Consumer Advocates Seek More Transparency With EBB Program Rollout

The FCC should do more to ensure a smooth rollout of its $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program, consumer advocates said in recent interviews (see 2102250066). The commission’s website isn’t sufficiently user-friendly, and it should be more transparent on when the program will actually start, they said. Others praised the FCC for the consumer outreach actions it has already taken.

The FCC didn’t respond to repeated questions about when the program will start, but it’s expected to begin at the end of April. The agency has been releasing updates online on provider participation (see 2104010071) and common questions. It also created a direct link if consumers are unfamiliar with how to navigate the site.

The site is a “good starting point to understand what’s happening,” said Joshua Edmonds, Detroit director-digital inclusion, but at the local level, “we just need a bit more specifics as it relates to how our residents are to be walking through this.” The FCC “absolutely has to do more” to give cities enough information to assist consumers, Edmonds said, because it’s not clear when the program starts or how long the funding will last.

It’s likely the commission will include a box on its main page to direct consumers to a page about the program in the coming weeks, said Greg Guice, Public Knowledge director-government affairs. Having a digital funding countdown to keep providers and consumers in the loop about when the program is expected to end “should help provide some transparency,” Guice said, but the commission has to make it clear that consumers have other options, like the Lifeline program, if they can’t afford broadband without the temporary benefit.

The amount of funding needs to be made clear throughout the program, said Fallon Wilson, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council vice president-policy. Adding things like art and color made the program’s website more community-friendly, she said, but “that won’t help them if they don’t figure out how to let people know the money is running out.” The FCC deserves applause, though, for putting together a public page quickly and in multiple languages, Wilson said: “It’s going to get better because there are a lot of community partners who are going to get feedback on the website.”

The commission could consider partnering with engineering experts to create a website with real-time updates so consumers are informed throughout the program’s duration, Wilson said. “There are plenty of companies that I would think would love to partner with the government on this, because it's such a great program to help us ensure [when] it's time to cut off" participation or if "there’s more time to get more people connected,” she said.

There should be more clarity about the program’s implementation because it will last only as long as the funding does, said Kim Keenan, co-chairwoman of the Internet Innovation Alliance. Having tutorials and other information online is a “great start,” but “more needs to be done to make sure that the message gets out,” Keenan said. The FCC should consider partnering with other agencies that provide federal assistance to streamline the sign-up process so consumers don't have to navigate the FCC’s website or rely on a community leader “who’s got their finger on the pulse,” she said (see 2102250058).

It ultimately will come down to intermediaries to get the word out and make sure their communities understand the program, said Francella Ochillo, executive director of Next Century Cities. “I was happy to see the link that had broadband providers” that are participating, Ochillo said, but “I don't think it was obvious to me when I first went to the page.” The site is more of a resource for people who are advocates or intermediaries, she said.

The FCC has done a lot to make sure various stakeholders are aware of what the benefits are, Guice said, with acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel consistently contacting consumer advocates and providers in recent months. “The result of all that good outreach is still to be determined, but I really get a sense in this instance that everybody is rowing in the same direction,” Guice said.

Several questions remain unanswered on how the new program affects individuals already participating in other low-income broadband programs. Ochillo said her organization has been fielding questions from local officials on how the program meshes with Lifeline and if reimbursements are sent to consumers or their providers. Understanding the mechanics of who's responsible for what is “always on people’s minds,” Ochillo said.

“I don’t believe that the FCC is empowering us with enough information,” Edmonds said: It must “do a better job of communicating more nuanced information.” Detroit is in the process of setting up a centralized call center for residents to ask questions, but it has been challenging, with the lack of transparency about the program’s rollout, he said: “I don’t know how I can say how I’m going to walk a resident through a process that I don’t know enough about.”