Despite more than three decades of public and private efforts to expand broadband availability, at least 18 million Americans nationwide—and perhaps more than 42 million—lack access to high-speed internet service. And millions more cannot afford a broadband connection even if one is available.
Broadband relies on a complex, interconnected infrastructure to connect users to content. These networks are overwhelmingly owned and run by for-profit entities, which operate in a largely unregulated policy environment. A range of factors—including population density, historic market patterns, and state law—influence which communities are connected to high-speed, reliable internet service. The publications collected here explore the fundamentals of broadband policy.