Broadband is on a mission for 2022

With the broadband gap laid bare by the events of 2020, 2021 saw a renewed focus on meeting the challenge once and for all. Verizon and T-Mobile began leveraging their mobile infrastructure to provide 5G home internet service in a growing list of select cities, while Elon Musk's Starlink took to the skies with the goal of offering next-gen satellite internet connections across the globe. Meanwhile, the number of fiber internet providers continues to rise, with AT&T, CenturyLink, Windstream, and Ziply Fiber all registering double-digit increases in their respective shares of customers with access to fiber-optic connections over the last five years. But the most important development is November's bipartisan passage of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which includes $65 billion in broadband funding. All of that sets the table for a very busy year of broadband developments in 2022, but whether we see true progress or unrealized potential remains to be seen. For now, here's a look at what to expect and what to pay attention to in the months ahead.