Government Officials Say Cooperation Key to U.S. Broadband Strategy

“One of the tests of whether we have a viable broadband plan will be how it affects our diversity communities,” said Commissioner Michael Copps. If the FCC doesn’t get the plan right, it could widen the digital divide, he said. The plan should do more than increase broadband access, he said. It must also “help folks understand the importance of it, convincing them that they need to adopt this.” In addition, the plan should encourage minorities to participate in the process of building out broadband, for example in infrastructure construction, he said. Education plays a big part in spurring adoption, said Commissioner Robert McDowell. Many people still don’t think they need broadband, “and we need to change that mindset,” he said. Encouraging more businesses to allow telecommuting is another way to spur demand, he said.

State and local government officials on a panel at the workshop agreed that a cooperative approach is best. The U.S. needs a plan that’s not “abstract,” but sets “practical” goals, said Calvin Smyre, president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. “Consequently, the only way to be successful in this effort is to engage those closest to the people who will be implementing the plan at the front end. That is, state and local officials.” Local governments can provide a more complete knowledge of communities, agreed Commissioner Robert Steele of the 2nd District of Cook County, Ill. But state and federal efforts are valuable too, he said. “Programs operating on a larger scale have the advantage of greater funding, better data collection and evaluation tools.”

The FCC’s “technical expertise coupled with [local government’s] knowledge of our communities is the only way to guarantee” universal broadband adoption, said Mayor Eugene Grant of Seat Pleasant, Md. Local officials “have the most direct access to the American people, particularly those living in underserved communities,” he said. “These elected officials are in the best position to assess the needs the people and implement proactive solutions that immediately speak to those needs.” Municipalities are also best suited to do broadband mapping, because they know what areas in their community are most in need, he said.

Many states face budget deficits, but broadband funding may be available if states elevate the need for broadband as part of their public policy, said Smyre. State governments should treat broadband as an important priority to improve their constituents’ quality of life, he said. Federal government subsidies like universal service are helpful, but much money for adoption initiatives could also come from public-private partnerships, panelists said. Partnerships are win-win because they forward public sector policy goals while increasing companies’ customer base, said Grant.

The FCC should provide specific guidelines to state and local governments on when to use eminent domain for the purposes of bringing broadband, said Hispanic Institute President Gus West. “I think they are in need of some sort of evaluation system that they can use in evaluating what qualifies as good for the public use,” he said.

“Absent digital equality and broadband opportunities,” underserved communities “will be increasingly unable to participate in the increasingly global, innovation economy,” said West. However, he worries the FCC may be getting distracted by its net neutrality proceeding, he said. “Why are we focused on neutrality regulation when we know that broadband access is the most important thing that we can [do]?” he asked. “I sort of see the commission, with all due respect, getting off track here.” FCC Associate General Counsel and Chief Diversity Officer Mark Lloyd defended the commission, saying it’s often challenged with tackling more than one issue at once. However, “we have a clear charge,” he said. “We will provide a National Broadband Plan to Congress … and nothing will allow us to get off track on that.”