New National Coalition: It’s Time to Ensure All Americans Can Connect to the Internet

America’s Broadband Future Will Advocate for Effective Solutions to Comprehensively Address the Digital Divide

Washington, D.C., — Today, several leading broadband organizations announced the formation of a new coalition to help get all Americans connected to the internet. The coalition, America’s Broadband Future, will urge lawmakers to bridge the digital divide by expanding access in rural America, equipping vulnerable communities with resources needed to get connected, and investing in digital literacy initiatives to empower all Americans to thrive in the digital age.

 
The coalition looks forward to working with lawmakers to develop an effective broadband infrastructure framework that will comprehensively address the digital divide. The group also aims to facilitate honest conversations on what’s currently working and what still needs to be done to get all Americans connected to the internet.

 
Coalition members AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, Verizon, CTIA, NCTA-The Internet & Television Association, and USTelecom are encouraged by the abundance of energy and goodwill in Washington D.C. aimed at developing a thorough solution to address these connectivity issues millions of Americans continue to face and are committed to working with lawmakers to ensure that every American can get connected to the internet.

Facts about U.S. Broadband:

• The U.S. leads the world in investments in broadband infrastructure and technology, powering the economy and creating American jobs.
  • Since 1996, U.S. internet service providers have invested $1.8 trillion to expand and upgrade American broadband infrastructure and technology. 
  • U.S. internet service providers invest approximately $70 billion to $80 billion in private capital each year. This level of sustained investment in the nation’s infrastructure is necessary for the U.S. to maintain its global leadership and competitiveness.
  • U.S. per capita investment is much higher than in Europe and the OECD. 

• In the U.S., the most popular tier of broadband service in 2015 is now priced about 20 percent lower and offers nearly 16 percent faster speeds in 2020.

• America’s broadband providers have helped millions of low-income families get and stay connected, donated millions to support digital literacy programs and access to equipment, and extended their networks to reach millions of unserved families and small businesses. 

• America’s internet service providers invested in our established and extensive broadband networks to ensure supplemental capacity, which resulted in superb performance during the COVID-19 pandemic – better than networks around the world. When stay-at-home policies and quarantines led to an explosion of remote working and learning, America’s networks were ready and met sustained increases in demand day after day.
  • Americans use more broadband data per capita than any other major economy. 
  • U.S. household broadband lines carry 60% more data than networks in Europe.

• Broadband providers will continue expanding network reach and capacity and upgrading speeds and performance to meet our nation’s future needs.
  • About 85% of U.S. households have access to gigabit networks and 90% have access to networks providing downstream speeds of at least 100Mbps. 
  • U.S. households receive broadband speeds twice that of the world average and the 6th fastest among all 37 OECD member countries.