Six national orgs press Congress for faster broadband

WASHINGTON – As Congressional negotiations over critical details related to the $65 billion broadband infrastructure investment move toward conclusion, six organizations who advocate for consumers, rural communities and competition released a statement urging Congress to take bold action.

The joint statement from Electronic Frontier Foundation, Fiber Broadband Association, INCOMPAS, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association and Public Knowledge is below:

"Better, faster broadband for all is a national priority for students, families, and small businesses across America’s rural communities and urban neighborhoods. As Congress continues its negotiations for an infrastructure plan, we stand together to call for funding that will enable every American to access 21st century broadband infrastructure. Those communities without wired 25/3 Mbps should be prioritized, with additional areas that are unserved at successively higher speeds included as funding permits.

"As entities receive funds to deploy broadband, Congress should require they build networks that will be scalable over time to meet the online needs of their communities. These future-proofed networks will support public safety, small business growth, education and telemedicine needs while enabling precision agriculture, powering 5G technology, and allowing for real-time, two-way communications by many users at the same location. The minimum speed for eligible projects to receive funds should be 100/100 Mbps.

"Other nations, including China, the EU and the UK, have all set goals of deploying gigabit broadband by 2025, and the U.S. cannot afford to fall behind on deploying networks that are fast enough to support the education needs of today and the jobs of the future. Adopting these goals will ensure that Congress is funding broadband infrastructure that will meet the future needs of our nation."

Signed:

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Fiber Broadband Association
Public Knowledge
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association
INCOMPAS