Internet/Broadband

The Senate Commerce Committee advanced Arielle Roth’s nomination to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Senators voted 16-12 along party lines in favor of Roth, with all the committee’s Republicans in favor. John Fetterman (D-PA) switched his vote from no to yes by proxy after the fact, with every other Democrat opposing her nomination. Roth’s nomination will now go to the full Senate.

The Greene County (AL) Health System, with only three doctors, has no intensive care unit or surgical services.

“Technology isn’t just about computers—it’s about creating access to jobs, education, healthcare, and staying connected with family,” says Joe Hillaire, the lead Digital Navigator for Lummi Nation, a Tribal land located along coastal northern Washington state. Joe is helping the Lummi Indian Business Council (LIBC) build a Digital Navigator program by providing skills training and facilitating access to digital tools for residents of the Lummi Reservation. The Lummi people have deep ties to th

Before so-called "Liberation Day" on April 2, when President Trump announced sweeping tariffs, PwC issued an initial estimation that tariff costs for the technology, media and telecommunications sector could rise from $13 billion to $139 billion.

As the federal government considers changes to the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program, one lingering question is how those changes—and ongoing implementation delays—may impact domestic fiber suppliers that are ramping up their US-based manufacturing to comply with BEAD's existing requirements. President Trump's new tariffs only exacerbate the difficulties. After all, they could impact most US-based manufacturing efforts if they cover the importation of the components used in those manufacturing operations.

The House Commerce Committee reported 20 pieces of legislation to the full House of Representatives including the following bills:  

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society launched four new research projects to examine a variety of barriers to building and using broadband. Since the passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021, states have been working to achieve universal internet access through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) and the Digital Equity Act (DEA) programs.

On the BEAD front, Illinois has completed the review of all qualifying Wave 1 applications and is moving into the deconfliction phase. “Deconfliction” is the process of de-scoping applications that overlap with higher scoring proposals. As Illinois enters the deconfliction phase, approximately 100 applications are tentatively eligible for preliminary award, and another 95 will have the opportunity to submit deconflicted proposals before the end of Wave 1. All preliminarily awarded projects will be notified by mid-May.

Alabama opened its application window on April 7 for pre-qualified broadband service providers applying for grants under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. The program is being administered in the state by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. Alabama has $1.4 billion to award for eligible projects, defined as qualifying last-mile broadband infrastructure to unserved (25/3 Mbps or less) and underserved (between 25/3 and 100/20 Mbps) locations.

Another day, another embarrassing analyst flub.