Expansion to 400,000 unserved locations funded by federal Connect America project
Communications service provider Windstream this week announced receipt of $175 million from the Connect America Fund that’s earmarked for providing broadband to 400,000 rural locations in 17 states.
Connect America is an initiative governed by the Federal Communications Commission designed to support the telecom infrastructure requirements needed to connect underserved areas to high-speed broadband Internet. On paper, it’s an offshoot of the Universal Service Fund. The FCC noted that one-third of people living in rural markets do not have access to broadband networks supporting download speeds of at least 10 megabits per second and upload speeds of at least 1 Mbps.
The Connect America project dovetails with efforts by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Democratic lawmakers to expand the Lifeline Assistance Program to provide low-cost Internet connection to low-income Americans.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet, said, “There are many benefits of broadband, but before again expanding the program, we need to consider what problems remain and how we can address them since consumers are funding the program with increasing phone bills.”
In addition to the FCC proposal circulated by Wheeler to offer $1.7 billion in subsidies to connect poor Americans to the Internet, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has co-sponsored legislation with other prominent Democrats in support of updating the long-neglected program.
Booker said in a written statement: “In a world that is more and more interconnected, Internet access has become a necessity for social and economic well-being. We must work to ensure everyone has a chance to access the opportunities this technology provides.”
Fostering rural broadband connectivity is not strictly a domestic ambition; the U.K. is considering a tax levy to fund network build outs.
