PBDD | Partners Bridging the Digital Divide
Policymakers should encourage investments in new funding and competition models, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are directed at improving broadband infrastructure in an efficient, cost-effective, and future-oriented manner. Funding should be directed to shared infrastructure in addition to particular carriers in order to allow federal and state governments to target dollars where needed, and to allow for efficient deployment of infrastructure that could serve multiple carriers.
There is no silver bullet to closing the rural digital divide; it is going to require a technology-agnostic approach that addresses several adoption barriers, including access and affordability. Each combination approach should be crafted to address the unique challenges of the communities it aims to serve.
Millions of Americans are left without broadband because their geographic location is too remote to turn a profit. Instead, policies to promote rural broadband should ensure that all consumers in rural areas have access to affordable service, regardless of population density or physical terrain.
PBDD | Partners Bridging the Digital Divide