Internet/Broadband

Nokia says that it will self-certify a number of products as being manufactured in the United States and okay to use in the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The self-certifications are mandated by the requirements of the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act. Nokia says it is the first vendor to have completed self-certification. The Nokia press release links to a webpage that lists 21 products that it has certified.

After weeks of negotiations, Brightspeed of Southern Alabama and the City of Foley (AL) have agreed to a settlement in a federal lawsuit filed by the high-speed broadband company. Brightspeed claimed the City and its Utilities Board have created barriers that violated state and federal law.

Wi-Fi provider Andrena has raised $18 million to develop its plans to provide decentralized broadband. More specifically, the telecommunications firm plans to further develop a decentralized autonomous wireless network (DAWN), which is a variety of decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN). DAWN is already operating in a test environment. If it works as expected, DAWN would enable customers to take advantage of wireless base stations on rooftops, which, when combined, would provide mesh internet access without the need for a centralized internet provider.

“Think about electricity—we just turn it off and on.

The Federal Communications Commission voted to boost efforts by schools and libraries to loan out portable Wi-Fi hotspots, programs that mostly began before the COVID-19 pandemic but accelerated at its height. By a 3-2 vote, commissioners OK’d the use of E-Rate funds to support the initiatives.

The relationship between broadband and other priorities for Utahns—such as employment, education, health, civic engagement, technology innovation, and entrepreneurship—is undeniably important and will only become increasingly so. Broadband infrastructure deployment and adoption are key components for accomplishing economic growth, accelerating educational innovation, expanding access to health care, and increasing personal connection. The State of Utah wants to ensure every resident has access to reliable and affordable broadband internet to enhance their quality of life.

Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program money may be enough to connect most folks to 100/20 Mbps, but those speeds likely won’t cut it by the end of the decade, said Connect Humanity’s Brian Vo. We’ve heard from the White House that the BEAD Program will help connect everyone in the country to reliable and affordable high-speed internet by 2030.

In October 2020, 55% of Americans teleworked; 16 months later, in January 2022, full-time telework dropped to 43%, and by October 2023, full-time telework rates had decreased to 35%. Current data, however, indicate that about one-third of Americans are working a hybrid schedule, alternating days at the office with days at home (or away). These trends offer benefits to rural spaces where robust broadband capabilities can support a wide range of telework experiences. Fortuitously, these trends coincide with increasing rates of broadband adoption.

Across the country, educators are finding innovative ways to integrate technology into their curricula. Students from marginalized communities often don’t have the chance to engage with technology in meaningful ways, and instead are limited to passive uses of technology that lack rigor and present little opportunity for students to further develop their digital skills. Sometimes this divide stems from a lack of access to devices, but even students who have access often lack the adequate knowledge to utilize devices, and their teachers are typically not adequately trained to embed technology

The Michigan High-Speed Internet (MIHI) Office's Digital Equity Plan was finalized in March 2024. Four months later, on July 18, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded Michigan over $20 million from the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program for implementing this plan.