- Congress Tackles Non-Deployment Funds
- New Mexico Unveils Its Broadband Plan
- North Carolina Launches Program for Rural Access
- Kansas Awards Broadband Grants
- 2025 Report Reveals Rural Broadband Progress
CONGRESS TACKLES NON-DEPLOYMENT FUNDS
House Resolution 6920, introduced Dec. 23 in the U.S. House of Representatives, aims to address questions surrounding non-deployment funds — funding from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program to support Internet access expansion in ways other than infrastructure deployment, such as digital literacy training and device distribution.
The future of non-deployment funds has come into question following President Donald Trump’s Dec. 11 executive order (EO) on AI, which threatens to withhold congressionally approved non-deployment funding from states that enact AI policies. Experts argue this action is illegal.
However, non-deployment funds have been a focus for stakeholders — prior to this EO — since the BEAD program’s changes were announced last year; after that, practitioners and policymakers have requested further guidance about how these funds could be used.
The new legislation, rather than waiting for guidance from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, aims to provide clarity on how these funds may be used by authorizing competitive subgrants.
It calls out several areas which the grants could support, including workforce development and strengthening of 911 networks, as well as AI-supportive telecommunications infrastructure. The bill does not specifically name digital literacy training or device access, which play a significant role in addressing digital inequities.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, so hearings and markups may follow.
Separately, a December audit from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the BEAD program changes announced in June did not comply with the Congressional Review Act. States have since made progress to comply with the updated program rules. It is unclear if and how GAO’s findings will affect the program, or states’ progress, looking forward.
NEW MEXICO UNVEILS ITS BROADBAND PLAN
New Mexico released its three-year statewide broadband plan, featuring the state Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE)’s progress on broadband expansion and strategic priorities for the future.
“As we deploy broadband, we must think in terms of the future and how to adapt in a seamless manner with emerging technologies, particularly in rural and tribal communities,” OBAE Director Jeff Lopez said in a statement.
The plan’s four key goals are universal availability, widespread adoption, next-generation advancement and program stewardship. Strategic priorities for the state are statewide connectivity; affordability; strategic infrastructure; data, policy and permitting; digital opportunity; and network operations.
The plan also outlines OBAE’s major accomplishments since 2021, including finalizing the state’s broadband map, launching the Statewide Education Network, and funding Student Connect projects to support rural communities.
NORTH CAROLINA LAUNCHES PROGRAM FOR RURAL ACCESS
A North Carolina program launched in late December aims to accelerate Internet infrastructure expansion in the state’s rural communities.
The Stop-Gap Solutions program will fund line extension projects to connect individuals or small groups of households or businesses. It leverages and extends nearby infrastructure to provide access more efficiently in areas that have not been reached through other programs.
Broadband providers may submit application materials for the program through Jan. 26 if they prequalified through the Broadband Expansion and Access Request for Proposals. The state must commit these program funds by Dec. 31, 2026.
If funding remains after the program awards are made, the state Department of Information Technology may identify additional eligible uses, including rebuilding infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene.
KANSAS AWARDS BROADBAND GRANTS
In other state news, Kansas has awarded $6.7 million in grants to five Internet service providers, in the latest round of the Broadband Acceleration Grant program, which will be matched with private and local investment for a total of $13.4 million.
These projects are expected to deliver service to more than 1,000 households and businesses in the state.
The program, which was introduced in 2020, is a 10-year, $85 million endeavor administered by the Kansas Office of Broadband Development and funded through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program. Total investment in broadband infrastructure through this program is nearly $70 million.
2025 REPORT REVEALS RURAL BROADBAND PROGRESS
A report from NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association demonstrates that continued progress has been made in expanding Internet access for rural communities.
The “2025 Broadband/Internet Availability Survey Report” reveals that Internet speeds are increasing in rural areas — and demand is too. As faster Internet speeds become available, customers are increasingly leveraging those services. For the fourth consecutive year, the survey found that higher-speed downstream services are more popular than lower-speed offerings.
This not only supports households; network investments in rural areas also support anchor institutions like schools, public safety entities, 911 call centers, libraries and hospitals.
These investments, NTCA’s announcement said, will not only support connection to the Internet, but also to the evolving AI economy.
