Associated Press

Michigan offering $20 Million to carriers to expand rural broadband

The state of Michigan wants to increase broadband in rural areas. The Connecting Michigan Communities grant program is offering $20 million to internet service providers willing to expand access to unserved parts of the state. Providers can apply for up to $5 million per grant and can apply for multiple projects. Applications close Aug 30, with awards tentatively announced for April 2020 in time for the summer construction season. All projects must be completed by Sept. 30, 2023.

Maine governor signs net neutrality bill

Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) signed a bill aiming to protect internet customers. The amended bill says internet service providers that are contracted by the state have to agree to provide “net neutral service.” The law defines “net neutral service” as providing internet service without blocking lawful content or favoring some websites to benefit others. Maine would also require such providers to agree they won’t inappropriately “throttle,” or slow down, internet traffic based on content.

3 million US students don’t have home internet

In what has become known as the homework gap, an estimated 17 percent of US students do not have access to computers at home and 18 percent do not have home access to broadband internet (nearly 3 million students), according to an Associated Press analysis of census data. The consequences can be dire for children in these situations, because students with home internet consistently score higher in reading, math, and science.

Georgia Officials Taking Steps Expand Broadband Access

Georgia officials are creating a detailed map of every location in the state that lacks high-speed internet. State officials are also establishing requirements for broadband grants and conducting an analysis of state property that could be used to expand broadband access. An estimated 1.6 million people in the state lack access to high-speed internet service, cutting them off from educational, health care and business opportunities, state officials say.

Maine towns can soon avoid fee for broadband devices on poles

Some Maine towns seeking to set up municipal broadband will no longer have to pay a fee to put equipment on utility poles. Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) recently signed a bill into law to exempt municipalities from such "make-ready fees." Owners will be responsible for expenses needed to make poles ready for municipal efforts to provide broadband service to underserved areas. The law takes effect 90 days after the legislative session ends.

SpaceX launches 60 satellites, the first of thousands in bid for global internet coverage

SpaceX has launched 60 little satellites, the first of thousands that founder Elon Musk plans to put in orbit for global internet coverage. Musk said that all 60 flat-panel satellites were deployed and were online a few hundred miles above Earth. Musk says 12 launches of 60 satellites each will provide high-speed internet coverage throughout the US. Twenty-four launches will serve most of the populated world, and 30 launches the entire world. That will be 1,800 satellites in total, with more planned after that.

Native American Tribes Across the Country Are Pushing for Better Internet Access

The internet on the Havasupai reservation (AZ) has been a mixed bag. Tribal employees could sign on to their email and do internet searches but not much else. The tribe began working with a company called MuralNet in 2017 to get teachers and students better access. They successfully sought temporary authority from the Federal Communications Commission to use the Educational Broadband Services (EBS) spectrum that wasn’t being used. “We’re really putting our chips on EBS,” said Mariel Triggs, chief executive of MuralNet. “It works in extreme cases.

Facebook says its local newsgathering service hindered by lack of local news outlets

Facebook’s effort to establish a service that provides its users with local news and information is being hindered by a lack of outlets where the company’s technicians can find original reporting. The service, called "Today In" and launched in 2018, is available in some 400 cities in the United States. But the social media giant said it has found that 40% of Americans live in places where there weren’t enough local news stories to support it.