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November 2025

Sens Blackburn, Luján Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Fast-Track Telecommunications and Broadband Expansion Across America

Sens Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced the bipartisan Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act, which would streamline the process to deploy telecommunications and broadband equipment in public and railroad rights-of-way. Rights-of-way are the corridors alongside public roads and railroad tracks where utilities can install infrastructure. The Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL Act would streamline the deployment of telecommunications and broadband equipment in public and railroad rights-of-way by establishing two separate processes:​

Hundreds of Rural Students in Hidalgo County (NM) to Receive High-Speed Internet

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion announced it has awarded a $1.5 million Student Connect grant to Transworld Network L.L.C.to provide high-speed internet to rural students in the Lordsburg Municipal Schools District. The award means that 395 unserved and underserved student households within the school district will get broadband through fixed wireless service. “These Student Connect funds will change student lives in the Lordsburg area,” said Neala Krueger, OBAE’s State Grants Program Coordinator.

Letter to NTIA Assistant Secretary Roth on Closing the Digital Divide With BEAD

The key outcome in BEAD success is, as the text of the statute states and as Assistant Secretary Roth has made clear, bridging the digital divide. For deployment, NTIA’s restructuring policy notice took an essential step toward that outcome by making the program technology-neutral, eliminating extraneous requirements, and reducing the cost of the deployment component of the program. These reforms will be effective at ensuring cost-effective deployment of home broadband service to all locations in the United States. But the digital divide has both deployment and nondeployment components.

NDIA Urges Congress to Create New Broadband Affordability Benefit Program

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in May 2025 that the Universal Service Fund program is constitutional, Congress renewed its efforts to modernize the program. In August, the bipartisan, bicameral USF Working Group again invited public input through a request for comments on the future of USF funding structure and programs.

Nominate Your Digital Equity Champion

Submit your nomination for the Digital Equity Champion Awards before the deadline on November 26. Named for Charles Benton, the founder of Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) created the awards to recognize leadership and dedication in advancing digital equity: from promoting the ideal of accessible and affordable communications technology for all Americans to crafting programs and policies that make it a reality. NDIA presents two awards: the Digital Equity Champion Award recognizes an outstanding individual who has made a difference

Starlink Quietly Introduces $40 Monthly Plan

Starlink is offering a new home internet plan that’s as cheap—or cheaper—than some of the most affordable plans in the U.S. The new plan offers speeds up to 100 Mbps for $40 per month, with no upfront equipment costs. Upload speeds aren’t limited, but are usually much slower on satellite and cable internet plans alike.

Sen. Cruz (R-TX): Over $1.2 billion in BEAD Funding to Texas Will Boost Connection

My work on the Commerce Committee to hold the BEAD program accountable has spared taxpayers from paying for internet to mansions and vacation islands while still securing over $1 billion in funding for Texas. By refocusing the program on its core mission of digital connection, instead of the Biden administration’s costly and burdensome regulation, we have freed states like Texas to responsibly use this money to expand internet access to rural communities.

Rep Carter (D-LA) Challenges Trump Administration’s Taxpayer Funded Handout to Elon Musk While Leaving Broadband Funding for Louisiana in Limbo

In January of this year, Louisiana became the first state in the nation to secure federal approval for our plan to deploy over $1.3 billion in BEAD funding. This achievement is a testament to the bipartisan nature of Louisiana’s approach to universal connectivity and illustrates how we should all strive to treat broadband access in our states. The state began the BEAD application process under Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards.

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