Press Release

FOCUS Broadband announced that nearly 4,000 addresses in Chowan and Perquimans (NC) counties now have access to fiber optic high-speed internet with speeds of up to 5 Gbps, thanks to two North Carolina Department of Information Technology Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology Grants totaling $8 million. These grants, awarded to FOCUS Broadband in late 2022, have already connected over 1,200 homes and businesses. Work is currently underway with substantial progress having already been made on two additional projects in Chowan and Perquimans counties.

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Michigan High-Speed Internet Office is advancing efforts to extend broadband coverage to every home, business, and community anchor institution across Michigan with the announcement of the preliminary results of the first project application period for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.

FiberLight announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Metro Fiber Networks, a dedicated fiber provider serving carriers and public institutions in Richmond and Virginia Beach (VA). The transaction is expected to close in Q2 2025 once customary requirements have been met.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) shared a couple of important updates about the Digital Access for All Idahoans (DAAI) Plan. The ICfL did not receive full spending authority from the Idaho Legislature for the federally funded DAAI Plan in the upcoming fiscal year. This impacts the scope of projects and opportunities tied to the plan. Notably, the ICfL will not be allowed to open another round of monetary subgrants in fiscal year 2026. The ICfL does anticipate being able to award the initial round of subgrants that opened in fall 2024.

The Colorado Broadband Office released its 2024 Year in Review, providing progress updates on the goal of connecting 99 percent of Colorado households to high-speed internet. Some highlights include: 

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced more than $41 million in Completing Access to Broadband program projects to connect 11,816 households and businesses in 17 counties to high-speed internet. These projects will be funded by more than $29 million from the federal American Rescue Plan awarded by the North Carolina Department of Information Technology and nearly $12.5 million from the selected broadband providers. The CAB program’s procurement process creates a partnership between counties and NCDIT to identify areas that need access, solicit proposals from prequalified internet serv

The Vermont Community Broadband Board is inviting residents to attend the first regular Digital Empowerment Quarterly Meeting. It’s an opportunity to get an update on our work, share ideas, and ask questions. Vermont’s DE Plan is the way Vermont will make sure every resident has high-quality, accessible, affordable technology resources and knows how to use them. The virtual meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 16, 2:00-3:30.

US Ignite, in partnership with Signify, is excited to announce the launch of a pilot opportunity for communities across the United States to deploy and evaluate the transformative BrightSites technology.

Rep Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) reintroduced the Coastal Broadband Deployment Act, which would accelerate the deployment of broadband projects entirely within a floodplain.

Reps Scott Peters (D-CA) and Tim Walberg (R-MI) introduced the Proper Leadership to Align Networks for Broadband Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would require the Administration to develop and implement a national strategy to close the digital divide.  The PLAN for Broadband Act is based on a Government Accountability Office report that found federal broadband efforts are fragmented and overlapping.