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Round-Up for the Week of February 10-14, 2025

To close Montana’s digital divide, the Montana Broadband Office (MBO) created a Digital Opportunity Plan, which addresses broadband adoption barriers in four main areas: availability, service affordability, device access, and digital skills. To implement MBO's plans in each of these areas, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded the office over $6.9 million in Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program funding. MBO's key activities include:

• Upgrading facility access for the Montana School for the Deaf & Blind to support distance learning across Montana;
• Expanding the Last Mile Prison Coding and Web Development Program for the Montana Department of Corrections; and
• Connecting rural Montanans to workforce development and other essential services through the Montana Prosperity Portal.

Here is a look at MBO's full slate of planned activities, the timeline for executing its Digital Opportunity Plan, and the plan's alignment with other Montana priorities.

Implementation Timeline

Montana may pursue the following activities on a five-year timeline in order to align with the timeline laid out in the BEAD program. These key activities give Montana an opportunity to prioritize its initiatives, establish relationships with the ideal partners—including community anchor institutions (CAIs), state agencies, and ISPs—launch and refine pilot programs, and then scale its efforts to have the greatest impact across the state.

Broadband Availability Strategies

Strategies:

• Connect the unserved
• Upgrade the underserved
• Invest in community anchor institutions (CAIs)

Key activities:

• Determine priority un- and underserved locations: Q1 2024
• Select internet service provider (ISP) sub-grantees: Q2-Q4 2024
• Priority project deployment: Q4 2024-Q3 2027
• Remaining project deployment: Q3 2025-Q4 2029
• Monitor impact: Biquarterly, 2026-2029

Service Affordability Strategies

Strategy:

• Increase Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) uptake

Key activities:

• Select target ACP-eligible populations: Q1-Q3 2024
• Establish strategic partnerships: Q2 2024-Q2 2025
• Provide enrollment information and support: Q4 2024-Q4 2029
• Monitor impact: Biquarterly, 2026-2029

Strategy:

• Offer low-cost plans

Key activities:

• Define low-cost plans: Q1-Q2 2024
• Select sub-grantees to provide low-cost plans: Q2 2024-Q1 2025
• Monitor impact: Biquarterly, 2026-2029

Device Access Strategies

Strategies:

• Expand CAI and state agency device loans
• Increase CAI device access points

Key activities:

• Catalog existing loan and device access efforts: Q1-Q3 2024
• Identify locations for new programs: Q2 2024-Q3 2025
• Determine need for devices: Q2 2024-Q4 2025
• Bulk purchase devices: Q1 2026
• Provide equipment to CAIs: Q4 2025-Q4 2026
• Track impact: Biquarterly, 2026-2029
• Adjust device inventory as needed: 2026-2029

Strategies:

• Establish an adequate state device inventory

Key activities:

• Determine state agencies' device and software needs: Q1-Q3 2024
• Bulk purchase devices: Q1 2026
• Distribute devices: Q42025-Q4 2026
• Track impact: Biquarterly, 2026-2029
• Adjust device inventory as needed: 2026-2029

Digital Skills Strategies

Strategies:

• Develop digital skills curricula

Key activities:

• Catalog existing initiatives: Q1 2024-Q1 2025
• Identify additional training opportunities: Q2 2024-Q2 2025
• Collaborate with state agencies to develop curricula: Q3 2024-Q1 2026
• Administer trainings: ongoing
• Monitor impact: Biquarterly, 2026-2029

Strategies:

• Fund targeted training programs

Key activities:

• Determine priority covered populations: Q1-Q4 2024
• Partner with state agencies to design trainings: Q2 2024-Q2 2025
• Oversee training initiatives: Q3 2025-2029 and beyond
• Monitor impact: Biquarterly, 2026-2029

Alignment with State Priorities

To put these activities into context, MBO provides a summary of how the Digital Opportunity Plan’s goals are aligned with broader initiatives in the state of Montana.

