Donna Owens

While the share of households with a broadband connection has been increasing, according to the Federal Communications Commission, millions of households across America — disproportionately in communities of color, rural areas and low-income households — lack reliable and affordable connectivity. Large swaths of rural and urban America are “digital deserts” where high-speed internet access is unavailable at any price.

More than 30 million Americans live in communities that lack broadband infrastructure, or don’t provide minimally acceptable speeds to log onto the internet successfully. Rural areas, some tribal lands, and under-served Black and Brown communities are among those often lacking adequate access. The broadband access issue is getting major attention right now.