Biden Administration's Broadband Push: $65 Billion to Bridge Digital Divide
The Biden administration has made significant strides in improving broadband access across the U.S. Recent investments totaling billions of dollars aim to bridge the digital divide, with a focus on rural and Tribal communities. These efforts come as universal broadband access remains a top priority in 2023.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has dedicated $1.5 billion to provide high-speed internet to Tribal lands. A recent grant of $224 million is part of this commitment. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $759 million to bring broadband to rural king communities. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has committed over $6.4 billion to connect more than 15 million students.
The COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020 highlighted the urgent need for universal broadband access. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allocated $65 billion to further this goal, bringing the U.S. closer to achieving it. However, more action is needed. Congress and the FCC must allocate spectrum bands for commercial and municipal broadband use to ensure U.S. competitiveness and fair competition. The 5Gfor12GHz Coalition advocates for more spectrum allocation to facilitate widespread 5G implementation. In 2020, the FCC's Rural Tribal Priority Window program granted 270 2.5GHz licenses to Tribes or Tribally-owned entities for high-speed internet services, with the FCC announcing exclusive allocation of the 2.5 GHz broadband service for Tribally-owned and operated networks to improve digital connectivity on rural Tribal lands.
These significant investments and commitments by the Biden administration, along with the FCC's initiatives, are crucial steps towards achieving universal broadband access in the U.S. However, further action by Congress and the FCC is necessary to ensure the U.S. remains competitive in the global digital landscape.
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