Long supports FCC’s proposed $20B fund to advance high-speed broadband in rural areas

U.S. Rep. Billy Long (R-MO) this week urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt its recently announced Rural Digital Opportunity Fund proposal, which would allocate more than $20 billion through a reverse-auction format to connect America’s rural homes and small businesses to high-speed broadband networks.

“In 2020, it is simply unacceptable that many families, small businesses, farmers, educators and healthcare providers in rural areas don’t have the necessary access to high-speed internet,” Rep. Long said on Tuesday. “I encourage the FCC to approve the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Order later this month. It will go a long way toward helping deploy robust broadband services in rural areas like southwest Missouri that will be comparable to urban service over the long-term.”

Rep. Long plans to continue working with the FCC to help close the digital divide and provide the nation’s rural consumers with advanced digital opportunities, according to his office.

The FCC’s proposed $20.4 billion fund would target areas that lack access to high-speed broadband services in two stages, according to information provided by Rep. Long’s office.

During Phase I, the FCC would target $16 billion to areas where no such services exist and in Phase II, the FCC would target unserved households in areas where some households have access but others do not, according to the information.

The FCC estimates six million rural homes and businesses could benefit from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, according to Rep. Long’s office, which noted that Missouri could have 236,000 locations eligible for bidding for high-speed broadband through Phase I.

The FCC is expected to vote on the rules for this fund at its Jan. 30 open meeting.