Digital Literacy Resources
Educational resources and materials to aid increase your digital literacy!
- National Digital Inclusion Alliance Affiliates – NDIA affiliates are community-based nonprofit organizations, local governments, public libraries, regional library councils, college/university programs, state government agencies, and housing authorities. For-profit companies and international organizations are not included in the affiliate list but are welcome to be members of the NDIA community.
- Digital Inclusion Coalitions – Digital Inclusion Coalitions are a collective of organizations shaped by the community to advocate for digital equity and foster the growth of the community’s digital inclusion ecosystem, through a formalized structure that publicly functions to facilitate the collaboration and coordination between community organizations that aim to support digital inclusion services. Coalitions are a valuable and fast-growing component of Tribal, local, regional, and state digital inclusion ecosystems.
- Broadband Legislation Tracker – Use this Public Knowledge resource to follow current broadband-related legislation.
- Broadband USA – The BroadbandUSA program, housed within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), serves state, local, and Tribal governments, industry, and nonprofits that seek to expand broadband connectivity and promote digital inclusion. BroadbandUSA promotes planning and funding efforts through solution-neutral guides and resources, hosting local and regional planning workshops that offer opportunities to convene with broadband stakeholders across the country, the National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM), and promoting interagency coordination.
- Broadband Now – Use this site to find all the available internet providers in your area.
- Telehealth Access Points – Help us populate the FindTelehealth map with Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee TAP locations. A Telehealth Access Point (TAP) is a dedicated public space for individuals to access a telehealth appointment. These spaces consist of an adequate internet connection, a device with working camera, speaker and microphone, as well as privacy considerations in the form of a dedicated room or kiosk where the telehealth visit can be conducted. TAPs may also have support staff to assist an individual through a telehealth appointment if needed.
Internet Speed Test
Use this specially developed Internet Speed Test to test how fast your internet speed really is! This test was created by the National Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center (TTAC).
State Broadband Resources
Take a look through this curated list of broadband-related resources for Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Arkansas
- Arkansas Digital Skills & Opportunity Plan – The Arkansas Digital Skills and Opportunity Plan evaluates 3Arkansas Digital Skills and Opportunity Plan factors that may magnify the digital divide for covered populations in the state and proposes strategies and potential actions to mitigate those factors.
- ARConnect: Arkansas State Broadband Office – The Arkansas State Broadband Office, called ARConnect, is located within the division of Arkansas Economic Development Commission in the Department of Commerce. The Broadband Office manages the Arkansas Rural Connect Broadband Grant Program. Our goal is to get broadband out to as many unserved or underserved Arkansans in rural communities. This is the Governor’s plan for Arkansas.
- Arkansas Rural Connect – Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) is a grant program designed to expand the broadband footprint in rural Arkansas communities.
- Arkansas Broadband Master Plan – View the comprehensive master plan for how the state of Arkansas should approach the inequitable availability of broadband service across the state.
- Arkansas Broadband Expansion Plan – View this interactive map of project bid areas for the next phase of Arkansas Broadband Expansion.
- Arkansas BEAD Challenge Map – This map shows all broadband serviceable locations within Arkansas colored by performance rank.
Mississippi
- BEAM (Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi) – BEAM will lead the expansion of connectivity to unserved and underserved areas throughout Mississippi in a centralized and coordinated fashion.
- Mississippi Broadband Association (MSBA) – The Mississippi Broadband Association (MSBA) is a 501C(6) organization focused on fiber based to the premises (FTTP) expansion in Mississippi.
- Mississippi Broadband Audit by BEAM – Review the unserved and underserved broadband serviceable locations in Mississippi.
Tennessee
- Tennessee Broadband Association – The Tennessee Broadband Association is an industry trade organization formed for the purpose of promoting telecommunications service in Tennessee.
- Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development State Broadband Office – View the numerous broadband resources from the TN DECD State Broadband Office.
- Tennessee Emergency Broadband Fund – The American Rescue Plan is federal legislation aimed at addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on individuals and communities around the nation. The TEBF-ARP utilizes a segment of the State of Tennessee’s American Rescue Plan Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (FRF) to support the build out of broadband infrastructure throughout the state.
- Tennessee Broadband Funding Opportunities – Take a look at the BroadbandUSA Funding Guide or the Mobile Beacon funding opportunities.
- Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Map – Under contract with TNECD, Connected Nation requested data from providers in Tennessee to create a statewide broadband map. The map covers all 95 counties in Tennessee and is searchable by address, offering information on broadband technology, internet speeds, available providers, and more.
- Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act – The TBAA focuses on providing broadband resources in the State of Tennessee’s unserved and underserved areas.
