Connected Nation, the Commerce Department and United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development and Utilities Services (USDA RDUP) have presented their progress, status and recommendations reports about facilitating every American citizen with broadband infrastructure as per the directives mentioned in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) 2009 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet.

ARRA has set aside $7.2 billion, TMC (News - Alert) reported, for the development of broadband and Wi-B (News - Alert) in USA and $350 million from this fund reservoir is earmarked for Broadband Data Improvement Act of 2008.

The TMC report says that $2.5 Billion of the $7.2 billion is set aside for low-interest loans, loan guarantees and grants at RDUP’s discretion and that the remaining $4.7 Billion is allotted for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to decide on grants to deserving companies and technologies via its Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. 

In addition, there is another $1.3 billion set aside in the form of loans and grants to enhance broadband and telecommunications services in rural areas within the federal budget for the fiscal year 2010.

"The Obama administration and Congress have charted an important broadband course for investing in America's future," said Brian Mefford, CEO, Connected Nation (News - Alert). "State public-private partnerships can work locally on supply and demand issues to ensure the return on this investment is measurable, is meaningful, and impacts those it is intended to help first - those Americans who were previously unserved or overlooked."

Connected Nation has already implemented various components of its successful broadband model in several states including California, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.

One such example was the Connected Tennessee program that resulted in computer ownership moving up by 4 percent while all other efforts that did not involve Connected’s coordination showed little or poor growth. 

Minority household computer ownership went up to 5 percent when compare with zero percent for other efforts, and in low income minorities computer ownership jumped to 19 percent in 2008. The Tennessee effort saw broadband growing 2 percent more than the rest of the nation, 18 percent for minority usage, and 90 percent for low-income minority usage.

“Universal access, especially in rural and underserved urban communities, is critical to our economic recovery and the growth of quality jobs. Connected Nation has outlined an effective plan to help get us there," said Cohen.

Connected also advocated that broadband awareness and adoption efforts were needed in every town, village and unserved locales to guarantee that all are exposed to the enormous benefits of broadband usage.

Connected has one standout philosophy “Every Child Online”. This is a smart long-term national success oriented initiative since it has been accepted from time immemorial that the children of today eventually grow up to become the adults of tomorrow that shape the world, and rather than being choosey about ‘gifted kids’, Connected has thrown the broadband doors open to every single child and without prejudice.