Adoption

Biden-Harris Administration Awards $1.4 Million to Guam in ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) granted Guam its first “Internet for All” grants for deploying high-speed Internet networks and developing digital skills training programs under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative.

Communications and Technology Subcommittee Hearing Examines the National Telecommunications and Information Administration

The House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology convened to conduct oversight of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The subcommittee is considering reauthorizing NTIA for the first time since 1993. Key questions leading into the hearing included:

Louisiana Draft Digital Equity Plan

This plan outlines Louisiana’s first coordinated effort to assess the state’s digital divide and move Louisiana toward digital equity.

What did NTIA's Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth Accomplish in 2022?

The Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OICG) is housed within the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Congress created OICG in the ACCESS BROADBAND Act of 2021, part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, to oversee all broadband activity at NTIA and lead federal efforts to fund and expand broadband access across the country.

Operators sold subscribers on usage-based broadband, now must keep up with that usage

In the first quarter of 2023 subscribers on usage-based broadband (UBB) plans for the first time reached and marginally surpassed consumption parity with flat-rate broadband (FRB) plan consumers, according to an OpenVault Broadband Insights (OVBI) report. Operators have long pushed for this to happen, but now they must face the network health and congestion challenges that come hand-in-hand with UBB consumption growth. The OVBI report said that significantly higher rates of usage growth among UBB subscribers resulted in average (562.7 GB) and median (382.0 GB) monthly consumption — slightly

About 960,000 Added Broadband in the First Quarter of 2023, According to Leichtman Research

Leichtman Research Group found that the largest cable and wireline phone providers and fixed wireless services in the US – representing about 96% of the market – acquired about 960,000 net additional broadband Internet subscribers in the first quarter (1Q) of 2023, compared to a pro forma gain of about 1,085,000 subscribers in 1Q 2022. These top broadband providers now account for over 112 million subscribers, with top cable companies having about 76.2 million broadband subscribers, top wireline phone companies having about 30.8 million subscribers, and top fixed wireless services having ab

Lifeline in crosshairs as Senate weighs USF reforms

Is the Lifeline program effective? Should E-Rate be expanded to cover school-related connectivity outside of campuses? Would it make sense to fold the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) into the Universal Service Fund (USF)? These were some of the questions asked and answered at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the state of universal service. Sen John Thune (R-SD) claimed the Lifeline program is “riddled with waste, fraud and abuse” and chided the Federal Communications Commission for failing to evaluate whether the program is functioning as intended.

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Kicks off Infrastructure Week by Highlighting Tremendous Progress Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure 18 Months In

President Joe Biden (D-DE) signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)  18 months ago. To date, the Administration has announced over $220 billion in IIJA funding, including over 32,000 specific projects and awards, across over 4,500 communities in all 50 states, DC, and territories. To implement the law, agencies have now hired over 5,000 federal employees, and states and territories have appointed infrastructure coordinators to facilitate clear communication and coordination with the federal government.

A Discussion About the State of Universal Service

All people in the United States shall have access to rapid, efficient, nationwide communications service with adequate facilities at reasonable charges.

FCC Commits Over $24 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding

The Federal Communications Commission is committing over $24 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country.

How to Fix the Universal Service Fund

The Universal Service Fund (USF) is inefficient, ineffective, and funded by a regressive tax mechanism. Several reforms could improve the program:

2023 Digital Equity Spark Grantees

The 2023 Digital Equity Spark Grantees and their projects are:

Five ways companies are closing the global digital divide

Rapidly advancing technologies are further highlighting the global impact of the digital divide, which is the gap between those with reliable access to high-speed internet services and those without it. Here are five creative ways companies are trying to bridge the divide:

What the Benton Institute Learned about Affordable Connectivity Plan Enrollment and Digital Equity Planning

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society recently launched an ACP Enrollment Performance Tool to compare expected Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment to actual enrollment. The difference is a measure of performance. The tool displays actual ACP enrollment, predicted enrollment, as well as metrics that help users understand the drivers of good (or not-so-good) performance, such as housing costs or severe poverty.

South Carolina Broadband Office Announces New Grant Opportunity

The South Carolina Broadband Office (SCBBO) created a $100 million grant program based upon the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) 

Governor Kelly (D-KS) Commits $30 Million to Increase High-Speed Internet Availability

Governor Laura Kelly (D-KS) highlighted a new program aimed at helping Kansas communities that lack high-speed internet. The Lasting Infrastructure and Network Connectivity (LINC) program will provide $30 million in competitive funding opportunities to build the infrastructure needed for more homes and businesses to access broadband. The goal of the LINC program is to reduce the cost of internet service, increase its availability, and improve its performance for users. LINC will provide opportunities for increased adoption of the internet by focusing on funding for: 

Keiki to Kupuna, All Hawaiʻi's Residents Need Broadband

The Aloha State was not prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic's stay-at-home/work-from-home orders. The immediate halt to most in-person interaction resulted in disruptions to business, education, healthcare, the provision of other essential services, and social functions—demonstrating Hawaiʻi’s vulnerabilities, which were exacerbated by inadequate digital infrastructure. As a result, providing equitable access to broadband, improving digital literacy, and effectively applying digital tools in essential sectors are now among the state’s most pressing challenges.

FCC Announces New Affordable Connectivity Program Application Landing Page at Getinternet.Gov

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced a new Affordable Connectivity Program application landing page available at GetInternet.gov.

FCC data shows Charter is largest ACP provider at $910 million

New data published by the Federal Communications Commission, in response to a Senate inquiry, reveals how much funding the commission has committed to providers through its affordable broadband programs, including the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) and its successor, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). According to that report, Charter Communications is far and away the largest participant in both programs.

The Digital Inclusion Outlook: What It Looks Like and Where It’s Lacking

Digital inclusion efforts need to target the reasons people remain offline, and at this point, the digital divide is more of a problem of adoption than deployment. Successful digital inclusion efforts have a few key things in common: They are flexible and individualized, adhere to consistent high-level standards, and share best practices to minimize waste while adapting programs to meet local needs. Digital inclusion efforts include any of the various attempts to get people online.

How Telehealth and Telehealth Access Points Drive Broadband Adoption

What can make people enthusiastic about broadband? What if a community, using the creation orientation, views broadband as the means to build or invent things that didn’t exist before? Essential Families is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides virtual parental education and mental healthcare services. The organization conducted a telehealth pilot in one of the poorest communities in Kansas City (MO) with stellar results.

FCC Announces Nearly $21 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding

The Federal Communications Commission is committing nearly $21 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country. The funding commitment will benefit approximately 55,000 students across the country, including students in California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico.

Sens Thune, Luján Request GAO to Review Broadband Regulatory Structure

A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report uncovered that “federal broadband efforts are fragmented and overlapping, with more than 100 programs administered by 15 agencies.” We request that GAO build upon this work and conduct an additional review of federal, state, and local broadband efforts to determine the effectiveness of each program.