The rationale and strategy for universal Internet service
By Brett Bursey
Director, SC Progressive Network
On April 15, South Carolina has to present a plan for the use of the state’s educational broadcasting capability that will be “excess capacity” due to the switch to digital broadcasting.
Because South Carolina is the only state that owns all the educational broadcasting licenses, we have the unique opportunity to be the first state to provide free wireless Internet to all citizens. The 67 licenses owned by SC ETV — and the taxpayer-funded infrastructure — are paid for, so the capability for statewide, free Internet is in hand.
Universal access to the Internet would be the single most significant thing we could do, at no cost to taxpayers, to improve educational, health care and employment opportunities for all South Carolinians; regardless of income or geographic location. Over 250,000 SC school children qualify for free lunches. Many of them also don’t have Internet access, or the skills and tools to take advantage of being online. Many rural communities don’t have Internet access.
The legislature created the Educational Broadband Service Commission to oversee what is referred to as the “educational broadband transition.” The state plans to lease the broadcast spectrum to private telecommunications companies and put the estimated $5 to $8 million annual revenue in the general fund. The actual and future value of the spectrum is unknown.
While we agree with the public/private partnership leases, we submit that the state’s priority concerns may not be reflected in the terms of the leases or the use of the revenue. We call on the Commission, the Joint Bond Review Committee and the Budget and Control Board to use South Carolina’s educational broadcast capabilities to:
• Create a “lifeline broadband service” that would provide a free universal access tier of Internet service for all citizens. This service would be at a level below subscription services and would introduce scores of thousands of new consumers to the Internet. These new users would provide a source of new customers for expanded subscription services to the lease holders.
• Establish a “Citizens Trust” that would use a percentage of the lease revenue to provide tools and training for citizens to access the Internet. Start with the quarter of a million children who can’t afford lunch.
South Carolina, through its already established Educational Broadcast capability, has the unique opportunity to lead the nation in closing the “digital divide.”
The state of Tennessee recently contracted with AT&T for a $600 million upgrade of its broadband network for schools and governments. The investment South Carolina started making in the 1970s puts our state ahead of Tennessee and other states that are now making major expenditures in educational broadband services.
We need to wisely leverage our investment to the benefit of our citizens and our future. For more information on this issue and to find out how you can get involved, call 803-808-3384.
I fully support this.
I agree with this 100%. Let’s do something progressive for a change. It would be nice to be first in something positive.
Communication is key to learning and continued education. Universal access to Broadband is essential for our rural communities and a boon to schools and communities throughout the state. What are the issues that may delay this from going forward?
We have posted a two page “Call for Universal Internet” at our web site. Circulate this to build awareness. Talk to your legislator, chances are good that (s)he does not know about this unique opportunity for SC. The target we need to affect is the Joint Bond Review Committee: Senators. Hugh Leatherman (chair), Glenn McConnell, Harvey Peeler, Jr., William O’dell and Thomas Alexander. Representatives: Annette Young, Lanny Littlejohn, Dan Cooper, Chip Limehouse and Gilda Cobb Hunter (Gilda is the only Democrat on the committee and is our champion.) Call me directly if you want specific marching orders. Brett: 803-808-3384