In addition, one of the main velocity testing sites on the Internet, recently published its semiannual report on the state of Internet connectivity in the United States. The report, why it covers the second half of 2024, reflects a growing broadband division into 32 states. (Discharge of Responsibility: Property of Ziff Davis, the same company that CNET has).
To measure the digital division, it is also based on speed test intelligence data, CrowdSaured of Speedtest users in the 50 states. It also averages the number of users who receive the minimum standard for an Internet connection, which the Federal Communications Commission defines as 100Mbps downstream and 20Mbps upstream.
This story is part of Crossing Broadband DivisionCNET coverage on how the country is working to make broadband access to be universal.
While 22 states saw improvements in the number of Internet users who received at least 100 Mbps, most of that progress occurred in urban areas. Also the data of the reflected a particular struggle to connect Rural homesAs the states with the largest digital division were the rural communities in Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Missouri and New Mexico.
“We suspect that some of this [broadband divide] She was attributed to the end of ACP, “Suek, editorial director also in the author of the report, he told Cnet.” We could see some more examples of that at the end of 2025 “.
The cancellation of the affordable connectivity program, which ended in May 2024 because they expired the funds of the Congress, affected approximately 23 million contained that received financial aid with monthly internet invoices.
OMLA data observes a significant increase in the number of houses with a fiber connection to home, a record of 88.1 million homes and Marek attributes this growth to the financing of broadband implementation.
“But I think much of that [fiber deployment] It was promoted by private capital financing or CAPEX spent by these large telecommunications companies, “said Marek.” But that really helps digital division? “
As the broadband program, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) has not yet been in construction, the growth in Internet connectivity in the second half of 2024 can also be attributed to the digital equity programming programmer, Tribal digital affectation. Marek points out that these programs have distributed around $ 11 billion in government funds since 2020.
The report is also produced immediately after the cancellation of the Digital Equity Law by President Donald Trump, since it was a “racist” and “non -stitionable” program. The National Telecommunications and Information Association, the organization responsible for administering the financing of the Digital Equity Law, has eliminated the web pages related to the program.
“The upset obsession of this administration with forcing extremist cultural wars to all of us is not an acceptable or legal reason to deny access to the states to these funds,” said Senator Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat who introduced the bill in 2019, at a press conference on the digital equity law.
Marek says that the effects of the decision to reduce the Digital Equity Law will probably not be seen in Los Angeles reports until the end of 2025.
Meanwhile, the Bead program is experiencing a structural review, with industry experts worried that the Gillee program of a “Fiber First” approach for a Starlink process by Elon Musk, a satellite internet option that Raaste Habeit, Alhasbeit, Alhasbeit, Alhas Raas, Raas Raas, Tag.
Although the disputes on the distribution of funds and the destiny of the Digital Equity Law and Bead hang in the air, the broadband division continues to grow at the expense of the most marginalized communities in the country.
To get involved, Marek recommends communicating with his state’s broadband office to learn how he is approaching the digital division. “Each state has one,” Marek said.
In addition, the NTIA houses a Bead advance board, so it can be kept informed about the progress of the projects financed by its state. To directly express their concerns, you can also call your local representatives and government officials.
