Larry Downes: “Should broadband be included in the Trump infrastructure plan?” (Washington Post)

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Washington Post

A House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee recently reviewed options for completing America’s impressive progress in deploying broadband infrastructure. Unlike other issues, there is bipartisan agreement on the importance of putting the 21st century’s most valuable technology into the hands of all Americans, and especially those in rural and tribal areas who have the fewest, if any, options for getting online. There’s even broad agreement on how to do it. As the White House and Congress develop an infrastructure plan promised during the campaign, many, including senators, House members and mayors, are urging that broadband be included. While our crumbling 20th-century infrastructure of roads, bridges, water and mass transit clearly need more immediate attention and the bulk of the funding, we agree that broadband should be included, balancing fixes to the past with providing for the future. As always, the devil will be in the details.