The FCC has a plan to boost rural broadband download speeds to 100 Mbps

The Federal Communications Commission is aiming to boost rural broadband internet speeds through proposed changes to the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) program. The target is to improve minimum download and upload speeds to 100/20 Mbps in areas served by carriers that receive A-CAM support. The current baseline is 25/3 Mbps.

The A-CAM Broadband Coalition proposed the creation of an Enhanced A-CAM program. The goal is to improve broadband speeds to the levels specified in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) while avoiding the duplication of efforts across various federal programs.

The notice of proposed rulemaking, which commissioners approved, seeks comment on how the FCC could bolster A-CAM support under an enhanced program and whether the current A-CAM framework even still makes sense. It’s also seeking comment on how to align the Enhanced A-CAM program with Congressional goals and programs at other agencies.

“With additional funding and an expansion of the length of time under which electing carriers would receive support, these carriers would increase deployment speeds up to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload in some of the most challenging and expensive areas to serve in the country,” Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said in a statement. “[Some] consumers served by A-CAM carriers could see a four-fold, 10-fold or even 20-fold increase in their speeds.”

Last week, using funding allocated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden administration launched a $45 billion project to bring all Americans online by 2030 and eliminate the digital divide. Officials have also teamed up with internet providers to subsidize the cost of broadband for low-income households.

Biden administration launches $45 billion plan to get the entire US online by 2030

The Biden administration has formally started its $45 billion effort to bring affordable and reliable high-speed broadband internet access to everyone in the US by 2030. The Internet for All funding is part of the $65 billion earmarked for broadband in the $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Starting today, states and other entities can apply for funding from three Internet for All programs.

“In the 21st century, you simply cannot participate in the economy if you don’t have access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who is overseeing the distribution of the funds, said. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Americans across the country will no longer be held back by a lack of high-speed internet access. We are going to ensure every American will have access to technologies that allow them to attend class, start a small business, visit with their doctor and participate in the modern economy.”

States could use the funding to install fiber-optic cables, put more Wi-Fi networks in place or even offer some people free broadband internet access. The launch of the program follows news earlier this week that the Biden administration has teamed up with 20 providers to offer subsidized internet service to low-income households.

Most of the Internet for All funding will be available from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. States and other territories will need to file a letter of intent and a budget for planning funds. They’ll then receive $5 million in planning funds to help them put together a five-year plan detailing how they’ll provide comprehensive internet access to all residents.

Each state that takes part in the program will receive at least $100 million from the BEAD pot of $42.5 billion. After that, funding allocations will be decided in part based on updated broadband coverage maps that the Federal Communications Commission is expected to release this fall.

Under the $1 billion Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program, funding will be allocated based on a “technology-neutral, competitive basis” to build, buy or improve infrastructure elements that carry “large amounts of data at high speeds over long distances.” As for the $1.5 billion State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, that’s designed to bolster adoption and use of the internet with the help of digital literacy training.

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White House agreement sees ISPs cap broadband prices for low-income households

A key component of the Biden Administration’s $1 trillion US Infrastructure Bill was ensuring that people of all means had access to reliable high-speed internet. Now, twenty internet providers including AT&T, Comcast and Verizon have agreed to offer high-speed broadband internet plans for no more than $30 per month via a subsidy, the White House announced.

The ISP’s, which cover 80 percent of the US population, agreed to “either increase speeds or cut prices, making sure they all offer ACP-eligible households high-speed, high-quality internet plans for no more than $30/month,” The White House wrote. Biden has previously highlighted the challenges not having broadband poses to some families. “Never again should a parent have to sit in their car in a McDonald’s parking lot… so that their child can get access to high-speed Internet to do their homework,” he said in a speech last month. 

The subsidy is part of a $65 billion program for expanding broadband primarily through fiber-optic cable installations. $14 billion of that is earmarked for subsidies in the Affordable Connectivity Program aimed at lowering internet costs. It’s available to any families with income 200 percent or less than federal poverty guidelines, or for those who qualify for certain assistance programs.

Some 11.5 million households have signed up for the subsidy, but there are as many as 48 million eligible households. To that end, the administration is launching a site called GetInternet.gov that will provide details on how to sign up. It’s also reaching out to people through federal agencies, partnering with states and cities and collaborating with public interest organizations like the United Way and Goodwill. 

A new Google Cloud team is building services for Web3 developers

Google is putting together a team to build backend services for blockchain developers. The company is hoping to make Google Cloud Platform the primary destination for those who want to run Web3 apps.

“We’re not trying to be part of that cryptocurrency wave directly,” Google Cloud vice president Amit Zavery told CNBC. “We’re providing technologies for companies to use and take advantage of the distributed nature of Web3 in their current businesses and enterprises.”

Zavery told staff in an email (which was viewed by CNBC) that the Web3 market is “already demonstrating tremendous potential with many customers asking us to increase our support for Web3 and crypto related technologies.”

This isn’t quite Google’s first foray into this space. In January, it announced a Digital Assets Team and said it would look into ways of allowing Google Cloud customers to make and receive crypto payments. On an earnings call the following month, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said the Cloud unit was exploring support for blockchain projects.

The new team will comprise employees who have been involved in Web3 projects either at Google or on their own time, according to Zavery. He said Google may create a system that will enable other companies to make it easy for people to look into blockchain data. Google’s tools will be compatible with other platforms like Amazon Web Services, Zavery said.

There’s an element of incongruity here. A core aim of the Web3 movement is making the web decentralized and shifting power away from major companies like Google, Amazon and Meta. Still, Web3 developers need to host their apps and services somewhere, and Google wants to be their first choice.

Microsoft Edge will soon include a free built-in VPN

Microsoft has consistently tried to get more people to use Edge. Some of the ways it has pursued that goal have been less well-received than others, but its latest effort to do so could make for a useful addition to the software. In a support page spotted by The Verge, the company revealed it’s adding a free built-in VPN service dubbed Edge Secure Network to its web browser. 

The company says the tool will encrypt your internet connection. You can use that functionality to protect your data from your internet service provider. As with most VPNs, you can also use Edge Secure Network to mask your location, making it possible to access services that might otherwise be blocked in the country where you live or are visiting.

If you find yourself frequently traveling, chances are Edge Secure Network won’t replace a paid VPN. The feature limits you to 1GB of data usage per month. It’s also worth noting you’ll need a Microsoft account to use the service. Microsoft has yet to begin testing the VPN. But once the feature is available, you’ll be able to enable it through Edge’s three-dots icon. A new option titled “Secure Network” will turn the VPN on. Once you’re done browsing, it will automatically turn off again.