Broadband

State and local entities had already begun to receive grant awards to teach digital skills and provide connectivity and devices for underserved people, including K-12 students, when the program was canceled last week.

The federal agency is cautioning residents and business owners that old “end of life” routers are prime targets for bad actors capable of infecting them with malware. The FBI advises they be replaced immediately.

Preorders have opened prior to construction, enabling officials in the city of more than 21,000 to ensure the network will pay for itself. Willmar has partnered with Silverlight Fiber Network, an aggregate Internet service provider.

President Donald Trump has called for ending the Digital Equity Act, which Congress passed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, referring to it as unconstitutional. Advocates respond and examine what that could mean.

A presentation by the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative this week introduced ninth and 10th graders to potential jobs associated with broadband, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

The acting director of New Mexico's central broadband office returned to his previous position with the agency after the governor’s office decided to go in a "different direction" in its search for a permanent director.

Plus, Idaho will soon end its digital navigator helpline, an Illinois county is distributing software licenses for digital skills training, Cleveland State University supports digital skills and more.

The Pennsylvania city has recently launched two new interactive devices, a dashboard and a free Wi-Fi locator. They’re intended to help expand awareness of the free Internet service available to residents.

Many millions have been allocated to high-speed Internet endeavors. A more than $3 million project is nearly complete, while several others remain to be done. One initiative required “quite a bit of engineering work.”

The Massachusetts capital has released results of an assessment to inform its 2025 Digital Equity Plan’s development. It outlines the city’s progress and offers suggestions to address remaining barriers to access.

Construction has commenced on a high-speed Internet network that will connect 34 city facilities including City Hall. Kingman, Ariz.-based Wecom Fiber will build 1.1 million feet of fiber to nearly all of the city.

Officials have expanded the service to seven parks and a four-mile stretch of business corridor, in a bid to improve digital literacy and quality of life. An additional rollout is planned later this year.

Plus, North Carolina announces broadband funding, Barriers to Broadband fellows will tackle several research projects, a campaign eyes device upcycling to drive online access, and more.

Plus, the Supreme Court is addressing the Universal Service Fund, Idaho is changing its Broadband Advisory Board structure, Boston funds digital literacy and more.

A plan to expand high-speed fiber-optic Internet service to rural portions of six nearby counties was unanimously endorsed by the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners Wednesday.

Plus, Baltimore has a new broadband report, Seattle awards funds for digital equity, the FCC has announced staffing changes, a survey found trust in digital government services is under 50 percent, and more.

Officials will advance digital equity work in coming months, and initiatives to improve residents’ experience — in person, using artificial intelligence for translation services, and online with a website refresh.

Evan Feinman, director of the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, has stepped down. He offered advice to stakeholders to mitigate any impacts on states from its pause.