Virtual town hall meeting unpacks important conversations on broadband future in America

Virtual (April 9, 2026) - Last week, participants from across the country took part in a virtual town hall meeting hosted by Connected Nation (CN) on the state of internet connectivity in America. 

The event, titled Community Voices Shaping Broadband Futures, provided a forum for CN’s staff to present new information and allow questions and discussion following a series of community-level engagements.

Over the last year, CN partnered with Amazon as well as key groups and leadership across Michigan, Texas, and Oklahoma to learn more about broadband access especially in rural and Tribal areas. 

Through regional meetings with Tribal leaders, educators, policymakers, community organizations, and residents, CN learned real-world perspectives on access gaps, affordability, local use cases, and how emerging and existing broadband solutions can work together to expand reliable connectivity. Amazon provided eero device donations for community members who attended these events. 

Some of that information included the following: 

• Texas
  • Telehealth is a critical connector
  • No single solution will close the gap
  • Schools are anchor institutions for digital access 
• Oklahoma
  • From AI to 3D printing, technology is expanding what’s possible locally
  • Community institutions are driving digital access
  • Access to key tools unlocks innovation and economic potential
    • i.e., makerspaces, telehealth resources, public technology access
• Michigan
  • There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for Tribal and rural connectivity
  • Regional collaboration is a critical enabler
  • Communities are defining their digital aspirations
    • i.e., improving healthcare, economic stability, education, and daily life
  • Connectivity and devices are critical for education and workforce development 

In addition, Chris Pedersen, Executive VP, Development and Planning, CN, provided an update on the national outlook now that the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is moving forward again after a brief pause. 

“Fifty-three states and territories have their final proposals approved by the NTIA,” said Pedersen. “Fifty have approvals by NIST, and then 38 have signed their agreements.”

He also provided an overview of CN’s free resource called the BEAD Tracker, which allows anyone to quickly track their state’s plan by technology, cost-per-location, and more. 

To ensure participants got the most out of the meeting, several breakout rooms were moderated by CN staff and had local experts available for questions. Following the sessions, those moderators updated the larger group on what was shared and discussed. 

“Michigan communities are really focused on what happens the day after BEAD,” said Heather Gate, Executive VP, Digital Transformation, CN. “Especially when it comes to the investment in driving the economic [needs.] But also, they are focused on healthcare access. When we did our poll, healthcare was the top priority when it came to what should receive immediate attention.”

To learn what was discussed in the breakout rooms focused on Texas, Oklahoma, and national connectivity, check out the video below starting at 26:08. You can also watch from the beginning to learn more about what was discussed in the early portion of the meeting. 

If you have something else you’d like to know about the community engagements or simply want to follow up with a member of CN’s staff, just email us at info@connectednation.org.