Explain to Shane

The Broadband Dilemma (with Janice Hauge and Mark Jamison)

Sep 19, 2024

Janice Hauge, a broadband policy expert, and Mark Jamison, a telecommunications specialist, dive into the intricate world of broadband access in underserved communities. They discuss the $42.5 billion BEAD Program aimed at closing the digital divide but highlight significant delays that threaten its effectiveness. The duo examines the challenges in funding allocation, the need for competition, and transparency. They also tackle the complexities states face in navigating NTIA approvals and the current inefficiencies impacting millions of Americans.

32:51

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Episode guests

Mark Jamison

Janice Hauge

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Quick takeaways

The slow progress of the NTIA's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program raises concerns about leaving many Americans without essential internet access.

Learning from previous broadband expansion failures emphasizes the importance of transparency, accountability, and competition to ensure effective funding allocation.

Deep dives

The Importance of Broadband Access

Broadband access is recognized as a critical driver of economic growth. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of internet connectivity highlighted how essential it is for conducting business, accessing services, and engaging in civic life. Many areas are still underserved or face high costs for broadband service, necessitating government subsidy programs to bridge the affordability gap. These programs aim to enhance connectivity, but without careful planning and execution, they may struggle to foster the desired impact on internet access.

Maximize Accountability, Minimize Waste

01:16

Intro

6min

Challenges in Broadband Funding and Accountability

5min

Evaluating Broadband Initiatives Across States

3min

Navigating the NTIA Approval Maze

4min

Navigating Broadband Funding Challenges

15min

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, passed by Congress three years ago, set out to close the digital divide by bringing broadband to unserved and underserved communities. Yet despite the ambitious goal of getting all Americans online, progress has been slow. As of September 17, serious delays continue to plague the initiative, with 13 states still waiting for the NTIA to approve their initial proposals. These delays jeopardize the program’s effectiveness and risk leaving millions of Americans without access to essential digital infrastructure.

Here to sort through the mess are two members of AEI’s Broadband Barometer Project, Janice Hauge and Mark Jamison. Janice is a professor in the Department of Economics at the University of North Texas, where she works on broadband policy and regulation in the telecommunications and broadband industry. Mark is a nonresident senior fellow at AEI where he focuses on technology’s impact on the economy, telecommunications, and Federal Communications Commission issues. He is concurrently the director and Gunter Professor of the Public Utility Research Center at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business.

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Explain to Shane

The Broadband Dilemma (with Janice Hauge and Mark Jamison)

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Importance of Broadband Access

Lessons from Past Broadband Initiatives

Strategies for Improvement and Accountability

Maximize Accountability, Minimize Waste

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts