How wireless policy affects minorities

[Commentary] Latinos and African-Americans lead the way in mobile broadband use — subscribing at a rate of 53 percent and 58 percent, respectively, and both groups will be disproportionately affected if providers fail to keep up with the demand for more spectrum.

The wireless industry is looking into market-based solutions. AT&T’s recently announced merger with T-Mobile is one example. The near future means a fully connected world, and to get there, both long and short-term solutions need to be considered. AT&T told the FCC that, if the merger is approved, the company will deploy next-generation 4G Long Term Evolution wireless networks — lightning-fast mobile Internet speeds comparable to wired broadband in the home — to more than 97 percent of Americans. AT&T said it can provide higher-quality and faster service while also closing coverage gaps. Given that minority communities rely on wireless services as their primary means for Internet access, the merger should offer these communities greater accessibility to reliable services. All communities can gain from a healthy wireless industry that will offer widespread options to the best technologies, create jobs through infrastructure upgrades, increase construction and deployment projects and foster online business opportunities — while allowing everyone to participate in a digitally connected society.

[Rivera is a partner at Wiley Rein, a law firm serving as counsel to Deutsche Telekom on the proposed sale of T-Mobile USA. He is also chairman of the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, chairman of the FCC’s Advisory Committee on Diversity in the Digital Age, and General Counsel of the Benton Foundation]