Wecom Fiber’s Post

Vermont's innovative approach to community-led broadband demonstrates how pooling resources, volunteerism, and strategic partnerships with ISPs can create sustainable internet solutions. But can this approach be applied to improving broadband access in rural America? A report by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society suggests that leveraging economies of scale and deep community engagement can provide a viable blueprint for other states facing similar broadband challenges. #internetaccess #DigitalEquity #tech via Benton Institute for Broadband & Society https://lnkd.in/erjhvP7N

In today's digital world, expanding high-speed internet to every community lies in strategic collaborations. Public-private partnerships (P3s) are a key part of fostering connectivity in areas where access remains a challenge. The findings of a report on state broadband funding by Cornell University speak volumes about the significance of these partnerships, especially in rural areas. Here are a few of the highlights: 🌐 Local governments in P3s received more grants for connectivity (18% vs. 4% for solo applications). 🌐 P3 projects, mainly focusing on fiber optic infrastructure, notably targeted rural areas (27-34%). At RLM, we’re passionate about bringing high-speed internet to underserved communities often neglected by major providers. Public-private partnerships are a beacon of hope for these areas. With more P3s, we can ensure that every community has equal access to connectivity! Need help with your next #telecom project? Request a quote to find out how we can help: https://buff.ly/3CMfW1X. #RLMUnderground #DigitalDivide #TelecomConstruction

Growing up I was immersed in a family culture that valued family, hard work, and community. My parents teachings emphasized the importance of doing more for others, fostering a sense of responsibility and empathy. As Mother Teresa once said, "A life not lived for others is not a life." This ethos of selflessness and service has profoundly shaped my approach to life and the way I engage with the world, strangers, friends, co-workers and family. I have used these same principles when addressing the work that I do in broadband. Every community's needs are unique. Searching for and finding a solution underscores the importance of localized initiatives and community engagement in bridging the digital divide. Rural broadband companies are the backbone of modern-day innovation, enabling seamless connectivity and access to information. Our infrastructure supports the digital economy, driving advancements in technology, education, and healthcare. I encourage each of you to keep pushing forward, finding solutions that fit the broadband needs within your communities and fostering an opportunity for all. NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association TTA #rural #broadband #engagement #community

State experts are discussing how to deploy the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program in an equitable way. I'm happy to see that the focus is on prioritizing underserved areas that are most impacted by the #digitaldivide Read the latest here: https://lnkd.in/g5EQbuqh #digitaldivide

High-speed internet access plays a vital role in promoting social and economic progress in our local communities. Unfortunately, the lack of equal access – often referred to as the digital divide – further exacerbates those inequalities between rural and urban communities in North Carolina. MCNC’s HERO Project will bring broadband and much needed help to communities often overlooked, underserved and unserved, giving residents in these areas the opportunity to participate in today’s digital economy, access essential services, and contribute to a more inclusive and prosperous future. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/er9yvrMU

Funding opportunity! Attention innovators who are harnessing technology to benefit Indigenous communities: On March 8, 2022, a Canada-British Columbia $830 million funding partnership was announced to support connecting all households in B.C. to high-speed internet services by 2027. From this partnership, the Connecting Communities BC program was created. The program will support funding infrastructure to reach underserved households in areas that currently lack internet service of at least 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) download speed and 10 Mbps upload speed. Applications selected by CCBC may be funded by both the Province and the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) Universal Broadband Fund (UBF). If you have a high-speed internet project that aims to serve the underserved and First Nations communities, apply by March 14, 2024: https://lnkd.in/eRqpAb5Q

Say goodbye to inadequate broadband infrastructure, and say hello to the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). Read more below to learn how RDOF and other initiatives are shifting the digital landscape of rural America: #RuralDigitalOpportunityFund #ConnectivityRevolution #DigitalEmpowerment #BridgingTheGap #RuralAmerica #Belden Bridging the Connectivity Gap in Rural America https://hubs.li/Q020yv540

True access to high-speed connectivity is one key to achieving digital equity for underserved communities such as Indigenous tribes. But truly listening to each community’s unique needs is what needs to come first. Read our new blog to learn more. #ruralconnectivity #tribalconnectivity #broadbandforall #tribalnet2023

As broadband champions across the United States furiously prepare for the biggest government investment in digital infrastructure in our history, the theme of this year’s #DigitalInclusionWeek — Building Connected Communities — couldn’t be more appropriate. In this post, Samantha Schartman writes about why the Appalachia Digital Accelerator is designed not only to support communities to plan for better broadband — but also to strengthen local power and capacity so that they can lead their digital future for years to come. Read it here 🚀 https://lnkd.in/eVhYUiUk 🙏 Huge thanks to Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and our Accelerator partners who are #BuildingConnectedCommunities every day: Buckeye Hills Regional Council, Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. , Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, People Inc., SEDA-Council of Governments, Shaping Our Appalachian Region, Inc. (SOAR), Southwestern Commission, National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Reid Consulting, Breaking Point Solutions, LLC, Grants Plus, Impactful, and Connect Your Community Institute. #DIW2023 #Appalachia #DigitalEquity #InternetForAll

I believe this piece of news deserves our special attention, as it underscores the strategic imperative that leading nations like the #US, place on ensuring that #5G connectivity reaches even the most #remote corners of their territory, sooner rather than later. Actually, on this occasion I feel compelled to highlight #Spain's recent relevant pioneering step to earmark a substantial fund of over €500 million to ensure that it's not just any 5G connectivity, but #5GSA, that will cover even the remotest areas of the country with population below 10,000 inhabitants, in the next few years. Why? Because the #benefits that true 5G (ie 5G SA and onwards) brings are enormous and can be truly #transformative when it comes to remote communities, as it can not only support greatly the people that are already living in such areas in terms of improved education, health, work, entertainment, but it can also catalyze demographic shifts by attracting individuals, be it digital nomads seeking temporary stays or individuals opting for permanent residency seeking to reconnect with nature and embrace a higher quality of life, away from urban stress and pollution. Beyond these societal advantages, equitable access to cutting-edge connectivity can act as a catalyst for #innovation within these communities, fostering #entrepreneurship and economic growth. By bridging the #digitaldivide, we not only enhance the lives of those currently residing in remote areas but also pave the way for a more inclusive and vibrant future. In essence, initiatives such as the FCC 5G Fund and Spain's (and other countries') ambitious investments in ensuring that true #5G connectivity reaches every corner of their territories confirm 5G's strategic importance for sustainable growth and underscore a collective commitment to harnessing the transformative power of 5G to create a more connected, prosperous, and inclusive society for all. P.S. Important to note the "detail" about incentivizing #openRAN with $900m. US seems poised to lead the open RAN race... PS2. Let us just hope and work so that more European countries introduce such initiatives; we definitely need it! ;) #5Gforall #remoteareasconnectivity #ruralconnectivity #ruralbroadband