Gomez Joins 'Starlink is Nice … But' Caucus

Fiber: Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez just joined a poorly camouflaged D.C technology working group. It’s called the “Starlink is Nice … But” Caucus. Over and over, influential voices like Gomez have used this formulation to justify massive federal investment in fiber, even if it means depriving money earmarked for broadband affordability. As policy analyst Joe Kane at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation has repeatedly documented, America’s broadband affordability problem is far worse that her broadband availability problem. “Ultimately, we must recognize that there is great promise in satellite and fixed wireless technology, and they can both serve areas with immediate need,” Gomez said in an Aug. 6 statement that she read aloud yesterday. “However, these two approaches are capacity-limited, and are not the silver bullet to close the digital divide. On the other hand, fiber service has more upfront costs and is not a feasible approach for every community.” (More after paywall.)