The Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance to help state and local jurisdictions and the private sector identify and manage their essential workforce while responding to COVID-19. The list of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers was developed in coordination with Federal agencies and the private sector as a guide to help decision-makers within communities understand how to ensure continuity of essential functions and critical workforce as they consider COVID-related restrictions in certain communities (e.g., shelter-in-place). Communications workers, including broadband, broadcast, cable and journalists, are "essential to continued critical infrastructure viability, including staffing operations centers, maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure, operating call centers, working construction, and performing management functions, among others." 

In this disorienting and terrifying moment in American history, there's one sliver of good news: The internet seems to be working. Communications networks are surviving an explosion of videoconferencing, distance learning and shelter-in-place streaming. That makes Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai very happy. He said his agency has been working with the White House, other federal agencies and private industry to plot out a strategy for keeping Americans connected during this crisis. "It's been a very collaborative effort so far," Chairman Pai said, "and I'm glad to say, thus far, that the internet infrastructure across the country, by and large, has held up under the increased usage. Chairman Pai said he's focused on doing "everything we can within our authority," as it exists today, including launching a voluntary "Keep Americans Connected" pledge for communications providers, making more spectrum available to ease digital congestion, and granting waivers related to the agency's Lifeline program, which subsidizes access for low-income Americans.

Netflix says it will lower the quality of its video streams in Europe in an effort to preserve bandwidth for more essential online activities. But early data shows that most US broadband providers, and many elsewhere, are standing up to the surge in internet traffic generated by the many people stuck at home amid the Covid-19 pandemic. At least for now. 

According to internet analysis company Ookla, residential internet speeds in places like Westchester County (NY)—which has been hit hard by Covid-19—and San Francisco (CA) decreased between the week of March 2 and the week of March 9. Ookla CEO Luke Deryckx says the slower speeds might not have much to do with overloaded internet infrastructure. The problem could be closer to home. Entire families are sharing home Wi-Fi networks as kids turn to online learning resources, parents conduct meetings over Zoom, and everyone watches more video. It could simply be that home Wi-Fi routers are getting bogged down.

Here is a very simple idea to persuade Americans to stay home, keep our virtual society running, and stimulate the economy. As part of the coronavirus stimulus package, the US government will cover everyone’s broadband bill for a basic connection capable of supporting two-way video (ideally 25/25 Mbps, but we may have to settle for the Federal Communications Commission official definition of broadband of 25/3 Mbps). 

How This Would Work: In the next stimulus bill, we include a provision that requires all ISPs to provide a broadband connection that either meets this definition or is as fast as technically feasible to anyone who asks for it. This only applies to wireline or fixed-wireless connections, not mobile (wireless) internet. In return, the ISP gets to bill the government a set amount per subscriber. Let’s be generous and say $50/month per subscriber, plus a $25 hook-up fee for new customers. The broadband provider submits an invoice to the government. The federal government pays the broadband provider. One month after the crisis ends, everyone reverts back to their previous contract with their broadband provider. In the case of new hook ups, they can either get a new subscription or be terminated without any fee. This won’t help the people who don’t have access to broadband at all. The stimulus package should also include funds to expand deployment to people who have no access. But this provides a financial stimulus to both the ISPs and directly to consumers. In terms of stimulating the economy, that’s double the bang for the buck for a desperately needed service.

Elementary and secondary school districts across Illinois are moving toward online or e-learning while students remain at home in an effort to contain the coronavirus. One district in southern Illinois has taken a unique approach to ensure every student has access to the internet. Belleville Township High School District 201, located outside St. Louis, is deploying four school buses equipped with WiFi to serve as Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the community. Drivers park the buses next to seven different parks scattered throughout the community and Belleville’s downtown YMCA, depending on the day of the week, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. every Monday through Friday. 

The coronavirus outbreak and the rise in remote work has advanced the need for more robust 5G technologies in the US. Verizon stated March 18 that the demands on bandwidth increased 75% over the previous week. The Federal Communications Commission and federal government are trying to accelerate deployment in urban and rural areas. But, the global pandemic has forced a supply chain slowdown that may delay further expansion of 5G. Benton senior fellow and public advocate Gigi Sohn said she expects carriers to focus on making sure their existing customers are happy during this time than trying to sell them on a new service. Sohn also said 5G is an urban phenomenon and that 5G may never reach rural areas of the US.