Fahe Public Policy Positions: Broadband

Fahe believes that access to broadband communication is critical for all Americans in our 2020’s life and economy.

Access to quality broadband is an issue in the heart of cities, in their outlying areas, as well as in small town America. Ending digital redlining of people in low-income urban neighborhoods is important, just as is building to people in the countryside. Our Members know that Appalachians face both these issues.

Rural Tribal Broadband Access
Broadband package expense infographic

To enable universal adoption of broadband communications in Appalachia, Fahe supports a national, comprehensive, broadband deployment strategy that addresses:

  • Access for all homes with 100mbps download/20mbps upload bandwidth, with higher bandwidth in commercial centers of 100mbps download/ 100mbps upload speeds,
  • Greater federal appropriated investments in the “Middle Mile” of broadband infrastructure build-out,
  • The inherent benefits of a wireline broadband connection, in opposition to wireless options,
  • Efforts to make the U.S. broadband industry more open to competition from for-profit, co-op, public, and non-profit providers,
  • Expanding the FCC lifeline Program to low-income families, such that household broadband connection costs them no more than $10 a month,
  • Ensuring adoption by households through a $150 million one-time investment in marketing and adoption classes delivered through non-profits, community centers, and local libraries, etc.,
  • A commitment to improving our country’s broadband mapping not only from its current underperforming status, but also as technology progresses over the years, and
  • Making ongoing community maintenance of newly-built broadband infrastructure possible through maintenance set-asides, and the creation of an Emergency Relief Program.
Expand broadband access infographic

To learn more about the broadband deployment strategy Fahe supports, and why, click here to read our full position statement.