On behalf of the 156 individuals leading 140 organizations serving communities from 39 states, we, the undersigned, urge you to reinstate the Digital Equity Act (DEA) Programs that were cancelled on May 9, 2025. We are the organizations that would have carried out the work funded by the Digital Equity Act Program, created and authorized by Congress in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
The battle over how much incarcerated people should pay to stay connected with loved ones escalated recently. Sheriffs, telecommunications providers, and civil rights advocates filed opposing briefs in the U.S.
The Trump administration released new Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program guidance for states and territories meant to minimize federal spending on broadband deployment as much as possible. Among other changes to Biden-era rules, this guidance mandates that states and territories use cost efficiency of BEAD dollars as the primary criterion for making awards. Further, the new rules prohibit states from showing any preference for particular types of technologies.
Verizon may have scored federal approval of its $20 billion Frontier acquisition, but the coast is far from clear stateside. California is scrutinizing the operator for ending its diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The California Public Utilities Commission this week began conducting hearings to seek input on whether the Verizon/Frontier deal serves the public interest.
A new report from the national internet comparison site ISP Reports ranks several fiber-rich cities among the best in the nation for internet speed. Markets with local infrastructure investments and new deployments outperformed some large markets, the authors said, and “are creating competitive broadband landscapes worth further exploration.” Residents of the Salt Lake City (UT) metro area saw an increase of 282 Mbps to reach a total of 7,215 Mbps. There, 99 percent of the city has access to broadband internet speeds, with 87 percent fiber coverage and 97 percent cable coverage.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s recent Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program Notice changed the BEAD grant process to focus almost entirely on awarding the grant funds to the internet service provider that asks for the least amount of funding for a given location. But there are some other interesting changes in the Notice for ISPs to consider.
Fiber-based service provider LiveOak Fiber has selected Accelecom to support its fiber-to-the-home expansion in Georgia. LiveOak will work with Accelecom to scale and upgrade its backbone in the state in Chatham and Glynn counties. No information about the timing or financial details were included in the press release. LiveOak Fiber said the arrangement with Accelecom is part of its build-to-service model, which is an effort to reduce the time between infrastructure deployment and when customers receive service.
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