CNET

An open-access fiber network is installed by a company that then sells access to internet service providers. That means you can have multiple providers offering plans for your house. They use the same infrastructure but may have different prices, services and bundles. You’ll find two types of open-access networks in the US. Municipally-owned networks are owned by cities. Private companies own commercial networks. They both work in a similar fashion, usually with multiple ISPs competing for customers. 

More than nine out of 10 American households now have an internet subscription, according to new Census data released on Sep 12. That's a significant leap forward from the 76.7% the Census Bureau reported in 2015. When you dig into the census numbers, it becomes clear that the majority of new internet subscribers came from the lowest income groups.

To connect more Americans, Congress designated a slice of the $1.2 trillion 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), as well as a portion of the $350 billion 2021 American Rescue Plan Act that passed to provide financial relief during the COVID pandemic to fund projects that would cross this digital divide. All told, the bills provide around $90 billion in funding for connectivity spread across a plethora of initiatives. But the question remains: Will this colossal sum be enough to bridge the digital divide?