Unfortunately, 22.3 percent of Americans in rural areas and 27.7 percent in Tribal lands lack coverage from fixed terrestrial 25/3 Mbps broadband, compared to only 1.5 percent of Americans in urban areas, according to a recent report by the Federal Communications Commission.

A Switch toward Rural Areas

USDA has been investing in rural telecommunications infrastructure for decades. Hundreds of millions of dollars are available annually in the RUS programs by loans and grants to support modern broadband e-Connectivity in rural communities.

In 2018, USDA introduced the ReConnect Program, which has recently invested over $1 billion to expand high-speed broadband infrastructure in unserved rural areas and tribal lands.

The United States Congress created this new funding option in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, which authorized $600 million for an ambitious initiative to rebuild America’s infrastructure. In F.Y. 2019, Congress added $500 million to the Program, and in F.Y. 2020 and F.Y. 2021, Congress appropriated an additional $555 million and $635 million, respectively. The ReConnect Program policies and procedures were codified in the April 2021 ReConnect Regulation.

No Future for Farming?

Broadband access is essential for farmers and ranchers to follow commodity markets, communicate with customers, and access new markets worldwide. However, 29 percent of U.S. farms have no access to the internet, according to the USDA report, “Farm Computer Usage and Ownership, 2017.”

The pandemic has laid bare the importance of having a high-speed internet connection, as many Americans have been forced to conduct their lives online. Yet, tens of millions of people across the country, especially in rural areas and tribal lands, lack the kind of fast or reliable connection they need for things like work, school, and telehealth.

The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill recently signed by President Biden aims to help alleviate the problem by setting aside $65 billion for investment in broadband. Its biggest allocations would give $42.5 billion to states to fund broadband infrastructure and $14.25 billion in subsidies to help low-income households afford internet access.

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At Utilities One, we know firsthand how important it is to deploy high-speed broadband in rural locations. That’s why our in-house crews are busy with projects all across the U.S., including some of the more distant, hard-to-reach areas. We believe that the new funding will help speed things up and allow more Americans nationwide to experience the future of the internet.