Press Release

Public Knowledge announced two additions and one change to its team. Public Knowledge welcomed Cedric Watkins, Government Affairs Policy Advocate, and Will McBride, Digital Content Manager.

The Benton Institute for Broadband and Society introduced its inaugural Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellows. The six broadband practitioners, advocates, and researchers are leading efforts to close the digital divide and realize a stronger, more equitable, and more just America.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of $20 million to deliver broadband technical assistance resources for rural communities and to support the development and expansion of broadband cooperatives. USDA is offering funding under the new Broadband Technical Assistance Program.

Business Oregon announces its contract with Columbia Telecommunications Corporation, dba CTC Technology, and Energy, as the planning consultant for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and Digital Equity (DE) programs for the Oregon Broadband Office (OBO). Together, CTC and OBO staff, with input from the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council and stakeholders, will develop plans to make the internet accessible, affordable, and reliable via high-speed broadband for all Oregonians. This is a critical moment in the history of telecommunications in the state of Oregon.

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) awarded grants under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) ‘Internet for All’ Initiative, including the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Workforce Planning Program and Digital Equity Outreach Program.

Treasury approved $540.2 million for high-speed internet projects in California under the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund (CPF)—the largest single-infusion of broadband funding to a state under CPF. California will use its funding to connect approximately 127,000 homes and businesses to affordable, high-speed internet. California’s Last Mile Broadband Expansion grant program is a new competitive grant program designed to provide internet access to areas of the state currently lacking access to reliable broadband at speeds of 25/3 Mbps.

UTOPIA Fiber,  America’s largest open access fiber network, built more than 4,387 miles of fiber-optic infrastructure in 2022 throughout Utah, Idaho, and Montana. This impressive feat was accomplished facing fierce headwinds from supply chain constraints and labor market shortages. Additionally, UTOPIA Fiber inked the deal to provide residential services to its 20^th Utah city, while also completing fiber buildouts in 14 cities, including UTOPIA’s 11 original cities.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch (R-IN) and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced more Hoosiers will gain access to high-speed broadband as a result of $842,865 awarded in the fifth round of the Indiana Connectivity Program (ICP).

The Federal Communications Commission is committing over $2.5 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country.

Consolidated Communications will bring Fidium fiber internet to 22,000 rural Maine homes and businesses as part of the Connect Maine Partnership, supported by a $18.3 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). This project will bolster Consolidated’s ongoing work to build fiber-to-the-premises broadband networks to more than 70% of the Company’s service area by 2025.