Commissioner Clyburn Must Promote Broadband Adoption To Help South Carolina

By J.T. McLawhorn

The Federal Communications Commission missed the mark by proposing new regulations for broadband, which, if approved, could hinder innovation and investment in new technology that has made the open Internet the game-changing infrastructure it is today.  Any regulations that would reclassify the Internet under old regulations meant for telephone monopolies would result in a serious step back for our efforts to expand broadband availability and grow its adoption.

I ask that our fellow South Carolinian, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who sided with the FCC in its ruling, take heed of the wealth of benefits broadband has brought to South Carolina and uphold the regulatory approach that has helped foster the robust broadband we see today.

Broadband has been a boon for our state.  A 2013 study estimated that South Carolina businesses earn about $17 billion annually online, a number that is only growing as consumers spend more time shopping online. Another study from Connected Nation found that a modest expansion of broadband services would allow South Carolina’s economy to gain more than $1.6 billion and create or save 32,600 jobs.

South Carolina minorities in particular have benefited from the spread of broadband across the state. An Internet connection opens up new doors, allowing those who had previously been disenfranchised gain more access to education, healthcare and the political process. In the African-American communities that the Columbia Urban League I lead seeks to help, I have personally witnessed the power of broadband helping countless individuals realize their potential, creating lasting and substantive change for the community.

It is imperative that consumers continue to adopt low-cost broadband services. The FCC’s intended approach, however, would greatly threaten this access by hindering the investment into our country’s broadband networks.  Since 2009, for example, broadband companies have invested over $712 million in South Carolina networks. This flood of investment is one reason why 97 percent of South Carolinians have access to wireless speeds of 10 megabits or greater – outpacing the rest of the country.

The success of broadband so far can largely be traced to a light-touch regulatory approach, put in place during the Clinton administration, that encourages competition and innovation.  Imposing new regulations on the Internet is not warranted. Our underserved communities need the economic, educational and social opportunities broadband adoption provides.

Fortunately, the FCC’s ruling is not yet set in stone. We now begin a time when citizens have the opportunity to make their voices heard at the FCC.  And when the time comes to make a final decision, we hope Commissioner Clyburn will take the opportunity to help South Carolinians by preventing heavy-handed regulations like those proposed. We hope the Commissioner will stand up for her community and her state by working to increase broadband adoption, not broadband regulation.

J.T. McLawhorn, President and CEO of the Columbia Urban League