Jordan Arnold

In the absence of federal leadership on internet affordability, states have become laboratories of innovation. From low-cost plans to consumer protections to housing-based incentives, they are testing resourceful ways to help residents become and stay connected. States looking to take action should study their peers, many of whom are pioneering creative strategies to get more people online. Some state governments have long prioritized broadband affordability, while others are only now stepping in to fill the vacuum left by Washington.

How can we deliver the broadband that farmers need? To many farmers, the definition of sustainability incorporates the economic, environmental, and social impacts of agriculture—a “triple bottom line.” Farmers think about the profitability of their operations, not just to sustain the farm from year to year but from generation to generation. Practices that make a small difference in profit margin can have a major impact over the long term. Farmers also consider how to maintain and improve the environmental conditions of their land, such as soil health, long into the future.

Residential and small-business customers have too few options for fixed, robust broadband service, what we refer to as “High-Performance Broadband.” Solving our deployment and competition problems requires the construction of new broadband networks. In other words, we need more competition, and we need more broadband deployment. Our new policy brief concentrates on one solution—the construction of open-access, middle-mile networks.