News - December 21, 2020

Broadband Stimulus is an Important Band-Aid, but American Networks Need Surgery

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 21, 2020) – Congress has reached a bipartisan compromise on an economic relief package to help families and small businesses that continue to struggle and suffer under the weight of COVID-19. The stimulus package includes the INCOMPAS-supported extension of the CARES Act, which has been instrumental in helping local communities stay connected to the internet during the pandemic.

In response to the Congressional stimulus package, Chip Pickering, CEO of INCOMPAS, released the following statement:

“We want to thank Members of Congress from both political parties for stepping up to support extending broadband funding in the CARES Act, which has proven critical to families, students and small businesses who need to stay connected to the internet during the pandemic.

“Broadband funding in the stimulus package is an important band-aid that is helping keep Americans connected. But the pandemic makes clear that our networks require surgery. Millions of families lack coverage, while the majority of Americans are forced to live with older networks that are too slow, over-congested and expensive where there is a lack of competition.

“Other nations have taken massive steps forward to deploy faster speed networks with gigabit goals designed to win the race to 5G and beyond. The next Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration must make universal, high-speed affordability a top priority in the first 100 days or our economy could get stuck in the slow lane for decades to come.”