Since 2007, the California Emerging Technology Fund has been a catalyst for action to close the Digital Divide and implement models for tackling major challenges confronting our state. Critical to that work, CETF has a strong track record of securing and ensuring enforcement of significant public benefit commitments derived from corporate consolidations.
CETF negotiated Memoranda of Understandings (MOUs) with Frontier Communications, Inc., Charter Communications, Inc and T-Mobile in its 2020 acquisition of Sprint that are increasing competition and expanding consumer choice for all Californians. In the T-Mobile case, the MOU that CETF secured became the framework for the decision by the California Public Utilities Commission decision to affirm the merger, including securing commitments to reach 99% of all households in the state with high-speed Internet infrastructure, pricing for low-income households, and connecting 10 county fairgrounds to improve emergency responder communications.
