The gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology, and those with very limited or no access at all.
Digital Divide
President Biden, Treasury Department Announce Approval of Federal Funds to Connect 16,000 North Carolina Homes and Businesses to High-Speed Internet
President Joe Biden announced that the U.S.
Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition Supports Federal Communications Commission's Initiative for Off-Campus E-rate Support
The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition along with the Open Technology Institute at New America (OTI), filed comments responding to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in support of E-Rate support for off-campus internet access. The NPRM proposes to allow schools and libraries to apply for funding from the FCC’s E-Rate program for Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless internet access services to be used by students and library patrons in need.
Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program Shutdown Silent on Broadband Labels
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an order on winding down the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), but the FCC was silent on a key issue: What’s going to happen to the agency’s rules that legally require internet service providers (ISPs) to display broadband “nutrition” labels that promote the ACP? In late 2022, the FCC adopted label rules that require broadband ISPs to “display at the point-of-sale c
FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel: Nearly half of ACP households are using it for fixed broadband
In a letter to a group of Republican lawmakers, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel confirmed that the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is subsidizing fixed broadband services for nearly 10 million of the 22 million households enrolled in the program thus far. The letter was a response to an
The Value of $7 Billion: The Affordable Connectivity Program and the Future of Access and Adoption
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides eligible customers a discount of up to $30 per month for broadband services. The benefits of the ACP—especially compared to other programs—is that it is tech-neutral; it does not limit users to a specific means of connection and gives customers choices over what service they want. Absent congressional intervention, the program is due to run out of funding as early as April 2024.
Rural Families Need Broadband Subsidy Program More but Use It Less
While the future of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) remains uncertain, it is worth reviewing how the program fared in rural America. Home broadband adoption rates in rural areas have historically been 5-10 percentage points lower than those in urban locations.
Reps Curtis (R-UT) and Kuster (D-NH) Introduce Bill to Connect Rural America
Reps John Curtis (R-UT) and Annie Kuster (D-NH) introduced the Rural Broadband Protection Act to combat waste fraud and abuse in federal broadband programs.
New Mexico's Plan for an Inclusive and Prosperous Society
The State of New Mexico recognizes the transformative power of technology in fostering an inclusive and prosperous society for all of New Mexico’s diverse and unique communities and across New Mexico’s rich tapestry of cultures and languages as well as its diverse geographies. With this in mind, the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) released its draft State Digital Equity Plan for public comment in late 2023.
'It's going to be a mess': Federal Communications Commission begins wind down of monthly $30 subsidy for internet bills
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has begun winding down a program that helps low-income people pay for internet service, which would affect 67,548 subscribers in Allegheny County alone. FCC officials said most of the funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program will run out by the end of April without additional appropriations from Congress.
Doubling Down on Digital Equity in Tribal Communities: Introducing Two New Projects from the Tribal Resource Center
Michelson will continue growing its Digital Equity in Tribal Communities project by supporting the Tribal Resource Center (TRC), a Native American-led non-profit initiative under People-Centered Internet that is dedicated to offering trustworthy guidance for tribal communities seeking greater access to broadband. Digital inequity is especially apparent on tribal lands in California, with over a quarter of households lacking broadband service at 100 Megabit per second speeds.