Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

04/07/2023

Delaware Converting Broadband Deserts

"The pandemic highlighted that broadband deserts without internet in our state still exist and just how important access to broadband is to our families, students and businesses."—Gov. John Carney (D-DE)

Friday, April 7, 2023 Weekly Digest Delaware Converting Broadband Deserts You’re reading the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s Weekly Digest, a recap of the biggest (or most overlooked) broadband stories of the week. The digest is delivered via e-mail each Friday. Round-Up for the Week ...

09/24/2021

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is Ready to Send Billions to States for Projects.

Our breakdown of more Broadband $$: Who is eligible, what projects, info for states, and a timeline:

Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund is ready to support broadband deployment

09/23/2021

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC) Celebrate 5 years of Charles Benton Early Career Scholar Awards!

Watch an excerpt from Benton Institute Executive Director Adrianne Furniss' speech below, or read her remarks here: https://www.benton.org/blog/benton-and-tprc-celebrate-5-years-charles-benton-early-career-scholar-awards

09/22/2021

Lifeline Needs a Lifeline

In less than three months, nearly 800,000 low-income people who receive telephone subsidies through the Universal Service Fund's program will be negatively impacted by changes scheduled to go into effect at the Federal Communications Commission on December 1. That is one of the most troubling -- and pressing -- conclusions of an independent evaluation of the FCC's Lifeline program conducted by Grant Thornton. As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the FCC must act now to ensure people can retain essential communications services.

Changes needed to support the FCC's Lifeline program

09/17/2021

How do we pay for universal service?

As the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act awaits a vote in the House of Representatives later this month, a debate over the future of the Federal Communications Commission's Universal Service Fund (USF) is already starting. Provisions in the infrastructure bill call for the FCC to quickly complete an evaluation of how the legislation will impact how the FCC's achieves the goal of deploying broadband to all Americans. Congress wants to know how the FCC can be more effective in achieving this goal.

https://www.benton.org/blog/how-do-we-pay-universal-service

SHLB Coalition NTCA - The Rural Broadband Association

Friday, September 17, 2021 Weekly Digest How Do We Pay For Universal Service? You’re reading the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s Weekly Digest, a recap of the biggest (or most overlooked) broadband stories of the week. The digest is delivered via e-mail each Friday. Round-Up for the W...

09/16/2021

This year, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society celebrates our 40th year of protecting democratic values and championing a communications system that works for everyone. Our values of access, equity, and diversity remain the same. But we’ve advanced our mission with the times. We began as an institution focused on the public interest issues raised by emerging communications technologies and on championing long-term public policy solutions to address these issues. Yet as an elder Millennial (go ahead and look it up;), we’re now focused on the dominant communications platform of our day: ensuring fast, fair, open broadband for all!

Join us in marking this milestone!

Visit our timeline! https://www.benton.org/our-story

Donate to the new Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund: https://www.benton.org/opportunity-fund

Share your memories about the Benton Institute and why you're committed to supporting broadband research, best practices, and long-term public policy solutions in the public interest.

Or join us in person! We're celebrating on December 9 in Chicago! https://www.benton.org/celebration-chicago

Please join us to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Reception and Program Thursday, December 9, 2021 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm The Arts Club of Chicago 201 East Ontario Street Chicago Directions Honoring Marjorie Craig Benton, 40-year Benton Trustee, for her lea...

09/10/2021

How Americans Have Used — and Struggled With — the Internet During the Pandemic

Pew Research Center

How Americans are using the internet in the pandemic

09/01/2021

New from Michael J. Copps:

America’s news and information ecosystem is eating away at our democracy. And we are not paying attention, partly because neither traditional nor new media are living up to their responsibility to cover the issue.

Antitrust, public interest rules and regulations, and greatly enhanced support for public media are each an essential part of a successful news and information strategy. Media that reflect the public interest, inform our civic dialogue, and advance the chances for successful self-government in a challenged nation are, I believe, the most important infrastructure of all.

https://www.benton.org/.../democracys-essential...

The Benton Foundation's goal is to bring open, affordable, high-capacity broadband to all people in the U.S. to ensure a thriving democracy.

08/30/2021

Infrastructure Bill Passed by Senate Includes Historic, Bipartisan Broadband Provisions

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2021/08/30/infrastructure-bill-passed-by-senate-includes-historic-bipartisan-broadband-provisions

The Pew Charitable Trusts

A sweeping $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the Senate on Aug. 10 would invest $65 billion in fast and reliable broadband infrastructure, affordability, and adoption. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also would provide hundreds of billions of dollars for roads, high-speed rail,....

07/30/2021

For 40 years, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society has helped strengthen communities by advancing communications in the public interest. Today, you may know us best for providing day-to-day support and resources to the community of people who care about “broadband for all.”

In Broadband for America Now we laid out our rationale for a national broadband strategy to achieve equitable broadband access in the U.S. In this and future articles, we will provide updates on our efforts to help ensure everyone in the U.S. can use High-Performance Broadband.

This is a historic time for broadband investment. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the high costs of being offline. In response, Congress, over the past year, passed two laws—the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan—with an unprecedented amount of funding devoted to promoting digital equity.

Communities should be engaged now to help craft long-term connectivity goals and ensure that diverse voices are part of the discussion—and that’s our job. Here’s a sampling of Benton resources that explain what federal broadband funds are available, assist state and local leaders to meet connectivity challenges, recognize broadband champions, and promote digital equity.

A sampling of Benton Institute resources that explain what federal broadband funds are available, assist state and local leaders to meet connectivity challenges, recognize broadband champions, and promote digital equity.