Economic and workforce development

Come Home Montana

In 2021, Gov Gianforte (R-MT) announced Come Home Montana, a state-wide effort to encourage Montanans to take advantage of remote work opportunities and return home to Montana from other states. Affordable access to high-speed internet is essential to successfully working remotely, which was referenced in a statement from the governor’s office:

The allocation of funding for broadband expansion grants was later increased to $310 million during the 2023 legislative session. The implementation of both the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Five-Year Action Plan, Initial Proposal, and Digital Opportunity Plans will also create jobs to build and support broadband infrastructure and supporting programs, which may incentivize Montanans to return to live and work in the state, helping to fill labor gaps needed for broadband deployment and ongoing implementation.

Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program

Governor Gianforte has prioritized growing the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program, a key workforce development initiative that has greatly accelerated over the last year and currently has more participants than the previous three years combined. The program provides paid, on-the-job training that teaches specific and technical job skills unique to participating employers. Upon completion, participants are conferred a Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program completion certificate, which is recognized in all 50 states.

To continue expanding this program, the Montana Broadband Office may explore opportunities for students to participate in apprenticeships to learn how to deploy broadband infrastructure and provide ongoing technical support as high-speed internet is expanded throughout Montana in accordance with the BEAD Five-Year Action Plan and Digital Opportunity plans. This can fill labor gaps in the market and help Montanans take advantage of jobs that pay well in the state. To learn about and enroll in the program, students use an online portal, highlighting the importance of a digitally connected Montana.

Accelerate Montana

Using a skills-focused hiring process, Accelerate Montana helps organizations identify their hiring needs while offering them a pool of qualified candidates. The organization is partnering with employers to build programs based on their needs and the needs of their employees. This public-private partnership provides Rapid Training courses, which can be taken in person, online, or hybrid through various Montana colleges.

As the BEAD Five-Year Action Plan, Initial Proposal and Digital Opportunity plans are implemented, there may be opportunities for Accelerate Montana to provide rapid upskilling to residents interested in filling the labor gap created by the expansion of broadband infrastructure—particularly given the recent investment in upskilling Montanans for construction and infrastructure positions—and the administration of ongoing support. In addition, Accelerate Montana’s upskilling efforts could be used to build potential employees’ digital skills to broaden their job opportunities and increase their earning potential.

Montana Comeback Plan

In the wake of the pandemic, Governor Gianforte developed the Montana Comeback Plan to reenergize Montana’s economy. The Governor’s plan acknowledges the promise of the technology sector and the power of widespread, high-speed internet access. “The high-tech sector, which now exceeds $2 billion per year in revenue in Montana, is our fastest growing industry and creates jobs that pay double the state average.” The broadband infrastructure buildout and subsequent support and service detailed in the BEAD Five-Year Action Plan could create a considerable number of jobs for the state.

The Comeback Plan plainly states that bringing reliable broadband to all of Montana is a crucial, key priority for the state, as it’s “time we give rural Montana access to the same opportunities the rest of the state has. We have to bring reliable broadband to all our Montana communities. Deploying broadband to our rural areas is foundational for our new and evolving economy, whether it’s agriculture or high-tech.” As outlined clearly in the Montana Comeback Plan, many of the state’s overarching priorities—skilled workforce development and remote access to education, work, and healthcare—rely on the widespread availability of high-speed internet.

Education

Montana Board of Public Education Strategic Plan 2022-2023

The main objective of the State of Montana Board of Public Education’s Strategic Plan is to collaborate with the Montana Digital Academy, Montana’s statewide online program, to support instruction for students in partnership with public schools. The Montana Digital Academy allows students to access their classes from any place at any
time, greatly expanding learning opportunities and increasing “access to Advanced Placement and specialized elective courses, especially for our rural schools.”

The Digital Opportunity Plan’s priorities related to broadband and device availability and affordability, online accessibility and inclusivity, digital skills, and online privacy and cybersecurity will support the Academy’s agenda, broadening learning opportunities for Montana’s students.

Montana School for the Deaf and Blind education program

Many students who attend and use resources provided by the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB) sit at the intersection of two of the most vulnerable covered populations, residing in rural areas and living with disabilities like vision or hearing impairments. Access to the internet and specialized devices and software are essential for these students to learn and communicate, so lack of access and affordability are significant issues. MSDB’s program overview prioritizes the availability of “tools, such as amplification technology and communication strategies,” and “access to technology depending on individual student needs.”

