Mes: marzo 2021

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — As America’s business and public policy leaders work towards a post-pandemic economic recovery, they must address the affordability and access barriers to reliable, high-speed internet services that leave too many Americans and their families behind, says a new Solutions Brief report from the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED). COVID-19 has driven even more of everyday commerce, work, health care, and education online, underscoring the critical role that internet access plays in American life and in the nation’s ability to prosper and compete globally.  

As Broadband Access: Connecting America explains, adequate access to high-speed internet connectivity had become essential for families to pursue economic, educational, and quality of life improvements even before the pandemic. Past improvements in internet quality and access have greatly expanded economic opportunities for families while strengthening the pool of talented labor available to employers.

But as the report points out, more progress remains to be made. In fact, millions of Americans – some current estimates run to over 40 million – remain underserved when it comes to affordable access to high-speed internet, with the problem stretching across both urban and rural areas. While a greater share of rural households lack high-speed internet, roughly three times as many non-users reside in urban areas as rural ones.

«Information technology innovation and competition have been essential to delivering a higher quality of life and modern commerce,» said Lori Esposito Murray, President of CED. «Policymakers must leverage the dynamism and innovation of the private market, increase competition, and invest wisely in order to close the enduring gaps to access and reliability.»

The new CED report offers six specific policy proposals that policymakers and business leaders should implement. Recommendations include:

• Improve market competition for high-speed internet provision. Robust competition is the surest way to both cost savings and innovation, but the high fixed costs and sole ownership of costly-to-duplicate network infrastructure often increases high-speed market concentration in many areas. Policymakers must take steps to reduce burdens and expand eligibility for potential participants and providers that could help expand broadband access. Efforts to increase competition should also include preempting laws in the 20+ states that ban or restrict municipalities from offering high-speed internet services.
• Update the Federal Communications Commission’s definition for high-speed internet service to a more ambitious and forward-looking standard, reflecting the needs of households engaging in remote work, training, and education opportunities. The FCC’s current standard of 25Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload, unchanged since 2015, should be modernized to upload and download speeds of at least 100 Mbps («100/100»). An improved standard will better reflect the state of US connectivity and avoid directing federal investment to networks that are either substandard or will soon be outdated.
• Leverage public assets to advance private market provision. In many areas, publicly-subsidized or publicly-owned high-speed internet connections have reached schools and other «anchor institutions» but access or provider competition is limited in the surrounding communities. Private providers should be permitted to expand networks from those existing community nodes, provided it will not degrade services at those institutions. In addition, high-speed internet providers should be allowed to coordinate their network expansions or upgrades with new and ongoing publicly-funded infrastructure projects, allowing them to take advantage of planned construction to advance connectivity. Finally, policymakers should evaluate including empty conduits or funding open-access networks which could ease subsequent expansion of private high-speed internet service.
• Improve affordability by reforming existing federal support programs. The FCC’s Lifeline program is ill-suited to modern needs. Lifeline, which was originally created with telephone service in mind, typically provides less than $10 per month to high-need households, suffers from low participation, and typically subsidizes internet access indirectly. Lifeline service eligibility should be expanded to fixed internet providers, increasing competition and quality. And with high-speed internet access so central to job-searching, lawmakers should also expand eligibility for support to some recently unemployed workers on a time-limited basis.
• Federally fund a one-time investment to build out upgradable high-speed internet networks to jump-start coverage for areas currently without broadband access. 
• Bolster internet market transparency for policymakers and consumers alike. Congress should fund up-to-date detailed Census Bureau surveys of individuals and businesses on why they use the internet, which devices they use, and what their options and costs are for service. In addition, the FCC should more aggressively promote its «Broadband Facts» consumer label standard to help customers demand better service and spur competition among providers on clearer grounds.

«Widespread, high-speed internet adoption feeds the economic competitiveness and strength of the whole nation», added Lori Esposito Murray. «Studies have shown that wider access to broadband is associated with faster growth both nationally and regionally. Importantly, that also means that if the US fails to stay competitive in terms of broadband access, it runs the risk of becoming less attractive for international investment.»

The new report – the latest in a series of Solutions Briefs – can be accessed here.

About CED
The Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED) is the nonprofit, nonpartisan, business-led public policy center that delivers well-researched analysis and reasoned solutions in the nation’s interest. CED Trustees are chief executive officers and key executives of leading US companies who bring their unique experience to address today’s pressing policy issues. Collectively they represent 30+ industries, over a trillion dollars in revenue, and over 4 million employees. www.ced.org 

About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what’s ahead. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

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SOURCE Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED)

INDIANAPOLIS, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — AES Indiana, a subsidiary of the AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), today announced a new partnership with Motor that will accelerate electric car adoption and make charging electric cars easier and more affordable in Indiana.

AES Indiana aims to optimize the timing of electric car charging and reduce rates for all utility customers, even those who do not drive an electric vehicle. When customers get their electric car, Motor can help facilitate the installation of home charging equipment.

«We continue to accelerate efforts to deliver reliable, greener, and smarter energy solutions for our customers that allow them to meet their sustainability objectives,» said Kristina Lund, President and CEO, AES Indiana. «This partnership with Motor provides a broad array of grid, economic and environmental benefits and is an innovative approach toward electrifying transportation, while creating benefits for all customers, even if they do not drive an electric car.»

AES Indiana’s plan filed with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) today, requests approval of a new electric car charging rate that encourages broader adoption without an immediate need for building additional infrastructure. The plan also requests for any electric car owner to benefit from a one-time charger rebate and recurring annual incentives for ongoing participation in the Motor program.

AES Indiana and Motor aim to accelerate the adoption of electric cars by providing services that improve the end-to-end experience of electric car adoption for customers. Through a digitally enabled platform, AES Indiana and Motor will simplify the electric car adoption journey for customers. Motor provides flexible electric car subscription services for individual customers, a digital electric car purchasing platform that will increase sales from Central Indiana automobile dealers, and a community car sharing solution for workplaces, apartments, and campuses.

«We are excited to partner with AES Indiana to accelerate electric car adoption by providing a simplified customer experience. Motor facilitates the expanded use of electric cars in a way that helps utilities keep the transition affordable for all customers and benefits reliability on the grid,» said Praveen Kathpal, President of Motor. «People love driving today’s latest electric car models because they are quick, quiet and comfortable. Motor makes it easier than ever to choose an electric car that fits your lifestyle from the convenience of your phone.»

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About AES Indiana
AES Indiana, an AES Company, provides retail electric service to more than 500,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Indianapolis, as well as portions of other Central Indiana communities surrounding Marion County. During its long history, AES Indiana has supplied its customers with some of the lowest-cost, most reliable power in the country. Connect with AES Indiana on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. For more information about how AES Indiana is accelerating the future of energy, visit aesindiana.com/hellofuture.

About Motor 
Motor is a company dedicated to accelerating the adoption of electric cars. We work with individuals, businesses, and utility companies to make it simpler for people to start driving electric. For more information, visit motorev.net/drive or follow Motor on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Motor is a subsidiary of The AES Corporation.

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SOURCE AES CORP.