The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified connectivity issues in unserved areas. Currently, 18 million Americans cannot get broadband service at home, however, there continues to be strong bipartisan agreement that broadband is the critical infrastructure of the digital age. On September 1, 2020, AT&T hosted a virtual discussion on universal broadband policy, with a focus on challenges and opportunities that currently exist.
The event kicked off with opening remarks from Ed Gillespie, SEVP External and Legislative Affairs, AT&T.
Sal Khan, Founder & CEO of Khan Academy, joined us to share his perspectives on the potential impact a lack of connectivity may have on an entire generation of students, today and in the future.
A robust panel discussion followed, exploring how we can take advantage of this historic opportunity to close the digital divide once and for all.
The policy panel included:
John Hendel, Tech Reporter, POLITICO (Moderator)
Amy Hinojosa, President & CEO, MANA
Jonathan Spalter, President & CEO, USTelecom
Nicol Turner Lee, Senior Fellow in Governance Studies and the Director of the Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution