Level of Government
Rep. Clyde (R-GA) Introduces Legislation to Eliminate Government-by-Proxy Censorship
Rep Andrew Clyde (R-GA) led 10 of his colleagues in introducing the Free Speech Defense Act to eliminate government-by-proxy censorship. The legislation:
Serving the Most Remote Locations
There is a provision in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant rules that says that if no broadband provider seeks funding in an unserved or underserved area, a state broadband office may engage with providers to find somebody willing to serve such areas. In order to make this work, states are allowed to offer additional inducements, such as providing additional state matching funds for the grant areas.
An update on the state of broadband competition in the US
The Federal Communications Commission's new broadband maps give us a view of what the broadband competition situation is in the United States. We want to answer the question of how many options a household has for broadband service. Using the new maps, and a 100 Mbps download and 20 upload throughput as the threshold for acceptable broadband, 37% of households have access to one offering, 34% have access to two offerings, and 18% have access to three or more offerings. This is slightly more concentration than was present in the most recent Form 477 data.
FCC Announces Nearly $54 Million In Emergency Connectivity Funding For Schools And Libraries
The Federal Communications Commission committed nearly $54 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country.
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Opens Next State Broadband Expansion Grant Round
Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) and Rebecca Cameron Valcq, Chairperson of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC), to open the next round of funding opportunities through the Broadband Expansion Grant Program. The application period runs from December 7, 2022 and will end on February 22, 2023. The broadband expansion grant program connects people and businesses to broadband and the economic, health, and educational opportunities that high-speed internet access unlocks. State and federal investments directed by Gov.
Biden-Harris Administration Awards More Than $5.7 Million to Puerto Rico in ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is committing $5,781,987.00 in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to Puerto Rico through the territory's first “Internet for All” grants. The grant is for deploying high-speed Internet networks and developing digital skills training programs, as well as for planning for the deployment and adoption of affordable, equitable, and reliable high-speed Internet service throughout the territory. Puerto Rico will receive $5 million to support the following:
FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Visits New Mexico to Promote Tribal Library Connectivity
Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will visit Isleta and Laguna Pueblos in northern New Mexico and meet with Tribal library representatives and Tribal leaders from several Pueblos and Navajo Nation, as part of agency efforts to ensure everyone, everywhere has the internet connections they need.
How Do Government and Broadband Providers Connect the Nation?
Broadband companies are lworking with local and state leaders to bring their resources, expertise, and connections to finish the job of connecting everyone in the US to the power and opportunity of broadband. As they forge alliances to close their digital divide, several criteria are critical:
Public-Private Partnerships Are a Win-Win for Communities And Broadband Providers
Public-private partnerships (P3s) between service providers and communities are well-established in Europe and growing in popularity across the US. The model in which a service provider desires the next-generation network but may not build, own or operate the network outright can be a great way to deliver a reliable, high-speed fiber broadband network with unlimited capacity to communities. The two standard flavors of P3s are "open:" a model in which the wholesale network is owned by a public-private entity and operates as an open-access wholesale network.
U.S. to spend $1.5 billion to jumpstart alternatives to Huawei
The federal government plans to invest $1.5 billion to help spur a standards-based alternative for the gear at the heart of modern cellular networks.