AT&T CEO John Stankey Joins Call For E-Rate Expansion To Households
February 23, 2021 – AT&T CEO John Stankey said on Tuesday afternoon that the E-Rate program that subsidizes internet for libraries and schools should be extended to homes, following a call by other leaders who say the pandemic has made this an obvious move. Stankey said the pandemic should be an opp
February 23, 2021 – AT&T CEO John Stankey said on Tuesday afternoon that the E-Rate program that subsidizes internet for libraries and schools should be extended to homes, following a call by other leaders who say the pandemic has made this an obvious move.
Stankey said the pandemic should be an opportunity to take advantage of the lessons of what has been an unprecedented crisis. That includes making bold changes to decades-old programs.
The problem, Stankey said, is that the current needs of the program don’t match its original intentions when it first began, and it needs to be funded properly if it is to survive.
The E-Rate program did a great job at connecting libraries and schoolhouses, but now we need it applied towards the home or other educational opportunities that could benefit from it, said Stankey. Making that change will allow disadvantaged Americans to participate in distanced learning and telehealth.
Stankey maintained that those involved with the dialogue surrounding the program are very engaged and can use increased support due to the pandemic to their advantage. Grouping together and including coalitions in pre-packaging solutions to present to the Biden administration will show that people are serious about improving it, he said.
The suggestion follows similar calls for the e-rate program to be extended to the home. Public Knowledge has already filed comments last week about a proposed expansion of the program, while Larry Irving, former head of the National Telecommunications Infrastructure Administration also called for a similar enhancement.
Stankey also said the Lifeline subsidy program can also be extended to the household to better accommodate the needs of Americans during the pandemic.
Stankey also addressed concerns about rural connectivity, suggesting that advances in wireless and satellite technology have the capability to drive progress. Wireless technologies have allowed homes to get broadband where cables cannot viably be placed, while low-earth orbit satellites, which fly lower relative to the earth and provide better latency, hold promise in extending broadband in closing the digital divide.
