Network

It looks as if Comcast Xfinity may get some competition for cable subscribers in Morgantown, W.V., where the city council will take up a cable franchise agreement with Atlantic Broadband this month.

The commissioners of Butler County, Ohio, have heard a $4 million proposal to bring high-speed Internet to 2,700 locations in rural parts of the county. The project would be led by an electric cooperative.

Thanks to a program created by the Alachua County Library District in Florida, library cardholders can check out Wi-Fi hot spots with no fees. Currently, the district has 200 hot spots that residents can use.

The Hermon Town Council in Maine wants an outside firm to conduct a security review of its Internet network, which is run by the school district, whose IT manager was a co-founder of the service provider.

Consolidated Communications, a company that provides broadband in more than 20 states, has kicked off a new fiber network project in Manchester, N.H. The company has multiple similar projects throughout the state.

Fiber Internet is on its way to Spring Creek, fulfilling a promise made two years ago by CC Communications, which has a lengthy history in Nevada, starting with telegraph services in 1889 with a $975 check.

Plus, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration establishes two new offices aimed at strengthening U.S. broadband, and the California Public Utilities Commission is investing in digital equity.

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the need to address the digital divide in the Los Angeles area. However, it also led to funding and collaboration opportunities for government agencies to combat the issue.

The Federal Communications Commission is considering a $5.1 million fine against two far-right operatives responsible for a robocall campaign that intended to discourage Black citizens from voting last year.

In an effort to implement net neutrality requirements for the Internet service providers involved in public contracts, state lawmakers have proposed a bill to codify an existing executive order.

Mahaska Communication Group officials said they plan to begin constructing the underground broadband network in early 2022, and hope to finish the project by late 2024 or early 2025.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced that an additional $100 million will be used for broadband expansion through the newly minted Connect Maryland initiative to bridge the state’s digital divide.

To help improve broadband connectivity across Indiana, state government officials are encouraging Hoosiers to test their Internet speed through a website created by the Indiana Broadband Strategic Partnership.

Hampden, Maine, town councilors have now voted with a majority to borrow $4.5 million to build a community fiber-optic network that would reach every home and business in the Bangor bedroom community.

As New York Gov. Kathy Hochul takes office, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) hopes that her previous local government experience can help with the group’s priorities, including broadband.

The $1 million investment, approved by the Allegany County Board of Commissioners, will go toward equipment for six sites. The money comes from CARES Act funding and a state grant.

If the federal infrastructure bill makes it through the House of Representatives and receives President Joe Biden's signature, $65 billion will go to broadband. What does that really mean, though, for America's future?

'This is not a luxury in many cases. It's an essential connection.' U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt said these words Wednesday afternoon at the Boone County Government Center during a roundtable discussion on broadband.