Digital Equity

Harris County Public Library has been supplying residents with free Google Chromebooks and T-Mobile 5G hot spots since February. So far some 40,000 hot spots and 15,000 laptops have been distributed.

In a push to expand broadband access to nearly all corners of the city, officials are using millions of dollars in American Rescue Plan funding to build out fiber-optic network infrastructure.

Plus, a federal report has found that more workers will be needed in order to deploy the massive investment the country is making in broadband, the FCC has opened a comment cycle for broadband labeling, and more.

The U.S. Department of Commerce is giving the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands $17.3 million in federal funds to expand high-speed Internet access in underserved native Hawaiian communities.

At no cost to parents, Waterford Upstart offers an at-home, adaptive, kindergarten readiness online program that combines the science of learning, the power of mentoring, and technology to deliver early education.

The LaCrosse County Board of Supervisors took the first step toward becoming a “Broadband Forward! Community,” which is meant to indicate reduced administrative barriers to Internet service providers.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has rolled out more than 62,000 tablets across 66 prison facilities to allow inmates to connect with loved ones. The devices will also give inmates access to educational resources.

Plus, New York reaches a critical milestone in its ongoing broadband connection efforts; Colorado offers more broadband grants; the NTIA highlights 40 local government digital inclusion resources; and more.

During a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing titled “Ensuring Solutions to Meet America’s Broadband Needs,” witnesses testified that barriers must be addressed for federal funding to see its target impact reached.

Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and federal broadband officials will host a virtual discussion for input on the design of new broadband maps that accurately capture where dead spots must be addressed.

The state has received a downpayment of $6.6 million from the federal government to expand broadband services and skills training for the increasingly digital workforce, the governor announced Thursday.

The company announced this week that it was bringing Fios fiber Internet to Worcester customers, as well as some of the surrounding towns. The new service will encompass more than 75,000 homes.

State courts’ IT choices can raise or lower barriers to accessing the justice and impacts whether the public sees it as fairly distributed. Experts discussed what the path to a more equitable process looks like during a recent conference.

Telecom companies serving five Minnesota counties are set to receive $100 million in federal grants to bring new high-speed Internet to more than 33,000 Minnesota rural homes and businesses.

With federal broadband funding hanging in the balance, state and federal officials are urging residents to verify their Internet access status. The information will help identify underserved areas in need of service expansion.

Plus, a new ITIF report compares the U.S. broadband landscape with the rest of the world; a congressional broadband oversight effort is announced; Providence, R.I., has a new broadband coordinator; and more.

City officials say the recent request for proposals to build a fiber broadband network has seen significant interest from Internet service providers. The deadline for proposals is the end of the week.

The city’s approach to digital equity involves several different programs and partnerships managed through the Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs office. This work has helped to solidify the region as a tech capital.