1. Monthly archive
  2. September 2021

September 2021

Broadband is among Baltimore's priorities for American Rescue Plan funding distribution

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott laid out the priorities and process for distributing the $641 million Baltimore City will receive as part of the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to the community. Broadband and small businesses figure to play a key role in the plans. With the investment in broadband, Baltimore City is further prioritizing internet connectivity at a time when the City’s yawning digital divide

Charter Announces $30 Million Spectrum Community Assist Initiative

Charter Communications announced the launch of Spectrum Community Assist, a $30 million, five-year philanthropic initiative to revitalize community centers in rural and urban areas and invest in job training programs in underserved communities across the company’s 41-state footprint. Through Spectrum Community Assist, Charter will partner with national and local nonprofit organizations to identify and improve centers in need of support.

Emergency Broadband Benefit still has $2.7 billion out of $3.2 billion available

According to the Federal Communications Commission, of the nearly $3.2 billion in available funds for the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program only $378 million has been allocated so far. That leaves more than $2.7 billion still available to help low-income households get broadband service at a reduced cost, according to the FCC tracker page.

Subsidizing Universal Broadband Through a Digital Advertising Services Fee: An Alignment of Incentives

With the transition of millions of children and post-secondary students to online-based emergency remote teaching and the widespread need for online telecommuting, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for nationwide reliable broadband access. A fixed, landline Internet connection is critical not only for education, but also for locating and applying for a job, working remotely, and partaking in telemedicine treatments.

Sponsor 

Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council

Date 
Tue, 09/21/2021 - 15:00 to 16:30

Emerging technologies will bring both disruptions and opportunities to many sectors of our economy and society. What issues must we address to ensure that the benefits of these innovations are shared by currently underserved communities? A conversation on these urgent questions:


Sen Klobuchar introduces bill to provide funding for the deployment of Next Generation 9-1-1

Co-chair of the Senate Next Generation 9-1-1 Caucus Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) announced a bill to create a $10 billion federal grant program for upgrades to the US's 911 centers (S.2754). Expanding 911 to accept more kinds of digital data would add more resiliency to a system that's still built around a copper-based telephone network. A next-generation 911 would allow the nation's 6,000 911 centers to accept texts, videos and photos.

North Dakota Attorney General Frets Over Coming 3G Phaseout

Duane Stanley, an official with the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office, is the latest to sound the alarm about a wireless industry plan to sunset its legacy 3G network in the coming months.

FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel: Cutting Monthly Internet Subsidies 'Challenging'

Acting Federal Communications Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said she’s pleased that the Senate infrastructure deal would codify the pandemic relief program known as the Emergency Broadband Benefit — but she is wary about one provision that would slash the monthly internet subsidy by 40 percent. “I do think it would be challenging for the agency to reduce the support from $50 a month to $30 a month,” she said.

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