Broadband initiatives for unserved and underserved areas

There is some evidence that broadband initiatives for unserved and underserved areas can have positive economic outcomes, through increased broadband adoption and labor market participation, with larger effects for people living in rural areas^{8, 9, 10}. Additional evidence is needed to confirm effects.

A review of international studies on broadband’s impacts on rural development finds that broadband appears to have small but definite positive effects, particularly on income and employment in rural areas⁸. Moving to higher speed broadband (100 Mbps) may have a greater positive effect on employment rates than lower speeds⁹. Increased broadband access may also increase employment among women, especially those with children and who have at least some college education¹¹.

Broadband initiatives for unserved and underserved areas are a suggested strategy to support equitable access to health-promoting services, including telemedicine, online social services, distance education, online grocery orders, ecommerce, online social support, civic engagement opportunities, the ability to search for jobs and file for unemployment benefits, and more^{3, 4, 7, 12, 13}. Increased broadband access is associated with improved health outcomes, including reduced rates of diabetes diagnoses and smoking and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables¹⁴. One study associates broadband access with increased telemedicine use in rural counties¹⁵. For adults in urban settings, limited neighborhood broadband internet access is associated with lower likelihood of using hospitals’ patient portals¹⁶. Another study finds broadband expansion is associated with modest improvements to health outcomes, as individuals can choose higher-quality health care providers¹⁷.

Broadband access initiatives are often part of multi-component efforts to improve broadband’s functionality, affordability, and use. Such initiatives can include adding fiber, high-capacity fixed wireless to the home, and affordable high-speed mobile to improve connection options in underserved areas¹⁸. Providing access to low-cost internet is the necessary first step for increasing adoption and meaningful broadband use. Initiatives can also promote digital literacy by offering digital software and hardware training at convenient locations for community members, supporting the availability of low-cost computers and technical support, and establishing public access computing centers¹⁹.

State policy can support or inhibit affordable broadband expansion. State-level funding programs have a positive significant impact on general and fiber broadband availability while municipal or cooperative restrictions have a negative impact on availability, in urban and rural areas²⁰. An analysis of state-level policies regulating municipally owned networks finds that such policies may erect significant barriers to entry and recommends public-private partnership in building networks and offering service²¹. One comparison finds municipally-owned networks offering fiber-to-the-home service had lower pricing when the service costs and fees were averaged over four years, compared to private competitors²². Another analysis focused on the economic impacts of constructing and maintaining 70 miles of new broadband infrastructure in Michigan’s upper peninsula found broad benefits across the region, state, and greater U.S., including an estimated $18 million (USD) increase in sales or outputs, a $10.4 million increase in GDP, and a $4.9 million increase in personal income²³.

At the federal level, the Affordable Connectivity Program reduces the cost of broadband services and devices, like laptops, for eligible households, with greater discounts for households on Tribal lands²⁴. The program was authorized for over $14 billion USD as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2022²⁴ and appears to be a success^{25, 26} with over 19 million households subscribed as of June 2023 and substantial increases in household wireline broadband between 2019 and 2021. However, many eligible households are still not aware of the program²⁷ and funding is expected to run out in 2024²⁸, which could endanger broadband access for subscribed households if the program is not continued. The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program is another multi-billion dollar source of federal funding for broadband planning, infrastructure, and adoption efforts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and U.S. territories²⁹. The Digital Equity Act (DEA) also provides $2.75 billion USD across three grant programs promoting digital equity and inclusion, to ensure communities have the skills, technology, and capacity to use broadband meaningfully³⁰.

As of 2024, more than half of states have an active task force, commission, or other authority to support broadband development and use. These authorities can provide input on state frameworks or plans, promote public-private sector participation, create maps to determine which areas are unserved or underserved for broadband access, administer or assisting with funding programs, and support digital literacy and adoption efforts³¹. The Purdue Center for Regional Development describes models for broadband expansion, including municipally owned broadband, public-private partnerships, private sector efforts, and co-operative models, each with different costs and benefits². As of 2022, 44 percent of states have preemption laws or other barriers to municipal broadband; though some states have repealed their laws, such as Colorado in 2023^{32, 33}. The National Association of Counties (NACo) supports the Community Broadband Act which has been introduced in Congress multiple times and would prevent states from blocking the provision of broadband by public providers, public-private partnership providers, or cooperatively organized providers³⁴.

