U.S. Democratic contender Sanders proposes $150 billion for 'high-speed internet for all'

FILE PHOTO: Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at a campaign town hall meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., November 24, 2019. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders launched a plan on Friday to provide high-speed broadband for every U.S. household at a cost of $150 billion (£116.91 billion), pledging to use antitrust powers to take on internet, telecom and cable companies.

Sanders, a leading candidate in the crowded field seeking the Democratic nomination to take on Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election, said the funding would go toward infrastructure grants and technical assistance to local governments to build out publicly owned networks.