For more than a decade, fulfilling a pledge to provide universal broadband has become one of the state’s most vexing issues. Despite the expenditure of billions in public dollars, the digital divide remains, putting New Yorkers at a distinct economic disadvantage and unnecessarily at risk.
More than 132,000 New York households statewide continue to lack broadband access. That number grows considerably when you include underserved individuals. More than 1 million households statewide don’t have access or a subscription to home broadband services, according to a 2021 report from the state Comptroller’s Office.
It is far past time to address the problem once and for all. And clearly, the ongoing influx of funding — including $228 million in recently announced federal dollars — is only part of the equation. Non-financial roadblocks, such as NIMBYism and misinformation, can be overcome through ongoing public outreach, education, and collaboration. But one significant challenge remains: Permitting reform.
The current scattershot patchwork of regulations and red tape that varies widely from one community to the next drives up costs, delays and sometimes even derails projects. In short, the telecom industry is disincentivized from making the infrastructure investments necessary to bring connectivity to underserved and unserved New Yorkers.
Local officials are understandably concerned about losing control over making decisions that impact the character and economic viability of their respective communities. What’s needed is a compromise solution that streamlines the permitting process while preserving local input
A blueprint for this approach exists in California, which last year adopted a new permitting approach to reduce both redundancy and administrative burden for municipalities and service providers with the goal of accelerating broadband deployment. Under “batch processing” up to 50 permit applications for similar broadband projects can be submitted and processed under just one permit.
Permitting reform will save both time and money. And it’s critical that we maximize both. By now, we know that reliable cellular service and high-speed internet is essential — especially in the post-COVID landscape where work, education, and health care and more has shifted online, in many cases, permanently.
Among New York’s most unserved areas are the North Country, Southern Tier and the Mohawk Valley. But the problem is not limited to the state’s more rural regions. Even parts of the outer boroughs continue to have sparse or limited coverage, according to New York City’s technology czar.
And that’s just high-speed internet. Cellular zones without services are also an issue, including 300 in the Capital Region and Hudson Valley alone, according to one recent survey.
Reliable service can be the difference between life and death, as more than 80% of 9-1-1 calls are placed from a wireless device. Tragic incidents involving those unable call for help due to lack of connectivity — including Albert Langner, who froze to death after his car skidded off the Adirondack Northway in 2007, and Kaylin Gillis, who was shot and killed last year after the car in which she was riding turned up the wrong Washington County driveway — underscore the dire consequences of inadequate connectivity.
We have every reason to be optimistic about our state’s capacity to finally bridge the digital divide. The combination of resources and will provide us with an unprecedented opportunity to make universal connectivity a reality. Now service providers, elected officials, advocates, and communities, from Buffalo to Brooklyn, must collaborate to ensure the pathway to the infrastructure investment we need is clear.
Batched broadband permitting is a good place to start. Municipalities maintain control, but with a standardization allows for quicker evaluation of applications. At the same time, service providers get a quicker and uniform application process.
Once green-lit, even the most well-funded infrastructure project takes time to complete. Lawmakers must act now to remove obstacles standing between underserved and unserved New Yorkers. Those who lack critical connectivity can’t wait any longer for what we all agree is no longer a privilege but a necessity.
Ana Rua is director of external affairs, east region at Crown Castle.
Cut the red tape and expand broadband across New York
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06.03.2024
For more than a decade, fulfilling a pledge to provide universal broadband has become one of the state’s most vexing issues. Despite the expenditure of billions in public dollars, the digital divide remains, putting New Yorkers at a distinct economic disadvantage and unnecessarily at risk.
More than 132,000 New York households statewide continue to lack broadband access. That number grows considerably when you include underserved individuals. More than 1 million households statewide don’t have access or a subscription to home broadband services, according to a 2021 report from the state Comptroller’s Office.
It is far past time to address the problem once and for all. And clearly, the ongoing influx of funding — including $228 million in recently announced federal dollars — is only part of the equation. Non-financial roadblocks, such as NIMBYism and misinformation, can be overcome through ongoing public outreach, education, and collaboration. But one significant challenge remains: Permitting reform.
The current scattershot patchwork of regulations and red tape........
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