Cable companies stand in way of rural broadband

 Virginians impacted by the pandemic are counting on us to deliver concrete and lasting relief. With our growing reliance on technology and the internet, I am very concerned that we did not do enough in the special session to expand broadband access for underserved communities.

Even before the pandemic, there were too many corners of Virginia where individuals had to travel miles just to access the internet. In Southwest Virginia, I spoke to families where kids would spend hours at the nearest McDonalds, or in a library parking lot to do their homework, and heard stories of people struggling to simply pay their bills or get a degree online.

The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the inequalities surrounding access. In listening to teachers from across the Commonwealth, it became alarmingly clear that the digital divide harmed students’ learning experiences, especially those coming from already computer science average salary areas. Now more than ever, broadband access is critical for Virginians to use technology to obtain remote healthcare services with telemedicine, for small business owners to access the global economy, and for working families to telework to stay on the job.

The time is now to ensure that no one gets left behind. The time is now to champion bold and fresh solutions for closing the digital divide. During the Special Session in August and September 2020, the House of Delegates proposed a measure allowing municipal broadband authorities to compete for state grant funding to expand broadband infrastructure — making it possible for homes and businesses in underserved areas to access local broader networks, albeit at low cost.