April 2023

Let’s close the digital divide once and for all for Black communities

Since digital technologies first emerged about 30 years ago, Black Americans have trailed in terms of access. This “digital divide” is real, it’s important and we can do better. According to our analysis of data from the American Community Survey, 40 percent of Black Americans do not have high-speed, fixed broadband at home, compared to 28 percent of whites.

Lumos to Invest More Than $56 Million to Expand Fiber Optic Internet Access in North Carolina

Lumos, a leading 100 percent fiber optic internet and total home wi-fi service provider in the Mid-Atlantic, announced its $56 million investment to bring fiber services to residents and businesses of New Hanover County and the City of Wilmington (NC).

AT&T, T-Mobile, UScellular and Verizon reach agreement for full-power C-band deployments

AT&T, T-Mobile, UScellular and Verizon sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission saying that they agreed to voluntary commitments related to air traffic safety and the deployment of C-band spectrum. “These voluntary commitments will support full-power deployments across C-band, and are crafted to minimize the operational impact on our C-band operations,” the letter stated.

Higher Prices for Rural Broadband

Innovative Systems of Mitchell (SD) commissioned a survey of broadband and bundled rates paid by rural residents. This is the eighth year of the survey. The 2022 survey focused on zip codes that are completely rural in order to find out about rural rates. The results come from surveys administered to 841 rural residents. The study showed that the average rate paid for rural broadband increased from $68 per month in 2021 to $71 in 2022.