1. Monthly archive
  2. June 2021

June 2021

The broadband gap's dirty secret: Redlining still exists in digital form

The decades of US redlining represent a form of systematic racism that has denied generations of Black communities the kind of opportunities many other Americans enjoy, and the fear is it's happening again with broadband internet service. Big providers, when deciding where to invest the money to upgrade their networks, often focus on wealthier parts of cities and shun low-income communities. Fiber connections are expensive, and internet service providers are hesitant to expand unless they expect a return on their investment.

Google wins over critics to build a megacampus in San Jose

The San Jose City Council approved Google’s plan for a mixed-use megacampus that spans 80 acres and 7.3 million square feet of office space in the heart of California’s third-largest city.

America’s ‘Smart City’ Didn’t Get Much Smarter

In 2016 Columbus, OH beat out 77 other small and midsize US cities for a pot of $50 million that was meant to reshape its future. The Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge was the first competition of its kind, conceived as a down payment to jump-start one city’s adaptation to the new technologies that were suddenly everywhere. Five years later, the Smart City Challenge is over, but the revolution never arrived.

Mayo Clinic unveils new mobile health service

Mayo Clinic Health System unveiled its new mobile health clinic on June 28th as a way to improve health care access for those in rural communities. The mobile clinic includes two exam rooms and an onsite laboratory bringing health care directly to patients, for in-person care or virtual care via the onsite telehealth equipment.

Current proposals are not enough to close the digital divide

The Federal Communications Commission and the Biden administration have taken significant steps to fill the broadband gap in the United States, but bridging the divide is not easy. Figuring out where the broadband gaps are is no small task, and current mapping efforts fall short by overstating the amount of broadband in given locations—a product of relying on industry-reported data which is inherently incomplete.

Sponsor: 

Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy

Date: 
Wed, 06/30/2021 - 12:00

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare how important America’s digital infrastructure is to keeping the economy running, keeping us connected, getting us vaccinated, and allowing our kids to continue to learn. All industries and infrastructures have taken a hit during the pandemic, but digital infrastructure has proved resilient beyond expectation. The question Washington DC is now addressing is how to bring broadband to the remaining Americans who don’t have it. A key ingredient to that will be funding from Congress and innovation and commitment from the broadband industry.


FCC Extends Lifeline Waivers to September 30, 2021

In response to the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau has waived certain Lifeline program rules in seven previous Orders to provide necessary relief for low-income households. Although vaccination efforts have been underway for several months and overall cases have decreased, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt by many Americans.

Broadband Myths: Does Municipal Broadband Scale Well to Fit U.S. Broadband Needs?

Municipal broadband is unlikely to scale well to fit U.S. broadband needs. Broadband requires constant investment and innovation; it is not a type of infrastructure that remains future-proof without continued development. It also benefits from economies of scale. So if the goal is to get as many Americans online as possible, policy should prioritize efficient spending and allow for an environment where those most optimized to succeed can compete without unnecessary barriers. In a few instances, that may in fact be municipal broadband.

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