President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress reiterated his promise to bring high-speed internet to every person in the country. However, his proposed $100 billion investment in broadband infrastructure could fail to meet this important challenge if critical changes aren’t made.

The “digital divide” between those with and without access to broadband internet has been an issue for decades, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issue. Federal investments may be needed to reach the final 4.3 million households without broadband access, but this can’t be done without the private sector.