Digital Inclusion
Free Press Proposes Government Spend $100 Billion for Broadband Services in Stimulus

March 23, 2020 – Ramping up the pressure to ensure that the stimulus measure in Congress has a broadband component, Free Press released a statement Monday urging Congress to dedicate $100 billion in broadband connectivity during the coronavirus pandemic.
Some have criticized the relief bill in Congress for not adequately addressing broadband.
Free Press highlighted the following allocations for the funds:
- $1 billion in immediate funding for the FCC’s existing Lifeline program for increases in minutes and data allowances typically available from the wireless services most Lifeline recipients use, and for the likely influx of people who’ll be laid off or lose their jobs in the coming weeks.
- $25 billion for an expanded Lifeline benefit of up to $50 per month for a home-internet connection that low-income individuals and families could use to get and stay connected.
- $5 billion for expansion of the FCC’s “e-Rate” educational connectivity program to expand school and library Wi-Fi networks into surrounding neighborhoods and to get Wi-Fi hotspots into the hands of students who have no home-internet connections.
- $50 billion for deployment of high-capacity broadband networks in rural and unserved areas to fund the broadband construction that lawmakers so often call for but rarely allocate money for.
“If Congress fails to act, the economic and social impacts of this crisis will be far worse than we dare imagine. Despite the need to act now to get and keep everyone connected, reporting on the COVID relief packages under debate over the weekend suggest that the Senate’s GOP majority is unwilling to help,” said Free Press Research Director Derek Turner.
“What the country needs right now is massive spending to replace lost incomes and to keep society functioning while most people are confined to their homes,” said Turner.
The plan for funding “subsidies, rebates and tax relief targeted toward broadband” is detailed in the Free Press report “Keeping Connected Amid Crisis: Policies to Keep People Online During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Digital Inclusion
Removing Roadblocks on Bridge Over Digital Divide: Explaining the Affordable, Accessible Internet for All Act

March 23, 2020 – Ramping up the pressure to ensure that the stimulus measure in Congress has a broadband component, Free Press released a statement Monday urging Congress to dedicate $100 billion in broadband connectivity during the coronavirus pandemic.
Some have criticized the relief bill in Congress for not adequately addressing broadband.
Free Press highlighted the following allocations for the funds:
- $1 billion in immediate funding for the FCC’s existing Lifeline program for increases in minutes and data allowances typically available from the wireless services most Lifeline recipients use, and for the likely influx of people who’ll be laid off or lose their jobs in the coming weeks.
- $25 billion for an expanded Lifeline benefit of up to $50 per month for a home-internet connection that low-income individuals and families could use to get and stay connected.
- $5 billion for expansion of the FCC’s “e-Rate” educational connectivity program to expand school and library Wi-Fi networks into surrounding neighborhoods and to get Wi-Fi hotspots into the hands of students who have no home-internet connections.
- $50 billion for deployment of high-capacity broadband networks in rural and unserved areas to fund the broadband construction that lawmakers so often call for but rarely allocate money for.
“If Congress fails to act, the economic and social impacts of this crisis will be far worse than we dare imagine. Despite the need to act now to get and keep everyone connected, reporting on the COVID relief packages under debate over the weekend suggest that the Senate’s GOP majority is unwilling to help,” said Free Press Research Director Derek Turner.
“What the country needs right now is massive spending to replace lost incomes and to keep society functioning while most people are confined to their homes,” said Turner.
The plan for funding “subsidies, rebates and tax relief targeted toward broadband” is detailed in the Free Press report “Keeping Connected Amid Crisis: Policies to Keep People Online During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Digital Inclusion
Big Bucks for Broadband in the Balance: Explaining the Affordable, Accessible Internet for All Act

