Brian Vo
Five reasons BEAD alone won’t deliver internet for all
In 2024, the first Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants will go out — an ambitious $42 billion in subsidies to build broadband infrastructure to close America’s digital divide. While excited and hopeful, I’m not alone in worrying that there is a significant gap between BEAD’s ambition and what it will likely deliver. BEAD alone is not enough. Here are five reasons why:
What’s the big IDEA? A $25 million fund to connect Appalachia
Connect Humanity is excited to announce that Connect Humanity and Appalachian Community Capital are partnering to raise a $25 million fund Investing in Digital Equity in Appalachia (IDEA).
What does blended finance for broadband look like? Look at Macon County, Alabama.
Connect Humanity is investing in a fiber network in Macon County, Alabama. The Macon County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) has been working diligently to expand internet access in the county, where 40% of families have lacked access to home internet at broadband speeds. With support from Rural LISC, MCEDA entered into a public private partnership with rural internet provider Point Broadband to build out a fiber network that would deliver quality, affordable broadband to families and businesses across the county.