FCC

A new report from the Government Accountability Office is encouraging the Federal Communications Commission to evaluate benchmark broadband speeds. The report states, “We recommended that the FCC determine whether its current definition of broadband really meets the needs of small businesses.” ...

A new broadband mapping tool released by the White House last week shows the need for rural broadband. The Indicators of Broadband Need Map indicates areas of need by marking them red. The tool unsurprisingly marks much of the U.S. land area, particularly rural areas, as in need of broadband ...

Last week, House lawmakers introduced the Broadband for Rural America Act. The legislation would put the Department of Agriculture in the driver’s seat for rural broadband rather than the Federal Communications Commission. Georgia Republican Representative Austin Scott mentioned last week, "The FCC’s had their chance, and they haven’t gotten it done.” The bill is ...

The FCC is working on putting together an accurate picture of the broadband shortages in rural America. The agency says it needs some help with data collection, and they’re turning to the residents of rural America. “We have an app that can be downloaded on consumer mobile devices, they are for iPhones or Android devices or tablets, to measure the speed that their broadband service is coming ov

The Federal Communications Commission wants consumers to test broadband speeds to help find broadband gaps. As part of the Commission’s Broadband Data Collection effort, the FCC is encouraging the public to download the FCC’s Speed Test app, which is currently used to collect speed test data as part of the FCC’s Measuring Broadband America program. The app provide ...

Agriculture, specifically the tools used to produce food, fiber and fuel changes at a brisk pace. And while more and more farmers are interested in applying the latest technology on their operation, without reliable broadband, that’s nothing more than a wish. I ...

As more effort is put into connecting rural America with broadband service, local PUDs say they want to be considered for federal funding. In a joint statement released Tuesday, the leaders for the Chelan, Douglas and Grant PUDs said the COVID-19 pandemic has made very clear how vital affordable broadband is for rural customers ...

The Broadband DATA Act recently signed into law will look at improving efforts to deploy broadband access to rural portions of the country. Portions of the legislation included the Broadband Data Improvement Act, sponsored by eastern Washington’s Cathy McMorris Rodgers. She ...

Oregon’s senators are not happy with what they see as a move to hurt efforts to expand broadband service to rural areas. On Tuesday, Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden voiced their criticism after the FCC announced that rural areas that have received state-run broadband funding, or help via the USDA’s ReConnect program, were no longer eligible for new federal broadband funds. “Li ...

It’s a push the FCC and USDA have promoted for years, connecting rural America up to broadband service, allowing producers and others in small towns or wide open locations to compete on the international market.  However, a study released last week by Broadband Now Research shows the number of Americans without broadband is moving in the wrong direction.  The stud...