Research
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Digital Divide Consults and Devices for VA Video Connect Appointments
In August 2020, the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) Office of Connected Care recognized the growing demand for patients’ access to video-based virtual care, and that many patients lack a video-capable device, or the internet connection required to access this care. To bridge “the digital divide, which exists between individuals with access to a device and connectivity and those who [lack that] access,” VHA introduced the digital divide consult.
The 6 GHz IMT Ecosystem
The fast-developing 6 GHz IMT ecosystem is poised to play an important role in supporting 5G rollouts worldwide, according to the GSMA 2022 6 GHz IMT Ecosystem report. The report discusses the development progress of 6 GHz IMT systems and the central role that 6 GHz will play in delivering successful 5G rollouts. It warns that allocating the full 6 GHz band to unlicensed use risks countries losing out on the full benefits of scarce spectrum resources and damaging their ability to maximize the societal impact of governments’ and operators’ investments in 5G networks.
Just A Click Away: Broadband Competition in America
This report examines data from the US and around the world to explore the current state of broadband in America, and the potential for an open access fiber model to create robust competition and bring about more widespread access, better service, and lower prices.
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Wireless in Communities of Color: Bridging the Digital Divide
This paper presents a history of the digital divide, major steps in closing it, and how we can continue expanding access to transform lives for communities of color. To close the digital divide, policymakers should focus on: 1) further expanding access, 2) increasing adoption, and 3) encouraging skill development.
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CBO Scores HR 7624, the Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022
The Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022 (HR 7624) would modify and extend the authority of the Federal Communications Commission to auction licenses for the commercial use of the electromagnetic spectrum and authorize certain federal agencies to spend some auction proceeds without further appropriation. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that enacting the bill would reduce net direct spending by $2.5 billion over the 2022-2032 period. Outlays after 2032 would increase by approximately $2.4 billion.
The roadmap to telehealth efficacy: Care, health, and digital equities
The United States has long struggled with a health care system that is both expensive and often inaccessible when it comes to providing certain populations with equitable care. The White House and Congress acted quickly to transition patients to telehealth during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the future adoption and use of telehealth will depend on how the U.S. health care system addresses coverage and reimbursement, medical licensure, and service modalities.
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GAO Finds National Strategy and Coordination Framework is Needed to Increase Tribal Broadband Access
Broadband is critical to modern life. Despite federal efforts, broadband access on Tribal lands has traditionally lagged behind the rest of the country. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review federal efforts for improving broadband on Tribal lands.
Misleading Information and the Midterms
Since 2020, misinformation and disinformation related to election and voter suppression have continued to spread at a growing rate across online platforms. While internet platforms ramped up attempts to combat such information during the 2020 elections, many of these efforts appear to have been temporary measures. In anticipation of the 2022 US midterm elections, this report evaluates how online platforms are combating misleading election information against a selection of recommendations made by the Open Technology Institute in 2020.
2022 Governor's Task Force on Broadband Access
The Wisconsin Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access releases its second report. In 2022, the Task Force worked as Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), making a once-in-a-generation investment in broadband access, adoption, and affordability. Almost all of the recommendations from the first annual Task Force report still ring true, and the Task Force members believe that the goals and recommendations set within the first report should be advanced, as seen in the Policy recommendations.
2021 Broadband Capital Expenditures Report
According to USTelecom's 2021 Broadband Capital Expenditures report, America's broadband industry investment reached a twenty-year high in 2021, driving $86 billion in capital expenditures into the nation’s communications infrastructure. The improvements are making US broadband networks faster and more widely available. The 2021 capital influx is a recent high-water mark but it stands on the shoulders of decades of continued investment into America’s world-leading communications infrastructure. Since 1996, US providers have invested $2 trillion into their networks and communities.