Detroit has historically been one of the least connected cities in America, with about 40 percent of Detroit residents lacking any home internet access at all. Things are changing, though, thanks in large part to projects like the Equitable Internet Initiative (EII), a collaboration between the Detroit Community Technology Project and a network of community organizations. EII has an ambitious goal: to strengthen neighborhoods by building low-cost, high-speed internet for the underserved communities of Detroit, to increase digital literacy, and to train residents to be “digital stewards.” And against all odds, they are succeeding. Over the past six years, EII has built and maintained an impressive internet network across large swaths of Detroit, training digital stewards from the community to set up and install wireless access points, fiber hookups and hotspots, and educating residents on how to safely and effectively use the internet.

There’s a tense fight in Washington between Republicans and Democrats over President Biden’s infrastructure plan, from the amount of funding in it to the very definition of infrastructure. But on the question of addressing the internet and bridging the digital divide, there appears to be resounding agreement that broadband is very, very important and very, very bipartisan. This is a mirage. There isn’t a consensus on how broadband should actually work and who should be prioritized through federal efforts. Coming to an agreement on funding broadband is just one piece of the puzzle, and there are deep fault lines and disagreements over what that funding should aim to accomplish that could significantly impact who gets connected and who really benefits. Republicans and Democrats alike have said that the pandemic highlighted the internet’s crucial role in everyday life, but they have fundamental disagreements on the share of the pie that traditional cable providers should have. One key disagreement is a long-simmering debate over the idea of municipal broadband. There’s also long and ongoing disagreement between Republicans and Democrats over what kind of technology should be deployed to facilitate these internet connections.

To reach homes that lack good service, or have none at all, President Joe Biden has proposed funding networks that are run by cities and nonprofits. That’s not sitting well with Comcast, AT&T, Verizon Communications, and other dominant carriers, which don’t like the prospect of facing subsidized competitors. President Biden says he wants to reduce prices and ensure that every household in the US gets broadband, including the 35% of rural dwellers the administration says don’t have access to fast service. To connect them as well as others languishing with slow service in more built-up places, the president wants to give funding priority to networks from local governments, nonprofits, and cooperatives. Established carriers are pushing back against the proposal; they have long criticized municipal broadband as a potential waste of taxpayer funds, while backing state-level limits on it. Almost 20 states have laws that restrict community broadband, according to a tally by the BroadbandNow research group. The carriers say the administration and its Democratic allies are calling for blazing upload speeds that have little practical use for consumers, who already get fast downloads for videos and other common web uses.

Sens Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) re-introduced the Broadband Parity Act (S. 1884), bipartisan legislation directing the Federal Communications Commission to coordinate with Federal agencies to establish a baseline level of service internet providers must provide customers when offering service via a federal broadband support program in order to increase access to uniform and reliable internet service. The bill would direct the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of Commerce, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and any other agency that provides broadband assistance for fixed broadband service (i.e. cable, fiber) to consult together in order for the Commission to conduct a rulemaking to establish a baseline level of service for broadband service assisted by federal support. Under this legislation, after the FCC establishes a baseline level of internet service through a rulemaking, federal agencies may only provide federal assistance if a program supports internet service that meets or exceeds, or will meet or exceed, that baseline when that service is deployed. The minimum level of service will ensure that it can support virtual learning, telehealth services, and telework. The legislation is prospective and would not impact projects begun or awards made before the date of enactment of the act.

Rep Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Rep Jared Golden (D-ME) and Sen Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced that 45 groups representing consumers, civil rights, industry, municipalities, and utilities are supporting the Community Broadband Act, legislation that will empower local communities to ensure their residents have broadband access by removing roadblocks for public-private partnerships and locally-owned broadband systems.