Category: Affordability

Affordability Broadband in WNC Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB)

EBB

Post author By admin
Post date April 4, 2021
No Comments on EBB

Emergency Broadband Benefit

During the pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is helping households struggling to pay for internet with the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program.

The FCC is also looking to mobilize organizations to help share important consumer information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit that will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on Tribal lands.

Additionally, eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute $10-$50 toward the purchase price.

Learn More

Emergency Broadband Benefit. (2021, February 11). Federal Communications Commission.

https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit

‌The Western North Carolina Broadband Project is advocating for all households in WNC to get high speed internet.

Please help the FCC and the WNCBP mobilize organizations to support sharing consumer information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit.

Tags EBB

Affordability Broadband funding Digital Divide Federal Efforts Low-income Access

Affordable Internet for All

Post author By Marc Czarnecki
Post date March 16, 2021

Emergency Broadband Benefit

In the coronavirus relief broadband bill ‘Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act’ individuals can receive a subsidy to help minimize the digital divide.

The bill offers a $50 monthly discount for broadband services and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a computer or tablet purchased through a participating provider (one discount per eligible household).

Learn More

Snider, M. (2021, March 11). Coronavirus relief measure could net you $50 toward your broadband bill, help erase the digital divide. USA TODAY; USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/03/11/discount-broadband-internet-congress-tackles-digital-divide/6940680002/

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Tags digital divide

Affordability Broadband access Digital Inclusion Fiber Local Government Low-income Access Sandy Mush Terri Wells Wireless

Imperative Internet

Post author By Marc Czarnecki
Post date February 25, 2021

Fiber Broadband At the Sandy Mush Community Center

Terri Wells talks about how fiber broadband provides tools to minimize a #digitaldivide at the Sandy Mush Community Center.

Fiber and broadband connectivity are imperative for digital inclusion in our communities.

Bringing high-speed, free internet to the Sandy Mush Community Center has been a life-changer.
Terri Wells

A community center is hub that can provide assistance for education, telehealth, employment, entertainment, and more.

More About SMCC WiFi, Internet

SMCC Internet

Sandy Mush Community Center Website > WiFi Connection

Fiber Optics – the Timeless Investment

Support the Western North Carolina Broadband Project.

Our WNCBP Advisory Team, including Terri Wells; are advocating for the timeless investment of fiber optics in our communities.

Affordability Broadband in WNC FCC

Making Internet More Affordable

Post author By admin
Post date February 6, 2021

At the Western North Carolina Broadband Project Team, local, state, and federal advocacy is a major opportunity to improve broadband.

Improving broadband also includes making it more affordable for our growing appetite for broadband consumption.

Our Federal partners at the FCC are having an influence towards making broadband more affordable as referenced in the article below.

Morrison, S. (2021, February 3). How Biden’s FCC and Comcast are already making the internet more affordable. Vox.com; Vox. https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/recode/2021/2/3/22262847/fcc-broadband-affordability-e-rate-comcast-rosenworcel

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Tags Affordable internet

Advocacy Affordability Broadband access North Carolina

Mediocre Broadband in NC

Who do you call when you don’t have adequate broadband; if you even have access to broadband in North Carolina? NC Department of Information Technology Department of Broadband Infrastructure has accumulated 40, 000 survey results so far and it can be summarized as ‘sorry.’

State of (Sorry) Broadband in NC

How can we summarize these survey results?

Mediocre, an adjective describing of only moderate quality; not very good quality… a State of ‘sorry’ broadband in North Carolina

Take Action

Read more in the article linked below and encourage your community, friends, neighbors, and business to continue providing data necessary for the State of North Carolina to take action!

Respond to the NC BIO Survey

The NC Broadband Infrastructure Office survey can be taken either:

Online – https://www.ncbroadband.gov/broadband-nc/north-carolina-broadband-survey
By phone – by texting “internet” to 919-750-0553

The survey is available in both English and Spanish.

Early North Carolina broadband survey data shows mediocre access – Carolina Journal. (2021). Carolina Journal. https://www.carolinajournal.com/news-article/early-north-carolina-broadband-survey-data-shows-mediocre-access/

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Affordability Broadband access Broadband funding Broadband in WNC

Digital Divide, Biden

Post author By admin
Post date November 19, 2020

$20B Rural Broadband Infrastructure

Biden’s plan for rural America specifically references spending $20 billion in expanding rural broadband infrastructure, tripling funding for Community Connect broadband grants to expand access in rural areas, and reforming the Lifeline program, which subsidizes internet and phone services for low-income participants.

