A new research study reveals that many American households now consider broadband Internet access a necessity. Broadband at home, the study concludes, provides over $30 billion annually in benefits to consumers in the areas of education, health care, work, news, entertainment and civic affairs. Read More »
As part of a "rural America tour" Vice President Joe Biden alongside Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced a plan to create a $4.7 billion loan and grant program to build the necessary infrastructure to expand broadband access to underserved areas. Earlier this month, Biden spoke at the CWA National Convention and cited the success of CWA's Speed Matters campaign. Read More »
The American Library Association issued a set of recommendations on how libraries across the country should maximize broadband capabilities. Their primary suggestion was that libraries should seek fiber optic technologies in their proposals for broadband stimulus funding. Read More »
CWA partnered with Connected Nation, the Alliance for Digital Equality, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Grange to host a webinar for state government and agency leaders about the Notice of Funding Availability for broadband stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). At the webinar, the participants learned the details of the grant process. Read More »
Newly confirmed FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski emphasized the importance of providing every American access to affordable high speed Internet connections at the first open Commission meeting of his term. The FCC will be developing a National Broadband Plan - as mandated in the broadband stimulus portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - that must be delivered to Congress in February 2010. Read More »
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) released the rules for disbursement of the broadband stimulus funds. The rules affect three programs -- the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program, the RUS Broadband Initiatives Program and the State Broadband Data Development Program -- and will account for about $4 billion of the $7.2 billion allocated for broadband in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The rules defined three terms -- unserved, underserved and broadband -- which were an area of much debate in hearings held earlier this year. Read More »
On June 24, Vice President Biden told the 2,000 delegates attending the CWA national convention in Washington, D.C.: "You had it exactly right - speed matters." Biden highlighted the $7 billion in broadband grants in the stimulus bill and emphasized that broadband investment is about creating good jobs for workers in the industry, in our nation, and solving the many challenges we face as a nation. Read More »
This July, the U.S. Broadband Coalition will evaluate the development of a collaborative national broadband strategy. The coalition, of which Speed Matters is a part, is one of the largest and oldest organizations working to find a resolution for our national broadband inequality. The final report will be presented at a public meeting in Washington, D.C. this September. Read More »
Although the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) mandated in President Obama's stimulus package has only just completed initial planning stages, states in New England are eagerly planning for projects to make use of the federal dollars. In Massachusetts, over one hundred companies have expressed interest in applying for funds and Gov. Patrick appointed a director of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. In Connecticut, state officials are aiming to enhance municipal and public safety networks. Read More »
Even after passing a stimulus package that invests billions in broadband, President Obama's administration reaffirmed its commitment to expanding high speed Internet access across America. Susan Crawford, Special Assistant to the President for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy recently declared that the United States is "definitely behind" our competitors in broadband adoption and deployment. She continued on to say, "the president cares deeply about broadband." Read More »
