Mitch Landrieu is the Biden infrastructure adviser, he says the FCC hit roadblocks early, but is now making headway on service maps needed to make decisions about the deployment of the $65 billion Congress approved for rural broadband… Landrieu says,
“Congress mandated new maps, and the FCC, they put out a procurement, that procurement was challenged, that challenge was overcome, and FCC is steaming full-force ahead, and working with all of the providers, all of the states, and the Department of Commerce, to identify what that mapping looks like. You are right, that takes a long time, but they’re in the processing of hurrying up.”
But rural lawmakers complained last year it was taking too long, citing cases of rural school kids having to do homework in convenience store parking lots, just to get internet access. Landrieu predicts their wait may soon be over…
“The expectation is, before the end of the year, sometime, that they will have made substantial progress on the work that they’re doing, and that the programs out of the Department of Commerce and the Department of Agriculture will be part of that.”
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack says demand is already more than the funds allocated to improve rural service to homes, hospitals, schools, libraries, businesses, and farmers.