Digital Equity

The infrastructure law should make broadband more accessible and affordable for lower-income households across the U.S., including 13 percent of Tennessee households now lacking broadband Internet.

A corporate giant's appearance in the little town of Leeds, Maine, last week tells us a lot about why so many Maine residents still don't have access to reliable and affordable Internet service.

Former Boston Innovation and Technology Department chief of staff Alex Lawrence returns to city government — and to the department — as interim CIO on the heels of David Elges’ departure.

On-demand transit projects, like Metro Micro in Los Angeles, are proving instructive to how larger fixed-route services can evolve to be more convenient, flexible and equitable forms of mobility.

New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham has named Matt Schmit the broadband adviser of the state’s recently formed Office of Broadband Access and Expansion to coordinate broadband efforts across the state.

In the wake of the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill, state and local government organizations find their digital equity efforts robustly funded, while many leaders at those levels are rolling out specific plans.

Live panels of experts from private, public and nonprofit sectors, organized by the nonprofit Connected Nation, convened this week to discuss what the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act means for the digital divide.

As companies need to free up transmission frequencies for 5G networks, their 3G networks will be shut down. Major 3G networks will be phased out at different points in 2022 depending on the service provider.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act designates broadband Internet access as an essential service and targets billions of dollars to close the digital divide.

Several rural towns in Massachusetts have taken on millions in broadband-related debt. State lawmakers may allow the towns to use American Rescue Plan Act dollars to lighten the debt for taxpayers.

“The exciting nature of it is that it opens up so many opportunities for state and local innovation around this issue,” said Amy Huffman, policy director for the National Digital Inclusion Alliance.

Seeing a precipitous decline in state proficiency exam scores, Illinois schools are looking to tutoring, teacher development, after-school programs and extra social-emotional support for students dealing with trauma.

The Town Link program will support 10 organizations in Oakland, Calif., to offer digital skills programs to support their community as one piece of the city’s efforts to bridge the digital divide.

If a bipartisan infrastructure plan in Congress and a state budget get passed in the coming week, North Carolina could be on the receiving end of more than a billion dollars to expand broadband Internet access.

With the passage of the federal infrastructure bill, transportation leaders in Illinois are gaining hope that the high-speed rail project that would connect Chicago to St. Louis can gain momentum.

Plus, Kansas City, Mo., launches new phase in digital equity work; Wisconsin unveils new broadband grants; Philadelphia debuts an online tax center; and a data map tackles chain restaurants.

The grant from Microsoft Philanthropies will go toward mentorship, financial assistance, and the development of a curriculum from the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center that includes Microsoft training.

After a long wait, the federal infrastructure bill is headed toward President Joe Biden's desk. How can states and local areas take advantage of the $65 billion set aside for broadband? Here are some details.