New Hampshire draws mediocre grade in ranking of states’ broadband accessibility

(The Center Square) – In a report that tells New Hampshire it can do better when it comes to broadband accessibility, R Street’s 2020 Broadband Scorecard Report gave the state another “C” grade, the same score it has received the past two years.

The scorecard rates individual states’ laws pertaining to broadband utilization which includes franchising, right-of-way access, permits and more.

Along with a few other states, New Hampshire passed one new law in 2020 that provides better maps for where broadband service is deployed. But the law does not cap fees for franchises, construction permits or right-of-way access, the report said. Also, no limits have been set on the fees to the costs sustained by a regulator.

The report advises New Hampshire lawmakers, “Moreover, there is no uniform statewide franchising; meaning companies wishing to offer video service must individually negotiate all franchise terms with each locality. High costs can stifle deployment, so New Hampshire should work to limit costs at every stage of deployment.”

Todd Horner, planner at the Southwest Region Planning Commission, said the report’s focus on regulatory barriers doesn’t tell the whole story.

The SWRPC partners with communities in the state’s southwest region for the conservation and effective management of natural, cultural and economic resources.

“I think it’s important to recognize that these regulatory barriers are one dimension among many that can affect the viability of broadband deployment,” he said.

Horner said his region has seen significant progress thanks to 2018 legislation enabling municipalities to issue general obligation bonds to finance broadband infrastructure development.

That has spurred “fiber to the home” network development in a growing number of communities.

“The model that we’ve seen emerge as a result of this legislation is one that relies on a public-private partnership between local government and a private ISP,” Horner said.

Even COVID-19 hasn’t completely thwarted efforts to deploy broadband in the state.

“Overall, we’ve observed that COVID-19 has encouraged communities to move forward with their plans to improve broadband, especially using the mechanism described above,” said Henry Underwood, a geographic information systems specialist/planner with the SWRPC.

New Hampshire has also used CARES Act funding to boost the state’s deployment efforts, along with undertaking a survey to assess needs and understand experiences during the pandemic.

“We’ve also observed that state legislators continue to take the issue seriously through a variety of proposed legislation,” he said.

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