Community Broadband Media Roundup - January 6

Alabama

$62.3 million to be invested in bringing broadband to Alabama rural areas by Henry Thornton, Yellowhammer

 

California

Why Internet stops once school ends for many rural California students by Sydney Johnson, PBS NewsHour 

 

Colorado 

Rural communities taking action to accelerate broadband by Judith Kohler, Government Technology 

Rather than waiting for the big Internet providers to lay more fiber to sparsely populated parts of the state, more and more rural communities are using grants, local money and forming public/private partnerships to find their own solutions.

 

Indiana

Churubusco certifies as broadband ready, Building Indiana 

 

Maryland

Governor, legislators need to support local broadband solutions by Katie Kienbaum, The Enterprise

Community broadband networks and public-private partnerships receive support from many state programs to great local benefit. Nonetheless, these networks attract negative attention from groups funded by the large cable and telephone companies that prefer their own monopolies to competition. Communities should be able to decide for themselves what model works best, without interference from special interests.

Missouri 

Rural businesses struggle to get up to speed on high speed Internet by Tatyana Monnay, Komu 8

Missouri ranks 41st in Internet connectivity in the nation, according to BroadbandNow. The Federal Communications Commission considers an acceptable broadband connection is one that delivers a minimum of 25 Megabits per second of download speed. Only 20.3% of residents in Howard County have access to this speed. In Osage County, it’s less than 16%. 

 

Ohio

Internet access for rural Ohio, The Tribune

 

Virginia

Roanoke County launches broadband survey for residents by Alison Graham, The Roanoke Times

 

Wyoming

FCC gives $8.5 million for local broadband by Daniel Bendsten, Laramie Boomerang

 

General

No more hidden fees: New law requires cable and satellite TV to disclose full costs by Ron Hurtibise, Lincoln JournalStar 

Top broadband stories of 2019 – and what they mean for 2020 by Joan Engebretson, Telecompetitor 

Policymakers wake up to the importance of universal broadband. Once viewed as a luxury, broadband increasingly is seen as a necessity – and that realization drove several key policy initiatives in 2019. FCC Chairman proposed a Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to replace the Connect America Fund, which expires in a few years. He also proposed a 5G Mobility Fund auction to replace an auction that would have focused on bringing LTE to unserved areas. Meanwhile, USDA has been awarding rural broadband funding through the ReConnect program and has announced plans for awarding another $550 million in ReConnect funding for 2020.