State

On February 12, 2024, the Digital Opportunity Department (DOD) of the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff submitted its Digital Equity Plan to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). This five-year Plan is designed to help bridge the digital divide through enhanced broadband adoption and use. Its goals are to enhance the following:

The South Carolina Broadband Office (SCBBO) is pleased to announce the conclusion of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Capital Projects Fund (CPF) 1.0 Grant Program.

FOCUS Broadband completed its Faster Bladen broadband project, making high-speed internet service available for over 700 residents and businesses living near Tar Heel and along portions of North Carolina Highway 701 between Clarkton and Elizabethtown. This project was made possible using $2.9 million in funds awarded to FOCUS Broadband in 2022 from the North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant program.

To achieve true digital equity, deploying broadband to every household in the United States will not be enough. What is also needed are robust, comprehensive programs that address the human side of closing the digital divide and ensuring everyone has access to the technologies, skills, and opportunities necessary to thrive. Over the last seven months and with funding from the Digital Equity Act's State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have released draft digital equity plans for public review and comment.

Sooner rather than later, landline telephone service will completely transition to wireless and Internet-based calling (commonly referred to as Voice Over the Internet Protocol or "VoIP").  While the Federal Communications Commission, for over a decade, has precluded a “flash cut” service termination, I expect the timeline for copper wire service retirements to shorten.

AT&T is attempting to pull its landline service from much of California and the Bay Area, raising concerns among those living in rural areas who rely on the service during emergencies. AT&T submitted an application early in 2023 to end its status as California’s Carrier of Last Resort, or COLR, i

With BEAD Initial Proposals submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for review, state broadband offices (SBOs) are turning their focus to the next step in unlocking IIJA broadband funds—the Challenge Process. On a recent Broadband Breakfast webinar, I had the chance to join other SBO leaders to discuss our states’ processes.

The Indiana Connectivity Program announced the eighth round of awards on January 8, 2024. The eighth round of the program awarded $637,346 to expand broadband to 175 addresses across 23 counties. Of these addresses, 168 are homes and seven are businesses. Internet providers carrying out the projects matched $1,145,002 for a total investment of $1,782,348. The ten providers who received awards are:

Governor Justice (R-WV) announced the preliminary approval of ten awards totaling nearly $33 million through Round 3 of the Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) program of the West Virginia Broadband Investment Plan. These awards will improve access to high-speed broadband and reliable service in nine counties throughout the state and represent a significant milestone in West Virginia’s continued commitment to ensuring that every West Virginian has access to reliable broadband service. Four internet service providers will install approximately 660 miles of new infrastructure, c

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development's (DHCD) Office of Broadband released its draft Digital Opportunity Plan to the public. The plan is a first-of-its-kind undertaking to assess all facets of the digital divide in the Commonwealth and develop a strategy to close it.