Capital Projects Fund

Business Oregon’s Oregon Broadband Office is pleased to announce a major milestone for grantees of the Digital Connectivity Technology Program: Project Implementation Completion. Through DCTP, organizations across Oregon have expanded access to internet-enabled technology and Wi-Fi at no cost to community members who need it the most. Projects have established and enhanced public computing labs, device lending programs, and public Wi-Fi access, helping communities connect to the digital tools and resources they need for work, education, health care, and everyday life.

Governments spend billions of dollars to bring broadband to places that lack it. This report asks how much of the new service in the places six programs came from the subsidies, and how much would have arrived anyway. We compare the areas each program funded with similar areas it did not fund, track both over time, and call the difference the program’s effect. The main measure is access, whether a location can buy at least 100/20 Mbps from a wired or licensed wireless provider.

The Oklahoma Broadband Office is celebrating the completion of two broadband expansion projects by Lake Region Technology & Communications that are bringing fiber-optic internet service to communities in Wagoner County. The projects were funded through Oklahoma’s American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Fund broadband program. Lake Region received approximately $756,000 across two projects to expand high-speed internet infrastructure in and around the towns of Okay and Porter.

This summer, Oklahoma launched a statewide community access portal initiative, bringing private, internet-connected spaces to public libraries across the state. The program will place as many as 175 portals in libraries, giving rural residents a private space to access telehealth, workforce development, education, and other essential online services. The initiative comes as libraries have taken on an expanding role as community access points for technology and telehealth.

Federal broadband funding is doing more than expand service. It is also changing the competitive landscape in the communities receiving it. Nearly 43% of federally funded served locations in non-BEAD areas now have access to more than one broadband provider. That is meaningful progress for rural communities that have historically had limited choice, creating the potential for better pricing, stronger service and more bundled offers for consumers. A funded area is no longer just a future build opportunity. It may already be, or soon become, a contested market.

Kinetic announced a major broadband expansion in North Carolina, delivering multi-gig fiber internet to an additional 16,000 homes across more than 40 communities in the second quarter of 2026. The expansion highlights Kinetic’s commitment to delivering better technology, at a better value, for customers. In the second quarter of 2026, Kinetic added fiber locations in Granite Quarry, Concord, Indian Trail, Pine Bluff, China Grove, Tryon, Morven, Davidson, Kannapolis and more. A portion of these locations were supported by funds awarded to the State of North Carolina by the U.S.

Last week, we covered some of the broadband and digital equity initiatives launched by the states this summer. From digital equity resources in Louisiana to historic investments in broadband infrastructure funding for the Navajo Nation, here are some more notable broadband news bites we've seen from states and Tribal governments around the country.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, announced $1,492,571 in awards to 10 public and affordable housing organizations to help residents access the internet, learn digital skills, and make practical use of online tools in their daily lives.

U.S. states and territories are making progress on their broadband goals this summer. A number of state-run initiatives have been launched, and several infrastructure projects are in full swing. While it's easy to have all eyes on the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program—and, hypocritically, more on that later—there are countless other actions states are taking to ensure robust broadband access and universal digital adoption. From infrastructure planning to deployment to increasing awareness and resources, states are doing it all.