Digital Divide

After the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law in 2021, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) was tasked with the creation of an Internet for All plan that will work to close the digital divide for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, expanding high-speed internet access and digital equity programming across the state. MBI plans to accomplish these tandem goals include its Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Initial Proposals Volume 1 and 2, as well as the State Digital Equity Plan.

Kinetic and AT&T are teaming up to combine the unparalleled strength of AT&T’s fast, reliable and secure 5G network with the exceptional 99.9 percent network reliability of Kinetic High-Speed Internet. This collaboration for customers in Kinetic’s extensive 18-state footprint offers a significant increase in customer experience. And with AT&T Wireless, customers will be able to choose between a wide range of smartphones and wireless plans to meet their needs.

The Northeast Digital Equity Summit (NDES) convened educators and researchers from land-grant universities across the Northeast in a virtual setting on September 19, 2023. Organized by Penn State Extension, University of Maryland Extension (UME), Cornell Extension, and the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD), the primary emphasis of the summit was to explore how the inherent characteristics of extension programs make them well-suited for leading collaborative efforts toward achieving localized digital equity.

The West Virginia Department of Economic Development, Office of Broadband (WVDED) has officially launched its Digital Equity Asset Map and Dashboard. The map is meant to show West Virginia residents and practitioners what digital inclusion resources are available throughout the Mountain State. Users can filter entities by county, type of organization, and type of resource provided.

The Federal Communications Commission grants Resound Networks a limited waiver of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) obligation to serve areas in Oklahoma and Arizona overlapped by the Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma's and Cocopah Tribe of Arizona's Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Round 1 awards.

In early August 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved Wisconsin’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Congress allocated Wisconsin over $1 billion to deploy or upgrade high-speed Internet networks to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service.

Lumen Technologies—through its affiliates Qwest and CenturyTel of Wyoming—was awarded Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) funding to deploy gigabit speed Internet service in areas of Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Now Lumen is returning nine census block groups (CBGs) where it was awarded RDOF funding in those states. Lumen has observed deployment costs increase dramatically in many areas since it made its bids. In addition, in some areas, the number of locations to be deployed to is substantially different from the initial published auction numbers.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is making billions of dollars available to expand broadband networks throughout rural America—and with these networks, access to all the opportunities and advantages internet service allows.  Billions of dollars for broadband construction also means billions of dollars in construction projects seeking approval from local permitting offices. Reviewing these projects will be no small task, especially in rural areas where local governments have limited resources.

The UK government has informally consulted telecommunications companies about how to accelerate the rollout of high-speed broadband in blocks of flats as groups race to provide full fibre across the country.

Students need fast and reliable access to the internet at school, at home, and anywhere that learning may take place. While great strides have been made towards connecting K-12 students, particularly at schools, many students still lack a reliable connection off-campus. This leaves students and families unable to fully engage in learning and prepare for careers, and teachers and districts are struggling to use technology in an impactful and equitable manner. Two major factors influence impactful learning opportunities for K-12 students—internet and device access.