Director at Michigan Public Service Commission Honored with National Broadband Visionary Award

Lansing, MI (April 28, 2020) – Connected Nation (CN) honored Robin Ancona, Director, Telecommunications Division, Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today with the 2020 Broadband Visionary Award. This prestigious national award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional and innovative leadership in the application of broadband and related technologies. “Robin has worked tirelessly to find innovative solutions for connecting more families and …

USDA Reviewing Applications From 41 States to Expand Rural Broadband in Second Round of ReConnect Pilot Program

The following was a stakeholder announcement issued by the USDA on April 22, 2020 WASHINGTON, April 22, 2020 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary Bette Brand today announced that USDA has received 172 applications requesting $1.57 billion in the second round of the ReConnect Pilot Program. The applications seek funding to provide or upgrade rural broadband serviceacross 41 …

COVID-19 Response Plans for Connecting More Residents, Businesses at the State and Community Level

Bowling Green, Ky. (April 21, 2020) – Connected Nation (CN) is providing a new resource for state and community leaders that will help them identify immediate and simple solutions for connecting more residents and businesses during COVID-19 quarantines. “When local and state leaders began to implement shut down and ‘social distancing’ orders now nearly a month ago, we responded by …

Lessons Learned in GIS Strategic Planning

Louisville, Ky (April 17, 2020) – While an organization can’t plan for everything, not planning for anything is a disservice to the organization and stakeholders. Strong organizations—especially ones that use an ever-evolving technology such as GIS (geographic information systems, or location intelligence)—continually plan for future developments and updates to their current product offerings. Furthermore, strategic planning like this is essential to …

Ohioans Ordered to Stay Home, Because Coronavirus; Without Internet, Just Because

Approximately 710,000 Ohio households don’t have any Internet service at home, leaving them unable to connect to work, school, health care or shopping during the coronavirus pandemic. The following was published in Governing on April 16, 2020 by Cornelius Frolik (TNS) — An estimated one in six households in the region do not have internet service during a global pandemic …

Disconnected During a Crisis: Life in Dayton Region Without Internet

The following was published by the Dayton Daily News on April 8, 2020 by Cornelius Frolik  An estimated one in six households in the Dayton region do not have internet service during a global pandemic when people are depending on the web like never before. With Ohioans ordered to shelter in place to slow the spread of COVID-19, residents with …

Resources and Solutions to Providing Connectivity for Those Stuck in the Digital Divide

Virtual (April 8, 2020) – Coronavirus has changed how Americans work and learn—but for millions of families and individuals, that change means being unable to access the critical resources they desperately need. Connected Nation (CN) is a national nonprofit based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, that has advocated for improving access to broadband (high-speed internet) for nearly two decades—and it has …

Keeping Students Connected During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Bowling Green, Ky. (April 7, 2020) – In today’s technology age, the internet is used for much more than just connecting with friends and family; it helps us pay our bills, stay up to date with current news, apply for jobs, and even get an education. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the internet is now a necessity for many people to …

Policy Brief: FCC Extends E-Rate Deadlines Due to COVID-19

Washington, DC (April 2, 2020) – Yesterday, the FCC voted to adopt an Order extending E-Rate Program deadlines in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on schools and libraries across the country. The FCC stated that “to provide relief to E-Rate program participants affected by this unprecedented national pandemic, we temporarily waive and extend several E-Rate filing and …