Texas

On March 4, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar wrote to Reps Craig Goldman (R-TX) and August Pfluger (R-TX) expressing his desire to quickly put Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funds to work and return unallocated funds to the US Treasury. "As a passionate advocate for conservative financial management, I am committed to responsibly using taxpayer dollars and returning any unallocated funds back to the U.S. Treasury.

Due to ongoing federal government realignment to meet the priorities of the new administration, the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) will pause all grants and contracts related to the state’s allocation of the federal State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program. Given this uncertainty, the BDO wants potential applicants to avoid investing significant time and resources into preparing applications until the office receives more clarity on the future of the program from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Internet service provider 360 Broadband will expand and upgrade internet access in Fannin County (TX) with the help of a $52 million award from the Texas Broadband Development Office’s Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas (BOOT) II Program. The grant will fund part of a $65 million project to bring high-speed fiber internet service to the region, transforming connectivity for residents, businesses, and community institutions.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R-TX) recommended federal officials change requirements for billions of dollars in broadband funding, including eliminating the low-cost requirement. Hegar suggested the change in a letter to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who is the chairman for the Senate committee that oversees the federal agency responsible for allocating federal broadband funds. In the letter, Comptroller Hegar says removing the requirement may increase provider participation.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced awards totaling $701.9 million for the second round of the Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas Program (BOOT II), aimed at bridging the digital divide and enhancing broadband access for unserved and underserved communities across the state.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said his Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) is piloting a competitive grant program to support the deployment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband service in rural, unserved areas of Texas, using $30 million from the state’s Broadband Infrastructure Fund. This initiative continues the Texas Legislature's directive to bridge the digital divide and ensure greater access to high-speed internet for all Texans.

Brightspeed says that it has received $238 million in local, state, and federal grants and funds. The money, the company says, will expand the number of addresses passed by planned projects by 121,000 in 14 states. Brightspeed, which is based in North Carolina, says that it will continue to pursue state and federal grants. The funding:

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. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced more than $313 million in funding to connect rural residents, farmers and business owners in 18 states to reliable high-speed internet.