Network

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute has awarded upwards of $10.4 million to upgrade online access across public and affordable housing in Salem, Gloucester and 24 other communities.

The county Board of Commissioners approved letters of support for three Internet service providers that want to build out infrastructure using federal funds. The state received more than $1.5 billion from the feds.

The Solano County census-designated place will get fiber-based broadband Internet, officials said last week. Internet service provider Comcast will lay cables, filling service gaps revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A service provider is seeking to expand high-speed Internet to underserved areas in at least a half-dozen counties. If its applications are approved, the expansion would focus on rural areas.

Plus, Baltimore has a new broadband report, Seattle awards funds for digital equity, the FCC has announced staffing changes, a survey found trust in digital government services is under 50 percent, and more.

Officials will advance digital equity work in coming months, and initiatives to improve residents’ experience — in person, using artificial intelligence for translation services, and online with a website refresh.

Evan Feinman, director of the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, has stepped down. He offered advice to stakeholders to mitigate any impacts on states from its pause.

Plus, Vermont has started work on its Digital Empowerment Plan; a new bill aims to prevent FCC from censoring broadcasters; Sonoma County, Calif., has approved offering some residents free Internet; and more.

The Oklahoma Broadband Office and AT&T will use federal American Rescue Plan Act and matching funds to deploy high-speed Internet across five local governments. The endeavor was announced Friday in Latimer County.

The state’s Broadband Development Office is advising entities that are considering applying to await clarification on the program’s future.

North Carolina’s Office of Digital Opportunity director has been elevated to deputy secretary for NCDIT’s Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity. There, she will oversee state and federal broadband investment.

The $34 million ErieNet project, which benefited from federal American Rescue Plan funding, should wrap in October. A publicly owned network, it will lay hundreds of miles of fiber-optic cable, reaching all parts of the county.

Plus, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance launched a map of affiliates, Utah libraries have new digital resources, and broadband legislation — one of which addresses the future of the BEAD program — has been introduced.

Plus, E-rate program funding is at risk, broadband legislation has been introduced, Massachusetts debuts connectivity initiative, materials from the Office of Educational Technology are once again available, and more.

Advancing broadband deployment and equity means expanding the technology to institutions like correctional facilities, panelists said at the recent Expanding Digital Opportunity: Charting a Path Toward Full Inclusion conference.

County buildings are shuttered Monday as officials prove an “ongoing cyber incident of external origin” that began disrupting services Saturday. County schools and the library have not been impacted.

Plus, a report found the Affordable Connectivity Program pays for itself, the BEAD program funding dispute continues, a bill aims to reduce barriers for broadband deployment, Oswego County, N.Y., gets a broadband grant and more.

Four Internet service providers are seeking support from the county board as a deadline to apply for Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding nears. The quartet would serve households in hard-to-serve areas.