20 years | 3 US cities | 1-of-a-kind event Bowling Green, Ky. (October 7, 2021) – Connected Nation (CN) is marking 20 years of service in 2021 by hosting “A national conversation on the Digital Divide.” This one-of-a-kind, live event will take placeWednesday, November 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (eastern). Registration is free at cn20.org. Panelists will …
The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund: What’s up with the wait for Phase II?
Lansing, Michigan (September 24, 2021) – The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) provides a unique opportunity to expand access to fixed broadband and voice service to millions of unserved homes and small businesses in rural America. There’s one problem—a hold up when it comes to Phase II of the $20.4 billion program. “This comes up a lot when we’re talking …
Houston County seeks solutions to broadband access, adoption, and use
Houston County, Texas (September 17, 2021) – Located 2 hours north of Houston, Texas, Houston County is getting ready to implement the Technology Action Plan developed for them by Connected Nation Texas (CN Texas). A broadband survey, which collected responses from 391 residential households, was conducted between January 2021 and May 2021. The purpose of the survey was to determine …
Eaton County Broadband Communication Council launches work to improve countywide internet access, speeds
Eaton County, Michigan (September 1, 2021) – The Eaton County Broadband Communication Council just launched a new effort to expand and improve high-speed internet access across Eaton County. A kickoff summit was held today in the Board of Commissioners Room at the Eaton County Courthouse, with attendees representing a wide range of local government, economic development, business, education, and other …
Survey data supports need for expanding broadband access and adoption in Jones County, Texas
Jones County, Texas (August 30, 2021) – Connected Nation Texas (CN Texas) recently presented Jones County with a technology action plan developed from data collected during a county-wide survey. Between February 2021 and May 2021, Jones County conducted a comprehensive survey of broadband technology access and adoption across the community that collected responses from 646 households in addition to over …
Nacogdoches County launches work to develop countywide plan for expanding internet access, improving speeds
Nacogdoches County, Texas (July 20, 2021) – The Nacogdoches County Broadband Committee has officially launched work to develop a technology action plan to expand and improve broadband (high-speed internet) access across the county. The kickoff celebration was held last night at the Nacogdoches Civic Center. The committee, working in partnership with Connected Nation Texas, is asking every resident, business, community …
Nacogdoches County set to develop Technology Action Plan for expanding internet access, improving speeds
Nacogdoches County, Texas (July 1, 2021) – The Nacogdoches County Broadband Committee invites local stakeholders and media to attend a special kickoff event on Monday, July 19, for a countywide broadband expansion effort. This work is being done in partnership with Connected Nation Texas (CN Texas) and with funding from seven public and private community organizations throughout Nacogdoches County. The …
Bills signed by Gov. Abbott provide new approach to closing the Digital Divide across Texas
An estimated 877,000 Texans do not have access to broadband at home Austin, Texas (June 22, 2021) – Gov. Greg Abbott last week signed HB 5 and SB 507, along with several other broadband-related bills. Each measure establishes new approaches to expanding broadband (high-speed internet) access, adoption, and use across Texas. “Each piece of legislation tackles the need for better …
Mapping Michigan’s Digital Divide: Students research Internet access and need in rural Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI (June 9, 2021) – For the last several years, broadband access in rural areas has become a growing problem. It has been brought to the attention of many national organizations and to our state and federal governments. But how do you solve an issue of this size? You can start by raising awareness and educating the general …
From billions of dollars in new funding to mandatory minimum speeds, why NOW is an unprecedented time for broadband expansion in America
By Eric Frederick, Vice President, Community AffairsConnected Nation I recently looked up “how much is a billion?” It’s a difficult number to comprehend. The most common answer is that it’s a thousand million. Another answer is that a billion seconds is equivalent to 31 and a half years. It’s quite the sum. Now, try to imagine a billion times 365 …