Verizon policy exec calls for federal grants, loans to extend broadband access

Tom Tauke, Verizon's executive vice president for public affairs, policy and communications wants the feds to emulate Kentucky's nonprofit program to expand broadband access to nearly everyone in the state. Tauke also called for federal grants and loans to speed deployment of broadband access and reform the Universal Service Fund to better support high speed Internet service in high cost areas. The U.S. needs to look at broadband incentive programs "sooner rather than later," he said.

Tauke also said the nation needs to come up with a better way to determine exactly where broadband is available and where it's not, suggesting like consumer advocates the FCC's current methodology of using ZIP Codes as measurement units is flawed.