the chief executive of PolicyLink, a research and advocacy group focused on racial and economic equity.]