Iowa

The Federal Communications Commission authorized a new Innovation Zone at Iowa State University to provide a platform to develop and refine wireless technologies intended to connect rural communities and to study new use cases for precision agriculture for both crop and livestock farms. Innovation Zones are locations designated for use by specific experimental licensees to foster robust wireless research and development through the testing of new advanced technologies, applications, and prototype networks outside of a traditional small campus or laboratory setting.

Midwest FiberPath says it will build a 1,200-mile multi-conduit long-haul backbone intended to support the increased traffic created by artificial intelligence in east-west and north-south directions in the Midwest. It will provide what it describes as next-generation carrier mesh diversity. The multi-conduit design will enable diverse carrier deployments within a single controlled right-of-way.

Today's big news is that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved 18 Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Final Proposals. As a reminder, we've been tracking what those proposals looked like when they were submitted to the NTIA. In the coming days, we'll be examining the final final (Is that what we should call them?) BEAD plans to see what changes were made during the approval process.

More than 36 Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program draft final proposals have been released by states and territories. In these plans, each state is deciding how to connect its un- and underserved locations before submitting its final proposals to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval. Through these draft final proposals, we are seeing how states have adjusted their broadband deployment activities as a result of the BEAD Program restructuring and the Benefit of the Bargain application round.

The Iowa Department of Management released the state's draft Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program Final Proposal on August 28. The public comment period will be open through September 3, 2025. Comments can be submitted via this form. The final proposal includes $221,282,630 in funding to cover 42,933 locations.

Schurz Communications formed Schurz Broadband Group (SBG), a new division designed to unify and amplify the strengths of regional fiber-based internet providers under one mission-driven broadband organization.

The Iowa Department of Management, Division of Information Technology released a new broadband grant opportunity for internet service providers.

Danville Telecom announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to become a wholly owned subsidiary of ImOn Communications, a rapidly growing broadband provider based in Cedar Rapids (IA). The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. The acquisition of Danville Telecom will enable ImOn to build upon Danville’s existing fiber assets and more rapidly expand next-generation services to both homes and businesses in Burlington, Fort Madison, and Keokuk. The transaction is expected to close in 2025.