The “device divide” is one of the top reasons why individuals aren’t connected to the internet. That’s why it won’t matter how much Congress invests in connecting everyone to affordable, reliable high-speed internet (and it is investing a lot) — Congress won’t be able to achieve universal connectivity without making sure that low-income consumers can afford to purchase a device.
Broadband news digest for October 7, 2021
Included in the bipartisan infrastructure bill is $65 billion for broadband deployment. Most of that, $42 billion, is slotted for subsidies to rural communications networks, promising to conquer the digital divide. This is doubtful. The government has already expended at least $200 billion (in 2021 dollars) on the Universal Service Fund established by the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Most of the money was meant to extend networks that serve rural areas, but some was also allocated to schools and libraries, healthcare facilities and low-income mobile phone users.
Rep Elise Stefanik (R-NY) joined her colleagues in sending a letter to Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel pushing for an end to the delay of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) distribution. In December 2020, the FCC announced Phase 1 awards under the RDOF, which would deploy broadband to 5.2 million unserved locations.
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