ATLANTA, June 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Julius H. Hollis, Chairman of the Alliance for Digital Equality (ADE), issued the following statement regarding today's announcement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of a notice of inquiry (NOI) on the reclassification of broadband:

"Today's announcement that the FCC will open a notice of inquiry that will allow the agency to explore the reclassification of broadband is extremely concerning to say the least – especially considering the substantial outcry from nearly 300 bipartisan Members of Congress, echoed today by our Digital Empowerment Councils across the country.  This latest move by the FCC demonstrates a blatant disregard for the importance of connecting un-served and underserved communities to high-speed Internet and will further halt the private investment necessary to build out broadband infrastructure. 

"According to the National Broadband Plan presented by the FCC earlier this year, an estimated $350 billion in additional private investment and a continued commitment to the stable regulatory environment that has existed for the last dozen years are needed to deliver broadband access to the millions of Americans who are currently without.  Regrettably, today's decision by the FCC opens the door to higher broadband prices, particularly for low-income and minority Americans, and needless costs for the U.S. economy including at least $62 billion annually over the next five years and some 502,000 jobs, according to a study released earlier today by New York University Law School.

"The Alliance for Digital Equality fully supports an open Internet and a regulatory environment that incentivizes the private investment necessary to bring digital technology to our currently un-served and underserved communities, leading to economic equality.  ADE will work with Congressional leaders and the White House to find a more balanced regulatory environment that will not drive our economy back to the brink or permanently disenfranchise millions of Americans as our society transitions into a digital based economy.  This is absolutely necessary as we work to close the digital divide that still exists today."

About The Alliance for Digital Equality

The Alliance for Digital Equality (ADE), headquartered in Atlanta, GA is a non-profit consumer advocacy organization that serves to facilitate and ensure equal access to technology in underserved and un-served communities.  The Alliance also serves as a bridge between policymakers and minority individuals in order to help the public understand how legislative and regulatory policies regarding new technologies can impact and empower their daily lives.  For more information on The Alliance for Digital Equality, please visit www.alliancefordigitalequality.org.

SOURCE Alliance for Digital Equality

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