Summer State Broadband Work Continues

 You’re reading the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s Weekly Digest, a recap of the biggest (or most overlooked) broadband stories of the week. The digest is delivered via e-mail each Friday.

Round-Up for the Week of August 3-7, 2026

Last week, we covered some of the broadband and digital equity initiatives launched by the states this summer. From digital equity resources in Louisiana to historic investments in broadband infrastructure funding for the Navajo Nation, here are some more notable broadband news bites we've seen from states and Tribal governments around the country.

Connect LA Releases Toolkits for GUMBO 2.0

The Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity (ConnectLA) released two toolkits designed to support coordination and communication as broadband construction scales statewide through the GUMBO 2.0 Program—the state's Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program-funded initiative. Louisiana was the first state to have its BEAD Final Proposal approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the first to begin construction.

ConnectLA developed its two new toolkits to help ensure subgrantees, local officials, and community stakeholders have the tools they need to support efficient, transparent deployment:

• The Deployment Toolkit includes construction lifecycle references, key contacts, and downloadable social media graphics for community engagement, giving communities a way to stay informed and share progress as broadband reaches their area.
• The Excavation Toolkit includes relevant updates on the new Louisiana Dig Law and a signage template for excavators and subgrantees.

Together, these resources are intended to reduce implementation challenges, improve coordination, and support efficient deployment throughout the GUMBO 2.0 Program.

Navajo Nation Council Approves Broadband Infrastructure Funding

In July, the 25th Navajo Nation Council unanimously approved $244 million in funding for broadband infrastructure projects throughout the Navajo Nation.

The Navajo Nation is made up of 110 chapters, which serve as local, semi-autonomous political subdivisions of the Navajo Nation. Out of these chapters, there are currently 52 connected to fiber optic infrastructure. The remaining 58 chapters will receive low Earth orbit satellite (LEO) internet service through Starlink as fiber networks are extended to those communities. Starlink service is expected to be deployed within 90 days to provide immediate connectivity while long-term fiber construction continues.

The Navajo Nation's investment also includes matching funds for the BEAD Program, which is projected to connect approximately 31,000 homes to high-speed internet, with an estimated 6,000 homes expected to be connected by the end of 2026. The Navajo Nation has been provisionally awarded about $148.6 million from Arizona, $111.8 million from New Mexico, and $26.6 million from Utah in BEAD subgrantee funding. 

Broadband enhancements will be carried out in three phases to expand 5G service. Existing fiber-connected towers will be upgraded first, followed by extending fiber and 5G capabilities to additional sites. New towers will then be constructed in underserved areas to provide reliable broadband access to remaining households. 

“This measure underscores the need to address the broadband divide that exists on the Navajo Nation," said the Navajo Nation Council's Budget and Finance Committee Vice Chairman Carl Slater. "Addressing this disparity will impact critical services that include public safety, education, emergency response, and healthcare. But most importantly, it will unlock the economic potential of our entrepreneurial people as we march into the digital age."

Washington State Brings Broadband to Un- and Underserved Communities

The Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) awarded $5.1 million in funds for broadband infrastructure deployment to four communities in the state. The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act's (ARPA) Capital Projects Fund (CPF). The four broadband projects awarded under the PWB Broadband Program aim to enhance online education, telehealth, public safety, and local economic development opportunities, while extending reliable, high-speed broadband access to unserved or underserved households and businesses.

The four awards go to:

• The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation received a $2,630,787 grant to build 11.5 miles of fiber to 205 residences and 10 commercial businesses. This project will help the community achieve its goal to bring reliable and affordable high-speed broadband to all residents and businesses on the Colville Reservation.
• The Public Utility District 1 of Kitsap County received a $992,760 grant to expand reliable broadband access to Kitsap County’s workforce, which has a strong connection to remote work, naval and defense-related employment, small businesses and tourism-based economies.
• The Public Utility District 1 of Okanogan County received a $717,900 grant to upgrade the district’s broadband infrastructure to a high-speed transport network, alleviating existing and anticipated bottlenecks along critical connectivity paths.
• The Whidbey Telephone Company in Island County received a $758,553 grant to build a fiber-to-the-home network to areas throughout Coupeville without access to high-speed internet service. The project will directly serve about 144 homes and locations.

These awards will help connect thousands of people and businesses in rural parts of Washington, including several low-income areas. It will also help with future connectivity and expanding the grid for future funding.

“The PWB Broadband Program stands out because it recognizes tribal sovereignty and local priorities while helping communities build the infrastructure needed to support education, healthcare, public safety and economic development,” said PWB Vice Chair Dean Reynolds. “This round of funding demonstrates the value of those investments.”

Massachusetts Invests in Digital Skills

On August 5, the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) announced $1.4 million in awards to 10 public and affordable housing organizations to help residents access the internet, learn digital skills and make practical use of online tools in their daily lives.

