Broadband Experts, Officials Urge More Engagement on Digital Equity

Broadband experts and industry officials emphasized the need for coordination between ISPs and state broadband officials to ensure rural and hard-to-reach communities have affordable broadband access as NTIA's broadband, equity, access and deployment program continues moving forward. Panelists during an NTCA webinar Tuesday also encouraged ISPs to engage with community stakeholders and local officials, as required by BEAD, to craft effective digital equity plans (see 2401120004).

"When we're talking about digital equity ... what we're talking about is the concept that every American has access to a connection that is affordable, and they have the skills and technology to be able to use it," said Kathryn de Wit, director of Pew Charitable Trust’s broadband access initiative. Looking ahead to BEAD, de Wit emphasized the requirement that states conduct outreach to vulnerable populations as part of its programmatic application. "This is about getting to universal access," she said (see 2311080060).

Not all companies have resources to develop digital inclusion efforts, said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield, noting that some smaller providers may lack funding. Josh Seidemann, NTCA vice president-policy and industry innovation, said that working directly with states "is probably the best way where companies can begin building these plans." States and ISPs struggling to secure the necessary resources for developing digital equity plans could consider focusing on telehealth and other broadband-related needs, de Wit said, noting that could lead to additional support for equity efforts.

"Working on digital equity and inclusion plans isn't something that we knowingly went into," said Jody Heustess, Focus Broadband vice president-marketing and customer care: "It's something we sort of fell into." Heustess said one of the challenges of working on digital equity with some North Carolina counties was finding people who "had the time to dedicate to this, some expertise, and really getting those community stakeholders so that you could put together a plan that makes sense and actually did what it was supposed to do."

"The need is there," Heustess said. Teal Myre, SRT Communications director-communications and Marketing, agreed, saying the company speaks regularly with stakeholders to identify community broadband needs. "If fiber is going to be the preference," Bloomfield said, stakeholders must "make the best use" of all federal broadband investments. "I think we're going to have to tee up more of these discussions," she added.