“All-of-the-Above” Approach Will Be Critical to Maximizing Positive Impact of Infrastructure Resources Targeting the Digital Divide

Press Release
March 1, 2022
Contact: Jon Conradi
[email protected]

Washington, D.C. – Connect Americans Now (CAN) executive director Richard T. Cullen released the following statement Monday reacting to comments made by National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Alan Davidson at State of the Net 2022.

“Connect Americans Now (CAN) commends Administrator Davidson for his commitment to following a technology neutral, all-of-the-above approach to the implementation of broadband programs established by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” Cullen stated. “A mixed-technology approach will be critical to ensuring states and providers have the flexibility they need to maximize the cost-effectiveness, reach and speed of broadband deployments.”

“A technology neutral approach is vital to ensuring unserved communities are not left stuck further behind the digital divide while preserving resources to support greater digital equity in underserved communities,” Cullen added.

During a question-and-answer portion of State of the Net 2022 on Monday, February 28, Administrator Davidson said, “we’re technology neutral, we need to be. We’re taking an all-of-the-above approach… we expect that there’ll be a diversity of approaches and different states will take different approaches.”

Read more on maximizing the positive impact of broadband infrastructure programs in CAN’s recent comment letter, co-signed by 36 organizations, HERE.

Read what Members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, had to say at a recent hearing on the importance of NTIA allowing states and broadband providers the flexibility they need to connect the greatest number of people as quickly as possible HERE.

Connect Americans Now (CAN) is a broad-based coalition of more than 300 companies and organizations representing leading voices in agriculture, education, health care, veterans’ issues, technology and small business — committed to urgent action to completely eliminate the digital divide in every American community.

Read more on CAN and our mission HERE.

###