California: Demand Broadband for All

From the pandemic to the Frontier bankruptcy to the ongoing failures in remote learning, we’ve seen now more than ever how current broadband infrastructure fails to meet the needs of the people. This pain is particularly felt in already under-served communities—urban and rural—where poverty and lack of choice leaves millions at the mercy of monopolistic Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who have functionally abandoned them.

 Take Action

Tell your Senators to Support S.B. 4

This is why EFF is part of a coalition of nonprofits, private-sector companies, and local governments in support of S.B. 4. Authored by California State Senator Lena Gonzalez, the bill would promote construction of the 21^st century infrastructure necessary to finally put a dent in, and eventually close, the digital divide in California.

S.B. 4 passed out of the California Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee by a vote of 11-1 on April 12. This demonstrates that lawmakers who understand these issues recognize it is vital for communities who are suffering at the hands of ISP monopolies to have greater opportunities to get the Internet access they need.

If the monopolistic ISPs didn’t come to deliver adequate service during a time when many Californians’ entire lives depended on the quality of their broadband, they aren’t coming now. It is high time local communities are allowed to take the future into their own hands and build out what they need. S.B. 4 is California’s path to doing so.

 TAKE ACTION

TELL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT S.B. 4