Chairs Rodgers and Latta Call on NTIA Administrator to Prioritize Closing the Digital Divide and Connecting Every American

In 2021, Congress provided $65 billion to close the digital divide. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for administering most of this money, including the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which will provide states grant money to award providers to deploy broadband networks in unserved and underserved areas. We are concerned about state plans that propose to use funds in ways that will not provide universal connectivity or that are contrary to law. We are also concerned by some efforts by states to regulate the cost of broadband plans. Virginia, for example, asks providers to keep the cost of gigabit symmetrical service “at or below $100 per month, inclusive of all taxes, fees, and charges billed to the customer,” in order to receive full credit for affordability under its scoring system. Louisiana includes a similar requirement. Affordable broadband is important, but setting rates is not the way to achieve this goal.