The Trump administration is telling states they will be shut out of a $42 billion broadband deployment fund if they set the rates that Internet service providers receiving subsidies are allowed to charge people with low incomes.

The latest version of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) FAQ on the grant program, released today, is a challenge to states considering laws that would force Internet providers to offer cheap plans to people who meet income eligibility guidelines. One state already has such a law: New York requires ISPs with over 20,000 customers in the state to offer $15 broadband plans with download speeds of at least 25Mbps, or $20-per-month service with 200Mbps speeds.

  • FrostbittenDuck@lemmy.zip
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    18 hours ago

    This will most likely hurt rural voters, who overwhelmingly supported Donny Dipshit, the most, given the expense of expanding Internet availability to rural communities.

    It really is hard to overstate how badly the average Republican voter shot himself in the vote. Not that they care.

    • Glitterbomb@lemmy.world
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      13 hours ago

      There’s a surprising amount of rural electric co-ops that have pivoted to installing fiber on their own poles and becoming their own ISP. It’s honestly impressive, they have done more to tell the major ISPs to fuck right off than any city ever has.

      I was trying to find a clear list or map, but this site suggests 250 coops are doing this. Since the coops usually encompass a single county, you can sorta read that as 250 rural counties across America have already told at&t and comcast to kiss their yeehaw ass