CWA Applauds FCC E-Rate Action on Internet Speed, Access

Washington, D.C. -- The Communications Workers of America issued the following statement on today’s FCC action:

The Communications Workers of America applauds today’s action by the Federal Communications Commission to bring affordable high-speed Internet connectivity to schools, libraries and rural America.  Speed matters on the Internet.

FCC action to raise the annual cap on E-rate funding by $1.5 billion – increasing the annual total to $3.9 billion – will help bring our nation’s schools and libraries the 21st century high-speed Internet connectivity that they need. The leadership of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, in partnership with Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, played an essential role in advancing the E-rate program. Now the FCC must move forward to close the homework gap to ensure that all families have affordable Internet access at home.

FCC action to raise the Connect America Fund speed benchmark to 10/4 megabits per second (mbps), while providing incumbent providers reasonable deployment time tables, will give millions of rural families, businesses and community institutions access to 21st century Internet connectivity. CWA urges incumbent providers to accept the statewide obligations of the Connect America Fund rural subsidy program and move forward expeditiously to build high-speed networks in rural America.

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