Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority released the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Statewide Broadband Plan. The plan addresses both the immediate needs and long-term needs of Pennsylvanians. The Authority’s plan to expand broadband across the commonwealth focuses on the challenges and opportunities including improving broadband service infrastructure and availability, digital equity and affordability, device and technology access, and digital literacy and technical support. With a clear picture of the current state of broadband in Pennsylvania outlined—including up to 800,000 unserved Pennsylvanians—the plan includes actionable steps to achieve universal broadband access. As Pennsylvania and other states seek to narrow the digital divide, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just released a draft of a nationwide broadband availability map. The new National Broadband Map lets individuals search specific addresses to find information about fixed and mobile services available there. The public, including local governments and businesses, has an opportunity to challenge the map or comment on its accuracy until Jan. 13.
