Congress passed their latest relief effort over the weekend, and from a tech perspective, there is $7B in funding for broadband connectivity, which includes a $3.2B provision for $50-per-month emergency broadband benefit for people laid off or furloughed during the pandemic.
The bill also includes $1.9B to remove Huawei and ZTE equipment from US networks, $1 billion in Tribal broadband grants, $250 million toward telehealth, and $65 million for broadband mapping improvements.
This was my lead today to remind listeners that from a business perspective, providers should dig into the PPP version 2 portions of the bill. From a tech trends perspective, here is concrete, federal action that validates that access to the internet is required in modern society.
Money to map broadband will also expose opportunities for providers over time – not a short term move for sure. It’s one that we’re tracking as we look at the changing perception of broadband specifically and tech in general.
Source: The Verge