by Louis Fox, CENIC President and CEO

If we have learned anything during this pandemic, it is that access to broadband is now a social determinant of health, education, work, and economic security. Our homes have become our schools, our workplaces, and our clinics via remote education, work, and telehealth.

In 2003, through a grant from the State of California, the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) focused on speeding one-gigabit broadband to all Californians in their schools, colleges, and libraries by 2010. Seventeen years later, many of the 12,000 institutions that connect to CENIC have achieved gigabit status or more. However, there are institutions without this level of broadband access, and for these communities, Californians not only lack broadband access at their schools and libraries, but in their homes and businesses, and in their hospitals and clinics.

CENIC has partnered with schools and libraries throughout California, engaging education, business, and government leaders, and working closely with private sector telecommunications partners to ensure that broadband access is the rising tide that lifts all boats. It is now time to renew and redouble our efforts towards one-gigabit broadband for all Californians at home, as well as at school and work. [Read the full post on CENIC | Blog]