FCC chairman wants fee hike to expand Internet access

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. should spend $1.5 billion more a year to make sure every child has access to high-speed Internet connections at school, the head of the Federal Communications Commission said today in a proposal endorsed by the Obama administration that would increase slightly the fees consumers pay each month on their phone bills.

If approved by the commission as expected next month, the FCC would be allowed to spend as much as $3.9 billion a year to wire schools and libraries in low-income or rural areas with broadband connections that educators say are crucial to modern classrooms.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler told reporters he estimates the average consumer or business would pay roughly $1.90 extra a year per phone line to make that happen. Education Secretary Arne Duncan today issued a statement endorsing the plan.

"Unfortunately, while the connected home is commonplace, the connected classroom and library is not," Wheeler said, noting that about 63 percent of public schools — representing more than 40 million students — don't have high-speed broadband in the classroom.

"Almost two-thirds of America's schools cannot appropriately connect their students to the 21st century," Wheeler said.