The Communications Workers of America (CWA) has joined forces with two nonprofits in advocating for expanded deployment of broadband across the country to drive economic growth and create jobs.
The partnership, announced Monday by the CWA and the nonprofit organizations Alliance for Digital Equality and Connected Nation, seeks to educate consumers about the benefits of new broadband technologies and retrain the workforce for new job opportunities in technology-related fields.
The organizations said the partnership also seeks to build on the so-called broadband stimulus outlined in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which allocates more than $7 billion in grants to expand broadband access in remote and underserved areas.
"The nation’s leadership has made improving our broadband infrastructure and job creation a top priority and this new partnership is uniquely positioned to help make the connection a reality in the neighborhoods that have been hardest hit by the economic downturn," said Alliance chairman Julius H. Hollis.
Collectively, the three organizations are leaders in advocacy work related to expanding access to broadband in 38 U.S. states and territories – with plans to blanket the nation with progressive programming by end of 2009, the groups said.
Connected Nation CEO and chairman Brian Mefford said the partnership brings together organizations with "an unmatched history of working locally to ensure affordable access to broadband and to provide the training and support that encourages every American to engage in the networked world."
The Obama administration’s economic stimulus plan could close the current gaps in broadband coverage, said CWA president Larry Cohen. An estimated 10-12 million households lack high speed internet access, which could deprive them of economic and educational opportunities, he said.
