--- title: Rural Broadband Overview 2020 Update description: The following is a roundup of rural broadband actions taken at the federal and state levels as well as what some states are doing. image: https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide1-3-300x400.jpg --- [![WIA](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X%20Email/Image/wia_logo-1.png)](https://wia.org/) - [News](https://wia.org/category/news-content/wia-press-releases/) - [Membership](https://wia.org/membership/) - [Frequency Coordination](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/) - [News](https://wia.org/category/news-content/wia-press-releases/) - [Membership](https://wia.org/membership/) - [Frequency Coordination](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/) ##### Navigation - [Home](https://wia.org/) - [About WIA](https://wia.org/about/) - [About WIA](https://wia.org/about/) - [Mission](https://wia.org/about/mission/) - [Board of Directors](https://wia.org/about/board-of-directors/) - [Staff](https://wia.org/staff/) - [Advocacy](https://wia.org/advocacy/) - [Advocacy Overview](https://wia.org/advocacy/) - [Advocacy Issues](https://wia.org/advocacy/advocacy-issues/) - [WIA Federal Filings](https://wia.org/advocacy/wia-federal-filings/) - [Advocacy Resources](https://wia.org/advocacy/advocacy-resources/) - [Advocacy Contacts](https://wia.org/advocacy/advocacy-contacts/) - [Frequency Coordination](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/) - [Frequency Coordination Services Overview](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/) - [Fee Calculator](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/fee-calculator/) - [Welcome to WIA’s License\*Link Online™](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/license-link/) - [Frequency Coordination FAQ](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/frequency-coordination-faqs/) - [Process Overview](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/process-overview/) - [FCC Forms](http://www.fcc.gov/formpage.html) - [Fee Schedule](https://wia.org/frequency-coordination/fee-schedule/) - [Events](https://wia.org/events/) - [Industry Initiatives](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/) - [Industry Initiatives Overview](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/) - [Innovation & Technology Council](https://wia.org/innovation-technology-council-itc/) - [Education and Training](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/education/) - [HetNet Forum](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/the-hetnet-forum/) - [TIRAP](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/tirap/) - [Women’s Wireless Leadership Forum](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/wwlf/) - [Infrastructure Developers Forum (IDF)](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/idf/) - [State Wireless Association Program (SWAP)](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/swap/) - [City Networks Task Force](https://wia.org/industry-initiatives/city-networks-task-force/) - [Membership](https://wia.org/membership/) - [Join the Wireless Infrastructure Association](https://wia.org/membership/join-wia-the-wireless-infrastructure-association/) - [Member Benefits](https://wia.org/membership/member-benefits/) - [Current Members](https://wia.org/members/) - [WIA Members Only Access](https://wia.org/membership/wia-members-only-login-page/) - [Search WIA.org](https://wia.org/search/) - [Resource Library](https://wia.org/resource-library/) - [WIA Blog](https://wia.org/blog/) # Resource Library [Homepage](https://wia.org/) / [Resource Library](https://go.wia.org/resource-library) / Rural Broadband Overview 2020 Update The Wireless Infrastructure Association regularly publishes white papers covering a variety of topics – from new technologies to potential regulatory issues – in order to inform WIA members, the wireless industry, the public, and lawmakers on the federal , state and local levels. # Rural Broadband Overview 2020 Update Recent COVID-19 events have highlighted the disparities in the digital divide as students have been learning remotely and employees have worked from home. Congress has tried to address the need for broadband in rural areas with varying degrees of success. However, President Trump signed into law the Broadband DATA Act in March 2020, which aims to improve how the Federal Communications Commission collects, verifies and reports broadband data. The following is a roundup of actions taken at the federal and state levels as well as what some states are doing on their own. [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide1-3.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide1-3.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide1-3.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide2-2.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide2-2.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide2-2.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide3-2.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide3-2.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide3-2.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide4-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide4-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide4-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide5-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide5-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide5-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide6-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide6-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide6-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide7-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide7-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide7-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide8-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide8-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide8-1.jpg)  [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide10-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide10-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide10-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide11-2.jpg)![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide12-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide12-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide12-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide13-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide13-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide13-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide14-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide14-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide14-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide15-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide15-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide15-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide16-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide16-1.jpg)![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide17-1.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide17-1.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide17-1.jpg) [![](https://go.wia.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Connect%20X/Slide1-3.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=Slide1-3.jpg)](https://go.wia.org/resource-library/rural-broadband-overview-2020-update/) [Download](https://wia-8967849.hs-sites.com/resource-library/rural-broadband-overview-2020-update) ### Latest News ### Sign Up For Updates [Sign Up](https://wia.org/newsletter-subscription/) #### Wireless Infrastructure Association 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 210, Arlington, VA 22201 703.739.0300 703.836.1608 - [Follow us on Twitter](http://twitter.com/wiaorg) - [Like us on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alexandria-VA/PCIA-The-Wireless-Infrastructure-Association/37483328338) - [Join our LinkedIn group](http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=1534737&trk=anet_ug_grppro) - Quick Links - [Search WIA.org](https://wia.org/search/) - [Recent Federal Filings](https://wia.org/category/federal-filings/) - [Sign Up For Updates](https://wia.org/newsletter-subscription/) - [WIA Resource Library](https://wia.org/resource-library/) - [Employment Opportunities](https://wia.org/employment-opportunities/) - [SWAP Events](https://wia.site-ym.com/events/event_list.asp) - Newsroom - [WIA Press Releases](https://wia.org/category/news-content/wia-press-releases/) - [WIA Member News](https://wia.org/category/news-content/members-in-the-news/) - [Media and Press Contact](https://wia.org/media-and-press-contact/) - [WIA Blog](https://wia.org/blog/) #### For Members Only - [WIA Member Portal](https://wia.org/membership/wia-members-only-login-page/) - [WIA PAC Prior Approval Form](https://pcia.site-ym.com/?PACApprovalForm) WIA Websites: - [Het Net Forum](http://www.hetnetforum.com/) - [TIRAP](http://www.tirap.org/) - [Connect (X)](https://www.connectivityexpo.com/) - [WWLF](http://www.wwlf.org/) Copyright © WIA - All Rights Reserved.