The Affordable Connectivity Program (“ACP”) is a 14.2 billion dollar program intended to help low-income households afford essential broadband services. This program provides consumers $30 a month to apply to their broadband bill. One of the main advantages of the ACP is that consumers can apply the benefit to any of a participating service provider’s […]
By Brian Donoghue As internet access completes the shift from a luxury to a utility, consumers need to know what they are signing up for in a broadband subscription. The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) is evaluating what consumers need in broadband nutrition labels. In short, the labels would allow customers to easily view a broadband
NCC Elevates Local Input on FCC Broadband Nutrition Labels Read More »
By Brian Donoghue Thanks in no small part to the advocacy efforts of Next Century Cities’ (“NCC”) coalition of mayors, council members, and other local officials, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”) became the largest one-time federal broadband funding commitment in history. Understanding that much of the immediate work of the IIJA rule/process
Partnering with Academic Institutions Can Boost Community Broadband Outcomes Read More »
By Brittany-Rae Gregory There are well-documented obstacles to broadband access and adoption, with digital literacy being a major barrier for many people of all ages and backgrounds to overcome. Local communication strategies play a role in helping residents understand why broadband matters in their daily lives, how they can play a part in the resident
Three Tips for Communicating About Broadband With Residents Read More »
By Ryan Johnston Electromagnetic spectrum touches our lives in more ways than many people expect. Its uses range from the licensed spectrum that companies use to provide cellular service, satellite internet, and broadcast television, to the unlicensed portions that support in-home WiFi, connected devices, and Bluetooth. However, these precious frequencies are not unlimited. Historically,
Spectrum Spotlight: What’s Happening With 5.9 GHz? Read More »
By Corian Zacher Across the U.S., local leaders have made huge strides in innovation and technology throughout the pandemic, supporting their communities and working to keep critical services up while exploring new opportunities to serve residents. Ongoing partnerships, community-centered approaches, and strategic planning are all important themes from local government success stories nationwide. Each year,
By Ryan Johnston At Next Century Cities’ recent Bipartisan Tech conference Katherine Trujillo, Deputy Director of Libraries Without Borders, moderated a panel on the impact broadband has on democracy and civic participation. The panel consisted of Commissioner Greg Puckett from Mercer County, West Virginia; Brittany Woods-Orrison, Broadband Specialist of the Native Movement and Alaska Public
By Corian Zacher Following a year-long partnership, the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, and Next Century Cities released Cut Off From the Courthouse: How the Digital Divide Impacts Access to Justice and Civic Engagement. The report features interviews with 27 professionals who have grappled with the transition
What Broadband Equity Means for Judicial and Civic Participation Read More »
On March 29th, local officials and community leaders from across the country joined Next Century Cities’ 2022 Bipartisan Tech conference. Speakers discussed the many ways in which technology enables residents to build community, access local government services, and participate in critically important remote proceedings. Though connectivity barriers to distance learning and telemedicine were spotlighted during
By Ryan Johnston As more communities get online, many more consumers require the use of home routers to make use of high-speed connections. The increase in networking devices can make spectrum bands more congested. In 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) sought to make additional spectrum in the 5.9 GHz band available for improved
© 2024 Next Century Cities, a project of New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity