The most significant National Broadband Plan recommendation is the overhaul...

She said “up to 24 million Americans may not have access to broadband at home.” Although USF “provides some support of broadband networks indirectly, it does not do so in the most efficient manner,” Clyburn said. In the overhaul’s first phase, a Connect America Fund will be established to “specifically target support to extend broadband to unserved areas” and provide support in areas “where there’s no private sector business case to offer affordable broadband service without government support,” she said. Some claim that the new fund “will perpetuate a digital divide between urban and rural areas because it will only support broadband networks offering download speeds of 4 Mbps and upload speeds of 1 Mbps,” Clyburn said. The fund is for “providing to all Americans, no matter where they live, what most Americans already have available to them,” she said. The FCC recognizes that “there will be geographic areas where broadband has been built and that to continue to serve those areas, support will be required.” If broadband availability “decreases as a result of Universal Service Fund reform, then we will fail in our goal to reach all Americans.” Clyburn sought help from state regulators: “We are anxious to have your input on the proposed reform, carrier of last resort obligations and the current status of state high cost funds."