Cornell University

Residential fixed broadband internet access in the United States (US) has long been distributed inequitably, drawing significant attention from researchers and policymakers. This paper evaluates the efficacy of the Connect America Fund (CAF), a key policy intervention aimed at addressing disparities in US internet access. CAF subsidizes the creation of new regulated broadband monopolies in underserved areas, aiming to provide comparable internet access, in terms of price and speed, to that available in urban regions.

This project explores three unique case studies which address digital access, affordability and adoption in  low-income multi-family housing.

In 2021, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program allocated $42.45 billion to enhance high-speed internet access across the United States. As part of this funding initiative, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) developed a national coverage map to guide the allocation of BEAD funds. This map was the key determinant to direct BEAD investments to areas in need of broadband infrastructure improvements.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) has the potential to address several of the primary issues historically associated with broadband access in America, including funding concentration among few internet service providers (ISPs), unreliable data regarding broadband coverage, and device ownership disparities on the basis of income and age. This project studied a set of outstanding broadband projects using ARPA funding to understand how localities are addressing the critical issues of accessibility, affordability, and adoption to infuse equity into their broadband expansion efforts.