State

Oregon’s Broadband Deployment Program Announces Notices of Intent to Award $133 Million to Bring High-Speed, Reliable Broadband Internet to Thousands by 2026

The Oregon Broadband Office is excited to announce it has issued Notices of Intent to Award $132,917,084 through the Office’s Broadband Deployment Program (BDP), part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (CPF).

Superior Court Judge Says Cox’s Lawsuit Against Commerce Is a Federal Issue

Superior Court Judge Brian Stern issued a decision dismissing Cox Communication’s lawsuit against Rhode Island Commerce Corporation. Stern says this is a matter that should be pursued in federal court.

Biden-Harris Administration Awards $72 Million to Expand Internet Access and Digital Literacy for Native Hawaiians

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) more than $72 million from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program to expand high-speed Internet access and adoption in Native Hawaiian households. The nearly $3 billion Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All Initiative.

The ABCs of Affordability in Alabama

A key challenge to achieving universal broadband adoption in Alabama is that low-income households struggle to afford broadband services and devices with adequate technical support. Among Alabama residents who do not have internet service at home, 42.6 percent report that a primary reason they do not pay for broadband at home is an inability to afford service.

Arkansas State Broadband Director Aims for Competitive, Business-Friendly Market

“We have worked really hard within the confines we’ve been given to create one of the most competitive, free-market-based, business-friendly (or business-encouraging) types of programs,” said Arkansas broadband director Glen Howie. Howie said Arkansas’ broadband funding program is flexibly designed, allowing providers to use census block groups (CBGs) to align their project footprints, while accounting for their financial modeling. Before Howie joined the Arkansas State Broadband Office, providers were able to draw their own project footprints and submit their designs to the state.

Drawing a BEAD: US states ramp up plans to expand broadband access

Decades after the internet’s debut, millions of Americans still lack access to high-speed broadband service. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) provides $42.45 billion in federal funding to expand high-speed internet service across the country.

The New Administration and BEAD

I’ve been peppered with questions about the impact of the change of administration on the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant program. I don’t have any better crystal ball than anybody else. But it’s not hard to speculate on the kinds of changes that might come. Some possible paths for BEAD:

California Awards $157 Million in Grants for Broadband Projects Across the State

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved $157 million in the eighth round of grants for last-mile broadband projects as part of the $2 billion Last Mile Federal Funding Account grant program, which expands broadband internet access for underserved and unserved communities across California.

Veterans and Digital Equity

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act identifies Veterans as one of eight “covered populations” and encourages states to research and address the barriers Veterans face in accessing, adopting, and benefiting from internet access and other digital technologies. States’ digital equity plans acknowledge the common challenges facing Veterans and other covered populations while also developing strategies to address the unique needs of Veterans.

Tennessee Announces 40 Communities to Receive Community Development Block Grants

Tennessee Gov Bill Lee (R-TN) and Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter approved $26.6 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which will assist communities with infrastructure improvements and health and safety initiatives. “Forty new communities are increasing the quality of life for Tennesseans through these crucial infrastructure grants, and I look forward to seeing the benefit and economic growth this funding brings to their regions.” said Gov Lee.