Agenda - Council Work Session - 03/08/2022

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Federal Register/Vol. 87, No. 18/Thursday, January 27, 2022/Rules and Regulations 4361 disparities are partially a result of technology for daily activities and the education,and argued that affordability economic hardship but are also caused movement by many businesses and presents a major barrier to broadband by inequitable access to housing with schools to operating remotely during the adoption by households;in other words, proper insulation,up to date heating, pandemic,broadband has become even many households live in areas that have cooling, and ventilation systems,and more critical for people across the broadband infrastructure and service functioning and up to date lighting and country to carry out their daily lives. available but are unable to purchase appliances.118 While programs that However,even in areas where service for their household due to the address the effects of energy hardships, broadband infrastructure exists, high cost. These commenters argued like the Low-Income Home Energy broadband access may be out of reach that broadband must be affordable to be Assistance Program(LIHEAP),are for millions of Americans because it is accessible. critical,weatherization attempts to unaffordable, as the United States has Commenters proposed several address root causes by addressing issues some of the highest broadband prices in potential responses to affordability that lead to energy insecurities. the Organisation for Economic Co- concerns. Some commenters 4.Internet access or digital literacy operation and Development(OECD).120 recommended that building"gap assistance.The interim final rule According to a 2021 Pew Research networks," or broadband networks built included an enumerated eligible use for Center study, 20 percent of non- at low cost to provide affordable service assistance to households for internet broadband users say that the monthly in areas where it is lacking,be eligible access or digital literacy assistance. This cost of home broadband is the primary as assistance to households to respond enumerated eligible use,which reason they do not have broadband at to the negative economic impacts of the responds to the negative economic home,and 40 percent say that cost is pandemic, even if they do not meet the impacts of the pandemic on a household one reason for their lack of home technical standards for eligibility under by providing assistance that helps them broadband.121 Further,according to the eligible use category of broadband secure internet access or increase their another survey, 22 percent of parents infrastructure investment, especially the ability to use computers and the with homebound schoolchildren during required speed standards for new internet,is separate from the eligible use the COVID-19 pandemic say that it is service. These commenters argued that category for investments in broadband very or somewhat likely that their the networks have shown promise as a infrastructure,under Sections children will have to rely on public wi- timely means to expand access to 602(c)(1)(D)and 603(c)(1)(D),which is fi to finish their schoolwork because affordable broadband internet during used to build new broadband networks there is no reliable internet connection the pandemic, even if they may not through infrastructure construction or at home;this percentage nearly doubles provide service speeds needed for more modernization. For discussion of for lower-income parents,40 percent of intensive internet uses.Another broadband infrastructure investment in whom noted that their children will commenter requested eligible uses the final rule,see section Broadband have to rely on public wi-fi.122 The include funding cellular towers to Infrastructure in Infrastructure. same survey showed that 36 percent of decrease costs. One commenter Background:The COVID-19 public lower-income parents with homebound recommended that affordability should health emergency has underscored the children say their child will not be able be addressed through other programs importance of universally available, to complete their schoolwork because but not SLFRF given that affordability high-speed,reliable,and affordable they do not have access to a computer and availability may require nuanced broadband coverage as millions of at home. solutions that would be complex to Americans rely on the internet to Public Comment.Many commenters combine. participate in,among other critical highlighted the importance of Treasury Response:The interpretive activities, school,healthcare, and work. broadband access during the pandemic, framework and enumerated eligible uses Recognizing the need for such including for remote work and allow recipients flexibility to address connectivity, SLFRF funds can be used identified pandemic impacts,including to make necessaryinvestments in American Households Used the Internet for Health- Related Activities in 2019,NTIA Data Show through solutions that take into account broadband infrastructure that increase (December 7,2020),https://WWW.ntia.gov/blog/ the particularized issues in their access over the long term, as well as the 2020/more-half american-households-used- community. Given extensive commenter necessary supports to purchase internet intern et-health-related-activities-2019-ntia-data- feedback on the importance of access or gain digital literacy skills show,Nation Telecommunications and Information affordability to achieving broadband es o needed to complete activities daily Administration,Nearly a Third of American Y ac g p y Employees Worked Remotely in 2019,NTIA Data access,and the centrality of broadband living during the pandemic. Show(September 3,202o)https://www.ntia.govl to participating in work,education, The National Telecommunications blog/2020/nearly-third-american-employees- healthcare,and other activities during and Information Administration(NTIA) worked-remotely-2019-ntia-data-show;and highlighted the growing necessity of generally,Nation Telecommunications and the pandemic, affordability programs g g y Information Administration,Digital Nation Data are an appropriate eligible use to broadband in daily lives through its Explorer(June 10,2020),https://www.ntia.govl respond to the negative economic analysis of NTIA internet Use Survey data/digital-nation-data-explorer. impacts of the pandemic and Treasury data,noting that Americans turn to 120 BroadbandSearch Blog Post,How Do U.S. is maintaining the enumerated eligible broadband internet service for ever Internet Costs Compare To The Rest Of The World., y facet of daily life including work, stud available at https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/ use for assistance to households for y, internet-costs-compared-worldwide. internet access and digital literacy and healthcare.119 With increased use of 121 pew Research Center,Mobile Technology and programs in the final rule. Home Broadband 2021(June 3,2021),https:// Building or constructing new 118 A.Drehobl,&L.Ross,Lifting the high energy www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/06/03/mobile- burden in America's largest cities:How energy technology-and-home-broadband-2021/. broadband networks is an infrastructure efficiency can improve low income and 122 Pew Research Center,53%of Americans Say investment and is governed by a underserved communities,American Council for an the internet Has Been Essential During the COVID— separate clause in the statute. Treasury Energy Efficient Economy(2016),https:// 19 Outbreak(April 30,2020),https://www.pew has addressed comments on"gap www.aceee.org/sites/default/files/publications/ research.org/internet/2020/04/30/53-of-americans- researchreports/u1602.pdf. say-the-internet-has-been-essential-during-the- networks"that require infrastructure 119 See,e.g.,Nation Telecommunications and covid-19-outbreak/. build-out in the section Broadband Information Administration,More than Half of 123Id. Infrastructure in Infrastructure.