Low-Cost Broadband in Senate Bill Sparks Alarm on Rates
- Infrastructure bill calls for low-cost rate that could spread
- Fresh pressure may come from Biden team on broadband prices
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The infrastructure bill moving through Congress requires internet service providers to offer a low-cost option, sparking opposition from a top Republican senator who said the mandate may lead to broadband rate regulation.
The $550 billion bill, which advanced in the Senate late Wednesday, includes $65 billion for broadband expansion. The measure will require funding recipients to offer a low-cost plan, the White House said in a summary. It didn’t offer details on price or speed of the service.