April 2023

The Department of the Treasury approved $115.5 million for high-speed internet projects in Hawaii under the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund. The state will invest $101.7 million of the award in the Hawaii Subsea Middle Mile Program designed to address the unique subsea cable infrastructure that’s needed to provide connectivity between the islands to ensure they have reliable, high-speed internet access.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo appointed Chief Richard Carrizzo to serve as Board Chair of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority). Carrizzo is the Fire Chief for the Southern Platte Fire Protection District in Missouri who was first appointed to the FirstNet Authority Board in 2018 and reappointed in 2021, serving as the Board Vice Chair and the Advocacy Committee Chair. He succeeds Mayor Stephen Benjamin, who resigned as Board Chair effective March 31, 2023, to assume a position in the White House.

Comcast reported results for the quarter ended March 31, 2023. The company reported that its domestic broadband average rate per customer increased by 4.5%, driving domestic broadband revenue growth of 4.8% to $6.3 billion. Total domestic broadband customer net additions were 5,000, total domestic wireless line net additions were 355,000, and total domestic video customer net losses were 614,000. Residential connectivity revenue increased, driven by domestic broadband, domestic wireless, and international connectivity revenue growth.