Washington County...Connected!

all things broadband in Washington County

(and beyond)

IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, AS FEW AS 20% OF ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ENROLLED IN THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVY PROGRAM

The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. 

You can even find out if you qualify without going through the entire application process!

Does your household qualify?

ACP AWARENESS CAMPAIGN - DANFORTH

SCEC, in collaboration with the National Digital Equity Center and the Greater East Grand Region Economic Council, conducted an Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) awareness campaign at Danforth's Summerfest on August 5th. Fifty-eight people took away information about the ACP and free digital skills classes offered by the National Digital Equity Center! (L to R: Elaine Abbott, SCEC and Rachel Williams, NDEC)

Lessons Learned from RDOF: Some Advice for the States as They Embark on BEAD

In 2020, the FCC decided to create a $20 billion program called the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), to be implemented in two phases, with funding to be awarded to areas lacking broadband (defined as 25 Mbps/3 Mbps) through a competitive auction.

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get internet to all — truly all.

Now is the time for all interested stakeholders to look carefully at past efforts to make broadband universal—what worked, what didn’t work, and why.

ANOTHER INTERNET SAFETY TIP!

Do you know how to tell if an email is “phishy”? Phishing is the word used to describe when someone is fishing for personal information including money, account logins, or even your personal contact information.

A scammer may try to impersonate a trusted individual or organization in order to take personal or financial advantage of you. How can you avoid being scammed?

The National Digital Equity Center offers more than 40 free classes that are designed for the novice device user to the intermediate user. Classes are free for all Maine residents and can be taken in an online interactive format or in-person at locations across the state.

If your community is considering its options, or ready to get started on broadband improvements, Sunrise County Economic Council is here to assist communities across Washington County. 

SCEC can assist - at no cost - with forming a committee, providing community surveys, locating grant funding, and more!