Network

The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act came with billions to invest in broadband nationwide, for rural areas, schools and businesses. Application requirements and other mandates, however, threaten to constrain the deployment of high-speed Internet.

Plus, more states have been awarded federal funding from the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and the city of Boulder, Colo., has announced a new partnership to expand community broadband.

Kiowa and Elizabeth, Colo., are the state's first communities to get high-speed Internet as a result of its nearly $1 billion allocation of federal broadband funds. The goal is to connect 99 percent of households statewide by 2027.

The Columbia County town of nearly 3,000 got high-speed Internet last week with the completion of a broadband fiber-optic line. Residents and officials realized the impact a lack of high-speed Internet was having during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Boulder City Council has unanimously approved a long-awaited agreement that will eventually empower the rollout of citywide broadband. Officials signed off on letting ALLO Communications LLC lease part of the city’s fiber backbone for 20 years.

Nearly 100,000 households in New Mexico are left out of the mix of state and federal programs designed to help them get reliable, high-speed Internet. Satellite Internet technology could improve their access until more reliable broadband is deployed.

Plus, the industry reacts to a new Federal Communications Commission chairperson, a North Carolina partnership with 211 aims to connect people to information in an emergency, and more.

The state's second-largest county by land area is working with eX² Technology to stand up a 200-mile fiber-optic network, bringing high-speed Internet to more than 20 cities and at least one higher education institution.

The incident, which affected state courts for two weeks, is ending as the Administrative Office of the Courts restores systems on the network. A forensic analysis is ongoing but unauthorized activity has been eliminated.

The North Star for the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program is comprehensive connectivity for all homes and businesses, officials said at the Connecting Communities Summit. That could come through fiber or fixed wireless.

A former federal telecommunications official said it is unlikely Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program funding will be clawed back and work disrupted. Infrastructure could, however, become more tech-neutral.

The Washington state courts network remains offline more than a week after officials found “unauthorized activity.” The administrative courts office took it down Nov. 4 “out of an abundance of caution” and leaders are hopeful it can be restored next week.

Plus, Oregon announces more than $100 million in funding for broadband, more states have been awarded federal funding, a new report aims to support nonprofit organizations in their digital equity work, and more.

Buoyed by a $102,000 state grant, a City Council working group on digital equity is helping develop a plan to ensure improved access to technology. Officials are also working with residents on a digital equity plan.

The Communications and Information Technology Committee approved three pacts, selecting the vendor that will engineer 170 miles of network to expand broadband citywide. Officials also approved a maintenance agreement, and one to connect homes and businesses in a pilot area.

Plus, additional states have been awarded federal funding from the Digital Equity Act; St. Louis, Mo., is installing free Wi-Fi in parks; Yolo County, Calif., preserves free digital literacy classes in Spanish; and more.

Community Connect, a grants program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has awarded Internet service provider Loveland Pulse more than $1 million to extend broadband to residents of Big Thompson Canyon and to Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park.

The investment is centered on expanding connectivity in the rural counties of Barron, Burnett and Washburn, where estimates say it may help 1,574 residents and 43 businesses get online.