Individuals who primarily Reside in a Rural Area

Many people have criticized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its execution of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program, which awarded $6 billion in funding to bring broadband to 3.5 million locations across the country.

Experts expressed concern that federal support for municipal broadband is limited, prompting uncertainty about future funding and operational sustainability. Tyler Cooper, editor-in-chief of Broadband Now, said that Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants are less promising for municipal broadband deployments despite initial promises. Cooper expressed concern that BEAD rules and requirements may not favor municipal networks, potentially favoring larger providers.

This first-of-its-kind kit includes bond forms to address the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announcement to accept surety bonds as an additional form of security in lieu of letters of credit (LOCs) for the  Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) and the Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) formed a surety working group to develop performance bond forms and model language to facilitate the use of surety bonds to meet BEAD Program security requirements.

A 2023 survey of about 1450 Nebraskans who reported having internet access at home found significant variation across demographic groups in home internet experiences. Among those with internet access at home, the largest differences in internet dependability and speed are reported across those who live in a town or city compared to those who live on a farm or open country.

A partnership between Osage Broadband in Oklahoma and Tarana, a fixed wireless technology provider, will bring broadband to 2,300 square miles of underserved and indigenous communities in Osage County. This broadband/fixed wireless partnership will combine technologies to deliver high-speed broadband connections to the residents and businesses of Osage County. Osage Broadband and their partner AtLink Services will provide connectivity—via fiber, in most cases—to Tarana’s towers.

Residential fixed broadband internet access in the United States (US) has long been distributed inequitably. These inequities remain the subject of significant focus for both researchers and policymakers alike, as taxpayers have invested hundreds of billions of dollars over the past several decades to address these broadband-related challenges. This paper evaluates the efficacy of the Connect America Fund (CAF), a key policy intervention aimed at addressing disparities in US internet access.

On July 9, a House subcommittee held a hearing to get an update on how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is addressing some of the most pressing broadband issues in the country. Here’s what the FCC had to say:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces that certain Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) census block groups (CBG) are now eligible for other funding programs.

Whitfield County (GA) Board of Commissioners Chairman Jevin Jensen said no resident within the county should be “left behind” concerning broadband internet access. Speaking at a community listening session, Jensen and county consultant Jake Bearden heard from members of the public about internet access and broadband projects. Whitfield County was awarded $30,000 in grant funding in March from Connect Humanity’s Appalachian Digital Accelerator initiative. Bearden said the meeting was the “first step in making sure that all of Whitfield County has equal access to (broadband).” Jensen said the

There’s a lot of government funding going around for rural broadband, but it won’t mean much if those last mile networks aren’t connected to the rest of the network, says Bill Long, chief product and strategy officer at Zayo Group.