Broadband
Is the effort to expand broadband nationwide going well, poorly, or just right?
A House subcommittee hearing highlighted various obstacles to implementing the $42.5 billion federal program to boost internet access.
How states are tackling the broadband worker shortage
COMMENTARY | The U.S. is investing more than $42 billion to bring affordable high-speed internet to all Americans, but there aren't enough skilled workers to get the job done.
‘Internet to go’ programs get a boost
The FCC recently voted to allow schools and libraries to use federal funds to support Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs, which caught fire during the pandemic. The efforts are viewed by some as a small, but critical, way to help close the digital divide.
Why North Kansas City pays its residents’ internet bills, and your city doesn’t pay yours
North Kansas City built a fiber network almost two decades ago that it now uses to provide its residents with gigabit internet. Here’s how it happened and why other cities in the country are, or aren’t, trying to do the same.
Could an extension of the federal broadband subsidy be close?
A Senate committee advanced a $7 billion funding vehicle for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which expired at the end of May.
Nearly $1B available for local digital inclusion projects
The goal of the new federal grant program is to fund local efforts that provide underserved communities with the tools and skills needed to access high-speed internet service.
23M households will no longer receive monthly federal internet subsidy
The Affordable Connectivity Program has officially run out of money. But more than a dozen internet providers have pledged to offer plans at $30 or less through 2024 for low-income households.
To meet class size mandate, officials look to virtual learning
To meet a new state mandate capping K-12 class sizes, New York City is considering offering remote instruction, a practice that could free up building space and allow students to take electives and AP classes from teachers on other campuses.
Efforts to reform federal broadband subsidy gain traction
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed support for tweaks to the Affordable Connectivity Program’s rules in a bid to keep it from sunsetting this month.
With only three weeks to go, lawmakers weigh ways to save federal internet subsidy
Congress is exploring several options to fund it. All face long odds of success despite widespread and bipartisan support for the Affordable Connectivity Program.
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Don’t pull the plug on internet access for 23M families
COMMENTARY | No family should be forced to choose between one essential and another. And they don’t have to, as long as Congress acts to renew the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Federal broadband subsidy cut amid fears over its future
The Affordable Connectivity Program will pay some households just $14 in May, down from $30. Unless Congress acts on a $7 billion extension bill, it will run out of money at the end of the month, plunging some families, supporters warn, into “digital darkness.”
FCC reinstates net neutrality rules
Commissioners voted 3-2 to revive net neutrality, which supporters said would prevent the internet from being intentionally blocked or slowed down. Opponents said the effort is unnecessary and violates the law.
Initial funding for digital equity plans is available. But how do states plan to use it?
Some have identified creative solutions to address affordability, digital skills and accessibility issues. But one approach—reliance on the federal internet subsidy that is about to expire—could force some states back to the drawing board.
Key takeaways from the Explore Act, one of the largest outdoor recreation bills ever
The proposal will streamline the permitting process for outdoor recreation companies, study internet access at National Parks, identify potential long distance bike trails and paths, and support recreation and tourism economies and towns.
Rural students’ access to Wi-Fi is in jeopardy as pandemic-era resources recede
COMMENTARY | Internet access among rural students had begun to decline in 2022, putting them at significant educational disadvantage compared with their better-connected peers. This trend is likely to accelerate with the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program.
New FCC broadband standard increases the number of ‘underserved’ households in America
An estimated 22 million Americans still lack home broadband access, according to a new report. But that number could be higher after the FCC increased the definition of what constitutes broadband.
End of internet subsidies for low-income households threatens telehealth access
Telehealth enables preventative care and keeps people out of emergency rooms, so loss of the subsidy will have real impacts on health outcomes, experts warn.
Without federal internet subsidies, state efforts to offer low-cost broadband could be impacted
The end of the Affordable Connectivity Program will not only impact the 23 million households participating, but also those who live in areas where broadband is being built out.
Congress finally approves spending budget, nearly six months late
The vote in the House and Senate averts a shutdown and brings funding certainty. But several programs significant to state and local governments will see cuts.
