Vol 5 | Issue 2 | February 2020
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Policy Corner

I am honored for the opportunity to lead NTIA. We are home to an impressive group of public servants, and I’m proud of the work the team is doing to expand 5G, increase broadband access, secure our communications networks, and advise domestically and internationally on Internet policy priorities. It has been an exciting start to 2020 here at NTIA. Our agency just released a report finding viable options for more mid-band spectrum sharing. Our spectrum management advisory committee CSMAC met this month as well to continue important conversations about our nation’s technological future. It was also announced that the 3.5 GHz CBRS band spectrum was authorized for full commercial deployment. NTIA engineers helped pave the way for spectrum sharing in that band. We have much more in store for the year to come, and I look forward to keeping you updated on our progress.

-- Doug Kinkoph
Associate Administrator performing the delegated duties
of the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information

Webinar Highlights Integral Role of Smart Buildings in City Planning

Communities and regions are increasingly adopting smart technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) to better manage infrastructure and improve the quality of life for residents. The BroadbandUSA January 15, 2020 webinar, The Benefits of Smart Building Technology, focused on smart buildings use cases, the underlying technology that supports them, and the benefits achieved. Limor Schafman, Senior Director of the Smart Building Program at the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) discussed her work with the Global City Teams Challenge, which works to share knowledge and best practices on smart community technologies. Jiri Skopek, Board of Governors Vice-Chair for 2030 Districts Network, said that addressing stakeholder needs is a key driver in the adoption of smart buildings. Benny Lee, Director of San Mateo County Public Wi-Fi, discussed the evolution of instant communications and how it fits in with smart buildings. Read the complete blog here.

Broadband News and Updates

Federal News

• The Race to 5G and the World Radio Conference

• Broadband DATA Act Unanimously Passes Senate

• CES 2020: FCC’s Pai Says 5G Can Help Close Rural Divide

• USDA Continues to Make ReConnect Announcements

• Native Hawaiian, Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants Now Available

• Demand for Broadband in Rural Areas: Implications for Universal Access(PDF)

• U.S. Economic Development Administration and Indiana University Launch New USA Opportunity Zones Tool

• EDA Updates CEDS Guidelines to Help Communities Maximize Ability to Attract Opportunity Zone Investments

• U.S. Census Bureau Hosts Webinar on Release of 2014-2018 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

• FCC: 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Window

State News

• Arizona:Governor Ducey Announces Major New Investments In Rural Broadband

• California:California Invests $12.7 Million in Broadband Infrastructure and Access for Unserved California Households

• Colorado:Tired of Waiting For Broadband, Rural Communities are Tapping Grants, Partnerships to Get Modern Internet

• Georgia:Georgia DOT Tests New Striping to Enable Driverless Cars

• Kentucky:They Were Promised Broadband and High-Tech Jobs. They’re Still Waiting

• Maine:Health Care, Corrections, Broadband at Top of State Legislative Agenda

• Massachusetts:Massachusetts Pursues Its Own Route to Broadband Expansion

• Mississippi:Mississippi could get piece of $20B rural broadband fund

• Missouri:Missouri Farm Bureau Wants State’s Newly-Created Broadband Program To Be Permanent

• Nebraska:FCC To Invest $20B In Rural Broadband; Senator Wants Nebraska To Be First In Line

• New York:N.Y. Gov. Cuomo Vetoes Municipal Broadband Bill, Favoring State Initiative

• New York:Senators:FCC To Deny New York Broadband Funding

• North Carolina:State Broadband Office Works To Close Digital Divide

• Oklahoma:Rural Oklahoma Communities Could Be Eligible For High-Speed Broadband

• Pennsylvania:Could A State Cell Phone Tax Power PA.’S Rural Broadband Expansion?

