Universal Broadband

Municipal leaders are on the front lines of the digital divide, responding to the needs and concerns of the communities they serve.

The Federal Communications Commission and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) formalized a partnership to promote awareness of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) among federal housing assistance recipients. The partnership agreement reflects HUD’s commitment to increase outreach activities, alongside the work both agencies are doing to decrease the time it takes for recipients of HUD assistance to sign up for the program.

The US telecommunications market has significantly evolved since Congress last overhauled the Communications Act more than a quarter century ago. But the Federal Communication Commission’s universal service distribution policies – though periodically tweaked – are still rooted in a framework designed to support incumbent telephone companies. However, the Congress and the FCC now have before them an opportunity to reimagine and reinvent universal service policy for the future.

There are several states already estimating that the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant funding is not going to be enough money to reach all of their unserved and underserved areas. California, New Mexico, and Minnesota have estimated that BEAD will fall short. By the time the dust settles there will likely be more states. I’m not surprised by this. Just since the BEAD grant program was enacted by the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act (IIJA) in November 2021, there have been some significant cost increases for building broadband networks.

123NET and Allegan County (MI) have been awarded a $65 million project to construct an open-access, carrier-neutral fiber network. This county-wide broadband project will begin construction in mid-August 2023. The Allegan County Board of Commissioners and 123NET established a public-private partnership earlier in 2023 and applied for the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) grant together.

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has released the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal Volume 2 for a public comment window.

On July 27, 2023, the U.S. Senate's Universal Service Fund (USF) Working Group invited public comment on the future of the USF with the stated goal of creating a bipartisan forum to guide education, awareness, and policymaking on the USF. The opportunity to weigh in with the senators has had me thinking about the importance of the USF for bringing affordable broadband infrastructure and services to millions of people around the country. So I'm taking this opportunity to share my thoughts on one of the most important tools in our national effort to reach truly universal broadband.

One of the features that President Joe Biden cited in his plan to bring

Digital inclusion took on new urgency in the U.S. when the COVID-19 pandemic thrust the issue into the spotlight, forcing schools, governments and businesses to expedite the move online. While broadband access is necessary to fully participate in society and the economy, it’s not available or affordable for many. The costs of having inadequate access—or no internet at all—can be high, limiting opportunities for success, educational achievement, positive health outcomes, social inclusion and civic engagement, according to the Digital Equity Act of 2021.

ConnectLA published the second volume of Louisiana’s draft Initial Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, and is asking for feedback from the public. Louisiana received more than $1.35 billion from the BEAD program for the construction of broadband infrastructure and the development of programs to eliminate the digital divide. Volume 1 focused on answering questions three, five, six and seven of the Initial Proposal, and Volume 2 will respond to the remaining 15 questions. The public comment period will close on Sept.