National Telecommunications and Information Administration
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More than 225 Applications Totaling Nearly $3 Billion Submitted for the Wireless Innovation Fund
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it received 227 applications requesting more than $2.94 billion in funding to support wireless equipment innovation. The second Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund will make up to $420 million available to invest in projects that will drive commercialization and innovation in open radio units.
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Biden-Harris Administration Approves Missouri and Tennessee’s “Internet for All” Initial Proposal
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Missouri and Tennessee’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. This approval enables Missouri and Tennessee to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program—a major step towards closing the digital divide and meeting the President’s goal of connecting everyone in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service.
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When Will Nevada Implement Its Digital Equity Plan?
On June 26, 2024, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded the Nevada Governor's Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT) over $9 million to implement the state's Digital Equity Plan, the first state to receive funding under the Digital Equity Capacity Grant program.
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Biden-Harris Administration Approves Montana, Oklahoma, and Vermont's Initial BEAD Proposals
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Montana, Oklahoma, and Vermont's Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This approval enables Montana, Oklahoma, and Vermont to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program—a major step towards closing the digital divide and meeting the President’s goal of connecting everyone in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service. One year from Initial Proposal approval, states must submit a Final Propos
Why flawed maps showing internet access may cost LA millions of dollars in public funding
California is getting more than $1.8 billion in federal grant money to expand high-speed broadband service in areas where residents have little to no access. But advocates say the state is undercounting the true number of residents who lack internet, especially those living in apartment buildings. That could mean dense cities like Los Angeles not getting their fair share.
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Digital Equity Act Programs Provide Resources and Support to Persons with Disabilities
July marks the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and serves as a reminder of the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in every aspect of our society, especially in the digital realm. Individuals with disabilities often experience barriers to digital equity, such as obtaining affordable assistive technologies, encountering inaccessible websites and digital content, and struggling to access reliable Internet service.
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Project 2025's Plan for the NTIA
Seven recommendations to allow the Department of Commerce to assist the next President in implementing a bold agenda to deliver economic prosperity and strong national security, including:
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Demonstrating compliance with the Buy America requirement
A framework for Build America, Buy America (BABA) self-certification and compliance in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program:
CWA: Broadband workers' safety and wages have gone down
We hear a lot of talk from the broadband industry about how there’s a labor shortage. But there’s not so much a labor shortage as there is “a shortage of good jobs,” according to Ceilidh Gao, senior research associate at Communication Workers of America (CWA). Wages “have gone down in recent decades” and the jobs are “less safe than they used to be,” she said.
Industry struggles to define ‘middle mile’ even though it’s critical to BEAD
Middle-mile may have become more important than ever in terms of fiber networks because all the last-mile networks that will be built for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program need to connect to something. But honing-in on a precise definition of middle-mile is a challenge even for industry insiders. Joe Pellegrini, president and COO with Great Plains Communications, said, “It’s an end-to-end system with real estate, points of presence….