• Rhode Island:Rep. Ruggiero Introduces Legislation To Expand Broadband Access

• Texas:Governor Abbott Appoints Fifteen To Governor’s Broadband Development Council

• Texas:How a Texas Town Built its Own High-Speed Internet Network

• Vermont:Dozens Of Towns To Hold Town Meeting Votes On Forming Broadband Districts

• Vermont:Electric Utilities Have A Role To Play In Vermont's Broadband Expansion

• Wyoming: Wyoming Business Council Hires Broadband Mgr., Formerly With Dubois Telephone

• California, Texas Slated To Benefit Most From New FCC Broadband Fund

• Report Finds Variations in Broadband Deployment Growth by State

• States Will Be The Battlegrounds For 2020 Tech Policy Fights

Public Safety/FirstNet

• Public TV Stations Push FCC to Mandate FirstNet Datacasting Interoperability

• Firstnet ‘Immeasurable’ At Oklahoma Balloon Festival

• Public-Safety Features Officially Part of Next 3GPP Standard Release

• Firstnet Deployables Are Unique Offering for Emergency Managers

• City of Annapolis Comes Together to Provide Reliable Communications to Public Safety Agencies

• GAO Report Says FirstNet on Track, Calls For Greater Oversight, Transparency

Broadband Funding

• USDA: Upcoming ReConnect Workshops

• Mark Your Calendars, USDA to Open the Application Window for the Second Round of ReConnect Program Funding Friday

Digital Inclusion

• Why Internet Stops Once School Ends For Many Rural California Students

• Digital Inclusion Officer Tackles Tech Inequity in Detroit

• Can the Digital Divide Finally be Bridged?

• Arizona Community College to Add Cybersecurity Courses

• New York City Unveils 'Internet Master Plan' For Universal Broadband Access

• Benton Foundation: Digital Skills and Broadband Adoption

• Benton Foundation: Broadband and Cities

General News

• 10 Communities Selected to Participate in 2020 Rural Innovation Initiative to Catalyze Digital Economy Job Growth in Small Town America

• Accurate Data Essential To Improving Broadband Access In Rural Areas

• Top Broadband Stories of 2019 – and What They Mean for 2020

• Transforming Digital Dirt Roads

• Aging Hospitals Aren’t Ready for the Technology Revolution

• 2020 Trend: Gig City's Second Decade Will Deliver More Speed, Innovation

• Connecting Rural and Hard-to-Reach Places

• Frontier Tells Creditors It Seeks a March Bankruptcy

• Killing 3G

• Connected Communities Collaborative: 2nd Annual Smart City Blueprint Awards: Transportation for the Smart City

NTIA Events

Feb. 19, 2020
BroadbandUSA Practical Broadband Conversations Webinar Series
Topic: The Role of States in Expanding Broadband Access
Time: 2:00 PM Eastern
The majority of states across the country are increasing resources devoted to broadband deployment, supporting digital inclusion initiatives, and focusing their attention on broadband policy coordination across different state agencies. While there is no one size fits all, states are implementing innovative approaches to increase broadband access and adoption. Join BroadbandUSA in a conversation on how broadband is being implemented at the state level in addition to research by The Pew Charitable Trusts on state broadband programs and innovative approaches to help overcome the digital divide.

Speakers:

• Kathryn de Witt, Manager, Broadband Research Initiative, Pew Charitable Trusts

• Deana Perry, Executive Director, Georgia Rural Broadband Program

• Sunne Wright McPeak, President and CEO, California Emerging Technology Fund

Moderator: Katherine Bates, Manager of State and Local Partnerships, BroadbandUSA

Visit our Webinar Archives for past presentations, transcripts and audio recordings.

Feb. 12 – 13, 2020
State Broadband Leaders Network (SBLN) Summit, Washington, D.C. BroadbandUSA Facilitator: Katherine Bates

Feb. 19, 2020
Global Cities Team Challenge (GCTC) Smart Ag and Rural SuperCluster Workshop, Phoenix, AZ. BroadbandUSA Speaker: Jean Rice
Smart technologies are igniting rural economic development, improving health care and education, and improving farming and ranching production. The Global City Team Challenge (GCTC) Agriculture and Rural Broadband SuperCluster encourages collaboration on innovative agricultural technology and rural projects and released a blueprint for rural communities in July. The GCTC Agriculture and Rural SuperCluster will host this workshop with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), and NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association (NTCA.)

Events of Interest

Feb. 9-12, 2020
2020 National Conference of Regions (NARC), Washington, DC.

Feb. 12-13, 2020
USDA ReConnect Technical Assistance Workshop, Denver, Colorado.

Feb. 16 – 19, 2020
NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association, Phoenix, AZ.

Feb. 20, 2020
Via Satellite: Virtualization: The Future of Wireless Communications, Webinar 10:00 AM EST

Feb. 29 – March 4, 2020
National Association of Counties Legislative (NACo) 2020 Legislative Conference, Washington, DC