The lack of competition and zoning has created a slow and lackluster push to be innovative in Arizona. While other states and major cities are implementing fiber lines with over 1TB of data, no caps, and no data loss, we as a state haven’t even come close.

Instead we are stuck with copper lines, max speeds of 30Mbps from one of the major providers, 90% packet loss from the biggest provider in AZ, and low data caps because these companies struggle to provide even the basic services. How can Arizona plan to grow and continue to be innovative when the internet services are falling so far behind? These companies have had over 10 years to adapt to a growing need for internet services, so the excuse of an abrupt push from the pandemic is no excuse. They should have been prepared long ago.

With a growing need for people to be working from home, and students to study from home, there is an urgent need to get our infrastructure updated to new standards. Installing and activating fiber would benefit many of us in Arizona and is needed as more reliable, faster, internet is required by work and school.

It's time to end zoning and exclusive coverage of neighborhoods for 2 select providers as neither are proving they can maintain and keep up with the growing needs of Arizona. We need to introduce more companies and technology to create competition, which will lower prices and create more innovation in broadband technology. By allowing zoning and executives from these companies to make decisions within our government, we are failing to meet the needs of our infrastructure, and prices for internet have now risen above essential utility bills such as water and electricity.

Enough is enough Arizona, make a change, demand better internet. Demand broadband lines to be redrawn, more funding for fiber lines to be installed, and less zoning so more companies can be introduced to consumers.