For a decade, universal rural access to high-speed internet service has been a federal goal, and yet nearly four of 10 rural residents still do not have broadband access. The Trump administration’s rural prosperity report visualizes broadband as a lever for economic growth, but experts tell Harvest Public Media that “the devil is in the details — or lack thereof.”
They also said that FCC chairman Ajit Pai’s proposal of $500 million for rural broadband “does little more than restore funding that was cut in the past,” says Harvest Media. A group of senators is pushing for dedicated funding for rural broadband to make sure projects aren’t overlooked. President Trump has included broadband in his descriptions of work that would be eligible for his upcoming infrastructure package.
Early this month, Trump signed executive orders to accelerate action on permits for broadband and to allow private companies to install cell towers on federal land. The head of the Rural Broadband Association, Shirley Bloomfield, says the orders “will speed some of the things up.” But rural broadband, just like broadband in the city, is expensive to install, and the lower population density of rural areas means there are fewer people to pay the bills. That’s why funding from the FCC or other sources is vital.