[EFF] California’s Middle Mile Network Must Bridge the Digital Divide, Not Reinforce It
[EFF] California’s Middle Mile Network Must Bridge the Digital Divide, Not Reinforce It
www.eff.org California’s Middle Mile Network Must Bridge the Digital Divide, Not Reinforce It
When California unanimously passed S.B. 156 in 2021, we embarked on a multi-year, multi-billion dollar endeavor to bring affordable, 21st-century fiber to every Californian. Done correctly, this nearly $7 billion investment—further supplemented by $ 1.8 billion in federal funding—would help...
Summary
- California passed a law in 2021 to build a middle-mile fiber network to connect unserved and underserved communities.
- The California Department of Technology (CDT) is responsible for implementing the law.
- CDT recently released a new map of the middle-mile network, which omits much of the network that was previously promised to be built in low-income communities.
- The CDT has said that it cut back the middle mile network because inflation has increased building costs.
- However, critics say that the cuts disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color.
- They also say that the cuts waste government money and community time and energy.
- They are urging the CDT to work with those on the ground to create equitable middle-mile maps that close the digital divide.