NTIA approves Montana’s digital equity plan

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration approved Montana’s plan to expand digital access, skills and affordability as part of the federal $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act. Montana’s Digital Opportunity Plan listed barriers to digital access, which include broadband availability, service affordability, device access, and digital skills—with access and affordability being the top two. The plan is intended to serve as a guide for the state’s efforts to narrow the digital divide. Montana ranks lowest in the country in internet access, with rural communities struggling with access the most. The state created the plan using just more than $600,000 from the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, according to the NTIA. The Department of Administration drafted the Digital Opportunity Plan in tandem with the BEAD Five Year Action Plan—which the state submitted along with initial proposals to access $629 million in federal funds to deploy high-speed fiber in unserved communities across the state.