The Nevada Governor's Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT) is accepting public comment this month on its draft Digital Equity Plan, the state's first statewide-level attempt to eradicate the digital divide. For broadband internet subscriptions, Nevada is slightly above the national rate. According to the 2021 American Community Survey, over 87 percent of Nevadans have a broadband internet subscription and nearly 94 percent of households have a desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet, or other portable wireless computer. OSIT has identified six priorities that will guide its digital equity work over the next five years:

1. Broadband Infrastructure Deployment: Deploy modern, scalable broadband infrastructure to underserved and underserved residential, business, and community anchor locations so that all Nevadans have access to affordable, reliable and scalable high-speed internet access with minimum speeds of 100/20 Mbps scaling beyond 100/100 Mbps.
2. Adoption: More Nevadans have a home internet subscription and use the internet for dedication, healthcare, workforce development, work, civic engagement, business, and keeping in touch with family and friends.
3. Affordability: Provide resources and execute strategies that help more Nevadans afford the internet.
4. Device Access: Provide Nevadans the opportunity to access affordable, quality connected devices.
5. Digital Literacy: Provide Nevadans access to opportunities to increase their digital skills, including cybersecurity, and access to the technology support needed to use the internet and a connected device.
6. Awareness and Sustainability: Ensure that leaders across Nevada understand what digital equity is, the challenge of the digital divide, and funding and capacity is in place long-term to close it.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced her plan to restore the agency’s rightful authority to protect internet users. To undermine this effort, the industry has cranked up its Title II myth machine. Free Press is duty-bound to debunk these industry lies as we have an untold number of times in the past. So let’s set the record straight:

• Myth #1: Title II is ‘heavy-handed internet regulation.’
• Myth #2: Title II rules are a ‘solution in search of a problem.’
• Myth #3: The Biden FCC should be focusing on ‘real problems,’ such as obstacles to broadband deployment and accessibility.
• Myth #4: The FCC’s Obama-era Open Internet Order hampered capital investments, delaying new broadband deployment and innovation.
• Myth #5: Net Neutrality is a ‘hyper-partisan, politicized’ issue.
• Myth #6: The FCC lacks statutory authority over broadband-internet access; reinstating Title II is pointless because it won’t survive judicial review.
• Myth #7: It’s been nearly six years since the Trump FCC repealed the Open Internet Order and nothing bad has happened.

Mobile communications company Ligado Networks sued the U.S. Departments of Defense and Commerce for unlawful taking of Ligado’s constitutionally protected, exclusively licensed spectrum without compensation. Backed by a multiyear misinformation and disparagement campaign against Ligado to conceal these activities, the U.S. government misappropriated Ligado’s exclusively licensed spectrum to support previously undisclosed Defense Department systems that have been using Ligado’s spectrum without permission. The Defense Department’s unauthorized actions, supported by the Commerce Department and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, have blocked the company from developing its allocated spectrum for terrestrial 5G services. The Federal Communications Commission exclusively granted the company rights to use this spectrum after a comprehensive, multiyear regulatory review process. In good faith reliance on the FCC’s order, Ligado raised and invested billions of dollars to prepare its spectrum to support next-generation terrestrial 5G services. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims against the United States, the Defense Department, the Commerce Department, and NTIA, seeks just compensation for the government’s physical, categorical, regulatory and legislative takings of Ligado’s property.

The Federal Communications Commission announced an extension of the term of the current Native Nations Communications Task Force until the end of 2023. The current term—which was set to expire on October 24, 2023—will now expire on December 31, 2023. The FCC is also seeking applications for membership to serve on a renewed Task Force to start at the beginning of 2024. Applications should be submitted in accordance with the procedures outlined here. Incumbent Task Force members may recommit to the Task Force rather than submit a new nomination. The FCC intends to establish the renewed Task Force term for a period of three years, with an expected start date of January 1, 2024.