Federal Broadband Programs

The Oregon Broadband Office issued Notices of Intent to Award the second tranche of funding for the Broadband Deployment Program. In tranche two, $9,488,246 will be awarded to Home Telephone Company's project, "Nyssa Regional Link Expansion." It will provide 100/100 service at $49.99/month to 800 currently unserved locations in Malheur county.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved and recommended for award an application from New Jersey, allowing the state to request access to more than $18 million to implement its Digital Equity Plan. New Jersey will use the $18,094,857 in funding to implement key digital equity initiatives, including:  

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved and recommended for award an application from Kentucky, allowing the state to request access to more than $12 million to implement its Digital Equity Plan. Kentucky will use the $12,123,531 in funding to implement key digital equity initiatives, including:  

The next four years of telecommunications policy will be unlike anything Wall Street and other stakeholders have ever seen, according to one long-time analyst and former Federal Communications Commission staff member who has seen his share of changes and administrations over the past three decades. “The questions for investors are, what does the President want to have happen, and then how does that get implemented? How do the governors react to that?” said Blair Levin, U.S. Policy and Regulatory Advisor, New Street Research.

According to data from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), there are now more than 400 public broadband networks in the US, serving over 700 communities. Moreover, several (but not all) communities have prevailed in recent years at changing existing state laws preventing the launch of public broadband networks, including most recently Colorado and Minnesota.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients outlined the priorities for President Biden’s final days in office. Zients said to expect, as part of Biden’s investing in America agenda, more action on high-speed internet funds to states, CHIPS and Science Act incentives funding and Inflation Reduction Act funding.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved and recommended for award an application from Rhode Island, allowing the state to request access to more than $4.5 million to implement its Digital Equity Plan. 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. Rhode Island will use the $4,540,059 in funding to implement key digital equity initiatives, including:  

Governor John Carney (D) and the Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) Delaware Broadband Office (DBO) proposed $17.4 million in competitive grant funding awards to two internet service providers to extend broadband service to more than 5,600 unserved and underserved homes and businesses throughout Delaware. Through an open and competitive process following two years of federal planning and approvals, DBO received a total of 21 proposals from five internet service providers to provide service to eight grant areas across the state.

The University of Hawaii Broadband Office (UHBO) is offering guidance for organizations putting together applications for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The applications are due on the last day of January. Hawaii was awarded $149 million in the program. There are eight RFPs, split between unserved/underserved locations and community anchor institutions.

The Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI) is taking a significant step toward bridging the digital divide by announcing the release of the draft Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) eligible location information to prepare internet service providers, communities and others interested in the program for the application period that will launch Jan. 9, 2025. Providing access to affordable high-speed internet will benefit more Michiganders with online learning, healthcare and economic opportunities.