Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has circulated an order to her fellow commissioners that aims to make sure government-assisted broadband service providers offer robust internet service speeds in remote areas of the U.S. 

In a bid to connect rural communities to high-speed broadband services, Kansas will use $15.7 million in Federal funding to connect more than 1,900 homes, businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, and other public institutions to broadband in the next 24 months.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $759 million to bring high-speed internet access to people living and working across 24 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Palau.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said on August 31 that the agency is preparing to provide $791 million of new funding for state broadband buildouts through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.

Senators Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on May 18 reintroduced the Rural Broadband Financing Flexibility Act that would provide a boost in rural broadband investment to state and local governments.

A bipartisan group of senators has reintroduced the Rural STEM Education Act, which would provide Federal support for STEM training in rural schools and instruct the director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide grants to support training for rural STEM teachers.

Through collaboration, conversations, and expertise, the West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council has helped to bring faster internet connectivity to the state through both traditional and nontraditional internet providers, as members of the council discussed on November 14 at Bloomberg’s Next.2018 event.

Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, on June 28 introduced S. 3157, the Streamlining the Rapid Evolution and Modernization of Leading-edge Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance Small Cell Deployment Act (STREAMLINE Small Cell Deployment Act), to mixed reviews from industry groups.

Witnesses at a Senate Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet subcommittee hearing about mobile apps on Tuesday pressed senators for action on making more spectrum available for 5G and other services.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on May 10 approved a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that could supply more spectrum to commercial carriers to provide 5G wireless services.