Introduction
Recognizing that a lack of affordable, high-speed internet access has hampered economic growth and fueled inequality, the Joe Biden administration’s recently released infrastructure plan calls for investing $100 billion in the nation’s digital infrastructure. This amount is in line with third-party estimates for building last-mile fiber connectivity to most homes and businesses, but reducing prices and increasing adoption requires a radically different model for the internet service provider (ISP) market. The Biden administration and its allies in Congress should adopt open access requirements as a precondition for any federal investments. Without a massive investment to build out the country’s open fiber infrastructure and a new set of rules to govern its use, the United States risks being left behind.