Missouri’s Office of Broadband Development reported that scoring and initial determinations for Round 1 of the state’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program process could result in preliminary awards for 150,712 eligible locations. The state is not announcing who the winners are, however. Missouri is set to receive $1.736 billion in BEAD funding. The OBD is part of the state’s Department of Economic Development.
Reps Zach Nunn (R-IA), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and Eric Sorensen (D-IL) introduced the ReConnecting Rural America Act, bipartisan legislation that would permanently authorize and improve the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect Program, which delivers broadband internet to underserved rural communities. The ReConnecting Rural America Act would codify and enhance the ReConnect Program within the Rural Electrification Act, establishing stronger minimum broadband speeds and ensuring federal support reaches the communities most in need of internet service upgrades.
SEMO Electric Cooperative, through its subsidiary GoSEMO Fiber, provides high-speed internet service to over 10,000 subscribers in rural Missouri. In this open letter, SEMO urges members of the Missouri congressional delegation to support the state’s approach to expanding fiber through the the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program. Fiber, SEMO says, is essential infrastructure for Missouri to recover from tornadoes, storms, and other disasters.
Reps Dave Taylor (R-OH-02) and Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) introduced the Rural Broadband Assistance Act, which would codify the Broadband Technical Assistance Program to help rural communities access broadband funds available to them through the United States Department of Agriculture. The Broadband Technical Assistance Program was established in 2021 to provide grants to local governments, non-profits, land grant universities, Tribes, and businesses for technical assistance in accessing existing broadband programs.
T-Mobile deserves credit for rolling out edgy “un-carrier” moves over the years, but lately, it seems to be going backwards. Take the recent rollout of the Experience More and Experience Beyond plans. They’re advertised as $5 less per line than previous Go5G plans. But T-Mobile is no longer offering these new plans with “taxes and fees included,” which was an “un-carrier” move that T-Mobile launched in 2017. “The un-carrier spirit has been slowly disappearing,” said Roger Entner, founder of Recon Analytics.
An ostensible goal of the Trump administration is to use the threat of tariffs to encourage companies to build their products in the US. Some companies in the telecommunications industry have said they do plan to expand their US-based operations.
The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion announced a $2,395,072 grant awarded to Santa Fe-based NM Surf, Inc to deliver high-speed internet access to rural students and school staff. This funding represents the latest investment through OBAE’s $25 million Student Connect program, specifically addressing the critical disadvantages faced by rural students without home internet access.
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