This report, in response to a request by 10 U.S. Senators examines the status of broadband deployment in the United States. The rate of deployment of broadband services will be key to future economic growth, particularly in rural areas far from urban and world markets. This report finds that rural areas, especially remote areas outside of towns,…

A key component of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was the "E-rate," a program designed primarily to help fund telecommunication improvements at rural schools, libraries, and health care facilities. The program offers discounts that can be applied to telecommunication services, Internet access, and internal connections. An evaluation…

This paper examines the extent to which rural America is digital--has access to the Internet and to newer technologies such as wireless broadband--and discusses rural supply and demand for "going digital." Supply aspects include issues of both infrastructure and public policy. Demand aspects include entrepreneurs (business users) and…

The Rural Policy Research Institute's Rural Telecommunications Task Force assessed the rural impacts and unintended or adverse rural consequences of the Federal-State Joint Board's recommendations to the FCC regarding Section 254 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Ten critical rural components of the Joint Board recommendations are listed: (1)…