I was recently interviewed by Louisiana Hometown Productions regarding the FCC’s commitment to provide funding for high speed internet across rural Louisiana.
As Public Service Commissioner, high-speed internet is my number-one priority for North Louisiana and we are working with the FCC to bring it to rural Louisiana. We are in line to receive an estimated $600 million in federal government aid over the next 10 years to spread broadband to these “unserved and underserved” areas. The aid is coming from the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.
The major companies serve the larger population centers, and the Public Service Commission does not regulate the internet. Unfortunately I can’t wave a wand and get it to everybody as I would like. However, with this (FCC) program, we’re going to finally be able to fund service to some unserved places which is long overdue.
Please contact our offices for more information.
Foster Campbell
Internet availability should be a public utility. There are a few businesses and the library that are generous enough to leave access for people, and you can check out wifi hotspots for limited access, but we are twenty years into the 21st century, and this pandemic has shown that we all need easy access to the internet and online capability in order to function with remote work and education at the very least.
Who has oversight of how this money will be spent? $600 million and Foster is already saying we can’t get service to everyone. Excuses already!! What! Trying to figure out who gets their cut and the project hasn’t even started. So sick of “public servants” and excuses for why public needs aren’t being met.
We, the students and workers, who make up Louisiana’s most rural populations are at a technological disadvantage. Ten years is unacceptable.