Broadband RoundUp: States Expand Efforts to Increase High-speed Internet Access

This action comes on the heels of a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California and the California Emerging Technology Fund, which finds that the digital divide in the state is growing between key demographics. Rural residents are marginally less likely to have access to a high-speed connection than urban dwellers, but some groups in both urban and rural areas are less likely to have access. Less than half of Hispanics in the state have home computers and only about a third have access to a broadband connection. About two-thirds of white, black and Asian residents have at-home broadband access. Computer use for Hispanic residents has actually declined since 2000. Broadband use has also been decreasing among low-income residents around the state. This suggests that much of the state’s digital divide problem could be linked to the high cost of access and a lack of competition.

Critics of the new legislation say it will do little to increase competition and may unfairly benefit Internet provider companies. The new legislation permits the community service district to build out broadband networks but compels them to sell or lease those networks to private companies if one wants to start providing services. Thus, it will fall on the local districts to bear the expense of build-out, but the profits could ultimately go to private Internet service providers. The task force report argues that linking Internet access to basic infrastructure services will go a long way to emphasize the necessity of broadband for economic opportunity and growth.

Read the legislation at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_1191&sess=CUR&house=B&author=alquist

Massachusetts
On Wednesday, the Massachusetts legislature approved a bill to expand broadband access in underserved areas of the state. Gov. Deval Patrick originally unveiled the bill last year to promote private investment in high-speed Internet capacity. The bill would provide $40 million in bond funding to create an incentive fund for public-private broadband partnerships under the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC). A new body, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute within MTC would have direct oversight over the fund and would conduct further research into broadband availability and competition.

Read the current version (H. 4864) at: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/185/ht04pdf/ht04864.pdf

Minnesota
Minnesota has taken the next step in shaping its broadband strategy. Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently announced the appointment of 20 public and private state leaders to Minnesota’s new High-Speed Broadband Task Force. Appointees include representatives from the state major employers, telecommunications companies, local and state governments and universities. The group will begin meeting in August and is to produce a report by November 2009 that will map out where high-speed Internet is available in the state and what kind of speeds are being offered. They will also begin evaluating financing programs used in other states to expand service.

Read more at: http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?contentid=536916528&contenttype=EDITORIAL&agency=Commerce

North Carolina
North Carolina’s recently signed budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year includes $1.5 million for the e-NC Authority broadband efforts. The funding will be used to increase the availability of residential Internet connectivity in underserved areas of the state. e-NC awards connectivity incentive grants with matching requirements to qualified service providers to expand high-speed access. The authority also provides financial support to rural business and technology telecenters and capital expenditure grants for local governments.