Universal Access

the Biden administration could expand universal access by subsidizing service in underserved rural and urban areas and helping those without access purchase the connections they need. He noted that this should be a high priority because people cannot apply for jobs, make online transactions, or access government services without high-speed broadband
Darrell West, VP & Director at the Brookings Institution

Nearly one-fourth of Americans who live in rural areas lack access to fixed broadband services, according to the Federal Communications Commission’s Eighth Broadband Progress report.

https://www.inc.com/amrita-khalid/biden-broadband-plan.html

The Western North Carolina Broadband Project Team advocates for high-speed internet for education, healthcare, economic growth, and more. Can your internet service become better? Let your community policy makers know.

Also See

2021 Policy Priorities

Hello President Elect Biden

Affordability Asheville Asheville Housing Authority Broadband access Broadband in WNC Community Development Digital Divide

Bridge the Digital Divide

Post author By Marc Czarnecki
Post date October 25, 2020
No Comments on Bridge the Digital Divide

As our communities continue to become more digitally-oriented there is a growing digital divide. As governments, businesses, physicians, schools, individuals, move to more electronic and online processes; it is expected the citizens will have internet access, computer devices, and knowledge on how to use technology.

Computer availability is usually with a smartphone with expensive cellular bills. If a home can afford home broadband, Wi-Fi becomes more readily available. For most education, business, and government online transactions a the small screen on a cellular phone is inadequate for transposing needed information; thus, a desktop or a laptop is needed with a larger keyboard, mouse navigation, and larger screen-monitor.

When the internet is available with devices to connect, users need to be skilled to effectively leverage these technology tools. But what happens when there is a bridge between those that do and don’t have internet, smartphone, and a computer? The digital divide develops and grows.

Asheville is leveraging community assets outside the physical school buildings to narrow the bridge of the Western North Carolina digital divide, initially by making Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center a wireless hub. This hub will provide the Asheville Housing Authority’s Southside Community to potentially have wireless internet access before the end of 2020 through a local internet service provider, Skyrunner.

With the WNC Broadband Project, consider advocating today for broadband, high-speed internet for all. It is a timeless investment for our future.

WLOS Article

Asheville City Schools Article

Affordability Broadband access Broadband in WNC Buncombe Economic Development Live Streaming Relevancy

Broadband & Employment

Broadband is high speed internet that connects you to the world and the opportunities that it beholds. Economic opportunities are changing as a result of broadband.

This Wednesday, Marc Czarnecki will hold a Livestream event with the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s WNC Career Expo. It’s virtual, so you need internet access. Plan your internet access!

WNC CAREER EXPO

REGIONAL VIRTUAL JOB FAIR

At 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 14 – the Experienced Workforce Initiatives very own Web Tech Czar – Marc Czarnecki is inviting you to join his Google Livestream event on broadband and how to leverage it for your employment.

Using Broadband for Employment

Register TODAY at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s Virtual Job Fair and on Wednesday morning you will have access to the ‘Employment & Training Services’ > ‘Asheville 50+ Works’ > Webcasts.

The Webcast button in ‘Asheville 50+ Works’ will contain the livestream URL for you to join.

Affordability Broadband in WNC Community Development Digital Divide Digital Equity Digital Inclusion

Digital Alliance for our Nation

Post author By Marc Czarnecki
Post date October 11, 2020
No Comments on Digital Alliance for our Nation

Angela Siefer, Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) speaks for our nation on digital opportunities. Her message provided to congress earlier this year:

Residential internet service in the US is expensive.
Analytic reporting of the cost of service throughout the nation are not available. We need the FCC to gather this data and make it publicly available.
In the US digital training is undervalued and underfunded.
- 1/3 of manufacturing workers lack proficient digital skills
- 1/2 of all construction, transportation, and storage workers lack proficient digital skills
- No dedicated funding is available towards digital training in the US

Local governments, libraries, non-profits have been left to piece-together to needed recourses to address the basic digital skills training. Piecing together is the wrong strategy for a strong workforce.
Angela Siefer, Executive Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance

Digital Stewardship

Our Western North Carolina communities need to continue to provide and grow:

Guidance to low income parents on how to connect to their children’s teachers.
Leadership for seniors on how to use electronic communication and telehealth.
Help Veterans and disadvantaged individuals with digital skills for employment.
Support the State of North Carolina in developing digital equity.

Digital Equity

Digital equity refers to whether people can access and effectively use the technology necessary to participate in modern society. Digital equity planning is the opportunity for the rural areas of North Carolina as Representative Jake Johnson discusses.

Support the WNC Broadband Project’s goals to advocate, educate, and engage our communities in the needed awareness of these digital opportunities.