Florida

Lumen Technologies wrote to the Federal Communications Commission to relinquish Rural Digital Opportunity Fund awards in areas of Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington. "As a result of Lumen’s relinquishment of support, these census block groups may now become eligible for other federal, state, or local subsidy programs, such as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program.

FloridaCommerce is launching a major initiative to deliver the required workforce to upgrade the state’s communications networks. FloridaCommerce, CareerSource Florida, the REACH Office, the Florida Department of Education, state and technical colleges, Local Workforce Development Boards, and other partners are collaborating to attract, train, and deliver the workforce needed to bring broadband internet to all Floridians.

Spectrum announced the launch of Spectrum Internet, Mobile, TV and Voice services to more than 6,700 homes and small businesses in Marion County (FL). Spectrum’s newly constructed fiber-optic network buildout extends services specifically to Summerfield, Citra, and Umatilla.

Conexon Connect, the internet service provider (ISP) arm of rural fiber broadband leader Conexon, has reached another key milestone in Florida.

Conexon Connect has completed its first fiber to the home project in Florida, a 2,000-mile network launched in partnership with Escambia River Electric Cooperative (EREC).

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has recommended for award more than $250 million to 24 organizations to support digital skills and inclusion projects in communities across the country. The funding will support 24 projects across 39 states and territories. Awards will be issued following budget review and processing. 

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved and recommended for award applications from Florida, Iowa, Montana, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam, allowing them to request access to more than $61.2 million to implement their Digital Equity Plans. This funding comes from the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, one of three Digital Equity Act grant programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The states can now request access to:

In 2023, AT&T announced a 50/50 joint venture with the investment firm BlackRock to form an open-access fiber network company called Gigapower, with AT&T Fiber as the anchor tenant. The Communications Workers of America (CWA), which represents the majority of AT&T’s frontline workforce, has closely tracked the Gigapower build-out in several markets. This report is the first in a series of market spotlights looking at Gigapower’s deployments nationwide, and finds the following:

As states begin to receive their allocations from the $42 billion federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment or BEAD program, Florida is leading the way in preparing the workforce needed for new high-speed internet networks. State officials were quick to convene industry stakeholders as part of their broadband planning process last year, and the state’s BEAD proposal has an unusually detailed section on workforce readiness.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Alabama and Florida’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. This approval enables Alabama and Florida to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program. One year from Initial Proposal approval, states must submit a Final Proposal that details, among other things, the outcome of the subgrantee selection process and how the state will ensure universal coverage.