Policy & Planning

For near 25 years, Connected Nation (CN) has championed broadband investment to close the Digital Divide. Now, with the most generous federal funding ever on its way through the BEAD Program, the goal is near.

State broadband offices are in the driver's seat. But they have a hard road ahead. Connected Nation helps SBO's and other state, local, and regional leaders navigate this process and make the most of funding opportunities. 

CN’s policy staff understands the telecommunications industry, drawing on years of experience working with states on broadband issues as well as in our nation’s capital with the FCC, NTIA and policymakers. This experience informs the development of policy and programs designed to be a catalyst to expand and enhance broadband services and the resources they enable.

We have experience with broadband grant administration, application review, telecommunications engineering, broadband mapping, field validation, and policy necessary for the development and implementation of successful broadband grant programs.

Below are just some examples of our extensive work which spans 47 states and 3 territories: 

•      Tennessee: As part of our engagement with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, CN performed grant application reviews, service-level verification for proposed service areas within grant applications, completed close-out packages, and provided general technical assistance for the Broadband Accessibility Grant Program. CN activities included application service area review, evaluation of network capabilities, and service verification via desktop or onsite activities.
  
  
•      Minnesota Border-To-Border Grant Program: As part of our contract with the State of Minnesota, acting through its Office of Broadband Development (OBD) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), CN is required to “complete field verification…, with results being incorporated into broadband coverage datasets and analysis.” This exercise's main targets and focus are on confirming the validity of construction activities related to areas funded by the Border-To-Border Grant Program.  

• Ohio: As a sub-recipient of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) VII Grant Program, CN served as the grantor and administrator of broadband infrastructure grants for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). We also conducted extensive mobile drive-testing across a 15-county region to determine mobile broadband coverage and coverage gaps from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Speed tests were conducted using software embedded handsets to gather and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) measuring download speed, upload speed, latency, and other critical KPIs.

• Arizona and Puerto Rico: CN supported the implementation of 7 of 14 FCC Lifeline Broadband Adoption Pilots, which ranged from securing refurbished devices in Puerto Rico to coordinating digital literacy workshops for the Hopi Tribe in northeast Arizona. CN managed procurement and reporting for these projects.

•      South Carolina: CN facilitated the configuration and deployment of tablets to students in Pickens County, South Carolina, via the ConnectED initiative. The initiative was designed to enrich K-12 students, teachers, and schools with technologies and training that enable advanced learning and provide access to rich digital content. CN managed procurement, distribution, and financial management of the program.
  
  
• Nationwide: CN facilitated Opportunity Online Programs. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the programs entailed convening leaders of state library systems, as well as activating local and state leaders, private businesses, foundations, and broadband providers to discuss and inform strategies to improve and sustain broadband connectivity in libraries as the new technology hubs for low-income communities