Broadband Deserts: Causes, Impacts, and Federal Policy Solutions

Table of Contents#

1. What Exactly Is a Broadband Desert?
2. Core Causes of Broadband Deserts in the U.S.
3. Measurable Impacts of Living in a Broadband Desert
4. Key Federal Policies Addressing Broadband Deserts
5. Remaining Gaps and Next Steps
6. Frequently Asked Questions
7. References

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What Exactly Is a Broadband Desert?#

In March 2024, the FCC officially raised its national broadband speed benchmark to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload (100/20 Mbps), a four-fold increase from the 25/3 Mbps standard set in 2015. Under federal frameworks, such as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, areas are classified based on these standards: "unserved" locations lack access to even 25/3 Mbps speeds, while "underserved" locations have access to 25/3 Mbps but lack 100/20 Mbps. A broadband desert is any region where high-speed internet is unavailable, unreliable, or unaffordable. Many digital equity advocates define functional broadband deserts as areas where infrastructure technically exists, but service is unaffordable (costing more than 2% of household income), or only slow, high-latency options (like dial-up or legacy satellite) are available.

Broadband deserts are not limited to rural areas:

• 80% of unserved census blocks are in rural, low-population regions, where low density discourages infrastructure investments.
• 20% are in low-income urban and suburban neighborhoods, disproportionately majority Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities.
• According to the FCC's 2024 Section 706 Report, nearly 28% of rural Americans and more than 23% of people living on Tribal lands lack access to fixed terrestrial broadband, while historical NDIA data indicates that over 33% of Tribal residents have historically lacked access to minimum broadband speeds.

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Core Causes of Broadband Deserts in the U.S.#

Broadband deserts are not accidental: they are the result of decades of disinvestment, regulatory gaps, and market failures.

1. Low Return on Investment for Private ISPs#

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are profit-driven, and building broadband infrastructure in low-density areas is extremely expensive. Industry and government feasibility studies show that laying fiber optic cable can cost an average of $27,000 per household in remote rural areas, compared to just$1,000 to $3,000 per household in dense urban neighborhoods. Most ISPs choose not to invest in these areas, as they will not recoup costs for decades, if at all.

2. Historical Redlining and Systemic Disinvestment#

A 2022 Brookings Institution analysis found that neighborhoods redlined by the U.S. government in the 1930s are 2.5 times more likely to be broadband deserts today, even in dense cities. Redlining blocked public and private investment in majority BIPOC neighborhoods for generations, and these gaps in infrastructure investment have persisted into the digital age.

3. Regulatory Barriers and Monopoly Power#

Many incumbent ISPs hold local monopolies, and lobby state and local governments to block new competitors from entering their service areas. Excessive right-of-way fees, long permitting timelines, and outdated local zoning rules also increase deployment costs for new ISPs, even when they want to serve underserved areas.

4. Jurisdictional Complexities on Tribal Lands#

Tribal nations are sovereign governments, so federal and state broadband rules do not automatically apply to their land. Cross-jurisdictional permitting for infrastructure projects can take years longer on tribal lands, and historic underfunding of tribal public services has left many communities without the resources to build their own broadband networks.

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Measurable Impacts of Living in a Broadband Desert#

Lack of high-speed internet creates cascading disadvantages that touch every part of daily life:

1. Educational Disparities (The Homework Gap)#

1 in 7 school-aged children living in broadband deserts do not have internet access to complete homework, per 2023 National Center for Education Statistics data. During the 2020-2021 remote learning period, these children fell 3-5 months behind their peers with high-speed internet in math and reading, per a McKinsey & Company analysis.

2. Healthcare Access Barriers#

A 2022 CDC report found that 30% of rural residents in broadband deserts were unable to access telehealth appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic, often for specialty care that is not available locally. For people with chronic conditions or mobility limitations, this barrier can lead to delayed care and worse health outcomes.

3. Economic Disadvantage#

Rural counties with widespread broadband access have 12% higher employment rates and 17% higher small business survival rates than counties without broadband, per 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Residents of broadband deserts also cannot apply for remote work opportunities, leading to "brain drain" as young, skilled workers move to areas with better internet access.

4. Public Safety Risks#

During natural disasters (including wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes), broadband is critical for receiving emergency alerts, coordinating evacuations, and contacting first responders. Federal and independent emergency management analyses find that communities in broadband deserts face heightened vulnerability during natural disasters due to their inability to receive real-time emergency alerts, coordinate evacuations, and contact first responders. Emergency management experts emphasize that reliable broadband is a critical lifeline, and lacking it significantly increases public safety risks during catastrophic events.

