Broadband

The release of new Internet availability maps earlier this month has elicited a wide response from U.S. senators, federal broadband officials, telecommunications industry groups, nonprofit organizations and others.

Joseph residents will soon have more options when it comes to choosing an Internet provider, thanks to Metronet, a 100 percent fiber-optic company started back in 2005 that is now moving into the local market.

Laredo Independent School District and the United Independent School District will receive funding through the American Rescue Plan for broadband expansion, laptops and other devices for students and staff.

Tech-rich but Internet-poor, residents of a Silicon Valley neighborhood were fed up with sluggish broadband of less than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload — the federal definition of unserved by adequate Internet.

The Willmar City Council on Monday approved an audit of the current Internet infrastructure throughout the city. The project will cost $42,486 and will be conducted by Hometown Fiber.

Plus, New Mexico directs $36.8 million in grants through an Internet expansion pilot program, Nebraska nets $5.6 million in federal awards for boosting broadband, a report details Chicago digital divide progress, and more.

The program, called the Broadband Line Extension Connection Program, will work differently from other grants in that the process in applying for the grant will not be generated from an ISP, but rather by the end users.

In heavily wooded Cook Township, 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, the average Internet speed is so slow that it barely qualifies as broadband, according to the new federal minimum standard.

A federal grant through the Connecting Minority Communities Program will allow ASU to purchase devices, educational software, Internet access services, and other IT software and hardware for low-income students.

Plus, a new report details how to make broadband a priority in affordable rental housing development projects, the FCC is partnering with the Department of Veterans to help those who served get connected, and more.

The Joplin City Council has hired a consultant to sort through 16 proposals from Internet service providers interested in developing broadband service. Certain parts of the city have little to no Internet service, officials say.

Carlsbad's Viasat said that it expects to begin launching its next-generation broadband Internet satellite constellation early next year — marking another delay in getting the terabyte-class satellites into orbit.

Merced County, Calif., is working to collect the community feedback that officials there need to inform their efforts to improve the broadband services for the entire county and the six cities located there.

Work on the Lowndes County fiber-optic network will be done by ISP Windstream and is slated to start in 2023 – a 2026 completion deadline has been set by Gov. Brian Kemp. The project consists of some 900 miles of fiber-optic lines.

New York City Office of Technology and Innovation recently released its strategic plan that looks to improve the city’s overall posture in the technology space — starting with an effort to improve technical literacy.

Joplin city officials agreed Monday night to proceed with a search for potential broadband providers, with the City Council approving a paid consultant to issue a request for proposals for Internet service.

The Latah County Broadband Coalition is hoping that people in that area will participate in this effort so the county can qualify for more funding to bring broadband Internet to rural households.

Plus, New York program submits 31,000 unserved addresses to help inform broadband mapping effort, a new report outlines how policymakers can support libraries working to foster digital equity, and more.