Internet/Broadband

On June 5, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed into law HB1221, subjecting rural electric cooperatives to pole attachment regulation by the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) if they provide broadband service. Specifically, the law mandates that if an electric cooperative provides broadband service “directly, through an affiliate, or pursuant to an agreement with a third party,” or if the cooperative accepts state or federal funding to expand broadband service to unserved areas in Florida, then the cooperati

Texas lawmakers passed a momentous bill that allocates $1.5 billion to expand internet availability across the state through the new Broadband Infrastructure Fund. If approved by voters in November, that money will be added to an undetermined amount of federal dollars the state will receive. That allocation is slated to be announced by June 30.

For many months, states have raced to add locations to the Federal Communications Commission's National Broadband Map, trying to maximize their allocation of broadband funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). But in a few short weeks, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration will allocate funding and then my prediction is we’ll never hear about “missing locations” again.

The Thompson Scholars Foundation is based in the Town Branch neighborhood of Manchester, Kentucky. We provide wraparound after-school academic enrichment to historically underserved populations in Clay County in the Appalachian region of southeast Kentucky, one of the areas in the United States hardest hit by poverty. Our work with disadvantaged students has also meant a focus on digital equity because bridging the digital divide is essential to our community’s future. Our programming promotes diversity and inclusion.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted the following resolutions:

The

The Washington Island Electric Cooperative (WIEC) hosted Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) at a meeting that included Quantum Technologies, an industry leader in advanced communications and network solutions. The meeting followed a $2.5 million state grant announcement aimed at expanding the fiber optic network project on Washington Island. Quantum Technologies Network Specialist Clinton Tripplet performed live demonstration of fusion splicing, an essential technique in modern fiber optic networks.

The world is facing a pressing need for a skilled workforce that can meet the demands of the 21st-century century economy. That’s where workforce development comes in. Louisiana's broadband office is the Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, or ConnectLA.

Evidence of political, psychological, medical, and cultural harms associated with social media continues to mount, particularly in light of the many revelations contained within the documents and testimony shared by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. In many countries, efforts to impose regulatory safeguards related to the social responsibilities of these platforms are underway. In the US, however, we have seen relatively little consequential action at the federal level beyond ongoing antitrust inquiries, a continuing array of congressional hearings, and a series of bills that show few

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology the Rt Hon Chloe Smith MP issued a joint statement yesterday on the announcement that both countries have committed in principle to establish a data bridge. This announcement represents the UK’s intent to establish a data bridge for the UK Extension to the U.S.-EU Data Privacy Framework, subject to the UK’s data bridge assessment and further technical work being finalized, and dependent on the U.S. designation of the UK as a qualifying state under Executive Order 14086.