Broadband: $6 billion plan creates public safety gap (CA)

With explosive wildfires once again raging across California, public safety must be paramount as legislators take final action on bills before adjourning the 2021 session on Sept 10. Resiliency of electric and communications infrastructure has never been more vital to public safety. 

Action is needed now to ensure that Gov. Newsom’s $6 billion broadband plan enacted in July protects all Californians no matter which provider or network delivers their communications service.

The new backup power requirements deemed safety-critical by the CPUC do not currently apply to the networks that will be funded by the governor’s current $6 billion broadband plan.

When wildfires take down cell towers and other communications infrastructure, consumers lose their lifeline to the world and cannot receive emergency alerts, evacuation orders, and public safety updates…