Community-Based Internet Providers Deliver World-Class Innovation to the Unserved

For the past two decades, community-based providers – that is, thousands of upstart internet service providers – have crisscrossed America, delivering internet access services with adeptness and skill. Using a potent combination of wireless spectrum and fiber, they deliver fixed connectivity to distant rural and hard to serve urban environments. In short, they’re small innovators and entrepreneurs offering needed choice for communities that have been effectively abandoned by legacy phone and cable providers. They work with the surrounding landscape, community and populace, designing quickly deployed, cost-effective and geographically fearless hybrid networks that traverse empty distances or adroitly maneuver through dense urban environs to bring competitive, affordable internet to those in need. As Washington works to ensure all Americans have broadband, especially those in the digital divide, community-based providers play an important and growing role in meeting this goal – on their own dime, and in partnership with local, state and federal programs through taxpayer support. Their work reflects their “future proof” ethos — constant evolution, innovation and improvement to meet the needs of consumers.

[Claude Aiken is the president and CEO of the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association.]