Localism

Towns in Maine are considering municipal-run networks that would reach residents who lack broadband access. At a recent Leeds (ME) town meeting, residents debated the creation of a town-run broadband network paid for through a $2.2 million bond. The Leeds broadband proposal sought a slice of the federal funds that have been flowing into the state since last year by leveraging a commitment from voters to borrow money to extend high-speed fiber to households who can’t get it, or that were unwilling to pay the thousands of dollars Spectrum, the only local provider, would charge them.

Louisiana’s goal is to have broadband service in all unserved areas of the state by 2029. To help bridge the digital divide, applications for Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities (GUMBO) grants are being accepted until December 31. That program, run by the Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity (ConnectLA), is designed to help private providers bring more accessible and affordable broadband service to areas that have download speeds of less than 25 Mbps and upload speeds lower than 3 Mbps.

As wonderful as telehealth is, it has a serious Achilles' heel. The fate of telehealth adoption is tied to the fate of broadband adoption. And broadband in millions of additional homes isn't strong enough to drive telehealth. Redlining, politics, and adverse economics leaves low-income communities stuck with outdated, broken infrastructure. Annually, billions in government spending to replace obsolete networks passes over big cities and are squandered by large telecom and cable companies before broadband reaches rural homes.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion on developing the infrastructure necessary to provide low-income residents in the County with affordable, high quality and high speed, sustainable internet service. Approximately 364,000 households in Los Angeles County lack internet access due primarily to cost. The county will explore viable options to facilitate residential access to reliable broadband service in low-income communities that lack internet service and to return to the Board with quarterly updates. The Board:

The Santa Barbara (CA) City Council is looking to spend $60,460 to work toward stronger broadband internet services. If the council approves the expenditure, which will be taken from American Rescue Act funds, it would join Santa Barbara County and other local agencies to work on a strategic plan.

Nearly eight years after Colrain (MA) residents approved a bond to fund a town-wide broadband project, that project has just a “handful” of installations left to be completed. About 600 houses in Colrain are now connected to the broadband service. Michael Shuipis, a co-manager of Colrain’s Municipal Light Plant, said he has been “pleasantly surprised” by the number of people in town who have signed onto the service.

Mayor John Hamilton (D-IN) announced that the City of Bloomington and Meridiam have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the firm to build and operate a fiber network to bring high-speed internet to Bloomington (IN) residences. By the end of 2021, the City plans to enter into an agreement with the infrastructure developer to construct an open-access fiber-optic network delivering gigabit-class broadband service throughout Bloomington, including the city’s low-income neighborhoods. Meridiam intends to begin construction in 2022.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is teaming with Carnegie Mellon University, Allies for Children and others to take a regional approach to improving broadband service in the 10-county area in an effort to take best advantage of $65 billion in recently approved federal infrastructure funds. For more than a year, the planning agency has been working mostly behind the scenes with consultant Michael Baker to identify broadband dead spots, areas with insufficient service, and residents who can’t afford service, under a program dubbed SWPA Connected.

Ten organizations receiving funding through The Town Link, a program that aims to improve digital equity in Oakland (CA) will be offering various trainings over the next year to improve digital inclusion and literacy within their communities. The organizations will each receive $10,000 to inform residents about affordable broadband plans, pay for computers and tablets, and then teach them the necessary skills to use those devices. The campaigns are to be complete by fall 2022.

President Joe Biden’s trillion-dollar infrastructure bill promises the largest public investment in telecommunications in the country’s history. Of the $65 billion allocated for high-speed internet—broadband—$42.45 billion is earmarked specifically for deployment projects through state grants.