rural-broadband
Pa. Broadband Authority seeks public input on community engagement
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority, a 12-member independent agency of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), opened a two-week public comment period on Monday to gather feedback on how to engage communities in the process of developing two plans: the State Digital Equity Stakeholder Engagement Plan and the Commonwealth’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Five-Year Action Plan.
Pa. broadband authority presents plan to improve high-speed internet access, infrastructure
The plan noted that approximately “2.6 million Pennsylvania residents in 1.3 million, or 26 percent of households—including 25 percent of Latino and 35 percent of Black American Households —either do not have access to or have not adopted high-speed broadband or may lack the skills to effectively use it.”
USDA to spend $500M extending high-speed internet to rural America
The current funding stream was targeted to upgrade existing infrastructure, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.
Wolf: Pa. counties, cities to benefit from $14.2M in CARES Act grant money | Tuesday Morning Coffee
Projects ranging from broadband expansion in Fayette County to housing rehab in Lawrence County will benefit from the cash.
General Assembly sends Wolf bill creating new Pa. broadband authority
Areas that receive the funding must have download speeds of less than 100 megabits per- second, and upload speeds of 20 megabits per-second — a new, high standard championed by lawmakers in Washington D.C.
Report: States, incl. Pa., take varied approaches to broadband funding | Wednesday Morning Coffee
Most state broadband expansion programs emphasize unserved areas, but eligibility, funding requirements, and accountability measures vary, according to a new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Is your state ready to handle the influx of federal funds for expanding broadband? | Opinion
Digital equity means ensuring that every community has adequate access to the technologies and skills needed to fully participate in society.
New law could expand 5G’s reach in Pa.
At least 25 states have approved legislation smoothing a path for 5G technology, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
SWPA lawmaker’s bill would create new Pa. broadband authority, expand access | Monday Morning Coffee
With millions of Pa. residents working and learning from home 'all Pennsylvanians need affordable access to high-speed broadband internet,' Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Fayette, says.
FCC broadband program brings SpaceX, other telecommunications companies to Pa.
The auction, part of the first phase of the project, allocated $9.2 billion to telecommunications companies in 49 states and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Pennsylvania got $104M from the feds to expand internet access to students. Much of it is still unspent
With the start of classes weeks away, the Wolf administration can't say when they'll spend the money or how they'll dole it out.
‘When can we open up?’: At town hall, Pa.’s Casey finds constituents weary of lockdown life
His name was Jared. He was a small business owner. And on Thursday night, he had just one question for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey: When would the government let him go back to work? “My business was forcibly closed … and my only help is coming through a loan,” said the businessman, who was one […]