African Americans 50-plus are increasingly more comfortable using technology and continue to spend above pre-pandemic levels on tech devices they use daily. Nonetheless, their ownership and use of technology have remained constant from 2020, and so has their desire to connect with others and learn new skills.
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced it has awarded two additional grants as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. These grants, totaling nearly $1 million, are being awarded to Pinoleville Pomo Nation (CA) and the Ketchikan Indian Community (AK). These grants will fund broadband use and adoption projects to improve healthcare, workforce development, education, housing, and social services in these communities.
The Office of US Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) hosted Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque for a roundtable discussion with the Connect New Mexico Council on investments for broadband and telecommunications made possible by the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Senator Luján fought to expand the Affordable Connectivity Benefit which makes broadband more affordable for 785,000 New Mexicans, in addition to at least $100 million that New Mexico is expected to receive for broadband buildout.
The Federal Communications Commission released a Notice of Inquiry seeking comment on steps that the FCC should take to protect the nation's communications network from vulnerabilities posed by the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP). The Department of Homeland Security warned US organizations at all levels that they could face cyber threats stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The proposal would begin an inquiry into the vulnerabilities of the Internet’s global routing system.
The metaverse offers opportunities for service providers but will require network advances, according to Meta, formerly Facebook. The company said the metaverse “calls for vast enhancements in capacity and fundamental shifts in how networks are architected and deployed, as well as industry-wide collaboration – from tech companies to mobile operators, service providers, policymakers, and more.” Meta sees three key requirements for the networks required to support the metaverse, including:
Rural LISC launched a new tool developed in collaboration with Heartland Forward that maps 2021 enrollment in the Federal Communications Commission’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program and helps target enrollment efforts for the new Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) that replaced EBB at the end of 2021.
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