VNET CEO: Erie Co. must connect every corner with elevated broadband service
The headline in the Friday, Jan. 6 edition of the Erie Times-News, "New FCC Broadband Map shows better internet service than actually exists," tells a tale of the inequity and urgency facing Erie County as the nation begins its long-overdue broadband build-out.
Over the next several years, consequential decisions made at the state and local level will define the possibility of either a robust broadband build-out or, regrettably leave Erie County with an anemic digital and economic future. Click here, by Friday, Jan. 13, to be sure the FCC maps reflect your household's true broadband experience.
More:New FCC Broadband Map shows better internet service than actually exists
The term broadband refers to asynchronous high-speed internet access with download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second (mbps) and upload speeds of at least 3 mbps — these metrics represent a low bar when competing on a global stage. In the year 2023, the definition of broadband should require equal download and upload data speeds and delivery over fiber optics — the only medium that has consistently proven both reliable and future-proof. I have always committed that the VNET experience must serve Erieites first and by extension, the greater good. As we tackle this massive challenge, the approach and materials matter — I encourage Erie County to commit to connect every corner of our county to this elevated broadband standard.
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The possibility that the build-out of this essential utility could be managed by lobbyists and a few telecom giants with no connection to our community compels me to weigh in on this important conversation. With more than three decades of information technology experience, I understand that using local service providers matters, especially when that service is broadband and essential to keeping our entire region operational. At this pivotal moment, Erie County has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get it right.
It would be unethical to waste valuable taxpayer funding on the continued use of inferior technologies — and in Erie County that means metal and wireless connections just won't do. With a public investment of this magnitude, providing future-proof infrastructure to Erie County residents supports Infinite Erie goals and offers technological security to the next generation. I have steadfastly committed to constructing the most technologically advanced infrastructure over which we deliver VNET Fiber to our clients — a solution with staying power.
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The pandemic laid bare the region's broadband deficiencies. These days when I think about the exciting revitalization efforts happening across the county, such as the transformation of EMI, I cringe at the thought of a state-of-the-art space relying on hastily installed, old-fashioned technology. In 2018, when I relocated VNET to Erie's Innovation District, I set out to create a space that could compete on a global stage. Deploying an inferior technology could upend Erie County's still burgeoning economic development and equity efforts.
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Imagine if Erie County adopts a higher broadband standard — we could set ourselves apart by establishing a mark of excellence and simultaneously enhance Erie County's competitive position. In the years to come, we will either be touting a fiber-rich region with exceptional broadband to every home, business, and school, or we will risk slipping further behind the regions that do get it right. Simply put, there is no other initiative underway that could have a greater impact on our children's future.
And in the end, equity will be the greatest measure of success as Pennsylvania tackles this massive infrastructure challenge. Access is the first lens through which broadband equity will be viewed, but the reality will expose that singular lens of access is deceiving when equity is viewed through enriched broadband standards. The Pew Research Center reported in May 2021 that 44% of adults in households with incomes below $30,000 don't have broadband — causing an opportunity divide and further increasing disparity among poor students and their more affluent peers. Too often, communities with lower-socioeconomic status are expected to accept substandard service — this is true not only with internet accessibility, but when we consider access to environmental justice and an excellent public education. We should do our best to keep a sharp eye on achieving true equity, not just access.
The Pennsylvania Broadband Authority was wisely established, through bipartisanship, to manage more than $100 million in federal funds aimed at closing Pennsylvania's digital divide. The importance of continuously challenging the FCC broadband maps cannot be overstated. This ongoing process will expose blind spots in the implementation of our nation's broadband infrastructure.
As the broadband authority, along with Governor-elect Josh Shapiro and members of the Pennsylvania Legislature, tackle the planning and implementation, VNET will continue to serve Erie and the surrounding counties with pride — empowering the next generation with an equitable and excellent digital experience.
Joel Deuterman is the president and chief executive officer of Velocity Network, Inc. (VNET) in Erie.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Co. must connect every corner with elevated broadband service
