Marginalized Populations

Experts expressed concern that federal support for municipal broadband is limited, prompting uncertainty about future funding and operational sustainability. Tyler Cooper, editor-in-chief of Broadband Now, said that Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants are less promising for municipal broadband deployments despite initial promises. Cooper expressed concern that BEAD rules and requirements may not favor municipal networks, potentially favoring larger providers.

This first-of-its-kind kit includes bond forms to address the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announcement to accept surety bonds as an additional form of security in lieu of letters of credit (LOCs) for the  Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) and the Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) formed a surety working group to develop performance bond forms and model language to facilitate the use of surety bonds to meet BEAD Program security requirements.

In the fourth installment of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation’s Access America series, Jess talks to Brian Allenby, program operations and communications director for the Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA). They chat about the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, Maine's digital equity intensive approach, and how the state has been promoting regional broadband plans and activity. "The Regional Tribal Broadband Partners were convened as a working group to share information at what was happening at that local level.

To help millions of households navigate and evaluate low-cost internet plans, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) created a new rating system to evaluate a plan’s affordability and quality. NDIA GIG (Grading Internet for Good) reflects lessons from the Affordable Connectivity Program that contributed to the program’s success and evaluates plans on cost, transparency, speed, performance, and eligibility criteria. We’ve also updated our Honor Roll of Low

A 2023 survey of about 1450 Nebraskans who reported having internet access at home found significant variation across demographic groups in home internet experiences. Among those with internet access at home, the largest differences in internet dependability and speed are reported across those who live in a town or city compared to those who live on a farm or open country.

A partnership between Osage Broadband in Oklahoma and Tarana, a fixed wireless technology provider, will bring broadband to 2,300 square miles of underserved and indigenous communities in Osage County. This broadband/fixed wireless partnership will combine technologies to deliver high-speed broadband connections to the residents and businesses of Osage County. Osage Broadband and their partner AtLink Services will provide connectivity—via fiber, in most cases—to Tarana’s towers.

Residential fixed broadband internet access in the United States (US) has long been distributed inequitably. These inequities remain the subject of significant focus for both researchers and policymakers alike, as taxpayers have invested hundreds of billions of dollars over the past several decades to address these broadband-related challenges. This paper evaluates the efficacy of the Connect America Fund (CAF), a key policy intervention aimed at addressing disparities in US internet access.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will hold an Open Meeting on the following subjects on Thursday, July 18, 2024, which is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. in the Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Communications Commission. 

On July 9, a House subcommittee held a hearing to get an update on how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is addressing some of the most pressing broadband issues in the country. Here’s what the FCC had to say:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces that certain Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) census block groups (CBG) are now eligible for other funding programs.