August 2023

LICT Gets Set to Spin Off Michigan Broadband

LICT, a publicly-held company with several rural service provider subsidiaries, plans to spin off one of those subsidiaries into a separately traded entity. The subsidiary, currently known as Michigan Broadband, will be known as MachTen after the spinoff, which is expected to occur on August 14, 2023. The separation will make LICT and MachTen completely independent, publicly traded companies.

Charter Launches Free Tuition Program For All Full-Time Employees

Charter Communications will cover 100% of tuition costs for full-time employees pursuing select degrees and certificates through the new Charter Education Benefit powered by Guild.

LinkNYC is a Privacy Disaster. Here's Why

From its inception, LinkNYC – the public WiFi kiosks that are run by a consortium of companies including Google subsidiary Sidewalk Labs – has always posed a threat to privacy. But after nine years of operation and a recent audit, it’s fair to say LinkNYC represents a barely mitigated privacy disaster.

NYC expands city broadband to additional public housing sites

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to expand the city’s Big Apple Connect program — offering free broadband and basic cable to an additional 17 public housing developments in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. The Big Apple Connect program, which Mayor Adams launched September 2022, had enrolled 100,000 households by last March 2023, with a 75% adoption rate across eligible housing developments

State of Ohio Initial Proposal, Volume I Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

BroadbandOhio has drafted Volume 1 of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal including: identification of existing broadband efforts, existing unserved and underserved locations, and community anchor institutions as well its detailed challenge process plan.

Underline's affordable fiber program challenges incumbents

Fiber network provider Underline Infrastructure launched its Opportunity Program to provide low-cost, high-tier internet service for households that qualify for the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). “If a family qualifies for the ACP—and we're honored to serve them—we will serve up no less of a performance or a service tier than what a 'paying family' would receive,” Thompson said.

The Affordable Connectivity Program: Additional Funding from Congress is Needed Before Year End 2023

There is a rising tide of support for Congress to provide permanent funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) — a program that currently ensures that over 19.5 million low-income families can purchase broadband service, which is critical for accessing job, education, and health information and is an absolute necessity to participate in today’s economy and society. The ACP is expected to exhaust its funding in t

Tri-Caucus Chairs Urge Biden-Harris Administration to Replenish Funding for Affordable Connectivity Program to Bridge Digital Divide

The Chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus wrote to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to urge quick action to replenish one of the Biden-Harris Administration’s signature initiatives – the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)—created in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Biden-Harris Administration has consistently led on internet access and affordability issues and has done more to close the digital divide than its predecessors.