About Us

Working together to bring broadband to all alaskans

Achieving digital equity requires resources. Through funds provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the federal government committed $2.75 billion to digital equity efforts nationwide.

Thanks to a federal grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, $567,000 has been committed directly to Alaska to develop a five-year plan to expand broadband access and move toward digital equity. The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) Office of Broadband enlisted Rasmuson Foundation to administer the $567,000 planning grant.

In turn, Rasmuson Foundation is providing an extra $3 million to ensure the project’s success.

HOW DO WE CREATE DIGITAL EQUITY IN ALASKA?

digital equity includes:

Access to devices needed to use the internet, such as computers and tablets.
Access to affordable broadband, which is the connection to the internet that gets the information to our devices at a reasonable price and speed.
The skills necessary to use both the internet and the devices used to access it.

The State of Alaska created an Office of Broadband focused on ensuring all Alaskans have affordable broadband access and the skills to fully utilize it.

How are we moving the process forward?

Holding listening events so we can better understand needs across the state.
Reaching out proactively to covered populations.
Collecting and analyzing data.
Reflecting on what we have learned to develop strategies that address needs and gaps.
Building and consultation with a diverse Digital Equity Working Group.
Encouraging Alaskans to submit comments on the plan.

We will finalize the plan in 2023, but it will take years to implement.