Rosa Mendoza
Executive Director
Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership
Since 1996, the Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership (HTTP) has worked to ensure that the voice of Latinos in the U.S. is fully represented in policy discussions that impact the Latino community. As technology and the Internet ecosystem have evolved, one thing has become clear; with each passing year, the Internet has become an increasingly essential resource for our community to be successful in our educational, professional, and health-related pursuits. Without reliable and affordable Internet access, especially high-speed broadband access, the digital divide will continue to widen and the Latino community will unfortunately be on the wrong side of it. A key factor for the Latino community to have access to the resources mentioned is increased broadband infrastructure deployment.
The essential nature of high-speed Internet access is why HTTP supports smart policies that ensure broadband providers continue to expand their networks and create more reliable connections for families on the wrong side of the digital divide. And it is also why we are encouraged by the work of the current Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Ajit Pai, who is working to remove roadblocks to broadband infrastructure build out.
The right regulatory environment is critical to ensuring broadband providers are able to, and even encouraged to, expand their networks. It doesn’t take a degree in economics to know that a stable and predictable environment is the best market condition for investment. As a member of the FCC Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee, HTTP agrees with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai that given a stable environment the private sector could be the best driving force behind deploying and expanding broadband networks to areas that currently lack access. Studies show that areas without broadband access tend to be rural and low-income areas, which tend to have a higher proportion of Latinos within them.
The benefits for the Latino community of expanding broadband access through increased infrastructure deployment are virtually limitless. Broadband access can drive educational and professional achievement. The Community is healthier due to greater access to health care resources. Relatives living across great distances can maintain regular communication. Latinos are entrepreneurs at a higher rate than any other segment of the population and the Internet provides endless potential for starting businesses. The list goes on and on. But infrastructure deployment can also lead to more jobs being created. Communities will potentially be able to provide the necessary workforce to meet the many human resource needs not only in construction but also in administrative work and other areas.
It is critical that the federal government take the right approach in establishing broadband policy with the potential benefits to the Latino community in mind. There are positive, proactive steps the federal government can take to help companies expand broadband access, such as creating zones with deployment-friendly incentives and cutting out unnecessary regulations. But most importantly, the government must employ a light touch approach to Internet regulations to allow the free market to effectively allocate financial, capital and human resources to infrastructure deployment. A light touch approach and increased infrastructure deployment are key to begin the process of bridging the digital divide.
Rosa Mendoza is the Executive Director at the Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership.
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