The White House Thursday announced a new initiative to get high-speed broadband to Americas schools and libraries.
The so-called ConnectED program has a goal of connecting 99% of students to high-speed wired and wireless broadband (speeds of no less than 100 Mbps and preferably 1 Gbps) within five years. The president called on the FCC and National Telecommunications and Information Administration to modernize and leverage its E-rate program to achieve that goal. The E-rate program provides discounted broadband service to schools and libraries through the Universal Service Fund.
We are living in a digital age, and to help our students get ahead, we must make sure they have access to cutting-edge technology, said President Obama. So today, Im issuing a new challenge for America -- one that families, businesses, school districts and the federal government can rally around together -- to connect virtually every student in Americas classrooms to high-speed broadband Internet within five years, and equip them with the tools to make the most of it.
The cable industry and the FCC have already teamed up to try and provide broadband to low-income students in their homes, and the focus of the Administrations BTOP (Broadband Technology Opportunities Program) broadband subsidy program has been on anchor institutions like schools and libraries. But the 99% in five years goal is a new national benchmark.
The announcement could prove a boon to consumer electronics and software companies, since one of the goals is to spur feature-rich educational devices and software.
The president is traveling to Mooresville, N.C., Thursday to showcase a school using cutting-edge technology in its curriculum.
The announcement was drawing praise from around Washington, including from acting FCC chairwoman Mignon Clyburn, who suggested the FCC was up to the challenge.
For America to compete in the 21st century, we need to make sure all of our children and their teachers have access to the best learning technology, Clyburn said. Over the last 15 years, the FCCs E-Rate program has successfully helped bring Internet access to our nations schools and libraries. But basic Internet access is no longer sufficient, and the FCC has been taking a hard look at ways to further modernize the E-Rate program to bring robust broadband to schools and libraries, especially those in low income and rural communities. So I applaud the president for his bold vision. I look forward to working with my fellow Commissioners and the many stakeholders as we answer the presidents call to modernize this vital program.
I wholeheartedly support the presidents call to modernize the E-Rate program in order to bring faster broadband speeds to our nations schools and libraries, said Rep. Anna Eshoo, who pointed out that she and FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel had outlined a similar proposal.
Access to adequate broadband capacity to our schools and libraries is not a luxury -- its a necessity for Americas next generation of students to be able to compete, said Rosenworcel in response to the presidents announcement. Through the E-Rate program, the nations largest education technology program, we have done great things to connect schools and libraries. But year-in and year-out, the demand for E-Rate dollars is double the amount the Commission makes available, and our surveys suggest that 80 percent of schools and libraries believe their broadband connections do not meet their current needs. It is time to answer the presidents call to upgrade the E-Rate program for the 21st century. It is time for E-Rate 2.0. We need to protect what we have done, build on it, and put it on a course to provide higher speeds and greater opportunities in the days ahead. This initiative is an exciting effort that has my wholehearted and enthusiastic support.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va.), Rosenworcels former boss and a longtime advocate for expanding the E-rate program (he helped create it), renewed his call for 1 Gbps in every school by the end of the decade.
I share the presidents enthusiasm for expanding high-speed broadband connections to our schools and libraries and agree the FCC should update the successful E-Rate program to meet that goal, he said. At a recent oversight hearing of the FCC, I received public commitments from all members of the FCC to work with me to update and strengthen the E-Rate program. Today, I join the president and renew my call on the FCC to fund and adapt E-Rate to meet the needs of a data-driven society.
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The White House Thursday announced a new initiative to get high-speed broadband to Americas schools and libraries. 
