© 2025 WGCU News
PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Workshops planned to gather broadband Internet information

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2007 file photo, A.J. Bowen of Schupp's Line Construction, Inc. works on fiber-optic installation in Norton, Vt. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 will deliver to congress a sweeping proposal to overhaul U.S. broadband policy. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)
Toby Talbot/ASSOCIATED PRESS
/
AP
FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2007 file photo, A.J. Bowen of Schupp's Line Construction, Inc. works on fiber-optic installation in Norton, Vt. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 will deliver to congress a sweeping proposal to overhaul U.S. broadband policy. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity will host in-person and virtual public workshops to hear directly from Florida residents about barriers to accessing broadband Internet service in their communities.

The workshops follow more than $226 million already awarded to expand broadband Internet in 53 counties, connecting more than 250,000 homes and businesses . Additional broadband Internet grant funding opportunities will become available this year, and the workshops will assist in informing local needs for a more connected economy to give Floridians access to vital telehealth, economic, educational, and workforce development opportunities.

Scheduled in-person and virtual public workshops:

IN-PERSON

COLLIER COUNTY
Date: Monday, July 10
Time: 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Location: Collier County South Regional Library
8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy. #9005
Naples, 34113

VIRTUAL

Virtual Workshop #1
Date: Friday, July 14
Time: 10:30 – noon

Virtual Workshop #2
Date: Monday, July 24
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Virtual Workshop #3
Date: Wednesday, July 26
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Register for virtual workshops here. 

These workshops will help inform Florida’s BEAD Five-Year Action Plan and Digital Adoption and Use Plan. Find more information on broadband public workshops here or email Broadband@DEO.MyFlorida.com with any of your specific questions.

WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.

Trusted by over 30,000 local subscribers

Local News, Right Sized for Your Morning

Quick briefs when you are busy, deeper explainers when it matters, delivered early morning and curated by WGCU editors.

  • Environment
  • Local politics
  • Health
  • And more

Free and local. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

More from WGCU
  • Red tide season typically begins in early fall and can persist for months. While the Southwest and central-southwest remain free of harmful algal blooms, the Red Tide is causing problems in parts of the Panhandle.
  • President Donald Trump caused some confusion earlier Tuesday when he appeared to threaten SNAP benefits unless Democrats voted to reopen the government — despite court orders mandating that the administration keep the nation's largest food program running. Press secretary Karoline Levitt said the administration continues to pay out SNAP funding using contingency funding, which is what two separate judges ordered on Monday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to freeze SNAP payments starting Nov. 1 because of a lapse in funding during the government shutdown. The government says the emergency fund it will use has enough to cover about half the normal benefits.
  • FGCU social work professor Thomas Felke puts the loss of SNAP benefits in perspective. The problems didn't just start, and the emergency funds that apparently will be used to issue benefits are not enough.