The city of Alexandria, Virginia, is moving to bring residents fast, reliable Internet access by building out an institutional network (I-Net) in the state’s seventh largest city.… Read More
Just over 90 miles apart, Leeds and Hampden, Maine, have had motivated people in the community and in leadership advocating for better Internet access for years. In November 2021, the work of both these community initiatives was tested as voters were asked to decide whether or not to move forward with their respective municipal broadband plans.… Read More
In July, the USDA announced it would grant $10.1 million in ReConnect funds in support of the project to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network that will connect 2,170 people, 50 farms and 30 businesses to high-speed broadband in Madison County.… Read More
Four communities across Denton County, Texas, home to the North Texas State Fair and a thriving equine and agricultural center, are trying to bridge the digital divide for residents who live in the region.… Read More
With the help of CARES Act funding, nonprofit economic development organization Ann Arbor SPARK is collaborating with the city of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County to undertake a broadband project that it’s hoping will really reestablish the region’s former reputation as a first-in-class industry and technology epicenter. The $2.4 million project will drive the installation of a new fiber backbone to attract businesses and, local leaders hope, spur broadband competition.… Read More
Tired of waiting for connectivity solutions to come to town, one Minnesota community has instead partnered with a local telephone cooperative to build a fiber network reaching every home and business in the city. In embarking on its journey to improve local Internet access six years ago, Long Prairie (pop. 3,300) ended up partnering with one of the most aggressive fiber network builders in the state – Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) – on a solution that meets local needs. The two finished a ubiquitous Fiber-to-the-Home build in 2018, with the cooperative now owning and operating the network. … Read More
The Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition was borne out of the emergency needs presented by the pandemic, but has shaped up to be a good model for how to address the broadband issues facing urban communities across the country. After 11 months of meeting and planning, the coalition released a framework in March outlining its five pillars of focus: broadband affordability, device access, digital life skills and technical support, community response and collaboration, and advocacy for broadband funding and policy. As part of its efforts, the coalition also developed two pilot programs to increase broadband access in parts of the city that need it most.… Read More
