October 2022

Virginia Taps Electric Companies to Help Expand Rural Broadband Access

Investor-owned utilities—usually large, publicly traded electricity providers that are regulated by state public utility commissions—can have a major impact in delivering broadband to rural communities and other underserved areas by allowing broadband providers to leverage existing utility infrastructure for new high-speed internet connections. Virginia is one of the first states to employ this strategy through its Utility Leverage Program, which aligns the state’s broadband goals with efforts to modernize its electrical infrastructure to successfully expand broadband service into areas tha

Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Hits More Than $1 Billion Awarded for High-Speed Internet Projects

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has awarded 23 grants as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP). These new grants, totaling more than $601.6 million, bring the total of the program to $1.35 billion awarded to 94 Tribal entities.

Airlines start asking for permanent changes to C-band 5G

The airline industry has begun petitioning the Federal Communications Commission to make permanent changes to the operation of some 5G networks around airports. At the heart of the issue are 5G transmissions near airports in the C-band spectrum.

Louisiana rejects Sparklight protest of Conexon's broadband grant

Louisiana officials have rejected a protest from Cable One's Sparklight which aimed to stop the state from awarding a $4 million grant to Conexon to build fiber broadband to 851 locations in East Carroll Parish (LA). Conexon was one of several service providers to receive broadband infrastructure grants through Louisiana's Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities (GUMBO) program as part of a $130 million funding round.