Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is home to many diverse communities, a large number of which are disproportionately impacted by various barriers and deficiencies that prevent the attainment of digital equity for residents. To address these barriers and deficiencies, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has developed Connecting the Commonwealth: A Five-Year Strategy Toward Internet for All.

In the coming years, Pennsylvania will receive more than $1 billion in federal funding to bring high-speed internet access to everyone in the state. It’s a historic opportunity and a serious challenge, according to a new plan from the state Broadband Development Authority that outlines how it will accomplish that goal over the next five years.

The Federal Communications Commission announced that over 20 million households across the country are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Between this push to spread the word about ACP and the billions of dollars that will be put toward broadband infrastructure expansion, the federal government is investing mightily in digital access. At a local level, even if there is broadband infrastructure in Philadelphia (PA), thousands of families still can’t afford to pay for internet service.