FCC

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...

USDA and the FCC are working to get broadband service to Americans across the country.  But the number of Americans without internet service at all may surprise you.   A report issued by BroadbandNow Research says the number of Americans that are without internet service is 43 million.  That’s ...

On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission approved a rural broadband funding initiative.  The new Rural Digital Opportunity Fund will help finance the deployment of high-speed broadband networks in rural America.  Through a two-phase reverse auction mechanism, the FCC will direct up to $20.4 billion...