While the pandemic drove some much-needed progress, 42 million Americans are still stuck in the Digital Divide Louisville, Kentucky (December 9, 2021) – One of my favorite holiday memories involves an alarm clock. Not just any alarm clock — an ugly, grey metal clock that you had to wind to set. It made this awful, and sometimes frightening ding, ding, …

Bowling Green, Kentucky (December 8, 2021) – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new Medicare Telemedicine Data Snapshot on Friday, December 3. This kind of government data can sometimes get overlooked especially during the end-of-the-year frenzy. However, Connected Nation has been studying telehealth trends in Michigan since 2019 and noticed something in this recent federal data …

Rural Texas (November 1, 2021) – If you were to guess why people chose a particular Internet Service Provider (ISP) over another, you’d likely land on price. But recent Connected Nation Texas (CN Texas) research says otherwise. “We took data gathered from 4,410 households across multiple rural Texas communities in 2020 that reported having at least two choices for home …

It’s ok to have a new normal! What a great week! This year marked the sixth year of celebrating National Digital Inclusion Week. In case you missed it go to #DIW2021 or #DIW21 on Twitter to see all the great organizations, communities and digital inclusion practitioners that are working to empower vulnerable communities and individuals. Digital Inclusion week marks an …

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 …

As the pandemic recedes, we’ve learned that universal access to the online world, through broadband service, is essential for participation in modern American life. The urgency to create full broadband coverage echoes past programs to develop nationwide networks for electricity, telephone, and interstate highways. Each of those ushered in major changes and improvements in communities across the country. Broadband is …

Fort Campbell and Louisville, Kentucky (June 7, 2021) – Our nation’s leaders have an unprecedented opportunity to help veterans and military spouses in their states, counties and cities, but only if they act now. The Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds recently allocated $350 billion across states, territories and tribal governments to be used for COVID-related economic recovery activities. Before …

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 …

Washington, DC (May 14, 2021) – In response to the at-home connectivity inequities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously adopted rules for the distribution of the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) on May 10. In accordance with the rules, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) will administrate the ECF Program separately from the E-rate program, yet …

“This is the biggest opportunity to expand access to the internet since the internet was invented.” Virtual event (May 5, 2021) – Experts and industry insiders recently came together to discuss the ways the coronavirus pandemic is impacting the future of telehealth—and how it’s highlighted the need to expand and improve rural broadband. “Those companies that didn’t necessarily see themselves …