The Digital Opportunity Plan’s goal to increase broadband and device availability and affordability will directly support MSDB’s education goals by enabling students to participate fully in their classes and by expanding the school’s ability to train additional instructors around the state to increase MSDB’s impact.

Montana Office of Public Instruction initiatives

Several Montana Office of Public Instruction’s (OPI) initiatives will be bolstered by the Digital Opportunity Plan, including increasing “family, student, and community engagement,” which could be made more robust via digital engagement. Additionally, OPI’s data modernization project aims to simplify and improve data systems to reduce the number of data systems and processes, automate workflow, increase security, enhance the user experience, and leverage enhanced analytics.

The state’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), career and technical education (CTE), and workforce development initiatives can also help address the labor gap in the state’s effort to build broadband infrastructure and provide necessary support services. By collaborating on programming, Montana can build a labor force with the skills needed to support these broadband efforts.

Health

Montana State Rural Health Plan

The Montana State Rural Health Plan stresses the importance of telehealth access and use in serving Montana’s largest covered population: rural individuals. The plan notes that “much of Montana remains in a broadband desert. In many of these areas, internet connections that are not sufficient to maintain a live video call are common.”

The goals of the Rural Health Plan include expanding telehealth for rural populations and veterans, encouraging providers and healthcare facilities to adopt and use telehealth, and increasing access to behavioral health telehealth services. To access the myriad benefits of telehealth, it will be critical to support rural Montanans in building digital skills. For those who have never used video teleconferencing services like Zoom before, attending a virtual doctor appointment may be challenging and daunting. Community anchor institutions (CAIs) could play a helpful role in supporting rural Montanans by providing digital skills-building classes.

Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is prioritizing the continued expansion of telehealth services for behavioral health, primary care, and other health-related needs and recognizes telehealth’s role in increasing access to timely, affordable, and effective health services.

Montana’s extensive frontier and low population density means that residents—particularly in rural areas and on tribal reservations—face considerable barriers to accessing medical care. These geographic challenges impede residents’ access to healthcare and to other essential services, including those offered by Child Protective Services (CPS) and the Office of Public Assistance (OPA). With adequate broadband and internet-capable devices, Montanans could access these services remotely, saving a great deal of time and resources, which could, in turn, encourage more frequent use. Further, given the sensitive nature of the information stored by and transferred to and from these agencies, the Digital Opportunity Plan’s online privacy and cybersecurity goals will be critical to keeping privileged information safe and secure.

Civic and social engagement

Secretary of State Biennium 2023-2025

Montana’s Secretary of State has made the deployment and use of ElectMT, an updated election system, a key priority ahead of the next wave of elections. ElectMT will allow voters to verify that their ballots are received by election offices during local elections, and the election reporting systems will be tied into each other. As voting is central to civic engagement, implementing this new system will further enfranchise Montana’s citizens.

The Digital Opportunity Plan’s goals related to online privacy and cybersecurity, as well as online accessibility and inclusivity, can help make ElectMT successful and scalable.

Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks goals

Fishing, hunting, and spending time outdoors are central tenets of life in Montana. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks has prioritized replacing its Automated Licensing System “to provide a comprehensive business and customer service portal for hunting, angling, and recreation opportunities.” Hunters and fishers rely on affordable and accessible broadband and devices to access this updated system.

One of Montana’s most prized assets is its pristine parks and outdoor attractions. As Montana’s tourism industry continues to grow, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks can use the internet to promote its many destinations, attracting tourists and their spending power to support the local economy.

Delivery of other essential services

Governor Gianforte’s Digital First Challenge

In July 2022, Governor Gianforte issued the Digital First Challenge to all of Montana’s state agencies to become 100 percent digitized and accessible to residents online. The Governor noted:

The Digital First Challenge will make services and resources available online for all Montanans, increasing accessibility, particularly to those who would otherwise travel long distances to access state services. Affordable, accessible high-speed internet will allow the state’s residents to take advantage of this impactful initiative.

