Tom Ferree: The Connection is Coming. The Question is Whether We’re Ready.
From education to healthcare, the ripple effects on our economy and daily lives will be monumental. But there’s a catch.
The wait is finally over: with nearly $20 billion in federal funding flowing to states, millions of people will get the connectivity they need. From education to healthcare, the ripple effects on our economy and daily lives will be monumental. But there’s a catch.
This investment only delivers for communities that are prepared to meet it.
For 25 years, Connected Nation (CN) has worked to empower people with the tools needed to thrive in a digital world. Our job is to show up, share what we know, and help communities turn knowledge into actionable steps.
Everything we do is grounded in data – from mapping broadband availability and adoption to measuring the barriers that keep people offline. We’ve done this through listening tours, research, and on-the-ground engagements.
Over the past year, we visited some of America’s most underserved communities — from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to far West Texas. We went to educate and to listen. We shared information about emerging technologies, broadband policy, and what a layered connectivity strategy can do for areas left behind by legacy infrastructure.
This is what community leaders want you to know.
The eligible technologies covered by the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program were expanded last year to include fiber, fixed wireless, and satellite solutions. That shift reflects a practical reality: no single technology will reach every community.
It’s not a policy abstraction. For many, the change signals the difference between a connected future and another decade of waiting, a delay they simply cannot afford.
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