Monday, May 17, 2021

Broadband Organizations Join Together to Form America's Broadband Future

On May 14, seven broadband providers and trade associations announced the formation of America's Broadband Future, a coalition that "will urge lawmakers to bridge the digital divide by expanding access in rural America, equipping vulnerable communities with resources needed to get connected, and investing in digital literacy initiatives to empower all Americans to thrive in the digital age."

On its home page, America's Broadband Future asserts that:

Unfortunately, some of the broadband policy plans being discussed in Washington, D.C. fall short. They fail to provide the resources necessary to empower and enable vulnerable communities to get connected quickly. And they fail to prioritize those unserved areas of the country that are most in need of major broadband investment. 

Free State Foundation scholars have addressed various shortcomings of the broadband-specific provisions in President Biden's American Jobs Plan in the following Perspectives from FSF Scholars and blog post:

The founding members of America's Broadband Future are AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, Verizon, CTIA, NCTA  The Internet & Television Association, and USTelecom.