National Telecommunications and Information Administration

NTIA Promotes 5G Supplier Diversity At Home and Abroad

Right now, the wireless network equipment market is highly consolidated, with just a few companies supplying the equipment necessary to support a network. But Open Radio Access Networks, or Open RAN, would unlock that system to allow different companies to compete to supply equipment for different parts of the network. The US Government believes in the promise of these networks.

US Department of Commerce Celebrates Fiber Manufacturing Expansions in Tennessee

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information April McClain-Delaney traveled to Jackson (TN) with Senior Advisor to the President and White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu to celebrate new fiber optic cable production in the US made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative, a key component of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) requires the use of Made-in-America materials and products for federally funded infrastructure projects, including high-speed

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $8.39 Million in Internet for All Grants to Tribal Lands

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)awarded grants totaling $8,394,947.57 to 17 Tribes as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program

Remarks of April McClain-Delaney: Building America’s Internet Infrastructure in America

[The National Telecommunications and Information Administration] just announced the amounts each state and territory will receive from the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. That includes $813 million for Tennessee to build future-proof networks to connect everyone in the state. Our task is simple, but it’s monumental: we are going to bridge the digital divide. For good. But we cannot reach that goal without industry stepping up.

BEAD Challenge Process Policy

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)—as the agency responsible for administering the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program—provides additional guidance to inform the submission of Initial Proposals from states, territories, and the District of Columbia including the design and implementation of the BEAD Eligible Entity challenge processes.

NTIA Receives More Than 1,400 Comments on AI Accountability Policy

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) received roughly 1,447 written comments in response to its Artificial Intelligence Accountability Policy Request for Comment (RFC), which was issued in April, 2023, and is part of President Biden’s commitment to seizing the opportunities AI presents while managing its risks. The comments are available to the public at Regulations.gov: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NTIA-2023-0005/comments. These comments will help inform

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $930 Million to Expand and Strengthen America’s High-Speed Internet Networks

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced $930,021,354.34 to expand middle mile high-speed Internet infrastructure across 35 states and Puerto Rico.

Remarks of Alan Davidson: Affordable Connectivity Program Week of Action Event

Today kicks off the Biden-Harris Administration’s Affordable Connectivity Program Week of Action. We have more than 300 organizations from across the country committed to raising awareness about ACP. The Internet is now the essential tool for communications in our modern world. It is essential for access to work. Access to education. Access to healthcare.

ICANN at 25: More Important Than Ever

Collectively, we have come a long way together since the early days of [the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers] ICANN. In fact, this year marks the 25th anniversary of ICANN. As someone who was around for those early days, it’s amazing to think about how much the Internet has changed. When ICANN began in 1998, there were less than 150 million people on the Internet.

NTIA Receives More Than 250 Comments to Inform Digital Equity Act Programs

To further the development of the upcoming phases of the Digital Equity Act, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued a Request for Comment on March 2, 2023. The comment window closed on May 1, 2023, and a wide range of stakeholders from across the country submitted 252 written submissions.

Biden-Harris Administration Awards Nearly $1.25 Million to the US Virgin Islands for ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grant

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) granted the US Virgin Islands (USVI) its first “Internet for All” grants for deploying high-speed Internet networks and developing digital skills training programs under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative.

Case Study: Bossier Parish Community College | Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamp in Bossier Camp, Louisiana

The world is facing a pressing need for a skilled workforce that can meet the demands of the 21st-century century economy. That’s where workforce development comes in. Louisiana's broadband office is the Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, or ConnectLA.

More Than 120 Applications Submitted For the Wireless Innovation Fund

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) received 127 applications requesting $1.39 billion to support testing and research and development activities related to open and interoperable wireless networks, according to preliminary data released. Applicants requested $146 million for research and development projects, and $1.2 billion for testing and evaluation activities.

2023 5G Challenge Update: All Nine Contestant Subsystems Pass Stage Two Wrap-around Emulation Testing

The 2023 5G Challenge is offering a $7 million prize pool for participants who successfully integrate their radio access network (RAN) subsystems with multiple other RAN participant subsystems and outperform their peers. Teams have progressed in testing since starting the challenge in late March. After the first nine weeks of host lab testing, the initial nine contestants have passed Stage Two wrap-around emulation testing. The following RU contestants passed Stage Two testing:

2023 Internet Use Survey Information Collection

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) seeks approval to add 65 questions to the November 2023 edition of the US Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS).

Three Takeaways from Version 2 of the FCC’s National Broadband Map

The Federal Communications Commission released Version 2 of the National Broadband Map. Three key takeaways from the latest data: 

United States comments on European Consultation: “The future of the electronic communications sector and its infrastructure”

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), in a filing on behalf of the US government, urged the European Commission to promote affordable access to broadband, protect users’ access to online content, and avoid discriminatory measures that distort competition. The filing on May 19 is in response to the European Commission’s exploratory consultation on The Future

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $4.5 Million in Internet for All Grants to Tribal Lands

 The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded grants totaling $4.5 million to 9 Tribes as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP). These grants will help reduce monthly Internet service costs, plan for future Internet infrastructure investments, upgrade network equipment, and purchase devices.

Biden-Harris Administration Awards $1.4 Million to the Northern Mariana Islands in ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) granted the Northern Mariana Islands its first “Internet for All” grants for deploying high-speed Internet networks and developing digital skills training programs under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative.

Biden-Harris Administration Awards Nearly $1.4 Million to American Samoa in ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) granted American Samoa its first “Internet for All” grants for deploying high-speed Internet networks and developing digital skills training programs under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative.

Biden-Harris Administration Awards $1.4 Million to Guam in ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) granted Guam its first “Internet for All” grants for deploying high-speed Internet networks and developing digital skills training programs under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative.

Joint Statement by US DoD and NTIA on Proposal to Identify the Use of 5G Mobile Services in the Americas

The US Department of State, on behalf of the US Government, has submitted a proposal to the May 2023 Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (CITEL), which calls for opening the 3300-3400 MHz band for 5G mobile services within the Americas Region. If accepted as a regional proposal, CITEL would submit to the November 2023 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23). If adopted by the WRC-23, the international Radio Regulations would be updated to identify this band as possible for 5G use in the Americas by countries that choose to do so.

How the FCC National Broadband Map Impacts the BEAD Program, Part 3 of 3: Meeting the Urgent Need

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is preparing to enter a crucial phase for the Internet for All initiative. Soon, it will notify states and territories of their BEAD program allocation amounts. Once those notifications are made, states and territories will have 180 days to submit their initial proposals. NTIA is confident it will have the data it needs to take that step when it makes the allocation announcement by June 30.