Many states use broadband service maps from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to inform broadband expansion efforts³⁵, though additional data is often considered. The FCC National Broadband Map tool shows residential coverage for fixed and mobile broadband³⁶. In addition, the FCC’s Mapping Broadband Health in America tool allows users to easily generate maps to explore possible relationships between broadband and health at the county, state, and national level³⁷. For example, a sample data visualization shows the intersection between rural fixed broadband access and maternal mortality³⁸. The federal Broadband Data Task Force maintains and updates the FCC broadband data and mapping tools³⁹. The FCC also maintains the Lifeline Program for Low-Income Consumers, which offers eligible households a monthly discount on broadband service and support for first-time connection charges⁴⁰. Additional funding is available to households on specific Tribal lands^{40, 41}.

Several states also have cooperatives or networks to promote middle- and last-mile broadband expansion, with a focus on expanding service to underserved or unserved areas and providing service to community anchor institutions like libraries. These include the Illinois Century Network, Northwest Open Access Network (Washington), Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative (Virginia), Tidal Network (Southeast Alaska)⁴², and Project THOR in Colorado, which is owned by local governments and operated by a local broadband provider^{43, 44}. Some cities have developed community broadband networks. Chattanooga has a high-speed, community-wide fiber optic network that provides high speed internet access to residents throughout the city⁴⁵. A study of the network finds its value exceeds the project cost by more than $2.2 billion dollars in terms of economic development, job creation, reduced carbon emissions and more⁴⁶.

Non-profit organizations can support efforts to increase broadband access in underserved areas around the country. For example, in the Greater Cleveland area, DigitalC is working to increase broadband infrastructure in underserved residential areas, provide affordable services and devices, and improve digital literacy among residents addressing basic to intermediate skills for both hardware and software⁴⁷. As of 2023, the Cleveland City Council had secured $20 million in America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for Digital C to serve as vendor in development of a citywide broadband network⁴⁷.

Minnesota is one of the states at the forefront of innovative broadband development. The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development contracts with an independent organization, Connected Nation⁴⁸, to develop broadband service maps, including for Tribal areas⁴⁹. The office also offers resources for digital inclusion, to help with the cost of broadband services and devices⁵⁰. The state is on track to meet broadband speed goals exceeding the federal standard, and 88% of Minnesotans already have access to 100/20 Mbps⁵¹. To further support these efforts, the state agency Minnesota Information Technology Services conducts crowd-sourced speed tests⁵². A recent digital equity community needs assessment for the Minnesota Department of Education recommends funding a digital navigator program at community-based organizations, libraries, and other trusted organizations to provide community members with one-on-one digital literacy instruction⁵³.

The annual Indigenous Connectivity Summit brings together community network managers and operators, Indigenous-owned internet service providers, community members, researchers, policy makers, and leaders to address the need for affordable, high-quality, and sustainable internet access for Alaska Native, American Indian, Inuit, Native Hawaiian, First Nations, and Métis communities⁵⁴. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration operates the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, a $1 billion program to increase broadband access on Tribal lands that supports telehealth, distance learning, broadband affordability, and digital inclusion⁵⁵.

^‡ Resources with a focus on equity.

FCC-Mapping^‡ - Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Mapping broadband health in America. 

BroadbandUSA-SBLN - BroadbandUSA, National Telecommunications and Information Administration. State Broadband Leaders Network (SBLN) and state broadband programs.

BroadbandUSA-TBCP^‡ - BroadbandUSA, National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP).

Pew-Broadband policy map 2021 - The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew). State broadband policy explorer: Laws governing high-speed internet access. 2021.

NACo-Broadband 2021 - National Association of Counties (NACo). Broadband Task Force: High-speed internet is essential for all counties. July 2021.

NDIA-Digital navigators - National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA). The digital navigator model.

FCC-Lifeline Consumers - Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Consumer Guides. Lifeline support for affordable communications. Last updated/reviewed June 29, 2021.

Purdue-Gallardo 2019 - Gallardo R, St. Germain B. Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission: State of broadband. Purdue Center for Regional Development. 2019.