Thursday, May 9, 2024
Headlines Daily Digest
Could It Be Me? Should It Be Me? Understanding What Makes Broadband Champions
Don't Miss:
The Affordable Connectivity Program Has a Lifeline in the Senate
The Rural Revolution is Coming as Generative AI Drives Hyperscale Data Centers
Webinar: What Makes Broadband Champions: Lessons from Michigan
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There’s a new plan to revive the Affordable Connectivity Program, a pandemic-era initiative that provides low-income households in the US with discounts on high-speed internet access. A bipartisan group of senators, led by Sen Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) have proposed using a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization measure as a vehicle for funding the ACP and other telecom programs for a combined $6 billion. The coalition includes Sens J.D. Vance (R-OH), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Roger Wicker (R-MS). The measure also includes a provision for the Federal Communication Commission’s “rip and replace program,” which refunds US telecom providers for removing equipment from Chinese manufacturers including Huawei and ZTE from their networks and replacing it with less-risky tech. In early May, the FCC asked Congress for around $2 billion to help bolster the program, which has faced a shortfall.
Generative AI is set to be a game-changer for the hyperscale data center landscape, prompting companies to build in new areas and benefiting rural America in the process. Data center companies have historically built hubs in urban areas for access to power and water, deeply integrated fiber networks, and proximity to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. However, the processing dynamics of generative AI and the enormous power requirements of AI models are turning that model on its head. Data center operators recognize that moving gigabits of data is easier than moving electrons and are locating where land is available and the path to meet their power needs is clear. Initially they are targeting secondary markets in areas of Ohio, Mississippi, Utah and other states. Over time, we expect new data centers will be built outside of secondary markets and deeper into rural America.
$3.3 Billion Investment in Racine, Wisconsin, and How Biden’s Investing in America Agenda is Driving Economic Comebacks in Communities Across the Country
On land left vacant by Foxconn’s failed investment in Racine County (WI), Microsoft will invest $3.3 billion in a new datacenter. Microsoft is committed to creating good-paying jobs with growth pathways and comprehensive benefits such as paid family leave. Microsoft will pair its datacenter investment with a commitment to investing in innovation and workforce in Racine and statewide. Microsoft will partner with Gateway Technical College to develop a Datacenter Academy that trains 1,000 Wisconsinites for datacenter and STEM roles by 2030, and will employ up to 2,000 people in permanent roles at its Racine facility. And, Microsoft will build a Co-Innovation Lab in southeast Wisconsin, as well as team up with the startup accelerator Gener8tor to train 1,000 business leaders to adopt AI in their operations, so that Wisconsin manufacturers can seize AI’s promise. Together, these investments will position the industrial heartland to lead the way in industries of the future.
Wireless Infrastructure Association Partners with HBCUs to Connect Minority Communities with Careers in Broadband
As a national leader in developing the broadband workforce, the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) is proud to announce it has launched a new Connecting Minority Communities Apprenticeship Consortium (CMCAC) with three HBCUs: Central State University, Tennessee State University, and Virginia State University. Apprenticeships are a proven model for building a diverse and highly skilled workforce to meet the demands of broadband and 5G buildout. WIA established CMCAC with its HBCU partners to sustain and expand workforce partnerships between industry, education, and government with the goal of creating and promoting accessible apprenticeship opportunities that allow the students HBCUs serve to earn while they learn. CMCAC members are committed to these focus areas:
- Accelerate and strengthen the HBCUs’ capacity to develop and maintain sustainable apprenticeship programs for students, alumni, and surrounding communities.
- Establish an apprenticeship development process of shared resources within the CMCAC network members to enable universities and the region to produce more highly qualified apprentices for high paying jobs in broadband.
- Strengthen apprenticeship awareness within all academic departments and programs involving STEM and increase the number of STEM health sciences, business, and other students interested in apprenticeships within the broadband industry and government sectors.
- Increase the number of apprenticeship placements each year and the number of industry partnerships where demand exceeds available qualified labor sources.
- Collect and share information and resources across institutional boundaries.
Benton (www.benton.org) provides the only free, reliable, and non-partisan daily digest that curates and distributes news related to universal broadband, while connecting communications, democracy, and public interest issues. Posted Monday through Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments, policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are factually accurate, their sometimes informal tone may not always represent the tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang (headlines AT benton DOT org), Grace Tepper (grace AT benton DOT org), and Zoe Walker (zwalker AT benton DOT org) — we welcome your comments.
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Kevin Taglang
Executive Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Institute
for Broadband & Society
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