COVID-19 Shines Light on Need for Net Access, NARUC Told
COVID-19 amplified the need to address broadband gaps, said members of NARUC’s broadband task force in interviews Tuesday. Cable, wireline and wireless networks are holding up to the surge in traffic during the pandemic, but industry agrees with policymakers on the heightened need to expand access, NCTA, CTIA and USTelecom panelists told state regulators' virtual summer meeting.
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NARUC’s broadband task force met virtually Friday for about 2 1/2 hours, said Chair Chris Nelson. Leaders of five subgroups, based on the five areas in the group’s charter, reported on their research and what additional work is needed, he said. “A tremendous amount of work has been done,” including surveys, researching literature, and consulting businesses and experts, said the South Dakota public utilities commissioner. The task force may ask some outside groups to present at the panel's next meeting at NARUC’s November conference, Nelson said.
The task force aims to make “pointed resolutions and recommendations” by next July, said Nelson. One reason to form the body was to shine “a very bright spotlight to this dire need of broadband expansion,” but because of COVID-19, “now it appears everybody understands the importance,” said Nelson. “We just need to figure out how do we get the dollars and get a rational plan to actually solve the problem.”
“The pandemic has created new concerns about some of the voids that exist,” particularly in education, said NARUC First Vice President and Idaho PUC President Paul Kjellander. Many states are recognizing they are “going to have to jump in,” said the broadband task force member. Utility regulators in many cases lack broadband authority but can play a role advising the state bodies taking the lead, said Kjellander, noting he presented to an Idaho broadband task force created by Gov. Brad Little (R). Other states are giving some broadband duties to commissions, including Utah having its Public Service Commission manage deployment through state USF, he said. Kjellander doubted state commissions would soon regulate broadband prices.
Networks are handling traffic surges, but the pandemic has laid bare that more work needs to be done to ensure everyone has access, said USTelecom Vice President-Strategic Initiatives Mike Saperstein on an industry panel. Broadband deployment funding is “top of mind” for policymakers, particularly at the federal level, he said.
“No question that we have a renewed focus” on broadband gaps “and need to think about new strategies to fill those gaps and encourage people to adopt broadband services,” said NCTA Executive Vice President James Assey. “The jury’s still out” on Congress including broadband funding in its next COVID-19 stimulus bill, he said. CTIA expects an uptick in state interest to fund broadband, but most legislatures are out of session and tax revenue has taken a hit due to the virus, said Director-State Regulatory Ben Aron.
Wireless networks stood up on average to about a 24% increase in voice, 25% spike in text and 20% jump in data traffic, Aron said. USTelecom members see elongated peak traffic times amid the pandemic but not so much in increases to the peaks, said Saperstein.
The South Dakota PUC returned to the office June 15, but the public remained reluctant to attend meetings, Nelson told us. The PUC allowed telephonic participation at webcast meetings even before COVID-19, he said. “We have not had a single member of the public actually physically attend one of our meetings. They have all chosen to present to us telephonically, even though they’ve got the choice.” Videoconferencing usage remains higher than it was before the pandemic, he added.
Idaho PUC commissioners and staff are back in the office but with masks, said Kjellander. Hearings and meetings remain virtual, and the commissioner doesn’t expect in-person events soon. “So far, we’ve been lucky in that no one’s tested positive.” The agency started accepting more filings electronically and plans to make the interface more user-friendly, he said. While the PUC already webcast meetings, Kjellander expects more telephonic participation even after the virus subsides, he said.
Many other state commissions continue to work remotely, said NARUC members on a Tuesday session. Several commissioners said they are working more hours than ever since they began teleworking. One benefit is the Iowa Utilities Board is more accessible to the public, said Commissioner Nick Wagner.