Guest Author
Across the country, a growing number of states, including New York and California, are turning to government-imposed price controls on broadband, hoping to manufacture affordability by decree. But these policies don’t encourage innovation or access. They drive investment away.
Florida has taken a different path — and it’s working.
Rather than imposing rigid pricing mandates on internet service providers, Florida has fostered an environment that encourages private investment. By embracing competition, streamlining regulation, and supporting infrastructure expansion through thoughtful public-private partnerships, our state has positioned itself as a national leader in broadband availability and speeds.
This isn’t just good for business, it’s good policy. When the market is allowed to function and providers are incentivized to invest in network expansion, more communities get connected. But when states start dictating prices, the math no longer works. Providers are forced to scale back, delay, or cancel deployments, especially in the rural and hard-to-reach areas that price control advocates claim to prioritize.
We’ve seen this play out in real time. In New York, following the passage of a state-mandated broadband pricing law, some companies reduced offerings or exited the market altogether. That’s not consumer protection; it’s a barrier to progress.
Florida’s model proves there’s a better way. By aligning state policy with investment rather than regulation, we’ve created an environment where providers are eager to expand, local governments are willing partners, and consumers benefit from more choices and better service.
The goal should always be to expand access, not expand regulations. Efforts to treat broadband like a utility, with rate structures and pricing mandates to match, ignore the dynamic nature of the internet marketplace. Unlike traditional utilities, broadband is a competitive, evolving service that thrives on innovation and capital investment.
Florida’s approach keeps that engine running. And while other states may choose to chase headlines with politically popular but economically unsound mandates, we’ll continue to prioritize outcomes over optics.
For states truly interested in closing the digital divide, the road map is clear: Follow Florida’s lead. Encourage investment. Support innovation. And keep the government from putting its thumb on the scale.
States like California and New York continue to double down on heavy-handed policies that drive businesses away and hinder progress. Ironically, their poor decisions only benefit Florida by prompting more residents and companies to relocate to states that get it right.
___
Brewster Bevis is the president and CEO of Associated Industries of Florida.
