Today, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) announced a new nationwide initiative with OATS to help expand fiber broadband access and digital skills training for older Americans. The collaboration, unveiled at Fiber Connect 2026, brings together FBA’s network of fiber providers with OATS award-winning Senior Planet program to help connect older adults to high-speed internet, technology education, telehealth access, and essential online services. Through this initiative, FBA member operators will connect senior centers, community centers, and libraries to fiber broadband, often at low or no cost, while enabling access to Senior Planet’s technology education programs designed to help older adults thrive safely and confidently in a digital world.
“Our work with FBA is about more than connectivity; it’s about opportunity, independence, and dignity for older adults,” said Alex Glazebrook, VP of Business Operations at OATS from AARP. “By working with FBA’s network of providers, we can reach more communities nationwide and ensure older Americans have both the access and skills needed to thrive in today’s digital society.” The initiative reflects a growing recognition that closing the digital divide requires both infrastructure and education, especially as more healthcare, government services, and social connections move online.
Read the full press release on Business Wire.