March 23, 2020 – Ramping up the pressure to ensure that the stimulus measure in Congress has a broadband component, Free Press released a statement Monday urging Congress to dedicate $100 billion in broadband connectivity during the coronavirus pandemic.
Some have criticized the relief bill in Congress for not adequately addressing broadband.
Free Press highlighted the following allocations for the funds:
- $1 billion in immediate funding for the FCC’s existing Lifeline program for increases in minutes and data allowances typically available from the wireless services most Lifeline recipients use, and for the likely influx of people who’ll be laid off or lose their jobs in the coming weeks.
- $25 billion for an expanded Lifeline benefit of up to $50 per month for a home-internet connection that low-income individuals and families could use to get and stay connected.
- $5 billion for expansion of the FCC’s “e-Rate” educational connectivity program to expand school and library Wi-Fi networks into surrounding neighborhoods and to get Wi-Fi hotspots into the hands of students who have no home-internet connections.
- $50 billion for deployment of high-capacity broadband networks in rural and unserved areas to fund the broadband construction that lawmakers so often call for but rarely allocate money for.
“If Congress fails to act, the economic and social impacts of this crisis will be far worse than we dare imagine. Despite the need to act now to get and keep everyone connected, reporting on the COVID relief packages under debate over the weekend suggest that the Senate’s GOP majority is unwilling to help,” said Free Press Research Director Derek Turner.
“What the country needs right now is massive spending to replace lost incomes and to keep society functioning while most people are confined to their homes,” said Turner.
The plan for funding “subsidies, rebates and tax relief targeted toward broadband” is detailed in the Free Press report “Keeping Connected Amid Crisis: Policies to Keep People Online During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Digital Inclusion
FCC’s Low-Income Broadband Working Group Report Finally Receives Unanimous Approval

March 23, 2020 – Ramping up the pressure to ensure that the stimulus measure in Congress has a broadband component, Free Press released a statement Monday urging Congress to dedicate $100 billion in broadband connectivity during the coronavirus pandemic.
Some have criticized the relief bill in Congress for not adequately addressing broadband.
Free Press highlighted the following allocations for the funds:
- $1 billion in immediate funding for the FCC’s existing Lifeline program for increases in minutes and data allowances typically available from the wireless services most Lifeline recipients use, and for the likely influx of people who’ll be laid off or lose their jobs in the coming weeks.
- $25 billion for an expanded Lifeline benefit of up to $50 per month for a home-internet connection that low-income individuals and families could use to get and stay connected.
- $5 billion for expansion of the FCC’s “e-Rate” educational connectivity program to expand school and library Wi-Fi networks into surrounding neighborhoods and to get Wi-Fi hotspots into the hands of students who have no home-internet connections.
- $50 billion for deployment of high-capacity broadband networks in rural and unserved areas to fund the broadband construction that lawmakers so often call for but rarely allocate money for.
“If Congress fails to act, the economic and social impacts of this crisis will be far worse than we dare imagine. Despite the need to act now to get and keep everyone connected, reporting on the COVID relief packages under debate over the weekend suggest that the Senate’s GOP majority is unwilling to help,” said Free Press Research Director Derek Turner.
“What the country needs right now is massive spending to replace lost incomes and to keep society functioning while most people are confined to their homes,” said Turner.
The plan for funding “subsidies, rebates and tax relief targeted toward broadband” is detailed in the Free Press report “Keeping Connected Amid Crisis: Policies to Keep People Online During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
-
Artificial Intelligence1 month ago
U.S. Special Operations Command Employs AI and Machine Learning to Improve Operations
-
Broadband Roundup2 months ago
Benton on Middle Mile Open Access Networks, CENIC Fiber Route in California, Investors Buying Bitcoin
-
Section 2302 months ago
President Trump’s FCC Nominee Grilled on Section 230 During Senate Confirmation Hearing
-
#broadbandlive4 months ago
Broadband Breakfast Live Online on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 — Case Studies of Transformative 5G Apps in the Enterprise
-
Artificial Intelligence1 week ago
Artificial Intelligence Aims to Enhance Human Capabilities, But Only With Caution and Safeguards
-
Broadband Roundup2 months ago
Trump Signs Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence, How Not to Wreck the FCC, Broadband Performance in Europe
-
5G2 months ago
5G Stands to Impact Industry Before Consumers, Says Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg
-
#broadbandlive4 months ago
Broadband Breakfast Live Online on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 — Champions of Broadband: Sunne McPeak