1. Monthly archive
  2. March 2023

March 2023

The Affordable Connectivity Program: Time Is of the Essence for Congress to Act

Congress should extend the worthwhile Affordability Connectivity Program (ACP) promptly by appropriating additional funding. At the same time, it can consider revising the program to better target the ACP benefit to those lower-income households most truly in need and adopting measures to minimize, to the extent possible, any waste, fraud, and abuse in the program. The ACP represents one-half of the federal government's push to make it possible for every American to access a high-speed Internet connection.

Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Seeking Public Input on Community Engagement Efforts

Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Executive Director Brandon Carson is asking Pennsylvanians to provide input on the stakeholder engagement process for developing two plans: the State Digital Equity Plan and the Commonwealth’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Five-Year Action Plan. The two-week public comment period began on February 27 and ends Friday, March 10, 2023. The State Digital Equity Stakeholder Engagement Plan will focus on engaging eight primary populations required through federal guidance – aging individuals, incarcerated individuals, veterans, indivi

Office of Broadband Access and Expansion Announces Third Wave of Connect New Mexico Pilot Program Funding

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) has extended the deadline for Wave Three of the Connect New Mexico Pilot Program (“Pilot Program”). The application period will close on April 3, 2023. The Pilot Program aims to bridge the digital divide and foster socioeconomic progress by providing infrastructure grants for broadband deployment to unserved and underserved communities across New Mexico. The $123 million pilot program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (CPF).

Partnership to bridge digital divide for seniors in Arkansas

AARP Arkansas and ARConnect, the state’s broadband office, are teaming up to bridge the digital divide in the Natural State. Glen Howie, state broadband director, attended AARP Arkansas’ Advocacy Team meeting to provide a deeper dive into broadband infrastructure deployment and how it will benefit Arkansans.

New Hampshire Executive Council approves American Rescue Plan Act funding for broadband

Consolidated Communications will provide access to high-speed Internet for thousands of people in New Hampshire as soon as 2024 after the New Hampshire Executive Council approved giving it $40 million in federal funding. The panel unanimously authorized using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money for a three-year contract to make fiber-optic broadband available to nearly 25,000 homes, including almost 3,100 in Cheshire County. Consolidated has also pledged to add another 32,000 homes in the project area using its own money, but it didn’t have a county-by-county breakdown for these additiona

Colorado goes analog to boost affordable internet program after just 23% of eligible households join

An effort to boost awareness of the year-old Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is getting more local after earlier attempts to promote it statewide resulted in just 23% of eligible Colorado households signing up to get up to $30 off their internet bills. To get the rest of the 77% signed up, state officials feel that the campaign needs to go analog and provide help right in local libraries, schools, and community centers.

Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Tackle National Security Threats from Foreign Tech

Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) led a group of 12 bipartisan senators to introduce the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act, legislation that will comprehensively address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries by better empowering the Department of Commerce to review, prevent, and mitigate information communications and technology transactions that pose undue risk to our national security. The Act would:

Sponsor 

Federal Communications Commission

Date 
Thu, 03/16/2023 - 10:30

Agenda

  • Single Network Future: Supplemental Coverage from Space

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