A report that examines how the largest ISPs have used political spending to thwart legislation that would help close the digital divide. The authors look specifically at the years 2019 to 2020, where broadband providers spent $234 million on lobbying and federal elections.

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A blog about AARP’s efforts in closing the digital divide by backing policies that help older adults connect to the internet. The piece shows how broadband improves the lives of older adults, including easing social isolation, supporting innovative mobility solutions, and enhancing access to telemedicine.

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This report from September 2018 explains how millions of Americans in rural areas served by electric co-ops lack adequate broadband. It notes the market conditions that have prevented private carriers from investing in those communities and offers strategies for how electric co-ops can be part of the solution.

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This white paper from the National Governors Association presents strategies to expand affordable broadband access, including use cases and best practices, and highlights policy solutions to address the coverage gaps and cost inequities.

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This report presents crowd-sourced real-world data on connectivity access and speeds across the United States from users of the TestIT app, which can help determine real gaps in connectivity and address disparities. The resource displays maps that analyze data collected from the app along with a discussion of challenges and opportunities for communities.

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In this commentary, Rachel Hirsch and Jake Varn argue that the aftermath of the COVID19 pandemic has made clear how vital postsecondary education is in helping people achieve and maintain financial stability, therefore postsecondary institutions have a critical role in expanding affordable broadband access and closing the digital divide.

This blog from the National Governors Association highlights actions taken by Governors and states to prioritize permanently closing the digital divide by harnessing federal and state dollars, making policy changes, and working closely with key stakeholders. The blog lists initiatives taken by Governors in many states.

In this video, two officials from West Lafayette, Indiana—Chief Innovation and Collaboration Officer David Broecker and Vice President of Innovation and Technology Troy Hege—lay out their vision for a neutral host infrastructure in the city. They hope the project will spark competition and innovation, including building out a private cellular network and Wi-Fi access for new services.

This video features Syracuse, New York, Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Tifft discussing the city’s effort to develop a multi-year, smart city roadmap with near-term pilot projects. The projects are designed to collect data from new sensors and camera-based systems. She also describes the city’s priorities and why the local government is investing in digital infrastructure.

In this video, Philadelphia Smart City Director Emily Yates talks about data privacy, the digital divide, the need for public-private partnerships, and Philadelphia’s pitch and pilot program. She also discusses why the city is partnering with US Ignite and mentions the challenges the city is hoping to address with through technology.

In this video, Mayor David Berger of Lima, Ohio discusses the importance of railway infrastructure in Lima, but adds that railway crossings can lead to traffic congestion. Mayor Berger talks about partnering with several state agencies, network provider Spectrum, and US Ignite to create and test a system of sensors as a potential solution for rerouting vehicles and minimizing backups.

A video of Greensboro (North Carolina) CIO Jane Nickles discussing connecting unconnected households and how the pandemic exposed gaps in broadband coverage for local students. She also discusses the city’s partnerships with US Ignite and the fiber provider Segra, along with building connected cities in the Triad region of North Carolina.

This video features Matt Sayre of Onward Eugene (Oregon) explaining how his city is looking to build on three years of digital infrastructure growth, including partnering with nearby Springfield. He discusses the investments the City made pre-pandemic to keep students connected and how teaming up with multiple local entities is improving the community’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

This video from February 2021 details use cases Arlington County, Virginia’s, Safety and Innovation Zone Demonstration project will explore, and how technology could help officials respond to emergencies faster. Arlington’s Assistant CIO for Strategic Initiatives Holly Hartell discusses privacy safeguards, such as a new privacy panel the county is putting in place.

This playbook from US Ignite shares the experiences and lessons from community leaders and on-profit partners as discussed during the Smart City Connectivity workshop on 2019. Leaders discuss how to fit connectivity into the context of community planning, how to partner with the private sector, and developing pathways for scalable projects.