Upcoming event
Congress Thinks New FCC Maps Will Fix the Digital Divide. But We Need Much More.
In March 2020, the House and Senate passed the Broadband DATA Act unanimously and President Donald Trump signed it into law. Lawmakers seem to think the new data will itself fix the homework gap. But we need Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to improve data for all the factors that prevent Americans from using broadband service—including affordability and the speeds you’ll actually get in rural areas. Former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai liked to tout that the number of Americans without broadband acces
On the heels of the Biden Administration’s unveiling of the American Jobs Plan, Broadband Breakfast will convene a special Broadband Breakfast Live Online event to take the pulse of the broadband industry on the core components of the administration plan:
The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is an FCC program that provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households. Eligible households can receive:
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Up to a $50/month discount on broadband service and associated equipment rentals
The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is an FCC program that provides a temporary discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households. Eligible households can receive:
"...initiatives to enhance digital equity that, while spurred in many cases by the pandemic, are part of a longer arc by which communities have sought to seize control of their digital futures.
We argue that future policy should strengthen the federal government's role in financing broadband for public purposes, ensure that states have capacity for broadband planning, and build local capabilities for digital skills training & tech support."-John Horrigan
Speakers
John Horrigan, Senior Fellow at Technology Policy Institute
The Biden Administration’s commitment to closing the digital divide presents challenges and tremendous opportunities for underserved communities that have struggled for equal access to technological resources. We’ll get the latest information from representatives of the Biden Administration and the Federal Communications Commission about critical initiatives to expand broadband access, and we’ll explore tangible solutions to challenges ranging from language barriers to the skills and knowledge necessary for individuals to get online safely and effectively.
Review and discussion of comments and opportunities for replies that can help shape library strategies for utilization of these funds.
Bob Bocher, ALA Fellow on e-Rate and Broadband
- John Harrington, CEO, Funds for Learning, LLC
- John Windhausen, Executive Director, SHLB Coalition
Digital inclusion is about having the right access, skills, motivation and trust to confidently go online. Today’s network infrastructure is the lifeline on which much of modern life depends. Without it, the ramifications of Covid-19 would have been far more severe. As the internet becomes a public utility that shapes our social, political, and economic lives, we must take a hard look on what it means to be disconnected, and raise ambitions to meet people’s need for affordable meaningful connectivity.
The House Report on Competition in the Digital Markets issued last October constitutes the groundwork for the antitrust reforms expected this year. The report focuses on a handful of tech giants to draw policy recommendations about antitrust enforcement. One of the most dramatic policy recommendations of the report is the structural separation of digital platforms – namely, the break-up of tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple.
With billions of dollars on the line and millions of students still lacking access to learning, school districts are under an enormous amount of pressure to ensure they are leveraging federal stimulus funds to optimize their learning environments and eliminate equity gaps. Join our panel of K-12 industry leaders as they provide further insight into the latest and largest round of funding through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) as well as eligibility and reporting requirements.