Individuals who primarily Reside in a Rural Area
Congress suddenly cares about broadband maps
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and its contract partner CostQuest have been agonizing over the U.S. broadband map for more than five years. They really doubled-down on the effort to create an accurate nationwide map when the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program started. Now, coming in at the 9th inning, the U.S. Senate has passed a bill—SB 2585 MAP for Broadband Funding Act—that would require the FCC to reevaluate its national broadband map.
Rural Broadband’s Role in the AI Economy
AI is a rapidly evolving technology that has exploded in the last decade. In the past three years, AI chatbots, agents and operational support have gone mainstream. Major players in big tech such as Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon have made huge investments in AI. Strategic startups from just a few years ago like OpenAI and Anthropic have grown into multibillion-dollar companies. Rural broadband providers can play several roles in the AI space.
BEAD is failing rural America. Let’s fix it now.
Broadband programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration have supported the construction of broadband networks in some of the most expensive-to-reach rural areas. NTIA’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program is one of the largest federal broadband programs to date.
New Mexico broadband grants to lead to first connections for Fort Sill Apache
Tribal land in southwestern New Mexico could soon get its first broadband connections. The Fort Sill Chiricahua-Warm Springs-Apache Tribe near Akela in Luna County is in line for fiber broadband infrastructure following two $100,000 state broadband planning grants awarded by the state’s broadband office through its Grant Writing, Engineering, and Planning Program. Fort Sill, headquartered in Apache, Oklahoma, currently operates a convenience store and owns about 1,910 acres of an expanded area in Luna County.
FCC to Begin Review of Rural Health Care Program
On July 16, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a draft Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) and Order in its long-running Promoting Telehealth in Rural America proceeding (WC Docket No.
CPUC Approves $74 Million to Expand Broadband Access Across Rural California
The California Public Utilities Commission approved more than $74 million in California Advanced Services Fund grants to expand high-speed broadband infrastructure in underserved communities across California. The CPUC approved three CASF Broadband Infrastructure Grant Account resolutions totaling up to $74,095,939. The approved projects include:
On This Nearly Deserted Alaska Island, You Pay to Keep Hundreds of Empty Buildings Wired for Internet
Reporting has found that the Federal Communications Commission's multibillion-dollar Universal Service Fund pays for what often amounts to slow internet access for customers who actually no longer use it. Once home to thousands of sailors and their families, the island emptied after the base closed in 1997. While the state estimated the population to be 77 last year, residents themselves put it at closer to two dozen—meaning the federal internet subsidy to the local telecom amounts to about $14,000 a year per person.
The Utility Reform Network Intervenes in AT&T’s Federal Lawsuit Against the CPUC to Defend Reliable Communications Services for California Ratepayers
The Utility Reform Network (TURN) has filed a motion to intervene in AT&T’s federal lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission and California Attorney General. TURN submitted this filing in partnership with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), and the Communications Workers of America (CWA). AT&T’s lawsuit aims to have the federal courts determine that California’s Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) rules do not align with federal policy.
Co-ops tell FCC revising pole attachment regulations will delay BEAD builds
While Chairman Brendan Carr's Federal Communications Commission continues to highlight efforts to strip and streamline regulations to get broadband deployed faster, some stakeholders are saying a proposed change to how pole attachments are regulated would do the opposite.
Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Calls on NTIA to Act on Digital Equity and Opportunity Funding After Court Ruling
We commend NDIA’s commitment and courage in bringing the case. This decision is a significant but incomplete victory for those of us committed to meaningful connectivity for all. Congress was right to recognize the historical disparities in access and adoption of critical connectivity tools—and to address these inequities with thoughtful planning and funding. We disagree with the court’s decision that considering the connectivity needs of racial or ethnic minorities constitutes an unconstitutional race-based classification.