Level of Government

South Central Connect (SCC) petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for (1) a waiver of the FCC’s Connect America Fund Phase II Auction (“CAF II”) default rules, and buildout obligations that are based on the FCC’s use of Connect America Cost Model (“CAM”) data; and (2) revision of SCC’s defined CAF II deployment obligations and support as identified by the CAM to reflect the number of actual locations on the ground as identified by Fabric data.

Republicans haven't passed up many opportunities to criticize the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program for its slow rollout over the past few years. Now they're adding on another 90 days of delays. In a notice sent to state broadband offices, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration gave states a blanket 90-day extension to submit their final proposals for BEAD money.

Vermont Community Broadband Board has completed taking in applications for Vermont’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. BEAD is a federal program that provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs in all states and territories. Vermont’s allocation of those funds is almost $229 million. That money will be used to serve all the unserved and underserved locations in the state.

In early April, the nonprofit DigitalC connected its 4,000th Cleveland (OH) home to its wireless internet

Federal Communications Commissioner Anna Gomez announced today that she is partnering with consumer and civil society organizations across the ideological spectrum to participate in speaking engagements and listening sessions focused on protecting the rights and freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment and fighting back against this Administration’s ongoing campaign of censorship and control. Over the last few months, actions across the federal government have demonstrated an alarming pattern of silencing dissenting voices, including in the media and telecommunications sector.

TEK Collaborative Founder and Director Jeff Williams started the nonprofit in 2021 to refurbish and distribute desktop computers and laptops to those in need and expand digital equity across Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute has announced that the reduction of underserved or unserved broadband serviceable locations that will result from the strong response to Gap Networks Grant Program and Round 1 of their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program solicitations has led to the cancellation of the Round 2 solicitation.

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program rules require states to submit a Final Proposal no later than twelve months after the date upon which the Assistant Secretary approves the Eligible Entity’s Initial Proposal. The rules also allow the Assistant Secretary may grant a waiver for Final Proposal deadlines in extraordinary circumstances.

The Idaho Broadband Office has announced 43 approvals of applications in the prequalification phase of the state’s Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment Program subgrantee selection. The 43 approvals—some of which are provisional—were from 45 applications that were submitted. The state office stressed that selection in the pre-approval process doesn’t mean that the application will be selected in the final approval process.

Oklahoma’s application window for its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Pool 1 funding, which is exclusively for fiber, opened April 21 and extends until May 26. In a funding alert, the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative shared information about the state’s plans beyond Pool 1. Pool 2 applications, which are for non-fiber technologies, can be submitted from April 28 to May 26.