Blog

---

As the Internet continues to become more relevant and essential to our daily lives, it’s increasingly critical to ensure that telecommunications infrastructure is reliable, secure, and capable of meeting the demand. Paired with the rapid pace of technological advancement and the digital transformation of more and more industries and sectors, the world is facing a pressing need for a skilled workforce who can meet the demands of the 21st century economy. That’s where workforce development comes in.

Today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released Version 2 of the National Broadband Map. This is an important step in meeting President Biden’s goal of connecting everyone in America to affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service.

NTIA is preparing to enter a crucial phase for the Internet for All initiative. Soon, we will notify states and territories of their BEAD program allocation amounts. Once we’ve made those notifications, states and territories will have 180 days to submit their initial proposals. We are confident we will have the data we need to take that step when we make our allocation announcement by June 30. 

NTIA soon will announce allocations of an historic amount of funding to help bring affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service to everyone in America. This funding will help ensure everyone has access to the economic resources and opportunities the Internet provides. In order to make the best use of this funding, we need an evolving understanding of where high-speed Internet service is and is not available. 

From Alaska to South Carolina, and everywhere in between, we’ve heard from communities about the urgency to expand access to high-speed Internet service. Without Internet access, kids can’t complete their homework, parents can’t apply for jobs, and grandparents drive hours for basic healthcare services.