; (ii) developing policies for effective, transparent and efficient spectrum allocation, ensuring adequate bandwidth is released to drive the expansion of 3G, 4G, and successive generations of data-rich mobile network services while also encouraging innovative use of wireless technologies to meet public interest goals; (iii) promoting policies that encourage infrastructure sharing and are aimed at creating incentives for network operators to share backbone, tower, and other forms of communications infrastructure, as a means to significantly lower network costs; (iv) promoting policies that encourage the integration of Internet infrastructure into traditional infrastructure projects to reduce costs, such as by laying of fiber optic cable simultaneously with road construction; (v) promoting mechanisms for public financing of rural broadband connectivity and digital inclusion, such as transparent and well-managed universal service funds, similar to the one managed by the Federal Communications Commission, which also includes the E-Rate program, which is specifically designed to connect schools and libraries to the Internet; (vi) encouraging the creation, strengthening, and sustainment of independent agencies to regulate the telecommunications and Internet industry and ensure consultation with all stakeholders in the formulation and execution of policies and regulations; (vii) encouraging the development of national broadband access plans with specific, time-bound, and measurable goals for achieving universal affordable access, including a specific plan for bringing women, minority, and other marginalized groups online, recognizing both the unique barriers and the unique social and economic benefits associated with extending access to such groups; (viii) collecting and openly releasing timely, disaggregated data on all aspects of connectivity, coverage, and digital skills, including data on equality of access for women, minority, and other disadvantaged groups