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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20170&cosponId=20927
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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 1, 2016 11:29 AM
From: Representative Pam Snyder
To: All House members
Subject: Increasing the Minimum Broadband Speed – Former House Bill 2394
 
In the near future I plan to re-introduce House Bill 2394 from the 2015-2016 legislative session. My legislation will increase the state standard, currently in place for retail broadband service, to match the Federal standard set forth through the Connect America initiative. The Connect America Initiative is a comprehensive federal reform designed to provide all consumers nationwide with quality, high-speed broadband access. The existing statutory standard for broadband access speed defined in Chapter 30 of Title 66 Pa.C.S. is 1.544 Mbps download and 0.128 upload. This benchmark is very low for today’s technology and my legislation would raise the broadband speeds to 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload.

Broadband is how we provide internet, voice, video, and wireless service to consumers using new technology. These services, that were once considered a luxury, are now services people rely upon to function in their everyday lives. Small business owners, students, and families, just to name a few, need broadband to stay connected and succeed in our modern society. Not having adequate access to broadband is a significant limitation on lives of people who face this reality.

Chapter 30 intended to ensure that reasonable and affordable broadband service is available to all Pennsylvania residents. While the incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) have all reported 100% compliance with the current regulatory standards, many problems still exist, with rural areas experiencing the bulk of the hardships. Quite frankly, Pennsylvania’s current required broadband speeds are woefully inadequate by today’s standards.

This is important for the quality of life of our rural residents and for our rural small businesses to attract and retain a high-wage, high skilled workforce. I urge you to join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.



Introduced as HB2320