Sixteen Senate Democrats introduced new legislation building on the Emergency Broadband Connections Act to ensure working families can stay online through the current economic and health crisis. The new legislation would authorize an additional $6 billion for the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, to accommodate high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is no shortage of options for immediate and long-term funding for K-12 home connectivity solutions.

FOR LONG TERM K-12 FUNDING:

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr.

Louisiana should partner with the Federal Communications Commission to maximize funding for broadband infrastructure, said former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai. The FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is a $20.4 billion program meant to promote broadband internet access in unserved and underserved areas.

The Federal Communications Commission has a new $7 billion pot for schools to recoup the costs of paying for student and teacher access to broadband at home — and now the agency must figure out how to distribute the money. Here are six critical issues that companies keeping track of the FCC program should watch for:

1. What Devices and Services Will Be Eligible?

2. Will Purchases From 2020 Be Eligible?

3. How Will Procurement Work?

The digital divide leaves millions without access to high-speed broadband and the immense opportunities it provides. I’m proud to say that we have secured a historic broadband investment in the American Rescue Plan. First, $10 billion for broadband deployment and infrastructure, digital inclusion and other efforts to close the digital divide. These funds represent one of the most important broadband investments ever made in the history of the United States.

To help schools and libraries provide devices and internet connectivity to students, school staff, and library patrons during the pandemic, Congress established a $7.171 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund as part of the recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Now the Federal Communications Commission must craft rules to distribute the new funds to eligible schools and libraries for the purchase of eligible equipment and advanced telecommunications and information services for use by students, school staff, and library patrons at locations other than a school or library.

Cable operators, bracing for a slowdown after the robust broadband growth during the height of the pandemic may be in for a surprise. Federal money from the American Rescue Plan could help maintain, and in some cases spur, high-speed data additions in both urban and rural markets, according to MoffettNathanson principal and senior analyst Craig Moffett. Cable operators added more than 4 million broadband customers in 2020, the sector’s biggest growth spurt in a decade and one that occurred as penetration levels were in the 80% range.

Expanding affordable broadband access is a rare issue with bipartisan support on the Hill. During the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Federal efforts to expand broadband access, senators from both parties joined together to express concerns over expanding access, ensuring accurate broadband connectivity maps, and figuring out how best to spend federal broadband funding.

Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated a Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration that, if adopted, would establish Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, a $249.95 million dollar federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act.