https://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-pledges-more-funding-for-rural-broadband-deployment/ > The federal government has made rural broadband a priority, with loans and grants distributed by the FCC and the US Department of Agriculture. The FCC plans to distribute up to $1.98 billion over 10 years as part of its Connect America Fund Phase II. Last year, Congress allocated $600 million to the US Department of Agriculture for a new broadband pilot program, though the USDA hasn't yet decided the parameters for distributing the money. > "The Connect America Fund is key to this effort, providing funding in sparsely populated rural areas where the cost of providing and deploying service can be high," the FCC said in a statement.