Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment
In June of this year, the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) released the revision to the rules for eligibility for the BEAD program. The new rules included scoring criteria that each state is now required to follow while in the process of selection funding recipients.
States will now be required to select the lowest cost applicants as long as they can adhere to a broadband service speed of 100/20 Mbps, have low latency and can adapt to evolving connectivity needs. States are now expected to reject projects with “excessive’ costs, although there is no cost-per-location threshold.
While previously planned to be a full fiber optic deployment, the new rules require states to use whatever technology meets the standards previously mentioned. States are also no longer permitted to consider standards in affordability, equitable workforce development, job quality, open access or local or tribal coordination when selecting funding recipients.
Full list of state by award updates here
Broadband Coverage and Investment Analysis
Last month, at The Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy (TPRC), researchers introduced new tools for measuring broadband infrastructure investments that take into account factors such as need, cost, rurality, and terrain ruggedness.
The tool for measuring availability, known as The Broadband Plan Querying tool, developed by Benton Opportunity Fund, identifies broadband service plans available to customers by querying Internet Service Provider websites. It also allows researchers to assess service quality, pricing, and implication of future project outcomes.
The Digital Divide
New analysis of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) a government program that provided assistance for internet access for low-income households and Tribal communities from 2021 – 2024 – showed that households that had previously had no broadband connection prior to program participation, as well as households that had been subscription vulnerable, benefited greatly from the program and reported that connectivity had opened new opportunities for them. This program has since, ended.
Under connected households remain a concern in today’s connected world. Under connected households are classified by several complications such as inadequate or inconsistent access, slow or broken devices, lack of cell phone service, or too many family members sharing too few devices. Lack of connectivity can affect educational outcomes for all ages, as well as job opportunity and retention for adults, and restrict access to online-based services like pharmaceutical and food access for the elderly and disabled. In our modern world connectivity is quite nearly a necessity.
Broadband opens up opportunities for those from all walks of life. Those with even foundational digital literacy find themselves at an advantage over those who do not when it comes to many aspects of life. Services that many people rely on for their daily needs are made more convent by connectivity or may not be possible at all without it. Telehealth, online education, government program access, bill paying and countless other aspects of life are improved with connectivity access. Ensuring digital equity remains a challenge to be overcome.
The digital divide can only be bridged by expanding connectivity access. Connectivity can only be expanded with the hard work of well trained and dedicated workforce. C-Tech Programs train and prepare students to work in the real world, laying down the infrastructure that will bring opportunities to the people.