Ben Werschkul
Misunderstanding of the digital divide's scope hinders broadband funding efforts
Our broadband system needs help. Americans have vastly different abilities to get online or to connect at decent speeds, depending on where they live. The problem is acute in rural areas but also in cities where certain neighborhoods, often those populated by communities of color, can have far worse connections than people living just a few miles away.
Biden’s infrastructure plan could push more cities to offer internet service directly
Under the surface of Washington’s negotiations over infrastructure – and buried in jargon like "municipal networks" and "overbuilding" – is a debate about how Americans may get their internet in the years ahead. Will your broadband bill come from a purely private company or will it be more like a public utility? The Biden administration wants to at least nudge the country toward the latter. The effort is being led by Vice President Kamala Harris and one aspect of the administration's plan would encourage government-owned broadband networks.
'As essential as roads': How North Dakota became a broadband leader
North Dakota has fostered a tech sector thanks in part to being one of the most connected states in the country — a giant feat considering it’s also one of the most rural. “We realized that for us to be competitive, we had to have that connectivity,” says Doug Burgum, who was president of Great Plains Software when it was bought by Microsoft and is now governor of the state.