State

On October 6, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury approved Michigan's plan to use its full Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund allocation to support broadband expansion in the state.

Spectrum is constructing a fiber-optic network expansion project that will bring gigabit broadband and other Spectrum services to over 4700 homes and small businesses in Wexford County (MI). Spectrum services are already available to some residents and small business owners in the buildout area. The buildout is part of Spectrum’s approximately $5 billion investment in unserved rural areas, which includes more than $1 billion won in the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction.

Investor-owned utilities—usually large, publicly traded electricity providers that are regulated by state public utility commissions—can have a major impact in delivering broadband to rural communities and other underserved areas by allowing broadband providers to leverage existing utility infrastructure for new high-speed internet connections. Virginia is one of the first states to employ this strategy through its Utility Leverage Program, which aligns the state’s broadband goals with efforts to modernize its electrical infrastructure to successfully expand broadband service into areas tha

Louisiana officials have rejected a protest from Cable One's Sparklight which aimed to stop the state from awarding a $4 million grant to Conexon to build fiber broadband to 851 locations in East Carroll Parish (LA). Conexon was one of several service providers to receive broadband infrastructure grants through Louisiana's Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities (GUMBO) program as part of a $130 million funding round.

Broadband is critical to strengthening our economy, improving educational opportunities, and enhancing the delivery of health care, public safety and other government services. “If you can’t play in this space in the 21st century, you discover that your opportunities are limited,” said Governor Charlie Baker (R-MA).

The New York State Library recently released the 2022 Digital Inclusion Toolkit. This new resource is aimed at empowering libraries and other community organizations as they move forward together with digital inclusion and digital equity work.

Governor Tim Walz appointed Bree Maki to serve as the Director of the Office of Broadband Development. Maki will replace previous director Angie Dickison. Bree Maki is the senior outreach director and state broadband and telecommunications outreach director for Senator Tina Smith (D-MN).

Vermont stakeholders have collaborated on an application for $114 million in funding through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) middle mile grant program. If awarded, the funding would represent over 10% of the approximately $1 billion allotted to the NTIA program, which has proven to be a highly competitive one. The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) spearheaded the application. The request would cover some of the costs of the proposed 1,663-mile fiber network.

Some 8,000 households and businesses in Wisconsin will be connected to high-speed internet access due to the American Rescue Plan Act’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. In his January 2021 State of the State Address, Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) declared 2021 “the year of broadband access" in Wisconsin.

South Carolina Gov Henry McMaster (R-SC) and Rep James Clyburn (R-SC) announced the state has appropriated an investment of around $490,000,000 for broadband. The money comes from four broadband infrastructure grant programs. The state said it has already awarded $55,246,310. An additional $400,000,000 is planned to be awarded over the next 12 months, with an initial $180,000,000 by December 2022. The funding brought access to high-speed internet for more than 100,000 households in South Carolina.