US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3.2 million grant to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Towaoc (CO) to construct broadband infrastructure. The project will provide high-speed internet service connecting the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation and the city of Towaoc to the city of Cortez, increasing access to distance learning and telemedicine, supporting public safety, and allowing for business and entrepreneurial growth across the reservation and region. This EDA investment is expected to create 33 jobs and generate $550,000 in private investment. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Organization. EDA funds the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Organization to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.

Living here in many tribal and rural parts of Washington state, even on the fringes of cities including Seattle, Spokane and Leavenworth, means it’s often difficult or impossible to connect to the online world. When the pandemic largely turned the online world into the world for many urbanites, hundreds of thousands of people in Washington were shut out. The federal government has spent billions trying to solve the digital divide — a project many say is as big and necessary as it once was to get electricity into every home — and is on the verge of spending more than ever. Congress last month approved $65 billion for expanding broadband in its massive infrastructure bill. Of that, $2 billion is reserved for Tribal lands — where only 65 percent of residents had broadband access as of 2019, according to the US Department of Interior — on top of $1 billion allocated earlier this year. Separately, the state Broadband Office is about to start giving out grants using money already allocated by the Legislature. Many are seizing the moment, but whether all the cash coming down the pike will be put to good use is another matter.

Leading telecommunications and aviation trade groups have agreed to share data in an effort to resolve a tense standoff over a new 5G service that threatens to disrupt flights. The groups said in a joint statement that they would exchange “available data from all parties to identify the specific areas of concern for aviation.” The statement was issued by CTIA, which represents the cellular industry, Aerospace Industries Association and Airlines for America. “Our belief is that by working collaboratively in good faith on a data-driven solution, we can achieve our shared goal of deploying 5G while preserving aviation safety,” the industry groups said. The Federal Communications Commission had been sharing some proprietary data with the Federal Aviation Administration, but the statement appears to be a step forward allowing more analysis of whether the placement of mobile-phone towers and signal power levels will cause interference on aircraft equipment. “The FCC continues to work productively with the FAA to ensure the safe and swift deployment of new technologies,” said an FCC spokesperson. “We remain optimistic that we will resolve outstanding issues.”

As technology's role in American life increases, people on both sides of today's political divide have grown wary of its influence. A majority of respondents to a survey by Axios and the Illinois Institute of Technology expressed concern about the use of artificial intelligence, the reach of algorithms, the state of their online privacy, the size of tech firms and dependence on smartphones. Three-quarters of those polled said tech companies are too big (80 percent of liberals and 83 percent of conservatives). A smaller 53 percent of respondents said the government should be responsible for ensuring competition and more choices in online services. On the issue of privacy, most poll respondents (78 percent) said they feel they are targeted in online ads based on their web activity. And 50 percent said they think they're targeted for online ads based on their offline conversations.