The city of Bountiful, Utah, with a population of around 45,000, plans to begin construction of a new municipal broadband network in August 2023. Bountiful has partnered with Utopia Fiber to install and operate the open-access network. The city-owned fiber network will provide gigabit speeds to residents and businesses who elect to participate.
Three years since the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) first introduced the “digital navigator” model. The first NDIA Digital Navigator Working Group met in April 2020 and worked quickly, with the pandemic and lockdown fueling the urgency to solve digital inequities.
The Federal Communications Commission adopted the Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) program as a voluntary path for supporting the widespread deployment of 100/20 Mbps broadband service throughout the rural areas served by carriers currently receiving A-CAM support and in areas served by legacy rate-of-return support recipients. In adopting this program, the FCC promotes the universal availability of voice and broadband networks, while also taking measures to minimize the burden on the nation’s ratepayers.
With the enactment of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), we finally have the resources and direction to enable us to achieve universal connectivity. Yet, success is not assured. We now need to turn our attention to execution, making sure we invest these enormous resources in infrastructure that will connect communities for decades to come.
The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau announced a number of senior staff appointments:
The Federal Communications Commission's Space Bureau announced its senior leadership team:
The Federal Communications Commission announced the leadership team of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB). The WTB plays a key role in promoting the deployment of innovative spectrum-based services across the country, as it develops, recommends, and administers the policy and licensing programs relating to terrestrial wireless communications, including mobile broadband, fixed access, private wireless, and personal radio services. Chief Taubenblatt announced the Bureau leadership team, which is made up of both long-time WTB staff members and new additions. The team includes:
The Federal Communication Commission updated minimum service standards for Lifeline-supported services. This standard will continue until December 1, 2024. Additionally, the FCC announced that the budget for federal universal service support for the Lifeline program for calendar year 2024 will be $2,778,691,284.
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