PITTSBURGH, March 31, 2021 – ACA Connects President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement on the release of the Biden Administration’s plan to provide high-speed broadband to all Americans:
“ACA Connects supports the Biden Administration’s aim to provide high-speed broadband to all Americans. There are too many households, mostly in more rural parts or other economically challenged areas of the country, without access to any broadband services or that only have access to unreliable, low-speed service.
“In these areas, ACA Connects supports spending government funds to build ‘future proof’ broadband infrastructure. Build it once, build it right. And, ACA Connects members — smaller operators with long-standing local roots, extensive experience in deploying advanced networks, and whose territories are proximate to many of these unserved areas — are eager to participate in this new infrastructure program.
“But more deployment alone will not bridge the digital divide. As ACA Connects members know, not every household that has access to broadband subscribes and for any number of reasons.
“Indeed, there are more households not subscribing to broadband than locations without access to the service. Solving this adoption problem will require different solutions, including greater education and training, as well as persistence.
“Finally, we should not lose sight of the fact that America’s broadband infrastructure has excelled during the COVID emergency because of the pro-investment policies that have been adopted by Democratic and Republican administrations alike. Above all, as we go forward, we should ‘do no harm’ and not undermine these investment incentives. We look forward to working with the Biden Administration and Congress as they consider these new adoption and deployment proposals.”
About ACA Connects: America’s Communications Association – Based in Pittsburgh, ACA Connects is a trade organization representing more than 600 smaller and medium-sized, independent companies that provide broadband, phone and video services to nearly 8 million customers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA Connects’ members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.acaconnects.org