On April 4 the American Enterprise Institute hosted a discussion on how states can best use the $65 billion for broadband build-out apportioned by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai was joined by Sen.
The Technological Advisory Council (TAC), comprised of a diverse group of leading technology experts, provides technical expertise to the Commission to identify important areas of innovation and develop informed technology policies supporting the United States’ competitiveness in the global economy. The TAC will consider and advise the Commission on topics such as 6G, artificial intelligence, advanced spectrum sharing technologies, and emerging wireless technologies, including new tools to restore Internet access during shutdowns and other disruptions.
NorthState and Orange County have announced a public-private partnership to bring ultra-high-speed fiber internet service to approximately 28,000 homes and businesses in Orange County (NC) including nearly 10,000 locations that currently have little or no internet service. The project, one of the largest fiber infrastructure public-private partnerships in North Carolina’s history, is made possible by significant investments from both NorthState and Orange County. The Orange County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on approval on April 26.
The Ohio Connectivity Champions (OCC) partnered with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) to help deploy free internet service to more than 6,000 district households during the 2021-2022 school year ensuring online access to health, employment, school, skill improvement, and the economy. In September 2021, CMSD was awarded approximately $12 million from the Emergency Connectivity Fund (now the Affordable Connectivity Program), a federal $7.17 billion program that helps schools and libraries provide the tools and services needed for remote learning during the pandemic.
In her first National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show appearance since her designation as Federal Communications Commission Chair, Jessica Rosenworcel conceded that the introduction of a fifth commissioner would solve the agency’s current 2-to-2 political gridlock, but she’s not losing any sleep over it. “We’ve got to figure out how to work together, or we don’t get anything done,” she told NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt.
NRECA is forming a new broadband tier of services to help electric cooperatives navigate the challenges of deploying broadband in the communities they serve. The broadband tier “is in response to the telecommunications needs of a significant and growing number of our members,” NRECA CEO Jim Matheson said. “NRECA’s mission is to be an advocate for quality of life in the diverse communities our members serve.
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