Broadband

Buoyed by more than half a billion federal dollars, the state’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program is accepting applications through Oct. 15 to improve high-speed Internet.

Lumen Technologies provided 900 miles of fiber to link public schools in New Mexico to the new Statewide Education Network. It’s an effort to bridge the state’s digital divide with critical middle-mile infrastructure.

New York's project to expand broadband access is moving into a new phase, as the federal government has approved its plan to use $664 million from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program.

Plus, a K-12 digital equity framework gets released, Kentucky launches a new broadband portal, two additional states get their BEAD funding proposals approved, and more.

The city manager’s area of the proposed 2025 fiscal year budget includes $900,000 for costs related to a future broadband network that would be built by Allo Fiber, with the city.

The Northern California local government had to recalibrate the destination for about $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding. It will use the money to incentivize Internet service providers to build in the county.

The California Public Utilities Commission has awarded Comcast $13.8 million in grant funding this month to expand broadband Internet access in Sutter County.

Armed with federal infrastructure funding, Louisiana is gearing up to run a massive $1.36 billion grant program aimed at ensuring that every community has access to high-speed Internet.

Plus, take a look at a visual of which states have had their BEAD proposals approved, find out about the Fiber Broadband Association’s new program for states and more.

The funding from the Indiana Connectivity Program will enable Surf Internet to increase access to high-speed Internet across 13 counties. It’s the largest award in the program’s history.

Plus, a broadband report card ranks ARPA-funded projects, more states see their initial proposals for BEAD funding approved, $2.7 million will support libraries’ digital literacy programming, and more.

Much of the northeastern Oklahoma county already has broadband service. About 10,000 households and businesses in seven areas, however, are still without — but nearly are expected to be online by January 2026.

Local governments and nonprofits have about two weeks to challenge a federal map indicating places in New Hampshire that are underserved and unserved by broadband. Funds distribution will follow.

The state has received initial approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on how it plans to spend $675 million in federal funds to roll out high-speed Internet. A final proposal is due within a year.

The report, from the Communications Workers of America, critiques federally funded broadband work by 14 counties in the South, Northeast and Midwest on metrics including availability of project information.

The funding, from grants via the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development, will pay for the extension of high-speed Internet mostly in rural Livingston and Berkeley.

Plus, the FCC has launched a new mobile speed test app, HUD’s ConnectHomeUSA program has expanded to new communities, more states have seen their initial proposals for BEAD program funding accepted, and more.

Speakers at the Louisiana Rural Economic Development conference discussed the need for high-speed Internet in rural areas. Expanding fiber can stimulate local and global business, attendees said.