2022 Brings Hope for State and Local Broadband Progress

The urgency for wider access to high-speed Internet has been palpable in the past year. The federal government has ramped up its focus on the issue, devoting billions in funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the American Rescue Plan Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In turn, states are setting aside eye-popping amounts of money themselves. But is all that money enough to help everyone? While the unprecedented funding will lead to more widespread broadband infrastructure, cost remains a significant burden for everyday Americans, and government stipends for monthly Internet bills could decrease in value. “If the states spend it [federal money] responsibly, it should largely resolve the challenge of people not having a network at their home," said Christopher Mitchell, director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. "As far as the term ‘digital divide’ is concerned, we will still have tens of millions of Americans who cannot afford it." More than ever, state and local governments grasp the significance of community engagement and agency coordination when it comes to overcoming the problem of inadequate broadband access. Public and private organizations are putting their best minds together to figure out how money can be well spent. Fresh ideas like electric cooperative networks, multi-town partnerships and open-access fiber are starting to take off to help populations that have been overlooked.