July 2021

Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced the first cohort of grant recipients as part of the Office of Broadband Regional Engagement for Adoption and Digital Equity (READY) program. Through this first of its kind program, $200,000 has been awarded to four regional entities to accelerate progress toward eliminating the digital divide. The inaugural READY cohort is fueling local efforts in four major regions throughout Illinois, including East Central, Northern Stateline, Southeastern, and Southern Illinois.

Millions of people signed up for the Federal Communications Commission‘s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program since it launched in mid-May—but records show that Americans faced significant frustrations with their internet service providers amid the rollout. While hundreds of providers agreed to be part of the EBB, customers of nearly every provider say issues have cropped up along the way.

Jessica Rosenworcel, acting chairperson of the Federal Communications Commission, said that the key to helping close the digital divide is to focus on 5G midband spectrum, not millimeter wave. She said that the FCC made a mistake a few years ago when it focused all of its energy in the early 5G days on millimeter wave.