Digital Divide

For decades, public broadband networks have been successfully serving hundreds of communities with fast, robust, and affordable internet access. Unlike private-sector networks, municipal, tribal, and other community- and member-owned broadband networks are focused on ensuring universal, robust connectivity at affordable prices. The results have been remarkable.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on a letter from 69 Internet Service Providers, Trade Associations, State and Local Officials, School Districts, Unions, and Civil Society Organizations [including the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society].

Brian Newby, broadband program director for the state of North Dakota, joined the state's broadband office as it was in the process of being created in early 2023. Since then, his primary focus has been on developing the state's Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

While Indiana continues to battle the digital divide–the gap between those who have and don’t have broadband access–there are significant signs of progress. State and federal funds totaling nearly $1.5 billion are being deployed to help connect the estimated 150,000 unserved or underserved Hoosier addresses. Private sector companies are also getting engaged, including AT&T, which is in the midst of fiber projects in 12 Indiana communities and regions, and it’s all part of what some are calling a once in a generation opportunity.

The Maine Connectivity Resource Exchange is Maine Connectivity Authority's home to resources and knowledge to support, enable, and empower municipal and Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, subgrantees, and the public on all aspects of the broadband ecosystem in Maine. The first module is in support of the upcoming BEAD State-Led Challenge Process. This module contains 7 units that will work to guide our partners through this several months-long process.

The Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides $26.228 billion in total funding. The bill would provide $169,959,000 for US Department of Agriculture broadband programs including:

• $40 million for Distance learning and telemedicine (DLT) grants
• $9.6 million for Congressionally Directed Spending/earmarked DLT grants
• $90 million for ReConnect Loans and Grants
• $10.4 million for Reconnect earmarks
• $20 million for Community Connect Grants 

The Fiscal Year 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Act provides a total of $68.537 billion in discretionary funding.  The bill provides $10.8 billion for the Department of Commerce.

The Department of Commerce's Inspector General asked industry stakeholders to identify challenges they are facing with broadband programmatic deployment to unserved and underserved locations.

From all over the country, I’m hearing stories about internet service providers who are gaming the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadband maps in order to block areas from being eligible for the BEAD grants. It’s relatively easy for a provider to do this. All that’s needed is to declare the capability to deliver a speed of 100/20 Mbps in the FCC maps. Providers can largely do this with impunity. The archaic FCC rules allow providers to claim ‘up-to’ marketing speeds in the maps.

California's Broadband Loan Loss Reserve Fund is a $500 million fund that provides a credit enhancement related to the financing of local broadband infrastructure development. The reserve fund expands the ability of local governments, tribes and non-profits to secure financing for building last-mile projects, with an emphasis on public broadband networks. The Fund will provide collateral to local governments to enable more favorable borrowing rates and terms for bonds issued to deploy broadband infrastructure. The Fund was established in 2021. The benefits of the Fund include: