Kansas

A major broadband provider and a coalition of smaller developers complained about lack of transparency at the Kansas Department of Commerce in awarding millions of dollars in state and federal funding to upgrade internet service in underserved areas of the state. Concerns about the Department of Commerce’s grant-making process were shared with the Kansas Senate’s budget committee by a Cox Communications lobbyist and the executive director of Communications Coalition of Kansas, which represents locally owned rural internet companies and cooperatives. Megan Bottenberg, a lobbyist with Cox Com

Brightspeed says that it has received $238 million in local, state, and federal grants and funds. The money, the company says, will expand the number of addresses passed by planned projects by 121,000 in 14 states. Brightspeed, which is based in North Carolina, says that it will continue to pursue state and federal grants. The funding:

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has recommended for award more than $250 million to 24 organizations to support digital skills and inclusion projects in communities across the country. The funding will support 24 projects across 39 states and territories. Awards will be issued following budget review and processing. 

Governor Laura Kelly announced that the Kansas Office of Broadband Development will begin accepting applications on Feb. 3, 2025, for funding from the National Telecommunications Information and Administration (NTIA) Digital Equity Capacity Grant program. There will be a total of $8.2 million available in funding. The program promotes partnerships to enhance digital opportunity efforts and expand workforce skills, education, and other resources. While applicants are encouraged to develop new and innovative strategies, the program targets projects in the following areas:

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced that applications will open Thursday, Dec. 12, for a second round of the Advancing Digital Opportunities to Promote Technology (ADOPT) program. The program will provide $10.7 million to organizations working to expand access to public wi-fi and connected devices. ADOPT is built around two key categories:

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau announced that certain Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) census block groups (CBG) are now eligible for other funding programs.

Mercury Broadband filed letters notifying the Federal Communications Commission that the company is returning census block groups (CBGs) awarded funding in Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana. Mercury said deployment costs have increased dramatically since Mercury made its bids in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction and factors outside of its control, including rising costs and competitive encroachment, have rendered deployment to many of these RDOF CBGs economically unviable and ultimately unachievable.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden announced nearly $173 million in funding to connect rural residents, farmers and business owners in the Dakotas and eight other states to reliable high-speed internet. Projects are being financed by the fifth round of the ReConnect Program.

Kansas State University is establishing a program to improve broadband access for thousands of Kansans, helping them navigate the digital economy more safely and successfully.

Governor Laura Kelly (D-KS) announced that $10 million has been awarded to 12 internet service providers (ISPs) in the latest round of Broadband Acceleration Grants. The awards will be paired with an additional $12.7 million in matching funds, resulting in an investment of nearly $22.7 million for high-speed broadband access projects across 14 rural Kansas counties. Initiated in 2020, the Broadband Acceleration Grant is a 10-year, $85 million program designed to bring essential internet access to Kansas communities.