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There is a lot of red tape and confusion in the permitting process. Some pole owners don’t feel the same urgency about broadband as Connecticut residents who don’t have service. Although providers have shown they are willing to pay for pole connections, disputes over access costs sometimes arise. Disputes can drag on for months before they are resolved. There is no quick access to poles or dispute resolution system, so unserved communities can be without internet for long periods of time.
These broken processes have hurt underserved communities the most. Our experience as educators in Connecticut has taught us that students without high-speed Internet are at a distinct disadvantage. It’s the kids who have to do their homework in the library parking lot because they don’t have internet at home. As a result, they lag behind their peers who have Internet access for homework and distance learning.
There’s a lot of hope in the bipartisan infrastructure bill that everyone will have high-speed internet. Senator Blumenthal is the kind of leader in Washington who can make sure we create the right conditions for this bill to work.
Edward Malizia is the president of the Connecticut Association of School Administrators (CASA).
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