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Comment on e-Connectivity Pilot Program by Sept. 10
Comments sought on ways to evaluate sufficient access to broadband.
July 30, 2018
2 Min Read
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USDA is inviting comments on the implementation of the e-Connectivity Pilot Program established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 on March 23, 2018.
USDA is developing this pilot program to catalyze private investment and bring broadband to unserved rural areas of the country.
“I have traveled extensively across the nation, and everywhere I go I have heard how important broadband is to rural Americans,” said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “Reliable and affordable internet e-Connectivity truly is the key to prosperity in the 21st Century, and I’m pleased Congress recognized this need and has provided this critical funding. Broadband e-Connectivity is the next interstate highway system of global commerce, and connecting rural areas to broadband will be a game-changer for our entire nation. It is not just a federal issue; our success will be forged through partnerships.”
According to a 2018 report by the Federal Communications Commission, 80% of the 24 million American households that do not have reliable, affordable, high-speed internet are in rural areas.
This rural broadband pilot program was made possible by a $600 million appropriation from Congress in the Consolidated Budget Act of 2018.
The framework outlined by Congress allows these new federal funds to be deployed in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less. A wide variety of entities is eligible for funding, including incumbent and competitive rural telephone and broadband service providers, rural electric cooperatives, private firms (but not sole proprietors or partnerships), nonprofits and governmental bodies. Rural areas with current internet service speeds of 10 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 1 Mbps upload at the household will be eligible to apply for the pilot program funds. The requirements on build-out speeds are not specified by the law and are therefore under development.
USDA is seeking input as it develops the rules and requirements of the e-Connectivity Pilot Program. Specifically, comments on the following issues are sought:
Ways of evaluating a rural household’s “sufficient access” to broadband e-Connectivity at speeds of 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream, and how broadband service affordability should be factored in.
Best options to verify speeds of broadband service provided to rural households.
Best leading indicators of the potential project benefits for rural industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, e-commerce, transportation, health care and education, using readily available public data.
USDA’s goal is to make the most effective use of these new and innovative funds through utility partnerships, where possible. Public input on methods to evaluate the viability of applications that include local utility partnership arrangements is also being sought.
Comments are due on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Sept. 10, 2018, and can be submitted by either of the following methods:
e-tal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send your comments to Michele Brooks, Rural Development Innovation Center, Regulations Team Lead, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Stop 1522, Room 1562, Washington, DC 20250. Please state that your comments refer to Docket No. RUS-18-TELECOM-0004.
Source: USDA Rural Development
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