telecompetitor

Lumen Technologies announced that it has made significant progress in its buildout of the backbone for the artificial intelligence economy. The company is moving ahead with its goal of adding 34 million new intercity fiber miles by the end of 2028, bringing its total of intercity fiber miles to 47 million. According to the Lumen press release, this year the company has made several strides in AI readiness: 

Most states have released their recommended awards in the Benefit of the Bargain round in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program. The total value of the award recommendations for those states is less than half of the initial allocations, according to a Telecompetitor analysis. The initial allocation for the first 45 states was about $32.8 billion. The total value of the award recommendations for the states is about $15.2 billion, or about 46 percent of the initial allocation. Changes to BEAD rules imposed in June are a key reason for the results.

Applications are open for the second round of the Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans program, Governor Laura Kelly announced. In the second round, $1.95 million in funds will be available for programs designed to enhance the digital skills of state residents. The DOCK program is designed to promote access to digital resources by providing awards to help with funding for digital skills development programs across Kansas.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association were among the industry groups calling for raising the Federal Communications Commission fixed broadband benchmark from its current 100/20 Mbps benchmark. The groups filed comments earlier this week in the Commission’s annual Section 706 broadband inquiry.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program deployment effort is coming in far under budget. Now, a political battle could evolve over who controls the remaining BEAD funds. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick suggesting that states keep the excess funds and spend them on state-led AI-related programs.

Metronet announced the acquisition of fiber company US Internet for an undisclosed price. US Internet, a Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company, operates a fiber network with symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gbps in an area that includes more than 140,000 homes and businesses in and around Minneapolis. The acquisition increases the presence of Metronet, which itself was recently acquired by a joint venture between T-Mobile and KKR. Metronet’s fiber network is expanding quickly, with construction underway in dozens of cities at a time.