Digital Equity

The commissioners of Butler County, Ohio, have heard a $4 million proposal to bring high-speed Internet to 2,700 locations in rural parts of the county. The project would be led by an electric cooperative.

Thanks to a program created by the Alachua County Library District in Florida, library cardholders can check out Wi-Fi hot spots with no fees. Currently, the district has 200 hot spots that residents can use.

Transit systems in New Orleans, San Diego, Miami and other cities have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with a variety of new approaches, ranging from reduced fares to redesigned networks.

Plus, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration establishes two new offices aimed at strengthening U.S. broadband, and the California Public Utilities Commission is investing in digital equity.

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the need to address the digital divide in the Los Angeles area. However, it also led to funding and collaboration opportunities for government agencies to combat the issue.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced that an additional $100 million will be used for broadband expansion through the newly minted Connect Maryland initiative to bridge the state’s digital divide.

Pittsburgh has launched two transportation innovations to make multimodal trips easier to book and navigate, and a program to make a package of transportation options more accessible for low-income workers.

A pilot project led by the South Carolina Department of Aging and Palmetto Care Connections aims to teach seniors the digital skills they need to combat social isolation and access telehealth services.

'This is not a luxury in many cases. It's an essential connection.' U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt said these words Wednesday afternoon at the Boone County Government Center during a roundtable discussion on broadband.

Pennsylvania could receive $100 million to expand broadband infrastructure and subsidize service and devices for families who have access but can't afford it, such as low-income families in Philadelphia.

Through a multi-year partnership with Cleveland Metropolitan School District, the telecommunications company will offer high-speed Internet, and send modems and self-install instructions by mail, to eligible families.

Passed by the Senate and being read in committee for the state Assembly, a new bill aims to create a statewide program in the Department of Education to assess the needs of local schools and train teachers on technology.

Tens of thousands of people in Alamance and Randolph counties in North Carolina don't have broadband access. Both counties lag behind national trends in high-speed Internet access.

Measurement Lab, Marconi Society, and X-Lab at Penn State University is working with the Cuyahoga County Office of Innovation and Performance on the survey, which will be on the county’s website through November.

Plus, Baltimore makes concentrated effort to distribute computers with free Internet service to residents; Bloomington, Ind., invites applicants for second year of digital equity grants; and more.

The residents of Pennsylvania who don’t have access to high-speed Internet — or can’t afford it — will get help from the government if the House passes the bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill, officials say.

As the city of Anacortes expands it high-speed fiber Internet network, state and federal funds may help get the city wired up sooner, staff said in a presentation to the Anacortes City Council.

The government is putting real money toward a historic expansion of America’s broadband services, but pulling it off may require accountability measures, affordable services and higher standards for minimum speeds.