State
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Building Idaho’s Future with Broadband
Since 2019, Governor Brad Little (R-ID) and the Idaho legislature have taken many steps to improve broadband access in the state. Through investment of federal and state funding, Idaho has been able to connect tens of thousands of underserved households in the state, the majority of which are in rural communities of less than 3,000 residents. Policymakers there have primarily focused on the digital divide between urban and rural areas. Inadequate access to high-speed internet disadvantages Idahoans who choose to live in rural parts of our state.
Data: Areas Unserved and Underserved by Broadband in Texas
An analysis of data from the latest version of the Federal Communications Commission's National Broadband Map, which the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will use to allocate $42.5 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding later in June 2023, reveals some interesting trends that affect rural customers. The data shows that Texas has 777,115 “unserved” Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSLs). Texas has 364,991 BSLs that are considered “underserved,” meaning that they are able to receive broadband service above 25/3 Mbps but below 100/2
Updated BEAD State Allocations Estimates: How Much Money Will Your State Get?
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is scheduled to release state funding allocations for the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program by the end of June 2023. The allocations will be based on the latest version of the Federal Communications Commission's National Broadband Map released in late May 2023.
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How 8 States Are Using Line Extension Programs to Connect Unserved Residents to Broadband
Over more than a decade, states have invested billions of dollars to extend broadband service to areas without high-speed internet. But now states are increasingly grappling with how to identify and connect unserved homes and businesses that are just out of reach of nearby last-mile infrastructure—the segment of a broadband network that connects a local internet service provider (ISP) to a customer—in areas that are otherwise served. Eight states—Califor
Florida Enacts Pole Attachment Regulations for Electric Cooperatives
On June 5, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed into law HB1221, subjecting rural electric cooperatives to pole attachment regulation by the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) if they provide broadband service. Specifically, the law mandates that if an electric cooperative provides broadband service “directly, through an affiliate, or pursuant to an agreement with a third party,” or if the cooperative accepts state or federal funding to expand broadband service to unserved areas in Florida, then the cooperati
Texas will spend billions to connect the state with broadband. But is it clear which neighborhoods need help?
Texas lawmakers passed a momentous bill that allocates $1.5 billion to expand internet availability across the state through the new Broadband Infrastructure Fund. If approved by voters in November, that money will be added to an undetermined amount of federal dollars the state will receive. That allocation is slated to be announced by June 30.
Wisconsin's Washington Island is directing millions to create its own high-speed internet
The Washington Island Electric Cooperative (WIEC) hosted Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) at a meeting that included Quantum Technologies, an industry leader in advanced communications and network solutions. The meeting followed a $2.5 million state grant announcement aimed at expanding the fiber optic network project on Washington Island. Quantum Technologies Network Specialist Clinton Tripplet performed live demonstration of fusion splicing, an essential technique in modern fiber optic networks.
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Case Study: Bossier Parish Community College | Fiber Optic Technician Bootcamp in Bossier Camp, Louisiana
The world is facing a pressing need for a skilled workforce that can meet the demands of the 21st-century century economy. That’s where workforce development comes in. Louisiana's broadband office is the Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, or ConnectLA.
One-Touch-Make-Ready Could Streamline Deployment But Still Faces Hurdles
The latest development in ongoing skirmishes over One-Touch-Make-Ready (OTMR) policies is that competitive provider GoNetspeed testified in favor of legislation that would make the approach available in Massachusetts. OTMR rules require the owners of utility poles to allow one contractor to make changes, including moving an incumbent provider’s equipment. Traditionally, each provider handles its own equipment. Proponents of OTMR say that such rules speed service deployment.