Montana Department of Military Affairs

The Department of Military Affairs noted the importance and value of adequate broadband infrastructure and support as related to emergency and disaster relief in the state of Montana. During an interview conducted by the Montana Broadband Office, they noted that the lack of redundancies in the broadband infrastructure makes the state vulnerable before, during, and after disasters: “If one line goes down, everything is down.” The inability to communicate quickly with Montana residents puts the state at a disadvantage in conveying warnings ahead of natural disasters and providing emergency response in the wake of those disasters.

The Department, which also helps veterans access benefits, noted that veterans, who are often older, lack adequate technology in their homes and the digital skills necessary to access resources online.

The Digital Opportunity Plan’s initiatives related to expanding broadband availability and digital skills may offer noted benefits to several covered populations with whom the Department of Military Affairs often interfaces—veterans, individuals who live in rural areas, aging populations, and individuals living with disabilities.

Montana Department of Livestock goals and objectives

Livestock is at the center of Montana’s robust agriculture industry, and two of the Montana Department of Livestock’s key goals are keeping “the livestock industry and public informed of industry programs and issues through timely and accurate public information and education and managing the enforcement of brands.”

As the Department of Livestock notes, “starting with the time of the open range to the present, brands have been used as markings to identify livestock and have been a visual means of identification in showing ownership throughout history. Currently, 47,669 registered Montana Livestock Brands are maintained by the Brands Enforcement Division Brand Office.” Digitizing this vast brand catalog and allowing online brand registration would make the process easier and more accessible.

A Vision of Digital Opportunity

The Montana Broadband Office’s vision is to close the digital divide in support of Montana’s economic, workforce, health, and educational goals by ensuring reliable, affordable internet access for all Montanans. As part of its broadband strategy, Montana is developing programs and partnerships that address core factors impacting digital participation for Montanans. Searching for and responding to a job ad, communicating with a child’s teacher, and accessing government services are all examples of interactions that are easily executed online in communities with reliable and affordable broadband access.

Additional Coverage on Montana's Broadband Priorities

• Montana's Digital Opportunity Plan

• Montana's Data-Driven Affordability Plans

See the latest Montana broadband news

More in this Series

• When Will Nevada Implement Its Digital Equity Plan?
• Michigan Is on the Road to Closing the Digital Divide by 2030
• California Takes Steps Towards Digital Equity
• Digital Equity Funding Boosts Innovative Connectivity in Indiana
• Connecting Georgians with Digital Equity Capacity Funds
• Digital Equity Capacity in New Mexico
• Every Connecticuter Connected With Capacity Funds
• Securing Minnesota's Future with Digital Equity Capacity Funds
• ConnectingALL with Digital Equity Capacity Grant in New York
• Linking Alabama to Broadband With a Digital Equity Capacity Grant
• West Virginia's Digital Equity Timeline

Quick Bits

• Sens Hickenlooper, Capito, Peters, Moran Reintroduce Bill to Boost Broadband Supply Chain
• Supreme Court Will Hear Universal Service Case on March 26
• Some Republican senators are concerned about a pause to BEAD
• US and UK refuse to sign summit declaration on AI

Weekend Reads

• Easing the Burden on Schools: Integrating the Five EdTech Quality Indicators Into State Procurement Processes
• Fiber Anchors Sustained Economic Development in Charlottesville, Virginia

ICYMI from Benton

• The Broadband Priorities of House Communications Subcommittee Republicans
• Seattle’s Equity-Based Approach to Digital Inclusion
• The Kūpuna Collective: A Public Health Coalition Advancing Digital Equity
• Black Churches 4 Digital Equity: Community Anchors and Committed Advocates

Upcoming Events

Feb 19––America Offline? How Spectrum Auction Delays Give China the Edge and Cost Us Jobs (Senate Commerce Committee)

Feb 20––Municipal Broadband and Innovative Financing Models: Unlocking Economic Growth (ILSR)

Feb 25––The Attention Economy: Monopolizing Kids’ Time Online (FTC)

Feb 27––February 2025 Open Federal Communications Commission Meeting (FCC)

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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