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Plus, the federal digital discrimination task force is holding a listening session this week in New York City; Charlotte is launching a pilot program to increase tech transparency; and more.

Federal funds are helping rural southwest Wisconsin expand access to Internet service. The Reedsburg Utility Commission received a $28 million loan in August for nine underground fiber-optic projects.

Bamberg County is working to develop a broadband system that will make high-speed Internet affordable for underserved communities with the help of a $12 million federal grant.

Plus, Maryland’s governor attends an ACP training session; Seattle has opened applications for its annual digital equity grants; new findings about Internet access; and much more.

Nate Denny, the deputy secretary for broadband and digital equity with the N.C. Department of Information Technology Division of Broadband and Digital Equity spoke about broadband expansion.

The damage to an undersea fiber-optic cable happened in the middle of June when sea ice severed the cable, causing Internet and cell outages in several North Slope and Northwest Arctic communities.

Residents of the state will have until Oct. 10 to weigh in on a proposed five-year plan to upgrade broadband Internet availability, reliability and affordability statewide.

Some $386 million in state funding is set to be distributed to counties throughout the state to expand Internet service. The governor has awarded 56 grants totaling more than $196 million from the Broadband Deployment Fund so far.

The San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians and AT&T held a groundbreaking ceremony this week for a project that will expand access to high-speed Internet service to more than 500 new customers in Valley Center, Calif.

Plus, AT&T is opening a center to support digital equity in Miami, Kansas is the latest state to submit its five-year broadband action plan to the federal government, and more.

Experts argue that agencies having staff dedicated to equity and inclusion play an important role for government work, from strategic planning, to operations, to the rise of digital government services.

Since late last year when Starlink Internet became available in Alaska, thousands of residents have signed up at a pace that's exceeding expectations, observers say, even though the signal is not perfect.

Officials are asking residents to answer a survey about access to broadband Internet. Information collected will help identify areas where infrastructure does not exist or where service does not meet the minimum speed standards.

During a National Digital Inclusion Alliance webinar last week, experts explored several key tools and dashboards that help make data on the Affordable Connectivity Program more accessible to drive action.

A new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation calls on Congress to take several actions to support digital equity, including sustaining funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program.

Internet service providers began notifying the Grant County PUD about Internet outages Tuesday night. All of the service disruptions appeared to be linked to older portions of the fiber-optic network.

Plus, a cross-agency partnership in New Jersey is working to get more residents enrolled in affordable broadband programs, North Carolina is looking for participation in digital equity services, and more.

Plus, new research shows that broadband subsidy programs are helping to deliver affordable Internet; New York City continues to expand its Big Apple Connect program; a look at the Broadband Infrastructure Playbook 3.0; and more.