Broadband: What is it and why is it important?

The internet has eased some of the pains of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of us are fortunate enough to work remotely, many students have the opportunity to learn from home, telemedicine has prevented unnecessary doctor’s visits, and video calling has kept family and friends together even when they’re physically apart. Unfortunately, all of these opportunities go away for those who don’t have access to the internet. An estimated 19 million Americans - 6 percent of the total U.S. population - lacks access to broadband service. 


Even before we began socially distancing, rural communities were seeing the effects of slow or nonexistent internet access. Not only does it negatively impact the lives of the individuals in rural America, but it also prevents businesses from relocating to areas that do not have internet sufficient to build connected commerce.

 

What is Broadband?


Broadband generally refers to the range of technologies behind access to high-speed internet. It is hard-wired internet access that can be delivered by cable, satellite, mobile, fiber optics, and ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line). It is capable of transporting multiple signals and types of traffic simultaneously. These methods are much faster than dial-up internet, which was the precursor to broadband and relied solely on your telephone line for a connection. 


The most common technology employed for internet connection is wired, either through cables, fiber optics, or copper wires. Wireless connections, which include mobile access, are also prevalent, but require the same wired infrastructure running up to certain premises. In either case, these wired connections have largely been installed and are now owned by private companies. 


Because of the costs associated with broadband projects in rural areas, private companies are generally unwilling to build the infrastructure. Building out the necessary foundation for broadband technology costs the same mile-per-mile. However, in rural areas, the same investment will yield far fewer customers. 


What are the benefits?


On an economic level, high-speed internet access can be very impactful to rural communities. E-recruiting lowers job search costs and unemployment rates. It also helps to increase workers’ online and technical skills, thus improving their wages. 


Additionally, incorporating reliable technology into existing rural businesses will boost productivity and generate more revenue. 66% of rural small businesses say poor internet access negatively impacts their business and 38% of rural small businesses say they cannot hire talent with digital skills in their area.

Broadband access has also helped to improve the general quality of life for individuals and communities. It is essential for educational tools, problem-solving, and managing health. Social networking helps to maintain connections within and outside of one’s community. And internet access makes civic engagement much more accessible. 


The State of Broadband in Virginia 


In 2018, Governor Northam announced a plan to deliver infrastructure for internet access to all of Virginia within 10 years. The argument for rural broadband goes beyond equality. Broadband across the Commonwealth could add as much as $1,291,200,000 to gross state product and create approximately 9,415 new jobs. This far exceeds any potential state expenditure necessary to expand broadband access.

 

Currently, in Virginia’s rural areas, 80.1% of the population has access to low-speed, unreliable internet and only 69% have access to high-speed connections. 


Virginia does have existing programs, like grants from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) and the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC), to help mitigate these issues, but they haven’t been able to reach the entire Commonwealth. These programs have traditionally been well-funded by the legislature. A grant applicant must be a public-private partnership between a local government and a private sector ISP with the goal of bringing service to their community.



These existing grant programs have not been sufficient to incentivize private companies and remove restrictive regulations. More needs to be accomplished at the state level to ensure robust rural connectivity. Stay tuned for our next piece on how to expand broadband in Virginia through advocacy and legislative change! 

[Virginia Public Media] Data: Virginia’s Early Childhood Education Providers Are Succeeding

By VOW Ops • January 21, 2026
The second year of results from Virginia’s recently established Quality Establishment and Improvement System (VQB5) for early childhood education found that 99% of childcare providers receiving state funding meet or exceed quality expectations. As of early December 2025, over 154,000 views have been recorded on the system’s website since its October 2024 debut, revealing the many parents and families who appreciate the information that VQB5 offers them. None of these wonderful results would even be available to admire without the support and success we had in passing HB 1012 and SB 578 back in 2020! The data focuses on classroom interactions between children and caregivers and notes how said interactions encourage kids to express themselves at a young age. The state has also enacted categories of excellence for providers who score in the top 10%, exceed quality expectations, or even show significant improvement from an evaluation the year before. On top of that, a new data system called VAConnects helps integrate information on students over the years to track their learning progress. The Department of Education wishes to sustain the program and has requested $735,000 to do so. Overall, Virginia is serving as a model for other states to use in establishing best practices for their early childhood programs. Read more here .

[Richmond Times Dispatch] Virginians want General Assembly Action on Housing, Survey Finds

By VOW Ops • January 21, 2026
An August survey reveals that large majorities of Virginians want state lawmakers to address the rising cost of housing. The survey was conducted by Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia and Freedom Virginia. More than 8 in 10 Virginians said the General Assembly needs to act. More than 3 in 4 Virginians want lawmakers to prevent landlords from raising rents each year by more than 7%. Many Virginians also supported the idea of the state incentivizing localities to build more housing and providing developers with an ability to appeal rejected housing projects. Many proposals that were made to address all these public concerns were struck down during the 2025 legislative session. One of the main reasons why all the mentioned proposals failed to pass the General Assembly is because of the large influence the local government lobbies have in Richmond in protecting what little authority they are granted by the state. However, 6 in 10 Virginians indicated that they are more concerned with providing more housing than protecting local government authority. Read more here.

[Richmond Times Dispatch] Spanberger Details Affordability Measures in Health Care, Energy, Housing

By VOW Ops • December 19, 2025
Governor-elect Spanberger has released details on how her administration will work with the General Assembly to address affordability issues for Virginians regarding health care, energy, and housing. Democrats in the General Assembly argue the proposals are needed to mitigate the effects of President Trump’s tariff policies and reduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. Some of the solutions being proposed are legislation from the previous session that were vetoed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. In health care, Spanberger and Virginia Democrats will tackle pharmacy benefit managers’ ability to compel patients toward using affiliated-only pharmacies. The incoming administration also wants to limit the number of times insurance companies can request approvals from patients receiving certain cancer cares and medicines for chronic conditions. Democrats are also reviving legislation that would prohibit insurance companies from charging tobacco smokers higher premiums. Further, Spanberger supports implementing a pilot program to help Virginians who will face unaffordable insurance premiums resulting from the expiration of the ACA enhanced tax credits. In energy, Spanberger called to make it easier for Virginians to utilize small-scale solar panels which don’t require hard labor to install. She also wants the previously vetoed legislation that would set energy storage standards for utility companies brought back to her desk (Governor Youngkin vetoed it because of his belief that the Virginia Clean Economy Act associated with it was ineffective). In housing, Spanberger and Democrats are reviving legislation from 2025 that would extend the grace period tenants have before being evicted for missing rent payments. They are also proposing changes that would give local governments priority in acquiring affordable multi-family units supported by tax credits when the owner wants to sell or convert them. Further, Democrats are reintroducing a bill which would allow all localities to change their zoning ordinances to create dense and affordable housing (currently, only the counties of Albemarle and Loudoun and the cities of Alexandria, Charlottesville, and Fairfax are granted such provisions). Read more here.
Show More