Our Broadband Moment–Acting Now and Looking Forward

We are in a moment of intertwined public-health and economic crises; a time when immediate measures are in motion to protect our people and protect our ability to survive economically. Nothing is more important. Congress will now consider a huge stimulus bill, which is right. That stimulus bill should include actions that build a lasting broadband future, which is necessary. An essential tool for these critical times is broadband–broadband that reaches make-shift home offices; that becomes the doorway to a classroom; that allows people living alone to keep in contact with friends, family, and neighbors; that dispenses accurate health advice and healthcare; and that supplies the binge entertainment that allows our minds to wander, if only for a bit. Where I live, as in so many other places, the neighborhood has created a COVID-19 support group, organized and reaching people, of course, by email. Last October–which seems like a long time ago–Benton issued Broadband for America’s Future: A Vision for the 2020s, presenting policies so that every person in America can use High-Performance Broadband. Not for the sake of broadband itself, but because none of America’s big challenges can be solved without it. Crises bend the arc of history, and these will as well. And because of its growing significance in our newly transformed lives, the public needs and leaders are starting to respond to longstanding challenges.  Among the many examples:

• Private employers and government agencies are preparing for a workforce that largely teleworks;
• Schools and libraries are finding new ways to put their broadband connections to work for their communities;
• Medicare has expanded the use of telemedicine as private insurers expand compensation for the treatment of COVID-19 via telemedicine.
• One major broadband service provider announced that its low-income offering will be raised to 25/3 Mbps, the Federal Communications Commission’s current definition of broadband, now and going forward; a wireless carrier has said that it will not apply data caps and other broadband providers are increasingly the availability of their broadband services.
• The FCC has announced the the temporary release of spectrum to improve network capacity.

In times of crises, taking the long view is important. 

[Jonathan Sallet is a Benton Senior Fellow]