Individuals who primarily Reside in a Rural Area
Governor Moore Announces $69 Million in Federal Funds to Support High-Speed, Affordable Internet Access for Unserved Marylanders
Governor Wes Moore (D-MD) announced $69 million in federal funding for two new programs to help more Marylanders access high-speed, affordable internet. Administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Office of Statewide Broadband, the two programs, Home Stretch for Public Housing and Home Stretch for Difficult to Serve Properties, are expected to provide internet access to an estimated 15,000 unserved Maryland households.
Final Enhanced ACAM numbers are in: 683,000 locations off the board for BEAD
Small rural internet service providers (ISPs) had until the end of September to tell the Federal Communications Commission whether they wanted to participate in the Enhanced ACAM program. The E-ACAM program extends subsidies to these small providers through 2038, and in exchange the providers will serve all locations in their territory with 100/20 Mbps broadband, making most of them ineligible for the BEAD program.
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The Plan for Closing Nevada’s Digital Divide
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.
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The Importance of Spending Federal Funds to Build Broadband Right the First Time
In the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Congress established a preference for “priority broadband projects,” defined as projects providing broadband service that meet high performance standards, can scale with consumer and business needs over time, and will enable the deployment of 5G and other advanced services. After receiving input from a wide range of parties, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) determined that “end-to-end fiber optic facilities” were the only platform that satisfied these requirements and warranted such a priority.
TDS Telecommunications plans statewide upgrades in Maine
TDS Telecommunications will upgrade internet speeds across its entire Maine service footprint after electing to receive Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (E-ACAM) support. TDS has been doing business in Maine since 1971 and serves more than 30 communities in the state.
United Communications CEO Shares Grant-Winning Tips, “Outside-In” Build Strategy
United Communications CEO William Bradford purchased what was then United Telephone in 2011, a rural phone company founded more than 75 years ago to bring telephone service to unserved rural areas. His first order of business (after changing the name to United Communications) was to upgrade the organization’s infrastructure and start bringing internet services to its footprint of mostly rural customers. Today, United serves 70,000 middle-Tennessee homes with internet service and will reach a total of 80,000 homes by the end of 2023.
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Biden Administration Blames Private Sector for Failed Government Policies
The Biden Administration’s broadband policies are failing. The costs for building out Internet infrastructure in this country have skyrocketed thanks to inflationary policies under their watch. The Federal Communications Commission is sitting on spectrum that could connect millions of Americans to new, high-speed services. The Administration has needlessly blocked and delayed new broadband infrastructure builds. Fiber and cell site components are laying fallow in warehouses across the country due to the government’s failure to remove regulatory red tape. Permitting reform has gone nowhere.
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Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Applauds Biden Administration's Commitment to Ending Digital Discrimination
Today’s NTIA filing underscores how many government-wide initiatives will be affected by the FCC’s implementation of the digital discrimination mandates in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society shares NTIA’s belief that robust rules that can address the disparate impact of broadband deployment and service offerings will serve the needs of all Americans.
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NTIA calls for Strong Digital Discrimination Rules
Having studied barriers to Internet use for the last three decades, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is intimately familiar with the longstanding disparities that keep far too many Americans from realizing the full benefits of modern communications and information technologies.
Public Comment Period Open Now for Idaho's Broadband Initial Proposal
The Idaho Broadband Advisory Board and Idaho Office of Broadband have opened a public comment period on the state’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Initial Proposal (Volumes I and II) for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The state has been working to identify Idaho’s internet needs, challenges and opportunities to develop internet expansion plans. The work is reflected in the state’s draft BEAD Initial Proposal.