On Friday, RCRC submitted comments on the latest draft of the California Broadband for All Action Plan (Plan). The Plan was created by the California Broadband Council (Council) in accordance with Executive Order N-73-20, which was issued in August and directed the Council to create a new state broadband action plan outlining how the state could accelerate broadband deployment and adoption. While RCRC agrees with the Council’s vision and supports many of the proposed recommendations in the Plan, RCRC highlighted several concerns and suggested that some of the over-arching concepts of the Plan merit additional focus. RCRC expressed that the Plan should be further refined to:
- require State-funded broadband projects to deliver high quality connectivity of no less than 100 Mbps symmetrical;
- provide equal standing and eligibility for Municipal broadband to receive state funding;
- provide greater investment consideration for open access, public benefit projects; and
- avoid a one-size-fits-all solution to local permitting challenges.
RCRC is encouraged that the Council has demonstrated willingness to consider novel concepts and innovative paradigm shifts, such as alternative infrastructure financing methods and open-access infrastructure. Nonetheless, RCRC believes these concerns need to be addressed in the final Plan as rural areas of the state continue to bear the brunt of the digital divide. RCRC looks forward to continuing an open dialogue with the Council to address the inequity of broadband access in California.