Network

According to officials, New Mexico's infrastructure has been chronically underfunded and insufficient. The state could receive as much as $3.7 billion from the federal infrastructure package.

According to an estimate from the White House in August, Maine will receive roughly $2.4 billion from the recently passed infrastructure bill. Though the funds will help, the state will still have gaps to address.

After a long wait, the federal infrastructure bill is headed toward President Joe Biden's desk. How can states and local areas take advantage of the $65 billion set aside for broadband? Here are some details.

The city has taken the next step toward creating a municipal broadband utility to compete with private Internet companies, like neighboring Cedar Falls Utilities has done successfully for years.

On Dec. 5, AT&T and Verizon had planned to roll out new 5G networks using the C-band spectrum. But after hearing concerns raised by the Federal Aviation Administration, the two companies have pushed the date back.

Within the next year, telecommunications companies are planning to ramp up the effectiveness of their 5G networks, but millions of older phones will become useless when 3G networks are shut down during this time.

The mayors of Detroit, Lansing and Ypsilanti in Michigan are on the same page when it comes to the federal infrastructure bill. They have urged Congress to pass the bill before it's too late.

Over half of the computers in the Dauphin County Library System couldn't be used by the public because of COVID-19 precautions. This week saw the return of all computers for public use.

A cyber attack has temporarily shut down the computer system and website of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. Officials don't know how long it will take to get the network working again.

Billions of federal dollars for broadband came with the stipulation that they benefit underserved populations. New projects that link last-mile access with affordability are paving the way for universal Internet service.

Residents and officials in Dewey Beach, Del., pushed back on the placement of 5G poles that they say blocked beach views. Now, a new ordinance is being developed to better manage the wireless infrastructure.  

The project's first phase — which was funded through $3 million of CARES Act money last year — connected 415 homes in Clark County. The second phase will connect around 1,165 homes, though a timeline has not been established.

Two industry giants, Verizon and Amazon, have announced a partnership to tackle the digital divide in rural areas. Verizon will use Amazon's satellite system, Project Kuiper, to expand the reach of its data networks.

Officials in Harlingen, Texas, want to use $4 million to give all homes in the city basic access to the Internet. Officials note that the investment won't provide broadband-level speed.

Some of the unemployment system’s challenges include processing large numbers of claims, protecting people’s personal information and state lawmakers not knowing the extent of the system’s operational problems.

If passed, the proposed legislation would prevent Internet providers from blocking, throttling or engaging in the paid prioritization of providing Internet service to Massachusetts residents.

Plus, Philadelphia reports progress in getting residents connected to the Internet, Cleveland has a new program to connect residents to resources, an online map lets residents get involved with redistricting work, and more.

The funding will be used to purchase telehealth equipment and software licenses to increase access to care and services for CentraCare Health Systems in St. Cloud, Minn., according to a press release.