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Rural broadband improvements addressed in new report

A plan for improvements to rural broadband are highlighted in a new report released Wednesday.

The American Broadband Initiative Milestone Report recommends how the federal government and private sector can work together to increase rural broadband access.

It provides a detailed plan for streamlining the federal permitting processes to speed broadband deployment, leveraging federal assets to lower the cost of broadband buildouts and maximizing the impact of federal funding. The report provides a timeline to complete the goals by December 2019.

Ag Secretary Perdue says the American Broadband Initiative “reaffirms the administration’s commitment to reducing regulatory barriers and improving the quality of life for those living in rural America.”

The report was put together by the task force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity, formed under the request of President Trump in April 2017.