A group of the nation's leading technology associations sent a joint letter to Congressional leadership urging the passage of two crucial pieces of legislation that will help connect families in unserved areas to high-speed broadband internet:

A push from an advocacy group for children in Ohio’s Appalachian region and two former governors has led Gov Mike DeWine’s (R-OH) administration to decide to expand broadband services to students without requiring school districts match 50% of their allocations. When the DeWine administration initially launched its plan to use a $50 million grant from federal CARES Act funds to purchase Wi-Fi hot spots and internet-enabled devices late in July, officials set a 50% match contribution for school districts to access the money.

The stay-at-home orders that were widespread in April due to the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a surge in data traffic for regional operator US Cellular. The company reported that data traffic on its network increased 20% to 25%. 

As school districts hammer out plans to hold fall classes partially or fully online, educators and regulators are scrambling to get as many students connected to the internet as possible, highlighting the ongoing connectivity divide that threatens to further disadvantage low-income and rural learners. The problem is big enough that Congress may need to offer an answer. Chicago has demonstrated a particularly good model by striking contracts with providers like Comcast for bulk sponsored service accounts, which let the school distri

As the economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic continues throughout the United States, a coalition of 25 organizations including the NAACP, the National Consumer Law Center and the Communications Workers of America is urging the Federal Communications Commission to make a number of changes to the Lifeline voice and broadband subsidy program to help low-income Americans pay their phone and internet bills. Among its requests, the coalition is calling on the FCC in a 

Comcast and its counterparts in the industry faced a surge of internet traffic in March and April, as other parts of the economy largely shut down. Employees began meeting on video conferencing platforms instead of at the office. Students and teachers moved to online as well. And while essential workers continued to report to their workplaces, nobody could go to a bar, movie or dinner afterward to unwind.

Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the bipartisan Accelerating Connected Care and Education Support Services on the Internet (ACCESS the Internet) Act to expand reliable broadband access for education and telehealth appointments for rural America during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ACCESS the Internet Act provides funding for the Education Stabilization Fund, hotspots through libraries, and telehealth services through the Federal Communications Commission and US Dept of Veterans Affairs.

Consolidated Communications announced plans to partner with the state of New Hampshire and local towns to invest nearly $18 million to expand and enhance broadband services across the state. Consolidated was awarded $3.5 million in grants from the state’s Connecting New Hampshire - Emergency Broadband Expansion Program to build high-speed, fiber-to-the-premises Internet networks to homes and businesses in Danbury, Springfield, and Mason. The company also received a separate grant to upgrade existing Internet services in the town of Errol.

T-Mobile said it has vaulted ahead of rival AT&T in the race for wireless customers to become the country’s second-largest cellphone carrier. T-Mobile ended June with 98.3 million US customers, excluding wholesale subscribers on other brands that use its network. AT&T reported 92.9 million prepaid and postpaid customers, a tally that didn’t count wholesale accounts or connected devices such as Wi-Fi hotspots and car sensors.

The Trump Administration announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $29 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Oklahoma.