Rosenworcel Seeks to Revisit Symmetry for Speed Standard
“It’s time to be more ambitious nationwide” on minimum broadband speeds, FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Tuesday at a livestreamed California Public Utilities Commission workshop. Fiber is “future-proof,” and “we don’t have to wait ... any longer” for the private sector, said California Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D), who's co-sponsoring a bill to fund and revamp the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) this year.
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The government should revisit if an asymmetrical standard, currently 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload, is still appropriate after the pandemic highlighted upload importance, said Rosenworcel, noting that she previously supported 100 Mbps download. The commission’s next opportunity to review the standard is its next Telecom Act Section 706 report, said Rosenworcel, noting that she’s getting Capitol Hill letters on the subject. “Dream small? I don’t think we need that.”
A 2-2 FCC means the “things we're able to do in the short term are going to be limited by our ability to find consensus,” responded Rosenworcel to a question by CPUC Commissioner Cliff Rechtschaffen on whether the federal agency will reclassify broadband as a Title II service. Rosenworcel noted she supported net neutrality rules under ex-Chairman Tom Wheeler and opposed their rollback under ex-Chairman Ajit Pai. It’s important for the FCC to have enough authority to expand broadband, because with full oversight powers, the agency can be “more creative about making it happen,” she said.
Her agency is taking a “finely toothed comb” to winning applications in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction, said Rosenworcel, noting she had wanted to do “a little more work before we started handing out the dollars.” Only after strict review will the FCC commit to making RDOF funds available, she said. CPUC President Marybel Batjer replied, “That’s music to our ears.” NARUC sought scrutiny (see 2102110047).
Rosenworcel seeks national talks on updating carrier-of-last-resort obligations, adding that the “ongoing dance” between state law and federal support needs clarification for the “digital age.” The emergency broadband benefit will be ready for consumers by the end of April, said Rosenworcel. That one-time $3.2 billion appropriation will eventually run out, so policymakers must determine if another will be needed or if Lifeline needs reworking, she said.
“Fiber by far is the way to go,” said Aguiar-Curry. With California Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D), she proposed a bill (SB-4/AB-14) to fund and revamp CASF. The legislators want to make it easier for local governments and tribes to get involved, said Aguiar-Curry: If industry doesn’t want to build even with CASF subsidies, “they need to get out of our way.”
The bills would set a goal of upgrading to at least 100 Mbps downstream, while requiring the CPUC to prioritize projects in unserved areas with at most 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload (see 2012080019). Aguiar-Curry is “very confident that we can get this one over the finish line.” The sponsors got CPUC input, while the governor and legislative leadership are reviewing their proposal, she said.
Gonzalez and Aguiar-Curry’s plan is "very important and helpful legislation,” said Rechtschaffen. He said adoption is also a “very significant problem.” About 25% of Californians have broadband access but can’t afford it, and ISPs selling reduced-price plans for low-income households have low participation, he said.
Batjer highlighted the “deep need ... for better connectivity.” The CPUC president said 2.6 million Californians lack broadband, including 38% of rural residents. More than 90% of California households adopted high-speed internet, found a California Emerging Technology Fund and University of Southern California report Tuesday. That’s up from 88% in 2019. More than 25% of low-income residents remain unconnected or access the internet only through smartphones.