1. Monthly archive
  2. August 2022

August 2022

USDA to Begin Accepting Applications on September 6 for ReConnect Program Round 4

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the USDA will begin accepting applications on September 6 for funding to expand access to high-speed internet for millions of people in rural America nationwide through the ReConnect Program, which received new funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). USDA is making additional funding available for high-speed internet in Round 4 of the ReConnect Program.

Sponsor: 

Schools Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and the Open Technology Institute

Date: 
Wed, 08/17/2022 - 11:00 to 12:15

A big question is floating around the broadband space right now: How do we make the most of our nation’s historic investment in closing the digital divide? One key opportunity will be leveraging schools, libraries, and other community anchor institutions. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and the Wireless Future Project at New America’s Open Technology Institute are partnering to release new research which finds that extending anchor institutions’ broadband networks off-campus has both social and economic advantages.


Sponsor: 

First Responder Network Authority

National Telecommunications and Information Administration 

Department of Commerce

Date: 
Wed, 08/17/2022 - 09:00 to 11:00

The FirstNet Authority will post a detailed agenda for the Combined Board and Board Committees Meeting on FirstNet.gov prior to the meeting. The agenda topics are subject to change. Please note that the subjects discussed by the Board and Board Committees may involve commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential, or other legal matters affecting the FirstNet Authority.


Always Online Customers

Recent Ookla analysis has revealed some interesting trends in mobile broadband usage that I think have implications for internet service providers (ISPs). The percentage of consumers who describe themselves as always online grew from 30 percent to 69 percent during the pandemic, and Ookla delves into some of the reasons why. By 2021, users who identified as always online were twice as likely to have reported an issue to customer service. About one-third of cellular customers are unhappy with customer service.

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