Stories

With tens of millions of Americans continuing to work from home and the number of internet-connected devices skyrocketing, the need for fast and reliable internet has never been greater. In fact, internet traffic soared to as much as 60% above pre-COVID levels during the pandemic. Let's explore how broadband performance and availability has kept up with demand.

There are no ways around it: prices are going up. As anyone who has bought groceries, paid the bill at a restaurant, or filled a tank of gas knows, U.S. inflation trends are on the rise and are expected to remain high throughout 2022. In the face of U.S. inflation trends not seen since the early 1980s, one important area has defied the upward curve: the internet.

A broadband connection, in short, is the bridge from the present to the future. Despite the urgent necessity of internet access, there are still pockets of America that don’t have broadband connectivity. Let’s take a closer look at the industry’s efforts to improve broadband access for all Americans, and how government programs are helping bridge the digital divide.

The semiconductor shortage in the United States is real, ongoing, and painful for the economy. These chips are used in broadband network equipment and in the modems, routers, and network devices found in our home to enable seamless broadband connectivity. A shortage of chips could mean a delay in expanding broadband access across America.

After months of hearing about a new infrastructure bill rumbling its way through Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives finally passed a bipartisan infrastructure package on September 30. The $1.5 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, designed to refurbish the nation's roads, railways, public transit, power grids, and water systems, will also include $65 billion for broadband, aimed at connecting the unserved parts of America and support for low-income families.

An in-person event once again this year – at least in hybrid form – the Consumer Electronics Show came to Las Vegas from January 5 to 8 with over 1900 exhibitors and some 2,400 members of the press. And after a year of virtual conferencing due to the pandemic, CES 2022 returned in a big way, with some of the biggest names in tech showing the latest in innovation, from TVs to tablets, smart glasses to smart gadgets, watches to wireless devices, and much more. With so much to see, absorb, and ponder, what did we learn from this year’s conference? Here are three of our biggest takeaways.   

From a tech and entertainment standpoint, there’s plenty to be excited for in 2022. From expanded broadband access, widespread adoption of Wi-Fi 6, and production of cutting-edge content taking place across the country, our future is both fast and entertaining!

Every day, through our computers and mobile phones, our televisions and smart devices, broadband keeps us connected, working, and entertained. During the COVID-19 crisis, it has been a lifeline, allowing schools to operate, families to keep in touch, businesses to keep selling, and the public to stay informed. It seems virtually impossible to imagine how we would have weathered the pandemic without it. But behind the obvious benefits brought to us by blazing fast internet, broadband provides other fundamental gains – ones that are no less important for being less visible. Thanks to the recently released Investing in America report, let’s take a look at three of broadband’s hidden advantages.