What’s New in Digital Equity: State Broadband Office Grows

This week in “What’s New in Digital Equity” — our weekly look at government digital equity and broadband news — we have a number of interesting items, which you can jump to with the links below:

• Maryland Broadband Office Grows
• Massachusetts to Add to Its Equity Board
• Denver Launches Digital Streaming Platform
• Digital Literacy Initiatives Expand
• Fiber Deployment Vital to Connectivity

MARYLAND BROADBAND OFFICE GROWS

The Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband (OSB) will absorb the Maryland Digital Equity Coalition (MDEC) to better align its work with the state’s long-term broadband goals.

MDEC was founded in October 2023 through the University of Maryland Extension to convene a cross-sector network of digital equity stakeholders and act as a statewide resource hub for this work. Its approximately 350 members represent state and local government agencies, public libraries, health-care providers, senior centers, schools, nonprofits and others.

The network has led capacity-building efforts, an annual in-person summit, training and networking opportunities. Under the OSB, MDEC will now serve as a collaborative network and resource hub as the state government works to expand access to broadband service, devices and skills training. OSB, which partners with public- and private-sector organizations to help expand access to Internet service in the state, now has an expanded scope as it moves to include MDEC.

“This move only strengthens our work to connect every Marylander to high-speed Internet and identify resources so all residents have equal access to work, wages and wealth,” Jake Day, secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development — where OSB is housed — said in a statement.

OSB has completed 80 projects in fiscal year 2025 alone. Most of the state can now access broadband service. OSB Director Ronnie Hammond described MDEC in a statement as a “critical asset” to the office’s work.

MASSACHUSETTS TO ADD TO ITS EQUITY BOARD

Massachusetts is seeking new applications from members of the public to join its Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board, which advises state leaders on accessibility in policy, procurement and operations. The board is looking to add members of the public with expertise or lived experience related to digital accessibility barriers.

Public members will be appointed by Executive Office of Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder to serve two-year terms. Per the state, previous public members will step down following the conclusion of their terms.

The board was established in 2023 through Executive Order 614. Earlier this month, it released the Massachusetts Digital Accessibility and Equity Strategic Plan, which applies to all executive branch agencies in the state.

DENVER LAUNCHES DIGITAL STREAMING PLATFORM

The consolidated city-county government of Denver is engaging with residents in a new way with its new digital streaming platform, DenverTV.

In the age of digital services and communications, governments must stay agile to reach members of the public, leveraging social media platforms and other tools to communicate important information to residents.

“We’re proud to offer Denver residents more ways to stay engaged with their city,” Mike Gallegos, Denver’s content and creative services director, said in a statement.

Social media algorithms can pose a barrier to vital information, which DenverTV seeks to eliminate. The new platform is available live and on demand on computers, phones, tablets and smart televisions via DenverTV.com or the DenverTV app. The platform is free for all users.

DIGITAL LITERACY INITIATIVES EXPAND

Efforts to expand digital literacy are advancing across the country.

The West Virginia Small Business Development Center announced that it would bring a new online training platform to entrepreneurs across the state to support small businesses with skills training that will help them grow in areas like digital marketing.

The Housing Authority of Pompano Beach, Fla., has announced the graduation of five young people from a community-based digital literacy program, held with the Figgers Foundation. The program includes AI prompting skills, as AI literacy is increasingly considered a necessary part of digital skills training.

On that topic, the International Education group at Cambridge University Press and Assessment announced an update to its grade school and middle school digital literacy curriculum in the U.S., adding AI education into the equation.

FIBER DEPLOYMENT VITAL TO CONNECTIVITY

FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty extolled the virtues of fiber this week at the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) 2026 Public Policy Summit.

“Importantly, fiber deployment is key to achieving the goal of universal connectivity,” Trusty said at the event, calling it the “gold standard.”

She called fiber “necessary” to support U.S. leadership in emerging technologies including AI.

FBA released a white paper this month about the importance of fiber broadband as foundational infrastructure to support the growing data center market. In areas where data center demand is rising, the demand for fiber connectivity is too, the paper states, calling it “the foundational infrastructure that makes data center growth possible and sustainable.”

Trusty’s remarks reflect this demand, underlining a need for continued investment in fiber networks.