In early April, a group of over 100 bipartisan legislators representing 28 states signed a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warning against making changes to the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program that will delay and undermine states' existing plans. The letter, organized by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and State Connections, a broadband working group for state legislators, co-led by Rep Louis Riggs (R-MO-5), came in response to the Commerce Department's ongoing "rigorous review" of the BEAD program, which may see the rules change in a way that requires states to re-do their BEAD plans, and to potentially spend more of their BEAD money on alternative technologies like Starlink. While several states are pushing back and proceeding with their BEAD bidding, one state, West Virginia, has said it will pause to review its own plan to align it with the tech-neutral approach and other changes preferred by the current administration. That comes after the state spent years creating a plan that would achieve 100 percent fiber coverage with its available BEAD funds. "So the only way they can go now is backwards. All they can do is go from full fiber coverage—in West Virginia, too, where there are mountains, there are trees, there are radio-silent zones where satellite just will not work. So they have this perfect solution: affordable, fast, scalable, future-proof service to every household that doesn't have it," said Drew Garner, Director of Policy Engagement at Benton. "What a tragedy to have achieved that unbelievable result and to walk away from it."

TEK Collaborative Founder and Director Jeff Williams started the nonprofit in 2021 to refurbish and distribute desktop computers and laptops to those in need and expand digital equity across Massachusetts. The nonprofit’s work helps individuals from all backgrounds including patients accessing telehealth, immigrants, older adults, students, job seekers from underserved communities, and incarcerated individuals learning digital skills who can receive devices upon release. Williams, who has over 25 years of experience in various technology roles, started device refurbishment work during the COVID-19 pandemic when his daughter, then in fifth grade, transitioned to remote learning. “She had everything she needed including a computer, headset, and an environment to learn in,” he said, “but many students and teachers were trying to keep up with just their phones. That’s not possible.” What began as a small initiative fueled by his daughter and the community’s needs quickly grew into something much larger. 

Oklahoma’s application window for its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Pool 1 funding, which is exclusively for fiber, opened April 21 and extends until May 26. In a funding alert, the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative shared information about the state’s plans beyond Pool 1. Pool 2 applications, which are for non-fiber technologies, can be submitted from April 28 to May 26. Pool 3 applications, which are for fiber in remaining areas, can be submitted from May 5 to May 26. Pool 4, which is for other reliable technologies in the remaining areas, can be submitted from May 12 to May 26, which is the close of the prequalification window.  The scoring consists of criteria and secondary categories totaling 160 points. The primary criteria for the Oklahoma BEAD applications, which totals 140 points, is separated into three categories: Outlay per location after match (up to 65 points); affordability (up to 44 points), and fair labor practices (up to 11 points).

The first brief explains how  Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act influences the digital landscape for Black users. While Section 230 has helped foster free expression and innovation online, it also creates gaps in accountability — enabling the spread of harmful and discriminatory content with limited consequences for platforms.

Verizon announced results for the first quarter of 2025. Highlights include:

• Broadband net additions of 339,000 in first-quarter 2025. 
• Total fixed wireless access net additions of 308,000 in first-quarter 2025, growing the base to over 4.8 million fixed wireless access subscribers.
• Total broadband connections grew to more than 12.6 million as of the end of first-quarter 2025, representing a 13.7 percent increase year over year. 
• Total postpaid phone net losses of 289,000 in first-quarter 2025 compared to 114,000 postpaid phone net losses in first-quarter 2024.
• In first-quarter 2025, Consumer reported 356,000 wireless retail postpaid phone net losses compared to 194,000 postpaid phone net losses in first-quarter 2024. 
• In first-quarter 2025, Consumer reported 137,000 wireless retail core prepaid net additions compared to 131,000 net losses in first-quarter 2024.