SHLB Coalition Plans Papers to Help Communities Achieve 1 Gbps Connections

Excerpted from TR Daily:

By 2020, there should be anchor institutions with affordable access to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) Internet connections in every U.S. community, and government policies should promote that goal, according to a report released by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and the Benton Foundation today.

"Our federal, state, and local governments must adopt sound programs for public investment in broadband, including funding and adequate investment to bring robust broadband to anchor institutions," author Christine Mullins says in "Connecting Anchor Institutions: A Broadband Action Plan."

Today's "action plan" paper focuses on the benefits of broadband in improving education, libraries, healthcare, economic development, civic engagement, and digital equity, especially in rural and remote areas. 

A future "series of policy papers" will each address "a barrier to achieving this envisioned future and recommends a range of steps that policymakers can take to make it a reality. Every recommendation may not work for every community, so the Action Plan provides a menu of policy options. The policy papers will also provide a list of resources and case studies for those who wish to explore a topic in more detail," SHLB Coalition Executive Director John Windhausen said in a preface to today's report.

Author: Lynn Stanton, lynn.stanton@wolterskluwer.com