Our mission is to create universal access to high-speed broadband in the Adirondacks.
We envision a Park where 100% of Adirondackers have access to high speed broadband as defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), all five pillars of universal access, and commensurate cellular coverage.
Recently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it is going to “wind down” the Affordable Connectivity Program in Spring 2024. Without additional funding from Congress, the allotted $14.2 billion to fund the ACP is projected to run out in April 2024. As a result, the FCC has begun taking steps to wind down the ACP which benefits many residents of the North Country and helps bride the gap for affordable broadband access.
To show your support for this program and urge our local leaders to take action on this issue, we encourage you to write to your district Assembly and Senate representatives.
In the Adirondacks, rugged terrain and sparse population density present unique challenges to broadband deployment. Many residents of the region have been waiting years for reliable high-speed internet, and are understandably frustrated after getting nowhere with individual requests and complaints.
“If we search our address, it says Spectrum is available. They won’t even talk to us. We fall through the cracks…no broadband program and no access. I have emailed the broadband office, the PSC and our legislators. Any ideas?”
Questions like these come to us because AdkAction plays a central role in broadband expansion in the North Country. Dave Wolff, co-founder of AdkAction and chair of the Broadband for All project, retired in 2006 after 31 years in sales and consulting with IBM. He has taken up the issue of equitable broadband expansion in the North Country on a nearly full-time basis over the past decade, working with local, state, and federal government officials, internet service providers, and the NYS Broadband Program Office in a regional effort to identify gaps in broadband access, and to find solutions that ensure North Country residents can fully participate in and benefit from online access to school, work, health care, and more.
Established in 2020 in response to the COVID 19 pandemic, The North Country Broadband alliance, of which AdkAction is a founding member, represents a coalition of stakeholders throughout the Adirondack Park, including municipal officials, economic development representatives, and independent consultants/advocates. This ongoing collaborative effort aims to address the challenge of broadband access in the region by engaging with existing providers and forming a consortium dedicated to expanding broadband infrastructure into currently unserved areas within the park.
Recognizing the unique obstacles posed by the Adirondacks’ rural, remote, and rugged terrain, the NCBA advocates for a regional approach to broadband expansion. Unlike traditional county-by-county methods, this regional strategy fosters greater knowledge sharing, efficiency, impact, and cost-effectiveness. By pooling resources and expertise from providers and technical experts, the NCBA seeks to overcome the challenges associated with extending broadband to homes and businesses dispersed across the expansive landscape of the Adirondack Park counties.
Through this innovative partnership, the NCBA endeavors to bridge the digital divide and promote equitable access to high-speed internet services, thereby fostering economic development, educational opportunities, healthcare, and community connectivity throughout the North Country region.
Our growing collection of curated resources and tools is here to help you take action.
Stay informed about what’s happening not only with AdkAction’s Broadband for All project, but regional news and national news impacting our region’s connectivity.
AdkAction hosts a 30-minute monthly conference call to discuss the status of Broadband access in the North Country. There are well over 100 people (providers, town officials, interested citizens) from across the North Country as well as folk representing state and federal Broadband related agencies on the distribution list. The call attendees vary based on what is hot at the moment. The call is kept to 30 minutes, as it is meant to be a forum for the exchange of ideas, best practices, and lessons learned as well as to update everyone on the latest news from Albany, Washington, and the providers; not a time for big debates.
