Network

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.

Customers of the financial institution, Webster Bank, had accessibility problems during the global technology outage that began Friday. The bank, headquartered in Stamford, Conn., said the issues have since been resolved.

Parts of Pierce County might get access to faster Internet later this year, as crews begin building the infrastructure needed for broadband services to reach communities lacking access.

Plus, the FCC is taking steps to update broadband data collection, more states have had their initial proposals for BEAD funding approved, Oakland got a grant to expand broadband infrastructure, and more.

Provider Comcast will deploy fiber across the city starting in the southwest, covering about one mile a day. It’s part of a broadband expansion that will include all or parts of Corcoran, Cologne, Grant, Hugo, Rogers, and Stillwater Township.

Two telecommunications companies have said a fiber cut caused by vandalism is responsible for cellphone and Internet outages in Key Peninsula and Gig Harbor earlier this month. The outages came to light around July 9.

The Maryland county shares its phone system with the city, and first identified an issue with it early Thursday. Phone service to the county and city remains out, but emergency services are not impacted.

Plus, initial proposals for BEAD program funding have been approved in two more states, findings from a new report emphasize the role libraries play in bridging the digital divide, and more.

Bids to date would put the total cost of the middle-mile fiber-optic network at $1.87 million. That’s less than the $2.2 million projected. If awarded, the contracts will connect as many as 865 homes and businesses to the city-owned system.

The list of potential uses for any leftover BEAD funding includes digital equity, and one state has a plan that would direct the money toward the work for years to come.

A $45.5 million grant from the state and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute will pay for high-speed Internet for Pioneer Valley communities. Four Internet service providers will make the installations in about 2,000 locations.

To curb distractions during class, a school district in North Alabama will no longer allow non-school-issued student devices to connect to its network, exempting students with certain medical conditions.

The Statewide Education Network will create an internal system for sharing classes, educational materials and other resources. All of the state's districts and charter schools are expected to join the network by 2027.

Closing the digital divide has become a public responsibility, which was made clear during the pandemic when online access became essential for schooling, for working and for accessing health care.

Plus, the USDA is providing $25 million for rural broadband; Pennsylvania offers $20 million worth of devices; Raleigh, N.C., gets a state grant; and more.

A grant of nearly $3.8 million from the Nebraska Capital Projects Fund will deliver fiber optics to a 70-square-mile area around Stromsburg and southwest Osceola. It includes 176 homes deemed “unserved” by fiber.

The California Public Utilities Commission has awarded $45 million in grant funding to three regional Internet service providers, the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership announced recently.

The county has received nearly $700,000 from the state Completing Access to Broadband program. With matching money from the county, the money should enable 915 businesses and homeowners to access high-speed Internet.