High-speed Internet access is now essential for full participation in modern society. A reliable home Internet connection can have a transformative impact on a household and can lead to a wealth of previously untapped opportunities in areas like education, healthcare, employment, and civic participation. As Internet service providers (ISPs) and policymakers continue to find ways to expand high-speed broadband connectivity to all United States residents, it is essential no one is left behind. This paper examines publicly available data on current fixed broadband network deployments in the US and analyzes publicly available national, state, and local demographic data to determine what correlation, if any, may exist between broadband availability, race/ethnicity, and income. This paper also looks at the impact of rurality on broadband availability, as well as levels of competition in different communities.

As the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) winds down, federal officials are hopeful Congress will reauthorize funding for the widely popular project that helps subsidize monthly Internet service for low-income households. “This program is making a difference. It really is unique, and very important,” said Alejandro Roark, chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The ACP, which provides a subsidy of $30 to $75 a month for broadband and helps fund Internet access in more than 22 million homes nationwide, is expected to run out of money in May. Supporters and broadband advocates have urged Congress to approve the ACP Extension Act, which would provide $7 billion to continue funding the program, which is often characterized as having broad bipartisan support. The program is often cited as a success story for enabling broadband equity across the country. Roark said it “has accomplished more over the course of the past two years to bridge our country’s digital opportunity divide than any other stand-alone effort in our nation’s history.” 

This Public Notice seeks public input to inform the Federal Communications Commission’s required assessment of the state of competition in the communications marketplace in its upcoming Communications Marketplace Report (2024 Communications Marketplace Report) to Congress. Specifically, we seek data, information, and comment on a wide range of issues relevant to the state of competition in the communications marketplace as a whole. We request that commenters submit information, data, and statistics for 2022 and 2023, as well as information on any notable trends and developments that have occurred during early 2024. Industry stakeholders, the public, and all other interested parties are encouraged to submit information, comments, and analyses

This project explores three unique case studies which address digital access, affordability and adoption in  low-income multi-family housing. Case studies from the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma, the Jersey City Housing Authority and the Seattle Housing Authority showcase the importance of research assessing the digital divide, community coalitions and public private partnerships to extend broadband coverage and digital navigators to facilitate adoption. By examining cases from diverse geographical regions and demographic contexts, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding broadband deployment and digital equity initiatives across different communities. 

Earth Day is here, and Fierce Network is celebrating by looking into how telcos are approaching their sustainability agendas. Fierce reached out to several internet service providers (ISPs) to ask how they're making their businesses more environmentally friendly. For companies Fierce didn't hear from, it took a look at their recent environmental, social and governance (ESG) reports to check their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Scope 1 emissions are a company's direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy. In the corporate ESG scene, "net zero" has become a buzzword added into many company's sustainability targets. Net zero emissions means there is equilibrium between the amount of emissions and extraction of greenhouse gases a company is responsible for. Some experts have warned that greenwashy words like "net zero" may not actually be enough, since the strategy still leaves room for immense greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, there's still something to be said for forward progress. Here's what companies are doing to get there.