MBI funded the grant through the Retrofit Ancillary Grantee (RANGE) Program, a statewide effort to increase digital literacy and internet adoption for this community. The RANGE program serves households that have received upgraded internet service through the Residential Retrofit Program, an initiative focused on modernizing broadband infrastructure in public and affordable housing properties across Massachusetts.

The RANGE Program is funded by CPF funding under ARPA. Building on its first award announcement in March 2026, the RANGE program has distributed $8.9 million to 45 housing organizations statewide. This funding enables housing organizations to carry out projects in the following categories: device distribution, digital literacy, digital navigation and tenant coordination, and public space improvements.

"Everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed in today's economy, and that means having both access to high-speed internet and the skills to use it," said Governor Maura Healey (D-MA). "These grants will help residents build digital skills, connect to jobs, education and healthcare, and make sure more families can benefit from everything the internet has to offer."

New Mexico Bolsters its Statewide Education Network

Appearing in both installments of our summer state broadband roundup, the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) is making strides in various broadband and digital equity initiatives, including with its Statewide Education Network (SEN).

The SEN is a school-centric broadband network built to connect hundreds of New Mexico schools together and provide a more secure internet while enhancing education through shared classes, resources, and various services. The network also provides resources for teachers and tutoring assistance, mental health access, and college preparation materials for students. The SEN team handles daily operations and cybersecurity of the network. That, in turn, takes the administrative burden of procuring, contracting, and paying for internet service off individual schools. The SEN team also manages applications for federal E-Rate Program subsidies.

In July, OBAE announced the addition of two new school districts and one charter school to SEN—Las Cruces Public Schools, Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools and the Raices Del Saber charter school—adding more than 32,000 students, teachers and staff to the network.

“The Statewide Education Network represents a major step forward in closing the digital divide for students and families across New Mexico,” said Las Cruces Public Schools Executive Director of Information Technology Matt Dawkins. “By providing Las Cruces students with fast, reliable internet access, the Network will strengthen educational access and create more equitable opportunities for every student to thrive.” 

The SEN team has now connected 14 school districts and charters across New Mexico, totaling 269 schools and nearly 150,000 students, teachers and staff. While schools are not required to participate in the SEN program, the network hopes to interconnect all New Mexico schools in the next three years. 

And in Federal News?

The biggest news on the federal front this week involves the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, one of three programs under the Digital Equity Act of 2021. The Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program provides funding for individual applicants—mostly cities and nonprofit entities to carry out digital inclusion activities aligned with states' digital equity plans that were developed under the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program and would be implemented under the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program.

The Competitive Grant Program was reinstated after a lawsuit brought on by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), who had been notified of a roughly $25.7 million award before President Donald Trump announced he would be ending the programs in 2025. On July 15, 2026, Judge John D. Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia held that including individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group in the covered populations is an unconstitutional racial classification, but that it is severable—meaning that the provision alone can be set aside while the rest of the statute continues to operate. 

On August 3, 2026, a joint filing from the U.S. Department of Justice and NDIA's attorneys set out the path forward for continuing the Competitive Grant Program. The filing states that the Department of Commerce "presently targets a December 2026 opening date for the Competitive Grant Program application," and is currently preparing a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the program.

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Executive Editor Kevin Taglang broke down this week's filing in full here. What we know is that the December 2026 timeline is a target, not a court-ordered deadline. The NOFO will be new, not a revival of the 2024 process. And nothing in the filing addresses what happens to the more than 700 applications NTIA already has in hand from 2024, where awards were announced and then terminated.

The next status report on these proceedings is scheduled to come out on August 17. We'll be watching for more updates on the Competitive Grant Program, and we'll be wondering what the future holds for the State Capacity Grant Program, for which state broadband offices currently have no answer.

Quick Bits

• FCC Initiates Comprehensive Review of Universal Service Fund Administration
• FCC Proposes Efficiency Reforms to the Rural Health Care Program
• The Broadband Affordability Crisis
• White House AI Guidelines Exempt U.S. Open Models From Government Review

ICYMI from Benton

• Starshield: The Military-Grade Starlink No One is Talking About
• Commerce Targets December 2026 to Reopen Digital Equity Competitive Grants
• States Make Progress on Broadband Programs
• Adopted, Eliminated, Mandated, Readopted, and Now Revised: Fifteen Years of Consumer Broadband Labels

Upcoming Events

Aug 10—Mountain Connect (Mountain Connect)

Aug 20—Tribal Workshop (Federal Communications Commission)

Aug 26—Permitting That Delivers: Practical Tools & Strategies for Broadband Buildouts (National Telecommunications and Information Administration)

Aug 26—Can the United States Win the AI Race if Americans Oppose Data Centers? (Information Technology & Innovation Foundation)

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

© Benton Institute for Broadband & Society 2026. Redistribution of this email publication - both internally and externally - is encouraged if it includes this copyright statement.

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Benton Institute
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