The Blue Ridge Broadband Alliance (BRBA) launched in June of 2025 with a clear goal: to make sure no one in Western North Carolina (WNC) is left on the wrong side of the digital divide. As the nation and state invest billions in broadband infrastructure, local coordination and community voice have never been more important. In just six months, the BRBA has brought together leaders, industry experts, public officials, and passionate members of the WNC community to learn, collaborate, and advocate for the region’s needs. 

Let’s look back at what we’ve accomplished together in 2025.

Six Months of Shared Learning

BRBA’s monthly meetings have become a space for stakeholders to learn from experts—and each other—about the issues that matter in our quickly moving broadband landscape. These meetings have brought together county officials, municipalities, nonprofits, libraries, schools, internet service providers, and community organizations to understand the broader context and specific issues influencing universal connectivity in WNC. Some of the topics BRBA members have learned about over the past six months include:

• The broadband policy landscape from Pew Charitable Trust’s Sophia Bock and Sarah Ali
• Broadband technologies from Tom Reid of Reid Consulting
• Broadband affordability from former White House Senior Advisor Jordan Arnold and Mission Telecom’s Matthew Roclevitch
• Low-Earth orbit technology from Doug Dawson of CCG Consulting

Translating Knowledge Into Action

BRBA members didn’t just learn together in 2025; they spoke up together. As federal and state broadband policies shifted throughout the year, BRBA organized two sign-on letters to ensure that Western North Carolina’s concerns were heard by decision-makers.

• The first letter urged North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson to lead or join a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's unconstitutional cancellation of the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act. North Carolina’s $45 million Digital Equity Act allocation included several million dollars earmarked for specific Western North Carolina digital opportunity projects.
• A second letter focused on the implementation of North Carolina’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program plan. As the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) began requiring states to significantly revise their plans, the letter urged NTIA to approve North Carolina's Final Proposal without further changes. 

Combined, these two letters yielded over 250 signatures from local government officials, community organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and residents across the state. The response demonstrated that stakeholders in WNC and beyond are ready and willing to advocate for their communities' needs.

Celebrating the Community

In October, the Alliance hosted its inaugural in-person event, the Digital Opportunity Pitch Party. The Pitch Party brought together Alliance members, policymakers, practitioners, and telecommunications industry experts at Devil’s Foot Brewing in Asheville for an exciting morning showcasing creative local solutions to bridge the digital divide. 

Four organizations competed for funding and support by pitching their digital opportunity projects to a panel of judges consisting of Jess Epsten from the Institute for Emerging Issues, Jess George from GFiber, Amy Huffman from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and Maggie Woods, Director of the North Carolina Office of Digital Opportunity.

• Susan Toole from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College presented a pilot program to provide device lending and support to students in need.
• Charles Long and Bob Williams from Swift App School pitched their new Residential App Camp launching at UNC Asheville in the summer of 2026, offering coding education and scholarships to underserved youth.
• Yvette Brooks from Through the Trees described the Tech Spa in Transylvania County, where people receive one-on-one help using or repairing their devices through a model that emphasizes individualized support.
• Brian Scott from OurJourney presented Re-Entry Kits for formerly incarcerated women, providing technology and resources during the reentry process to reduce recidivism.

Along with the judges, the audience participated in evaluating the pitches based on clarity of vision, community focus, need and impact, credibility, and potential leverage. 

OurJourney won the first-place prize: $4,000 and a free ticket to Net Inclusion 2026. OurJourney will use the funding to launch a women's version of its Digital Opportunity First Aid Reentry Kit, which includes supplies, resources, and a smartphone with 90 days of free unlimited service. All pitchers received cash prizes, discounted Net Inclusion tickets, and ongoing support from WestNGN Broadband.

Between the pitches and awards, attendees enjoyed a fireside chat between Gigi Sohn, Senior Fellow and Public Advocate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, and Jennifer Epperson, Deputy General Counsel for the North Carolina Office of the Governor. The two discussed BEAD Program changes, their impact on North Carolina's broadband infrastructure deployment, and the crucial role of advocacy in the digital opportunity sphere.

Moving Forward, Together

In 2025, the Blue Ridge Broadband Alliance convened practitioners, policymakers, and dedicated stakeholders committed to ensuring that Western North Carolina doesn’t get left behind. 

As we move into 2026, the work continues. The broadband landscape continues to shift, and BEAD plan implementation will begin. But the foundation BRBA has built—bringing together local knowledge, fostering collaboration, and amplifying community voices—means we’ll be ready for whatever comes next. 

Follow North Carolina Broadband news.

Kevin Taglang
Executive Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Institute
for Broadband & Society
1041 Ridge Rd, Unit 214
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-220-4531
headlines AT benton DOT org