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Key Federal Policies Addressing Broadband Deserts#

In recent years, the U.S. government has allocated historic levels of funding to close the digital divide:

1. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (IIJA, 2021)#

The largest federal broadband investment in U.S. history, the IIJA allocated $65 billion for broadband access, including:

• $42.5 billion for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program: Grants to states to build broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, with a requirement that funded networks deliver speeds of at least 100 Mbps download / 20 Mbps upload (100/20 Mbps).
• $14.2 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP): Provided monthly internet service discounts of$30 for low-income households ($75 on tribal lands) until the program officially ended in May 2024 due to expired funding.
• $2 billion for digital literacy programs and device distribution for low-income households.

2. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA, 2021)#

ARPA allocated $10 billion for the Capital Projects Fund, which states can use to build broadband infrastructure, purchase laptops and tablets for low-income families, and fund public Wi-Fi in libraries, schools, and community centers.

3. FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF)#

Launched in 2020, the RDOF allocates $20.4 billion over 10 years in grants to ISPs that bid to build broadband infrastructure in unserved rural areas. As of 2024, the program has funded projects that will connect 5.2 million households to high-speed internet.

4. Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP)#

The TBCP allocates direct grants to tribal nations to build, operate, and maintain their own broadband networks. Originally funded at $3 billion, the program received additional resources, including a$790 million Round 3 funding opportunity in June 2026 that consolidated unobligated funds to streamline the application process. As of 2026, the program continues to bridge critical infrastructure gaps across hundreds of tribal communities.

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Remaining Gaps and Next Steps#

While these policies have made significant progress, critical gaps remain:

1. Expiration of the ACP: The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) officially ended in May 2024 after Congress failed to extend its funding. This cut off 23 million low-income households from their monthly internet discounts. While digital equity advocates continue to lobby for a permanent renewal or replacement program, families are forced to rely on the older, less generous Lifeline program or provider-specific low-income service tiers.
2. Legacy of Inaccurate Mapping and the Challenge Process: While the FCC’s National Broadband Map historically contained numerous errors (frequently overstating coverage), states and territories implemented a BEAD "challenge process" in 2024 and 2025. This allowed local governments, nonprofits, and ISPs to challenge and correct maps before subgrantees were selected for project funding in 2026.
3. ISP Defaults and Lack of Accountability: A key challenge has been provider compliance. By early 2026, ISPs had defaulted on billions of dollars in RDOF awards, leaving millions of rural locations without their promised service. Because these areas were initially allocated RDOF funding, they were legally excluded from receiving other federal grants (like BEAD), creating bureaucratic dead zones that the FCC has had to manually resolve.
4. Low digital literacy rates: 25% of U.S. adults do not have basic digital skills, per NDIA, meaning even if internet access is available, many households cannot use it effectively.

Policy experts recommend prioritizing the following steps to close remaining gaps:

• Establish a permanent federal broadband affordability program to replace the ACP.
• Mandate regular audits of broadband mapping data and ISP funded projects.
• Increase funding for digital literacy programs.
• Support community-owned broadband networks, which have been found to be 30% more likely to serve low-income households than private ISP networks.

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Frequently Asked Questions#

Q: Are broadband deserts only in rural areas?#

A: No. 20% of unserved census blocks are in urban and suburban low-income neighborhoods, disproportionately majority BIPOC communities affected by historic redlining.

Q: What is the current FCC definition of broadband?#

A: In March 2024, the FCC officially updated its national broadband speed benchmark to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload (100/20 Mbps), a four-fold increase from the 25/3 Mbps standard set in 2015. The Commission also established a long-term goal of 1 Gbps download and 500 Mbps upload to meet future connectivity demands.

Q: How can I check if I live in a broadband desert?#

A: You can look up your address on the FCC National Broadband Map to see what internet speeds are available in your area, and submit a report if your actual service is slower than the listed speeds.

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References#

1. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). (2024). In the Matter of Inquiry Concerning the Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion (2024 Section 706 Report).
2. Brookings Institution. (2022). Redlining’s Lasting Impact on Broadband Access in U.S. Cities.
3. BroadbandNow. (2020). Double Trouble: Research Estimates 42 Million Americans Lack Broadband Access.
4. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2022). Trends in Telemedicine Use Among U.S. Adults: 2021–2022.
5. McKinsey & Company. (2021). COVID-19 and learning loss—disparities grow and students need help.
6. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2023). Broadband Access and Rural Economic Growth.
7. National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA). (2023). Tribal Broadband Access Report.
8. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). (2026). Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Round 3 Notice of Funding Opportunity.
9. White House Office of Infrastructure. (2024). Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Broadband Funding Progress Update.
10. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). (2024). Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Annual Report.