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The future is online. Actually, the present is online, and the future more so. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the constant refrain about the “new normal” prove that not only is internet access vital to 21st century life; high-speed access is a necessity. It is no longer enough to just have internet access; one must have quality access. And that is going to depend on open access fiber.
Being a full participant in the world will eventually depend on access to gigabits of broadband capacity. That capacity will depend on fiber optics. Over the years, EFF has researched and advocated for policy changes at the local, state, and federal levels—all towards the goal of delivering universal fiber to everyone in the country. Part of that work has required us to look back at the mistakes made in the past, how they’ve led to the problems of today, and how to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
One of the biggest mistakes has been overly relying on large, publicly-traded, for-profit companies to deliver universal access. For decades, policymakers have given billions in subsidies to the likes of AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon to build out their networks, with the goal that the existing companies serve everyone. These companies were gifted with countless regulatory favors designed for and often by the largest corporations. Their lobbyists were given front-row status in guiding policy decisions in Congress, state legislatures, and the Federal Communications Commission. In return for nearly two decades of favoritism, still more than half of the country lacks 21st century-ready broadband. Millions in the United States remain unserved.
A new study, funded by EFF, explains why that is and how we can reorient our public investments into broadband infrastructure able to connect all people to the gigabit future. Put simply, the biggest mistake in broadband policy has been in subsidizing broadband carriers, hoping they would build infrastructure, as opposed to focusing directly on future-proof infrastructure development. As a result, when we spend $45 billion—and counting—on supporting any service reaching a bare
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Read the original article: A Universal Gigabit Future Depends on Open Access Fiber