Infrastructure
Following the announcement of the 2019 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), USDA organized a series of technical workshops for those interested in the Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program.
USDA Invests $9 Million in Broadband for Rural Tennessee Communities
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $9 million in four, high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 3,744 rural households, 31 businesses, 41 farms and a critical community facility in Tennessee.
USDA Invests $3.4 Million in Broadband for Rural Illinois Communities
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $3.4 million to create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 603 rural households, 12 farms and a business in Hamilton County (IL). Hamilton County Telephone Cooperative Corporation Inc. will replace copper wire with fiber-optic cable wire. The upgrade will benefit 146 customers in the area. The company provides broadband internet access, entertainment video and voice services to 1,600 customers over approximately 467 square miles.
Members Urge FCC to Reconsider Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Order
Rep A. Donald McEachin (D-VA) led 22 of his colleagues from the House Commerce Committee in sending a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai requesting that the FCC reconsider the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Order in light of the last-minute language added to the adopted Order and released Feb 7.
What is the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund?
On February 7, the Federal Communications Commission released the report and order that creates the framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, the latest effort to extend the reach of broadband networks deeper into rural America. The FCC's own research estimates that $80 billion is needed to bring broadband everywhere in the U.S., so the $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is a significant -- although likely insufficient -- step in closing the digital divide over the next decade. Here we review the framework and note some controversy around the FCC decision.
FCC Authorizes Over $240 Million for Rural Broadband
The Federal Communications Commission authorized more than $240 million in funding over ten years to expand rural broadband deployment in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. These investments will connect more than 100,000 unserved rural homes and businesses in these states. Broadband providers will begin receiving funding in Feb 2020. This represents the ninth wave of support from the successful 2018 Connect America Fund Phase II auction.
New Momentum Building for State Broadband Support Work
A new momentum has taken hold of state government work to support broadband infrastructure, access and usage. This momentum, experts say, is a direct result of an increased societal understanding of broadband as a utility, rather than as somewhat of a frivolous luxury.
In states, concerns with fairness of FCC's rural broadband fund
Amid widely conflicting reports of how many Americans truly lack access to high-speed internet, state broadband officials said that there’s too much funding at stake to rely on the Federal Communications Commission’s unreliable census-block data.
Can New York City fix what ails American broadband?
New York City unveiled a massive new Internet Master Plan in Jan that experts say is the largest and most aggressive local broadband improvement project in US history. If successful, the city's proposal could become a template for other towns and cities looking to improve broadband access and provide a leg up to regional economies.
Frustrated by Flawed Broadband Maps, States Are Trying to Create Their Own
State officials tasked with overseeing expansion of broadband to their residents say it is paramount to have accurate information about where infrastructure and service is lacking. But because connectivity data collected by the Federal Communications Commission often overestimates broadband’s reach, many states are trying to gather their own data, sometimes going door-to-door to query residents, to better understand service gaps. States are increasingly under pressure to make available more grant funding to pay for broadband infrastructure in rural communities.