After six flight delays (ah summer travel, not sure I am ready for you!), I am writing this blog on a plane as I make my way to NTCA's second signature Smart Rural Community Live gathering in Florida. (Honestly, when it's hot and muggy everywhere, does it really matter where you're going?).
I can't think of a better day to make this trip after having spent the morning at the White House celebrating the historic announcement of $42.5 billion being allocated to all the states and territories in our union to help bridge the digital divide. The buzz in the security line getting into the event itself was electric as folks invited lined up early in uncharacteristic Washington, D.C. style. We all compared notes on why we were passionate about broadband deployment as we made our way through numerous security checks. I found myself in a wave of state broadband office directors and really enjoyed comparing notes with them on their activities on the ground and found myself beaming when a few of them specifically referenced the fiber networks that NTCA member companies were deploying. I love that the reputation and hard work that NTCA members have shown in this space is finally getting the credit that is due.
As I walked into the White House, I was struck by a few things. First, walking around the room felt like a reunion of sorts given the presence of a variety of folks who NTCA has engaged to bring broadband and digital literacy to rural areas. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sat right in front of me along with NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson. Then I saw Rural Utilities Service Administrator Andy Berke across the room and former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn along with Will McIntee, head of rural outreach for the White House. Will and Andy (who are on the same flight as me as I type) left the event and headed straight to our Smart Rural Community Live Summit. This meant we all stayed coordinated on schedules and weather.
Then there were the colleagues from the stakeholder groups that NTCA has worked closely with, from schools and libraries to public interest groups to Heartland Forward to the Pew Foundation. Many of the state broadband offices showed up to celebrate the distributions announced for their respective states, as they well know that now the real work begins. The buzz was high, and it took the U.S Marine band playing Hail to the Chief to get folks quieted down.
Mitch Landrieu, head of infrastructure initiatives for the President, kicked us off (after I had cornered him earlier on who my companies are and why they are a key part of this initiative's success) and turned the podium to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who is leading this BEAD effort and has genuinely put her passion behind her work. The Secretary shared how it is critical to not just build networks but to also ensure we are building the right networks with reliable service. That got my attention. The Secretary had also been part of celebrating our work with Corning in North Carolina, so I reminded her after the event how Stephen Milner, CEO of Planters Broadband Cooperative (Newington, Ga.), carried the flag for all our member companies at that event. In his speech, Stephen shared how building fiber to rural consumers is the way to ensure that they are not set with "second class" standards in the years ahead. She remembered and was gracious.
President Biden took to the podium and, after a brief detour on what was happening in Russia, got right into sharing how much this historic investment in broadband means for our country. I was delighted to hear all the administration's folks share the importance of reliable, comparable and affordable broadband and even comment on how fiber technology was really the technology of choice for this historic investment. Of course, the fiber centric message was hard to miss with the spools of domestically manufactured fiber on the stage right next to him. The President also shared the story of Beth, a consumer in rural Iowa, who had experienced broadband challenges until American Rescue Plan Act funding was released to the state upon which her local provider, with 13 employees, let her know that fiber was coming. She made the call saying that yes, she wanted it, and the provider sent out a survey team the next day. I simply know this must be an NTCA member but cannot quite figure out who it is. If you are out there and reading this blog, please let me know. I am proud of you to have this story shared!
When the event ended, the energy in the room increased as everyone connected with one another and shared ways our different entities could work together on the policy, implementation and state planning front to see this historic moment come to fruition and to ensure that we all make the most of this moment, or as Sec. Raimondo noted, this “happy broadband day.”
A new course is being set for those unserved and underserved in rural America and NTCA is very proud to be a part of this moment on behalf of all our amazing broadband providers who will be a key component to success in the days ahead.
Then of course, it was off to the airport with my friends Will and Kathryn de Wit, head of the Pew Charitable Trust’s Broadband Access Initiative. We were a little bedraggled by the time we arrived in Florida but delighted to continue the celebration of Broadband Day together.