Contact: Lauren Gaydos, (703) 351-2015
Arlington, Va., (March 8, 2021)— Nearly one year since COVID-19 shutdowns and stay-at-home orders forced millions of Americans to move their lives almost exclusively online, the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) today released “Broadband Today: Rural America’s Critical Connection,” a report focused on the impact the pandemic has had across rural America and the state of rural broadband in 2021.
“Never before has reliable access to high-speed internet been as important as it has been during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said FRS Executive Director Pam Becker. “Broadband connects us to our work, education, health care, government programs and—most importantly—one another. This report examines the necessary benefits broadband access has provided to rural Americans throughout the pandemic and what more can be done to ensure sustainable, affordable networks for all going forward.
“Our goal in publishing this report is to share information and help the public better understand the importance of having broadband access in every rural community.”
The report provides a basic overview of broadband and explores the service as it relates to remote learning, working from home, telehealth, business, consumers and social connections. The report also looks at the impact the pandemic has had on broadband networks across various sectors and the companies building service into rural America, as well as issues surrounding technologies used to provide broadband and policy reforms that could impact the future of deployment.
Key report findings include:
- Average broadband network usage soared by 40% from the end of 2019 to the end of 2020.
- Rural America’s broadband networks have performed well, thanks in part to infrastructure investments by rural broadband providers and an increase in fiber-to-the-home penetration.
- An estimated 25-30% of the workforce could be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021, creating a potentially permanent broadband user profile needing higher speeds and upload capacity to support work.
- Use of telehealth services dramatically increased during the pandemic and could bring on significant shifts in the health care industry. For example, 20% of emergency room visits could potentially be avoided via virtual urgent care offerings.
- After the pandemic shifted most businesses online, e-commerce may be the new normal, with 52% of consumers saying they have shifted more of their shopping online.
Funding for the report was provided by FRS, with support from the Rural Telephone Finance Corporation (RTFC), and it was produced in conjunction with WordSouth, a creative services firm that works with telecommunications companies and electric utilities, and Vantage Point Solutions. The complete report, “Broadband Today: Rural America’s Critical Connection,” is available for download here.
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The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and its members, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life in rural America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. Through scholarships, grants, and a variety of educational programs, FRS focuses on educating rural youth, encouraging community development and introducing policymakers to challenges unique to rural communities. Visit us at www.frs.org.
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. In an era of transformative technological advancements, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are leading the technological evolution for rural consumers, delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.