Digital Divide

North Carolinians will now be able to access community resources that support internet affordability, access to computers and digital devices, digital skills and literacy, tech support and free Wi-Fi with one call thanks to a partnership between the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity and NC 211.

Digital equity is about ensuring everyone has the tools and skills needed to fully participate in today’s society. Too often, this work is viewed as the responsibility of nonprofits, libraries, and community groups. But internet service providers (ISPs) also have a crucial role to play—not just as a ‘nice-to-do’ but as a smart business strategy. Investing in adoption isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a strategy for long-term business growth. Here’s why:

The purpose of this document is to outline the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Final Proposal Guidance to assist states and territories in submitting quality Final Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. This document is intended solely to assist recipients in better understanding the BEAD Program and the requirements set forth in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for this program.

A new presidential administration will take office in January 2025, ushering in a new era at the Federal Communications Commission. Thanks to Project 2025, we have a unique ability to predict what this will mean for broadband regulation.

Louisiana is the first state in the nation to award federal Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding through the state’s GUMBO 2.0 program. The state will deploy $1.355 billion in total through these awards to support broadband access throughout the state. GUMBO 2.0 will expand fiber optic connectivity to approximately 140,000 locations across the state, supporting 100,000 households, 35,000 small businesses and 4,000 community anchor institutions such as public safety locations, schools and hospitals.

On Monday, November 11th, to commemorate Veterans Day, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society released Veterans and Digital Equity: Planning for Success, a collaborative research effort with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Offices of Connected Care and Rural Engagement. We reviewed state digital equity plans to better understand what states' strategies are for connecting Veterans. My coauthors, Dr.

The Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Data Task Force, together with the Office of Economics and Analytics, announced that the fifth version of the National Broadband Map was released on November 15. The Map depicts fixed and mobile broadband availability data as of June 30, 2024, based on data submitted by internet service providers as part of the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection. The Map is available here.

Three years ago, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included $65 billion to connect everyone in America to reliable, affordable high-speed Internet service while providing connected devices and digital skills training to those who need it. As of today, NTIA has approved 55 of 56 Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program Initial Proposals  and expects to approve the State of Texas in the coming days.

On October 25, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded over $70 million in funding to California through the Digital Equity Act's Capacity Grant Program.

Over $140 million in awards from the ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program will expand broadband infrastructure throughout Central New York, the Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Mid-Hudson, and Western New York regions. These public-private partnerships will lead to the construction of more than 1,200 miles of publicly-owned fiber optic infrastructure and wireless hubs, connecting over 60,000 homes and businesses with affordable, symmetric service — offering equal download and upload speeds at rates below regional averages.