Today: USDA Task Force Report on Rural Broadband Deployment, US House Broadband Principles, US House Hearing on IOT
USDA Task Force Report on Rural Broadband Deployment
The Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity released a report outlining a rural broadband deployment agenda. The report identifies over 100 actions the federal government should consider undertaking to achieve this vision. These recommendations were organized around five key indicators of rural prosperity: (1) e-connectivity, (2) Quality of Life, (3) Rural Workforce, (4) Technological Innovation, and (5) Economic Development. Recommendations included a multi-sector assessment of the current state of affordable rural high-speed internet access, including identification of infrastructure and service gaps reduction of regulatory barriers to infrastructure deployment, and incentivizing private capital investment. The report also highlighted the importance of e-connectivity for ensuring “America’s economic competitiveness and enabling all Americans to be plugged in to a world of opportunity.” One of the key issues identified was the number of Americans lacking access to fixed terrestrial broadband service. Below is a table included in the report that showcases those figures.
The report recommends that the full range of means to connect rural communities be considered, including satellite, fixed wireless, and cellular networks which can be less expensive to deploy that traditional wired networks. It concluded that a “technology- neutral, service-focused approach to broadband deployment may allow for more rapid and widespread connectivity.” To further enforce these priorities, the President announced new executive orders on this subject.
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TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 1/11/17.
US House Broadband Principles
The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology introduced a series of resolutions laying out principles for broadband infrastructure. By removing barriers to buildout, supporting innovation, and focusing on communities that need it most, the four resolutions are intended to set the groundwork for a larger legislative process. The four resolutions:
- direct broadband infrastructure funding toward areas that are currently unserved;
- ensure federal policy treats all broadband providers in a technology-neutral manner, applying consistent rules that support innovation;
- ensure wireless broadband infrastructure funding preference for states that support small cell siting reform, helping ease the permitting process in communities across the country; and
- ensure Federal, state, and local tax, regulatory, permitting, and other requirements are coordinated and reconciled to maximize the benefits of broadband investment.
Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said: “With 39 percent of rural Americans living with insufficient access to broadband internet, we need to focus on innovation, investment, and eliminating the barriers to deployment. The resolutions introduced today help lay the groundwork for more legislative action to come. Our work on broadband infrastructure could mean the difference between a child completing her homework at home, and her parents driving out to a library so she can connect to the public Wi-Fi. I look forward to continued bipartisan efforts on this issue that will help communities across rural America thrive.”
US House Hearing on IOT
The House Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection announced a hearing for Thursday, January 18, 2018 entitled, “Disrupter Series: The Internet of Things, Manufacturing and Innovation.” During the hearing, members will continue to explore the effects of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its application to the manufacturing sector. #SubDCCP will also identify the challenges and benefits that come with this technology, and examine barriers to deployment and innovation. Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH) said, in part: “IoT devices are revolutionizing our homes and our everyday lives, and the impact this technology is having on American manufacturing continues to grow. By discussing the challenges and opportunities associated with IoT, this hearing will help identify where Congress can remove barriers to ensure manufacturers are able to fully realize the benefits of these cutting-edge devices.”
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The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Briefing.
