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  2. January 2024

January 2024

Supporting Rural Cell Towers

I work with a lot of internet service providers that own rural fiber. Some owners have been successful in providing fiber to the cell sites located near their networks.  A few sell directly to a cellular carrier, but most of these connections are sold to an intermediate carrier that bundles together cellular connections across a large geographic area. This has been good business, but now I’m hearing about requests from cellular companies or intermediate carriers to increase bandwidth at cell sites.

Improving Broadband Access Across Idaho

In Fiscal Year 2023, the Idaho Office of Broadband and Idaho Broadband Advisory Board (IBAB) continued its mission of improving Broadband access across Idaho. The Office of Broadband, the department hired a new State Broadband Program Manager to oversee the office — Ramón S. Hobdey-Sánchez.

Nearly 3 million California households will lose discounted internet. Here's why

A program that helped millions of households across the country — and 2.8 million in California — afford internet access is ending, without additional funding from Congress. The Affordable Connectivity Program began in 2021 under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. California received about $1.3 billion in funding through the program that helped about 1-in-5 households in the state. The Federal Communications Commission said that current funding is projected to run out in April and households will receive benefits through the end of the month.

Sponsor 

Federal Communications Commission

Date 
Thu, 02/01/2024 - 14:30 to 16:00

A listening session in Charleston, South Carolina, to hear from formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones about their experiences using incarcerated people’s communications services (IPCS).  Participants will explain the critical importance of affordable communications services to incarcerated people, as the Commission works to implement the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 (Martha Wright-Reed Act).


Emily Drabinski: Will Congress Keep Its Broadband Promise?

Prince George’s County Memorial Library System received a $500,000 Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant from the Federal Communications Commission in March 2023 to find and connect those living in eligible households with the $30 monthly discount available to home broadband. Libraries in New Jersey, Nashville, and New York City likewise received the outreach grant. After months of hiring, developing their outreach program, and identifying eligible individuals, outreach grantees are hitting their stride.

Carl Guardino: The Time is Now for 100 Percent Broadband Access in the US

In June 2023, President Joe Biden announced how $42 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funding will be allocated across the US and its territories to bring 100% broadband access to nearly 60 million unserved or underserved Americans within five years. That goal, and the billions of dollars and new tools available, will give policymakers, communities, and industry stakeholders a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to bridge the digital divide. However, finances are finite and currently trending in a budget-busting “fiber-first” direction.

Sanborn is helping states simplify the BEAD challenge process

The Sanborn Map Company is one of a number of companies offering tools for states to help them prepare for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. Launched in 2023, Sanborn’s Broadband Navigator is a tool that aims to simplify the BEAD challenge process.

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