State

America’s $42.5 billion investment in universal broadband internet access may be on track for a major overhaul. Three years into its meticulous planning and implementation process, and with significant progress already made, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program may pivot from prioritizing fiber to satellite connectivity.

A proposed state law in California would force Internet service providers to offer $15 monthly plans to people with low incomes. The bill is similar to a New York law that took effect in January 2025 but has a higher minimum speed requirement: The proposed $15 plans for low-income California residents would have to come with download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided over $42 billion in subsidies for broadband deployment via the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Although BEAD funds are supposed to be disbursed on a technology-neutral basis, the Biden Administration mandated a preference for fiber deployment, even when alternative technologies—including satellite broadband—are the more efficient mechanism to serve certain high-cost areas. With the recent election of President Donald Trump to the presidency, the government’s preference for fiber now faces significant uncertainty.

Zayo announced a $90 million investment to expand and enhance fiber infrastructure across Tennessee. This investment will bolster key network routes, providing critical connectivity to major data centers and educational institutions and driving economic growth and innovation statewide. The initiative includes advanced network infrastructure to power hyperscale and data center campuses, supporting the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and other high-bandwidth workloads in the region.

Brightspeed announced that it has been awarded $1,500,000 to expand its state-of-the-art Brightspeed Fiber Internet network to nearly 2,400 more locations in Trumbull County (OH). This award is in addition to the more than $12.3 million in local, state and federal funding already awarded to Brightspeed to connect nearly 5,900 homes and businesses in Allen, Ashtabula, Columbiana, Knox, Mahoning, Shelby and Trumbull counties. 

On March 19, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, with support from AARP, hosted a webinar titled Understanding Internet Access and Use Among Older Adults. Revati Prasad, PhD, Vice President of Programs at the Benton Institute, previewed the new report, Older Adults Online: Measuring Internet Access and Use, and moderated a panel of experts who discussed the needs of older adult populations.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program is driving the most ambitious broadband expansion effort in U.S. history.

Millions of low-income Californians lack affordable broadband access, limiting their ability to connect to essential services like healthcare, education, and job opportunities. The expiration of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program has left a gap in broadband subsidies, exacerbating affordability challenges for many households. This report examines policy solutions to address broadband affordability, including a $15 per month price cap for low-income households and state-level subsidies. It also explores the economic and public health benefits of expanding broadband access.

The Alaska House passed House Joint Resolution 6, urging the U.S.

Looking back on the bipartisan Infrastructure Act and its early days, the push by many at that time was fiber only and fiber everywhere. And if you are following the recent news that pendulum has swung to people insisting that Starlink is the solution for all remaining unserved and underserved locations.