Beginning March 11, 2021, broadband service providers can submit election notices to Universal Service Administrative Company to participate in the Federal Communications Commission’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.

Thirty House and Senate Democrats unveiled a new $94 billion proposal to make broadband Internet access more accessible and affordable nationwide, aiming to remedy some of the digital inequalities that have kept millions of Americans offline during the coronavirus pandemic. The new effort, chiefly authored by Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), marks one of the most expensive, ambitious broadband packages proposed in recent years.

Federal and state officials said Wednesday that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed grave disparities in education and the digital divide, posing challenges at all levels of government. “The laptops that many of our schools are providing, if you aren’t able to connect that somewhere, you still have a problem,” said Rep Alma Adams (D-NC), a member of the House Education and Labor Committee.

On March 10, the US House of Representatives passed the American Rescue Plan, a coronavirus relief package that includes more than $7 billion in funding for the E-Rate program to support emergency broadband connectivity and devices for schools and libraries and their students, staff, and patrons.

This report provides a basic overview of broadband and then dives into the service as it relates to: 1) remote learning, 2) working from home, 3) telehealth, 4) business and consumers, and 5) social connections, exploring how the pandemic has impacted each sector. It also looks at the impact the pandemic has had on broadband networks and the companies that are building service into rural America. Finally, a look at issues such as the technologies used to provide broadband and policy reforms that could impact the future of broadband deployment.

According to a new Morning Consult poll, 27 percent of Black, Hispanic and other non-white adults who make less than $50,000 annually said they have missed at least one internet bill payment since January 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak started spreading in the United States, compared to 16 percent of lower-income white adults.

The COVID-19 crisis drove digital media consumption to new heights, while traditional media stagnated, according to data from eMarketer. Time spent with media overall increased significantly during the pandemic, thanks to lockdowns that people spent online. Time spent with digital increased 15% in 2020 from 2019 to 7 hours, 50 minutes daily. Connected TV saw a 33.8% increase in usage last year, to 1 hour, 17 minutes per day. Subscription streaming saw a 33.9% increased in usage to 1 hour, 12 minutes per day. Digital audio saw a 8.3% increase in usage to 1 hour, 29 minutes per day.

The latest coronavirus relief bill sets aside $7.6 billion to help students and teachers get online, in an ambitious effort to address the “homework gap.” The funding will allow elementary schools, high schools and libraries to purchase Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, and routers for students, and also fund the Internet service that those devices use.

A Q&A with Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on how she plans to use her new role at the FCC to tackle digital equity issues. "We must start recognizing that for students who don’t have internet access at home, having the school loan out a wireless hot spot is the difference between keeping up in class and falling behind. We can do something to fix this. It’s why we’re in the process of evaluating how we can update the current E-rate program to meet the moment students and families find themselves in," she said. ...

Angela Siefer, executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and Amina Fazlullah, director of equity policy at Common Sense Media, describe what you need to know about the digital divide, its impact throughout the pandemic, and where we might go from here.