One of the biggest thing holding America’s broadband back is the fact that so many state legislators bend over backwards for the already established telecom giants in this country to ensure that no new competitors emerge, but that’s something that President Obama hopes to change. The President is announcing new efforts that he hopes will help support local broadband options by limiting restrictions that inhibit the expansion of local broadband infrastructure.
If the lack of broadband competition in your state is keeping your community down, President Obama has your back. On Tuesday, he called on the Federal Communications Commission to crack down on state laws that prevent cities and towns from building their own networks, and thus providing citizens potentially faster and less expensive alternatives to AT&T, Verizon and Comcast. “Laws in 19 states—some specifically written by special interests trying to stifle new competitors—have held back broadband access and, with it, economic opportunity,” reads a White House statement announcing a new report on community-based broadband solutions. “President Obama is announcing a new effort to support local choice in broadband, formally opposing measures that limit the range of options available to communities to spur expanded local broadband infrastructure, including ownership of networks.”
