Republican Backs Satellite Broadband in Va. Governor Race

Back in Virginia, Youngkin trails Democratic former Gov. Terry McAuliffe by about 2 percentage points in polls, according to a FiveThirtyEight average Monday. The race is a toss-up, says the Cook Political Report. Other Virginia 2021 races include lieutenant governor, attorney general and state House races. Virginia Democrats, with a 55-45 seat advantage in the House, gained control of both chambers in 2019 after two decades of Republican control, notes the National Conference of State Legislatures.

New Jersey will vote on governor, lieutenant governor, General Assembly and the state Senate. Both states currently have Democratic trifectas. Major mayoral elections this year include Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York and Seattle, shows Ballotpedia.

A big challenge for Virginia’s next governor will be how to quickly spend $700 million for broadband announced in July by departing Gov. Ralph Northam (D), said Christopher Ali, University of Virginia associate professor, Department of Media Studies, in an interview. “It’s about time” broadband is part of a gubernatorial debate in Virginia where connectivity is especially poor in the Appalachian region, he said.

“We’ve got to get it done fast," said Youngkin in a statement to us. He supports using low-orbit satellites rather than “outdated” technologies to get broadband to rural areas. A Youngkin TV advertisement claimed McAuliffe broke campaign broadband promises in the past. McAuliffe was governor 2014 to 2018 but term limited from running for reelection then.

McAuliffe seeks to universalize broadband by the end of his term, says his website; his campaign didn’t comment. SpaceX’s Starlink didn’t comment Monday.

Satellite Skepticism

Municipal broadband advocates are skeptical about Youngkin’s plan.

Satellite broadband is a "shiny penny, but cannot solve the connectivity issues facing VA,” emailed Benedetta Kissel, member of grassroots group ArlFiber in Arlington County, Virginia. It’s not affordable, reliable or sustainable, she said. “I'd rather spend the billions of dollars on good paying jobs laying fiber, the best technology out there, than to litter the skies with space junk.” McAuliffe as governor prioritized broadband and signed legislation supporting fiber, she said.

Youngkin’s “comments about Starlink satellites are just a desperate attempt to differentiate himself from McAuliffe on this issue,” emailed ArlFiber’s Tim Dempsey. “Space satellites beaming down broadband sounds cutting edge, but fiber optic-based wireline connections are still the gold standard.” Dempsey doesn’t think either candidate is saying enough on the urban digital divide or public broadband, he said. “McAuliffe mentions on his site that he will dedicate millions each year to ensuring that all school children have access to the internet, but does not specify how,” which could mean more state money goes to cable companies, he said.

Low-orbit satellites will help some remote areas without much tree cover but “will not alone solve the rural-urban digital divide of infrastructure” due to cost and capacity issues, said Ali. “We’re going to need a multi-modal approach.”

The communications and technology industry donated $2.95 million to McAuliffe in 2021 and about $764,000 to the Youngkin campaign, according to the nonprofit Virginia Public Access Project. McAuliffe contributions included about $707,000 combined from internet and general IT, $462,220 from telecom and about $18,000 from cable and broadcast. McAuliffe phone and cable contributions included $25,000 from Verizon, $5,000 from the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association, $500 from Wireless Infrastructure Association CEO Jonathan Adelstein and $250 from NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. Youngkin got about $260,000 from internet and general IT, $39,000 from telecom and about $3,000 from cable, broadcast and satellite. Telecom contributions to Youngkin included $11,000 from ex-Shentel Chief Operating Officer Earle MacKenzie, $2,500 from former Verizon Executive Vice President Thomas Tauke and $1,000 from Hughes General Manager-North America Paul Gaske.

Muni Broadband

Three Colorado localities will vote on local ballot initiatives to escape from a 2005 state restriction on local broadband. Mesa County will seek to exit, like 43 of 64 other counties have done, said Colorado Counties Inc. Policy Director Eric Bergman. An influx of federal coronavirus relief funding could be useful for counties that opted out of the state ban and have a broadband plan, and the availability of federal money could encourage more counties to vote on opting out next year, he said. Milliken and Windsor are seeking voter approval to join 116 other municipalities that opted out, said the Colorado Municipal League. Colorado has 271 localities.

Broadband was “definitely more of a luxury” in 2005 when Colorado banned muni broadband, said Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis (R), who sought the 2021 ballot initiative to opt out. Sixteen years later and after COVID-19, broadband is “a basic form of infrastructure,” he said. Mesa, a 3,000-square-mile county with about 156,000 people, is thinking about using state and federal grants to become a middle-mile provider, Davis said. The middle mile would connect to a “carrier-neutral location” run by Colorado’s economic region 10, which could connect to private ISPs for the last mile, he noted. “It bolsters private industry rather than restrict competition.” The ballot effort has industry support, said Davis.

Boston would explore muni broadband under Wu’s plan to end digital inequities that disproportionately affect Black, Latino and immigrant residents. She would also increase surveillance oversight and transparency, use city money to install Wi-Fi at bus stops and state and federal stimulus funding to extend Wi-Fi to subway stations, and team “with local and national leaders to advocate for a federal regulatory framework that ensures enforceable net neutrality protections and privacy safeguards.” Wu told us in March she would defend local interests at the FCC (see 2103020038).

Wu supports solving communications access issues in prisons, including legislation to address high calling rates, a spokesperson emailed now. “Phone calls, video visits, and internet access in jails must be offered in a way that supports healing, rehabilitation and reentry and that is not financially exploitative of families and communities impacted by incarceration.” Wu’s opponent Annissa Essaibi George (D) didn’t comment.

Seeking reelection in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) in May announced $190 million in federal COVID-19 relief money for expanding broadband. Murphy’s campaign website doesn’t include broadband among top issues. Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli’s website also doesn’t mention broadband. Neither campaign commented.