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December 2020

2020 Affordability Report

The Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare the scale and consequences of the digital divide and underlined the urgent need to find solutions to digital inequality. Governments are being forced to reassess priorities and step up with innovative solutions to address a range of challenges across health, employment, education, and economic resiliency. As the internet and digital technology will play an increasingly important role in our world, governments must develop policies to deliver affordable and meaningful connectivity to all.

Sponsor 

Axios

Date 
Thu, 12/03/2020 - 18:30 to 19:15

Join Axios for a virtual event on the future of broadband connectivity. We will unpack network connectivity, digital equity and the importance of working with all communities to connect all Americans. Axios Business Editor Dan Primack, Business Reporter Erica Pandey and Technology Policy Reporter Ashley Gold will host one-on-one conversations with:

Geoffrey Starks
Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission

Plinio Ayala 

President & CEO, Per Scholas 

Jessie Woolley-Wilson 


Sponsor 

Universal Service Administrative Company

Date 
Wed, 12/09/2020 - 20:00 to 21:00

Learn more about FCC Form 555. This training will provide a walkthrough of the FCC Form 555 and review form resources. USAC will also discuss recent Lifeline changes, including the NLAD 508 Redesign.

During the webinar, you will be able to ask questions and participate in a dialogue with USAC and service providers throughout the industry. 

During this training, the Lifeline Program staff will discuss: 

  • Announcements

  • FCC Form 555

  • Live Audience Q&A


Coalition Seeks Tweaks to 5G 'Rural' Fund

The 5G Fund Supporters -- which includes the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council, Rainbow-PUSH and the NAACP -- asked the Federal Communications Commission to clarify how it plans to ensure that 1) the upcoming 5G mobile broadband subsidy program will accommodate needy areas other than rural, and better ensure 2) that diverse contractors have a chance at the money.

Broadband Adoption | Detroit, Michigan

Once a center for music production and automotive engineering, the City of Detroit has spent the last 10 years recovering from decades of depopulation, systemic divestment, and underdeveloped telecommunications infrastructure. Six years after it declared financial bankruptcy, municipal leaders, public school officials, and grassroots activists are all working to develop programs that will improve internet access and facilitate adoption for all residents. Detroit should continue to consult with local nonprofits to support neighborhood-based digital ambassador programs.

Broadband Adoption | Huntsville, Alabama

With approximately 200,000 residents, Huntsville is the second-largest city in Alabama. It houses the brainpower and imagination that fuels NASA’s space flight center and the US Army’s missile command. Research and engineering are an integral part of the City’s legacy. Long before they were known as a GIG City, residents and small businesses complained about expensive, unreliable internet connectivity. In this technology hub, broadband access is an expectation, much like access to clean water and electricity. However, today, broadband access is still unequal.

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