WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) introduced the Network Equipment Transparency (NET) Act, a bipartisan bill to increase broadband supply chain transparency in order to ensure an on-time rollout of the broadband programs managed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Broadband infrastructure projects have been affected by supply chain woes in the past. A lack of transparency into the health of the telecommunications supply chain may contribute to future equipment shortages as federal broadband programs prioritize high-speed, reliable, and accessible networks. The bill would identify these supply chain issues earlier so they can be addressed.
“The new bipartisan infrastructure law means West Virginia and states across the country are slated to receive a significant amount of funding that will contribute to providing quality, high-speed broadband, which is welcome news—especially for those living in rural America,” Senator Capito said. “However, in order to effectively connect our communities, it’s critical that our federal agencies work to address any potential problems that would slow or hinder this process of deployment. The NET Act will provide us with another tool to monitor the supply chain so these crucial projects can be executed in a timely manner.”
Specifically, the bill would require the FCC’s Annual Broadband Deployment Report to describe to Congress the impact of supply chain disruptions on the deployment of broadband service.
Full text of the bill is available here.
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