Broadband and Network
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The North Star for the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program is comprehensive connectivity for all homes and businesses, officials said at the Connecting Communities Summit. That could come through fiber or fixed wireless. -
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the commission’s next chair, he said in a statement.
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A former federal telecommunications official said it is unlikely Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program funding will be clawed back and work disrupted. Infrastructure could, however, become more tech-neutral.
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Plus, Oregon announces more than $100 million in funding for broadband, more states have been awarded federal funding, a new report aims to support nonprofit organizations in their digital equity work, and more.
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Buoyed by a $102,000 state grant, a City Council working group on digital equity is helping develop a plan to ensure improved access to technology. Officials are also working with residents on a digital equity plan.
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The Communications and Information Technology Committee approved three pacts, selecting the vendor that will engineer 170 miles of network to expand broadband citywide. Officials also approved a maintenance agreement, and one to connect homes and businesses in a pilot area.
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Plus, additional states have been awarded federal funding from the Digital Equity Act; St. Louis, Mo., is installing free Wi-Fi in parks; Yolo County, Calif., preserves free digital literacy classes in Spanish; and more.
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Community Connect, a grants program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has awarded Internet service provider Loveland Pulse more than $1 million to extend broadband to residents of Big Thompson Canyon and to Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park.
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The investment is centered on expanding connectivity in the rural counties of Barron, Burnett and Washburn, where estimates say it may help 1,574 residents and 43 businesses get online.
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Plus, Massachusetts is investing in digital skills training; a partnership in Scranton, Pa., aims to create a universal network; the Federal Communications Commission looks to drive tribal participation in E-rate; and more.
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Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the state and local municipalities have access to loads of federal funding to help bring infrastructure, flood mitigation and Internet expansion projects to reality.
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Streetlamps in Rumford, Maine, shine with 5G wireless connectivity, strengthening the community’s communications system. A public-private partnership has enabled officials to use the lights as wireless communication nodes.
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Design of a $17.8 million broadband expansion project is expected to be done this year, delivering high-speed Internet to 2,175 homes and businesses in Monongalia County. Officials will use $1.25 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the work.
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The partnership means Verizon’s fiber-optic high speed Internet will be available in every neighborhood, improving Internet speeds for remote work, remote schooling, telemedicine and much more.
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Plus, Hawaii has launched a broadband mapping initiative, Boston has announced more than $1 million for digital equity, and more.
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States are navigating an ever-growing number of emergencies, including unprecedented weather events, infrastructure failures and cybersecurity incidents. Response plans must stay agile.
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Internet service provider Archtop Fiber is looking to expand gigabit speed offerings into mid-Hudson and Catskill communities, officials have confirmed. The firm began installations in March for Midtown Kingston customers.
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Plus, a federal digital equity program received hundreds of applications, a tracker illustrates the rising trend of digital service teams, new research quantifies the positive effects of fiber broadband on rural communities and more.
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In 2021, state lawmakers passed a measure mandating reduced broadband rates for low-income customers. Industry has appealed, and it may head to the U.S. Supreme Court. Should the court hear it, long-standing questions could be answered.
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The Bay Area city is making high-speed Internet more accessible with projects focused on affordability and service delivery and aimed at closing the digital divide. A California Public Utilities Commission grant is among the funding sources.
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The availability of more than $28 million in grant money is aimed at supporting the build-out of infrastructure. Greenwich, Conn., affluent but underserved, will get the most this round, approximately $1.8 million.
