American Broadband Initiative: High-Speed Broadband Unlocks Opportunities for Americans

Throughout our economy, emerging technologies are disrupting pre-existing business models and creating unprecedented opportunities for the American people. However, without access to reliable high-speed broadband, too many Americans are being left out of those opportunities. This is particularly true in rural America, where nearly 39 percent of Americans lack sufficient broadband access. The American Broadband Initiative (ABI) report reflects the work of a multi-agency effort to remove barriers to broadband deployment. Under the leadership of the White House, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Commerce, the American Broadband Initiative is based on a fundamental principle: nothing drives innovation more effectively than unleashing the free market economy. Highlights of Federal Agencies’ actions include:

  1. Launch and Effectively Execute $600 million in New Federal Investment in Rural Broadband, Using Strategies to Spur Private-Sector Capital and Maximize the Value of Taxpayer Dollars.
  2. Leverage the Department of the Interior (DOI) Towers for Communications Use.
  3. Provide Tools for Expedited Access to Federal Assets in Priority Markets.
  4. Create One-Stop for Broadband Permitting Information.
  5. Revise Common Application Form and Quarterly Metrics for Permit Requests.

High-Speed Broadband Unlocks Opportunities for Americans Department of Commerce Joins Government-Wide Initiative to Facilitate Broadband Deployment American Broadband Initiative to Expand Connectivity for all Americans (NTIA)