Could you live without internet?

Could you live without internet? In rural Pierce County, people are. That must change.

By Robyn Denson

Pierce County Council

Before I became a Pierce County Council member, I hosted a radio show that provided a platform for the discussion of key issues in our community. Why radio? Well, it’s not only cool (seriously, kids, it is), but we have people in my area who don’t have access to the internet — and radio can be a wonderful, free, equalizer. 

Whether we are sharing news stories, broadcasting the high school football game or communicating in the event of a natural disaster, we know that access to information for everyone is critical for the well-being of our community. 

Plus, admit it: Who among us — over the age of 40 anyway — hasn’t wanted to be a DJ?

When COVID hit, I could no longer have guests in the studio with me, so I used Zoom and was able to simultaneously broadcast over the radio and Facebook Live. Facebook was a popular way for people to experience the show — so long as they had adequate broadband. 

High-speed broadband is no longer a luxury — it hasn’t been for a long, long time. Broadband is essential infrastructure and is key to ensuring everyone has equitable opportunities to access everything from news to education, job opportunities, health care, government assistance programs and so much more. 

The pandemic was a stark reminder that not everyone has the same access to high-speed broadband — or even remotely adequate access. When statewide efforts to slow the spread of COVID and its variants were underway, millions across our state found it necessary to rely on high-speed broadband to work remotely, access education and healthcare — and stay connected with friends and family. 

For most of us living in urban areas, this was not an issue. But for large swaths of Pierce County that have little to no broadband connectivity, residents were left out and literally cut off. 

On the Key Peninsula, for example, we had kids sitting in the parking lot of Burger King, Zooming into class, and that was if their parents had the time to drive and sit with them there. We had senior citizens isolated in their homes with no way to access virtual appointments or see their loved ones. We had adults for whom shifting to working from home was not an option because their internet connection couldn’t handle it.

If these recent examples don’t illustrate the lack of access and opportunity — and the risks to health and safety that the absence of broadband exacerbates — I don’t know what does.

As we’ve seen throughout history, access to necessary infrastructure is not always equal, and that is certainly true with broadband today. While the state of Washington has made significant progress in bridging broadband gaps in the past few years, more than 5% of Washington residents are still without access to high-speed internet service, as the AWB Institute has documented.

Many of these people reside in outlying, rural areas where we have diverse terrain, lots of trees and lower-density populations. The Key Peninsula is a case in point. Even some areas close to urban centers like Gig Harbor, or growing areas like East Pierce County, are plagued by poor internet connectivity. 

Pierce County has identified five Broadband Incentive Districts: Two are in the Key Peninsula, and the others are in the Puyallup/White River area, the Nisqually region and near Alder Lake. Even having been prioritized, Pierce County has struggled to access funding and connect with private partners to fill the gaps in these areas. 

We have a long way to go in bringing high-speed internet to rural communities, but here in Pierce County, a focus on building strong, innovative public-private partnerships and the ability to match private and public funds is leading to increased connectivity.

For example, Pierce County pitched in $3.75 million to partner with Comcast on a $5.1 million project to bring multi-gigabit speeds to more than 500 homes and businesses on Key Peninsula over the next two years. We have another project in the planning stages with Astound/Wave in the South Key Peninsula for even more homes.

We have a lot more work to do, and we’ve set aside millions in American Rescue Plan Act dollars to continue the effort. 

Imagine the improved safety and health outcomes that an elderly resident will gain when they can do telehealth visits. Imagine the economic self-sufficiency accessible to parents who now can do a fully remote job, not contribute to traffic congestion and be home for their kids after school. A next-generation broadband network will be a game-changer for underserved parts of our county. The rippling effects on health, economic vitality, educational outcomes and family stability will create a better Pierce County now and in the future. 

To achieve this vision, Washington communities continue to need investments through programs like ARPA and Broadband Equity and Development (BEAD), a federal program that invests in the expansion of high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs. 

More than $1.23 billion is coming to Washington State through BEAD grants over the next five years, according to the Washington State Department of Commerce. This money presents an opportunity to continue our work expanding broadband infrastructure and advancing digital equity throughout the state, including Pierce County.

Pierce County has not yet been awarded any federal broadband money through the Washington State Broadband Office, despite applying. I hope the next round yields better results. 

While the BEAD investment statewide is substantial and will be helpful, the Washington State Broadband Office estimates that, even with full BEAD funding, a nearly $500 million funding gap will continue to exist to reach our state goal of universal broadband access, as the Spokesman-Review reported. 

Here in Pierce County, we are doing everything we can to deploy broadband everywhere. In addition to applying for federal funds like BEAD, we are looking inward and working on simplified permitting processes through coordination with federal, state, local and tribal agencies to reduce costs and time delays. Supporting policies like “dig-once” requirements that ensure broadband conduit is installed during the construction or replacement of highways, roads, and city streets are other initiatives that will help us reach our goals. We continue to think creatively, do our part, and work with our partners in Olympia and the other Washington to help move broadband initiatives. 

The government and our taxpayers can’t do this alone, however. We know in Pierce County that it’s imperative we partner with reputable private-sector broadband providers.

This includes our state’s cable industry which has invested heavily in building networks that connect hundreds of thousands of homes and small businesses across the state, including many in hard-to-reach communities. In counties like Pierce, where we have no public utility districts, we need our private partners. They must be included where they have the technical expertise and the ability to match or exceed the BEAD funding mandate to build and maintain networks to reach the most people. 

Expanding broadband and promoting digital equity must continue to be a priority investment area for the future of Pierce County. No matter where someone resides, every Washingtonian has the right to access information, opportunities and resources. 

The use of federal funds in conjunction with state and private matching contributions — along with innovative policies, strong partnerships, and determined leadership — can deliver high-speed internet to our friends and neighbors in Pierce County who are currently being left out and left behind. 

Robyn Denson represents District 7 on the Pierce County Council, Serving the communities of Gig Harbor and Key Peninsulas, Islands, and parts of North and West Tacoma. Denson is a small business owner and former host of HarborChat on KGHP-FM.

This op-ed was first published in The News Tribune.