The public and private sectors must work together to ensure that all three parts of the digital divide — availability, affordability and adoption — are addressed. Everyone’s help is needed to give disconnected Americans the help they need.
Op-eds
Careful Fund Allocation Will Bridge Digital Divide
Federal monies should pave the most efficient path to universal broadband
Big Tech Could be the Answer to Broadband Affordability
The struggle of disconnected Americans was cast into sharp relief during the pandemic, giving rise to a broad consensus that at long last the digital divide must be closed. Artificially lowering broadband prices isn’t the answer. A top-to-bottom overhaul of the FCC’s existing Lifeline Program is.
US Broadband Networks Don’t Need to Be Rescued by Taxpayers
We must take bold steps to connect the entire nation, but there is no need for well-functioning U.S. broadband networks built with private investment to be rescued at taxpayer expense.
Speed Bumps on the Road to Universal Broadband
President Biden’s recently released infrastructure plan reflects the widespread agreement that the digital divide must be closed. This historic undertaking is a unique opportunity for industry and longstanding national leaders on broadband policy, such as Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, to work together and eliminate the remaining gaps.
President Biden, Make Sure Women Have the Internet
From education, to employment, to healthcare, to everyday tasks, women need broadband technology.
Reform the US low-income broadband program by rebuilding Lifeline
America’s Lifeline program has fallen far short of achieving its potential as the Federal Communications Commission has attempted to convert it to a broadband-centric program.
Why E-Rate for Higher Ed Needs to Move with the Times
Rather than allowing E-rate funds to sit on a lofty but unattainable shelf without fulfilling their promise to our kids, policymakers should empower schools and libraries to continue supporting the growth and development of America’s children, even if from a distance.
Broadband: Bringing Our Children Out of the Cold
Rural and urban communities need to have broadband available in their communities. We need to pinpoint precisely who has broadband and who does not. Then we have to create an environment so that they can afford the technology and utilize it effectively to adopt it in their daily lives.
Reform This Lifeline for American Families
Alarmingly large numbers of American families are currently excluded from the digital world. Either they live in regions where it is uneconomical for the broadband providers to deploy infrastructure or they find the services to be unaffordable. Solving the affordability problem will be the province of both the FCC and Congress through reform of the 36-year-old Lifeline program, initiated in 1985 and largely underutilized today.
Improving Broadband Access Does Double Duty for Biden’s Top Priorities
Making broadband accessible and affordable across the country would help President Biden with his top priorities—fighting Covid-19 and improving the economy.
Why a government-owned 5G network is still a bad idea
Don’t give up on market-led innovation when we need it most