In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has offered direct stimulus checks and targeted relief over the last year. The next area it’s supporting: Broadband.
The pandemic has put a spotlight on the high cost of internet, which remains the chief reason why so many US households still lack access to a connection at home. Entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations across Baltimore are creating new networks to increase competition and lower costs. Yet in a city where one in four households lack high-speed internet, the problem may be too large for city or even state organizations to tackle. Next week, the Federal Commissions Commission (FCC) will launch the “Emergency Broadband Benefit” (EBB), which will provide between $10 and $50 per month to offset the cost of internet. This $3.2 billion initiative is the most ambitious program in history of its kind.
Yet the FCC has struggled to enroll individuals in the past for similar programs due to mismanagement, poor communications and regulation. If enrollment for the EBB follows the same previous trends, these public benefit programs may lose their political support at a critical moment. On the other hand, high enrollment for the EBB could further bolster the case to make internet a public utility.
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