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A new report from Reviews.org shows that Rhode Island is the best state for fiber availability, with the technology available to 80.19% of households. Conversely, the worst state is Alaska, with the technology available to only 9.18% of households. The information is based on data contained in the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map. The report also notes that 46% of American homes have access to fiber, compared to 82% that have access to cable internet.

The United States Department of Agriculture released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Community Connect Grant Program for fiscal year 2025. The USDA’s Rural Utilities Service estimates that approximately $26 million in grants will be available to eligible applicants this year. The Community Connect Grant Program offers financial support to qualified applicants that will deliver broadband services at or above the grant’s specified speed to all premises in rural, economically challenged communities that lack internet access.

Stephen Cox was enjoying retirement in Florida when the opportunity to become Indiana’s broadband director arose. Like Michael Jordan, Cox is back better than ever after his initial retirement. Unlike Michael Jordan, he did not have big shoes to fill—when he came back to Indiana, the state broadband office was just Cox and one other person. Cox said the $868 million Indiana received for their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program broadband expansion is “right in the ballpark” of what the state wanted.

To date, telecommunications networks using light to transmit data relied on fiber to carry and direct that light. X—a division of Google, not the social media platform—says that the next iteration of its Taara chip harnesses the light without the need for fiber. The post says that Taara transmits at speeds of 20 Gbps up to a distance of 20 kilometers. The connection is made when beams of light from two units create a link. To date, the system—and the current chip, called Lightbridge—relies upon a system of mirrors, sensors, precision optics, and smart software to create the links.

Three states have provided updates in the long process of granting funds under the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. 

The Missouri Office of Broadband Development announced that the year’s first round of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funding is closed. During this initial round, OBD received a total of 519 applications, which would bring broadband to more than 192,000 of the state’s residents and businesses. OBD said this represents 90 percent of the locations eligible for the funding. Nearly $4 million in funding was requested. The next step will be for OBD to review those applications.

Internet service provider 360 Broadband will expand and upgrade internet access in Fannin County (TX) with the help of a $52 million award from the Texas Broadband Development Office’s Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas (BOOT) II Program. The grant will fund part of a $65 million project to bring high-speed fiber internet service to the region, transforming connectivity for residents, businesses, and community institutions.