Aug 24, 2021 | Affordability, Blog Entry, By Ryan Johnston, Federal Policy, Filing, Lifeline, Reply Comments
When the federal Lifeline program was established in 1985, it provided a discount on phone service to qualifying low-income consumers. This continued until March 31, 2016, when the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) adopted an order to reform the Lifeline...
Aug 23, 2021 | Beaver Island, Blog Entry, Broadband Funding, By Corian Zacher, Digital Divide, Federal Policy, Local Initiatives, Michigan, Peaine Township, PPP, St. James Township
On July 29, 2021, Next Century Cities submitted a letter supporting a proposal from St. James Township and Peaine Township to bring fiber-to-the-home service to residents of Beaver Island, Michigan. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration...
Aug 9, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Francella Ochillo, Digital Equity, Digital Inclusion, Federal Policy, State Policy, Uncategorized
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies devotes its Technology Policy Program to exploring the impact and potential policy solutions that could improve digital outcomes for Black communities. In Joint Center’s latest publication on expanding rural...
Jul 30, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Ryan Johnston, Federal Policy, NCC Conference, NTIA, Resources
One of the largest barriers that communities face in accelerating broadband deployment or launching adoption programs is the lack of funding. Local officials are oftentimes unaware of all of the funding opportunities that are available to them or lack the capacity to...
Jul 28, 2021 | Blog Entry, Broadband Mapping, By Brittany-Rae Gregory, COVID-19, Digital Divide, Digital Equity, Digital Inclusion, Federal Policy, Models 101, NCC Conference, Spectrum, Uncategorized
Academic Pre-Conference Presenters and Moderator On July 20th and 21st, 2021, Next Century Cities held its first-ever virtual conference. The two-day event kicked off with an academic pre-conference in which presenters shared current research, covering a wide range of...
Jul 19, 2021 | By Ryan Johnston, Federal Policy
Credit: Jones Day The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (“SLFRF”) is a $350 billion emergency fund to be used by eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to support the populations that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Included in the...
Jun 29, 2021 | Blog Entry, Broadband Mapping, By Ryan Johnston, Federal Policy
In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of bipartisan consensus that broadband is a necessity that households cannot afford to go without. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have come together to agree that access is a required for meaningful...
Jun 10, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Ryan Johnston, FCC, Federal Policy
Since enrollment for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (“EBBP”) began in May 2021, 2.3 million people have signed up to receive assistance with their broadband bill. However, eligible participants have faced significant challenges to enrollment such as the...
Jun 3, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Francella Ochillo, Digital Inclusion, Federal Policy, Financing
Due to the COVID pandemic, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s (“NDIA”) annual conference had a different look and feel this year. It is traditionally a production fueled by volunteers where digital inclusion practitioners and other stakeholders gather in...
May 25, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, By Ryan Johnston, COVID-19, Digital Divide, Emergency Broadband Benefit, Federal Policy, Treasury Department
The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (“SLFRF”) is a $350 billion emergency fund to be used by eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to support the populations hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of the...
May 24, 2021 | Blog Entry, By NCC Staff, COVID-19, Digital Divide, Emergency Broadband Benefit, Federal Policy
Last week marked the beginning of enrollment for the Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC”) Emergency Broadband Benefit. The program offers a monthly discount to offset the cost of broadband Internet subscriptions, helping those who are struggling with...
May 21, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Ryan Johnston, Federal Policy, Spectrum
Wireless internet access, cell phones, and thousands of other technologies rely on the availability of spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released an NPRM in January 2021 seeking comment on how to most effectively open up the 12 GHz spectrum band...
