Telehealth
Witnesses
Jonathan Spalter, President and CEO, USTelecom — The Broadband Association
Justin Forde, Vice President of Government Relations, MidCo
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I’m a Law Student, and I’m a Recipient of the Affordable Connectivity Program
As a full-time law student, I spend much of my day online doing schoolwork and sometimes taking classes. Many of my finals are take-home exams that require an internet connection. If not for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), I would have to take these classes and exams at the library or a coffee shop, where the environment could be very disruptive.
Airborne telemedicine
As airlines upgrade their in-flight Wi-Fi systems, they often tout the passenger experience benefits, like faster internet browsing or bett
Universal Service Fund Working Group Request for Comment
The Universal Service Fund Working Group seeks public comment on the future of the Universal Service Fund (USF). The goal of this working group is to create a bipartisan forum to guide education, awareness, and policy-making on the USF. The working group invited comments on ten questions related to money collected from telecommunications companies that is dedicated to fulfilling the goals of universal service.
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $1 Billion in New Internet for All Funding Available to Tribal Lands
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the availability of nearly $1 billion in funding to expand Internet access and adoption on Tribal Lands. This second round of funding from the Internet for All initiative’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) will make up to approximately $980 million available for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities for the deployment of Internet infras
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Biden-Harris Administration Helps Expand Access to Rural Health Care Through Investing in America Agenda
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced that USDA is expanding access to health care for more than 5 million people living in 39 states and Puerto Rico as part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda. USDA is awarding $129 million in Emergency Rural Health Care Grants to improve healthcare facilities in rural towns across the nation.
Influx in broadband funds to Minnesota will open the door to more telehealth options
Dr. Cindy Firkins Smith doesn't mince words: "Rural health care is on the precipice of a crisis," she said. Minnesota state data show doctors in rural areas are older than those in urban ones, and one in three rural physicians plan to leave the workforce within the next five years, which could have "potentially devastating effects," said Smith. But one solution that can help bridge some of the gap: telehealth. The problem?
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Funding for the ACP Means Supporting Mental Health and Wellness for Americans in Need
As many have experienced, either personally or through a friend or loved one, the pandemic has taken a toll on people’s mental health.
SIA President Tom Stroup Testifies Before House Committee on Agriculture Regarding the Role of Satellites in Bridging the Digital Divide in Rural America
The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) testified on the importance of satellite connectivity before the House Committee on Agriculture hearing titled “Closing the Digital Divide in Rural America.” SIA President Tom Stroup provided testimony on behalf of the Association. “Americans without high-speed internet access are slipping further behind as more and more aspects of American society are conducted online… and too many communities are on the wrong side of the divide,” said Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-PA).
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Treasury Department Announces Awards in Montana and North Dakota to Expand Connectivity
The US Department of the Treasury approved $119.9 million in federal funds for broadband infrastructure projects in Montana and $68.3 million for multi-purpose community facility projects in North Dakota under the American Rescue Plan Act's (ARPA) Capital Projects Fund (CPF):