Marginalized populations are those excluded from mainstream social, economic, educational, and/or cultural life. Examples of marginalized populations include, but are not limited to, groups excluded due to race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, language, and/or immigration status.
(August 19, 2022)
Agriculture ventures across the spectrum are adopting smart technologies to be more productive—all of which require decent broadband.
U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), JD Vance (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and U.S. Representatives Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) led their colleagues in the bicameral, bipartisan introduction of the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. This legislation would provide $7 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides affordable high-speed internet options to qualifying households across the U.S.
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has been a transformative force, connecting over 22 million households, but it's in trouble. This proposal would allow this national commitment to continue uninterrupted, bring greater accountability to Big Tech, and create a stable, permanent source of funding that would safeguard the program from the uncertainties of the annual appropriations process.
Step One: Maintain Connectivity- Congress needs to immediately provide stop-gap funding to keep the program operational while a permanent fix is put in place.
“The Affordable Connectivity Program has helped close the digital divide by connecting over 25,000 Vermont households to lower-cost internet—an essential for working, learning, and staying connected to our communities. Access to high-speed internet isn’t a luxury anymore, it’s a necessity.
The Colorado Office of the Future of Work's Digital Equity Team released the Colorado Digital Access Plan for public comment. The plan includes a vision, mission and values that honor Coloradans and their unique needs and assets. People are at the center of Colorado’s digital inclusion work and in every section of the plan. With this in mind, feedback from the public can be submitted until January 19, 2024.
One of President Biden’s top economic objectives is “lowering prices” for high-speed internet. Central to the Biden Administration’s plan to accomplish this goal is the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). ACP is based on a temporary program initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide a subsidy for eligible low-income households. The subsidy is paid directly to participating broadband service providers. Contrary to the President’s intentions, ACP enrollment is associated with higher monthly charges for fixed broadband internet.
The first customers in Spring Garden Township (PA) a rural community in York County, are now enjoying access to 100 percent fiber-optic broadband thanks to efforts from Glo Fiber and Shentel. As construction on the network continues, Glo Fiber said residents and businesses will receive advanced notice via mail of their pending internet access options, according to a recent announcement from the company.
With less than four months before the projected Affordable Connectivity Program end date and without any immediate additional funding, the Federal Communications Commission expects to begin taking steps to start winding down the program to give households, providers, and other stakeholders sufficient time to prepare. The FCC expects funding to last through April 2024, and run out completely in May 2024. The FCC has released a fact sheet on the ACP which can be viewed here.
In 2024, the first Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants will go out — an ambitious $42 billion in subsidies to build broadband infrastructure to close America’s digital divide. While excited and hopeful, I’m not alone in worrying that there is a significant gap between BEAD’s ambition and what it will likely deliver. BEAD alone is not enough. Here are five reasons why:
On January 8, 2024, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote a letter updating lawmakers on the status of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Launched in 2021 under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Affordable Connectivity Program is the largest internet affordability program in US history, and has enrolled nearly 23 million households, helping close the digital divide by bringing more households online. The FCC expects funding for the ACP to last through April 2024, and
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