In the absence of a comprehensive federal law, a handful of large states have passed or begun to enact data privacy legislation. More states are likely to pass similar laws in the coming years, which would create a patchwork of different and sometimes conflicting state privacy laws regulating the commercial collection and use of personal data.
This is our 6th entry in Keller & Heckman's blog series on the major provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Previous blog entries examined the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the $1 billion Middle Mile grant program, the Act’s support for broadband partnerships, the Affordable Connectivity Program, and the Act’s key cybersecurity provisions. This post reviews the Act’s provisions aimed at promoting digital equity by increasing broadband adoption and accessibility.
To accomplish the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's broadband goals, Congress made states the key decision-makers, with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration providing oversight. This piece lays out nine actions every state should take in the development and implementation of its broadband plan:
Hopefully by now, most communities with poor broadband will have heard about the gigantic federal grants on the way to provide broadband solutions. The largest is the $42.5 Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that will be administered by states, with the funding and the rules established by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The federal grants give priority to locations that are unserved (broadband speeds under 25/3 Mbps) and can also be used to fund underserved locations (speeds between 25/3 and 100/20 Mbps).
A webinar for Tribes and Tribal entities interesting in applying for the ReConnect Program. Registration is free. The webinar will provide an overview of the ReConnect Program, highlight key considerations for tribal applicants, and allow ample time for questions and open discussion.
A regional, municipal-owned broadband internet utility in Maine is viable according to a report from Axiom Technologies, a consultant hired by the local communities. The January 2022 report focuses on the creation of a utility to serve the four core communities of Rockland, Camden, Rockport, and Thomaston (ME). In June 2021, the charter towns of Camden and Rockport formed, by an inter-local agreement, a non-profit, regional broadband utility called the Midcoast Internet Development Corporation.
The Vermont Community Broadband Board launched a $116 million broadband construction grant program that is set to fund projects beginning spring 2022. Vermont’s nine communications union districts, plus the small communication carriers and internet service providers that are working alongside the communication districts, can all apply for the funding. “These grants are important to drive down the entry cost,” Christine Hallquist, executive director of the Community Broadband Board, told the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday.
Faster internet access has significantly weakened civic participation in Britain, according to a study that found involvement in political parties, trade unions and volunteering fell as web speeds rose. Volunteering in social care fell by more than 10 percent when people lived closer to local telecom companies' exchange hubs and so enjoyed faster web access. Involvement in political parties fell by 19 percent with every 1.8 kilometer increase in proximity to a hub.
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