Councilman Nirenberg Seeks to Expand Broadband Access, Recent FCC Appointment to Bolster Efforts
District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg filed a request today for San Antonio staff to assemble and publish a comprehensive strategy to facilitate and accelerate deployment of IT infrastructure citywide. Councilman Nirenberg seeks policies to ensure equal broadband access and bridge the digital divide, to assert the city’s role the expansion of mobile data capacity and to define the role and management of a municipally operated fiber network.
“A unified strategy for digital communication in San Antonio will recognize that access to broadband and mobile service is a necessity in the 21st century economy,” said Councilman Nirenberg. “Adequate and equitable access to these technologies has become a national priority.”
In addition, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler announced Councilman Nirenberg’s appointment to the FCC Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC) today. The IAC works on telecommunications matters of interest to state and local governments, including broadband access and public rights-of-way. Councilman Nirenberg joins a distinguished list that includes Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.
“I am looking forward to working with local leaders nationwide on challenges that we all share,” said Councilman Nirenberg. “We have a unique opportunity to improve our economic output and quality of life here in San Antonio and nationwide. It will become increasingly important that we address issues of equity and sustainability in our communications technology deployment across the country while balancing the ability of local governments to regulate land use. I look forward to tackling these challenges with the FCC.”
Councilman Nirenberg is a former general manager for KRTU-FM San Antonio. He currently serves on the City Council Intergovernmental Relations Committee and the National League of Cities Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Steering Committee and Large Cities Council.
The FCC is an independent government agency that regulates radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable communications.
For more information on the FCC Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, visithttp://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/intergovernmental-advisory-committee.
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