Vol 5 | Issue 3 | March 2020
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Policy Corner: Working with States to Solve the Broadband Challenge

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

NTIA’s State Broadband Leaders Network is a powerful forum for connecting local government, industry and stakeholders across the country that are focused on broadband activities. NTIA has spent many years building up these relationships, and recently updated our website with detailed information on state broadband offices and funding opportunities. The SBLN also holds regular meetings for states to improve funding coordination, align policies, and address barriers to collaboration across states and agencies. Given the critical importance of expanding broadband access throughout America, we are eager to keep these conversations going to encourage investment and close the broadband gap. Read the complete blog here.

Broadband News and Updates

Federal News

• NTIA: Working with States to Solve the Broadband Challenge

• NTIA: President’s FY21 Budget Boosts Spending for Spectrum Management, 5G Security

• USDA: ReConnect Round Two Applications Are Open

• USDA Continues to Make ReConnect Announcements

• USDA is Making $71.7 Million in Grants Available Under the DLT Grant Program

• FCC Launches $20 Billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund

• FCC Sets Process for $691M Investment in Puerto Rico & USVI Networks

• FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for February 28 Open Meeting

• ARC Announces $3.3 Million to Continue Economic Growth in Region’s Coal-Impacted Communities

• House Democrats Unveil $760B Infrastructure Plan

• Notice and Request for Comments: Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers, Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, Telecommunications Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support (PDF)

State News

• California: California Gov. Newsom Names Three Key Tech Appointments

• Colorado: Rural Colorado sees more broadband options coming online. But getting up to speed is taking longer than anticipated in some areas.

• Florida: State Looking To Bolster Broadband Speeds In Rural Areas

• Hawaii: Punameeting to focus on broadband access, telehealth

• Illinois: State’s $420 million broadband expansion begins with $50 million in matching grants

• Kansas: Not connected and no Netflix: ‘It’s frankly embarrassing’ in these Kansas towns

• Missouri: Rural broadband getting state, federal push

• Missouri: City Utilities building $120 million network to bring 'true' broadband to Springfield

• Nebraska: Nebraska lawmakers consider speeding up rural broadband access

• New Mexico: New Public-Private Partnership to Boost Broadband in Southeastern New Mexico

• New York: New York gets a big broadband win

• North Carolina:$10 Million North Carolina Pilot Project Spreads Broadband

• North Carolina: NCDIT Secretary Eric Boyette Announces North Carolina Broadband Indices at IEI Forum

• Ohio: Cincinnati Bell, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative Partner on High-Speed Internet Project

• Oklahoma: Noble offers fiber internet through partnership with OEC

• Pennsylvania: Agriculture, jobs, broadband among issues Keller tackling

• Virginia: Virginia Invests $8M in Broadband Grants for Telehealth Expansion

• Virginia: Ensuring State Broadband Grants Go the Extra Mile

• Wisconsin: Demand For Broadband Internet Remains High In Rural Wisconsin

• How to Bridge the Broadband Gap: A Conversation with State Leaders

• New Momentum Building for State Broadband Support Work

• States, Governors Focus on Broadband Expansion

• State of the States 2020: Broadband Is Critical Infrastructure

• Frustrated by Flawed Broadband Maps, States Are Trying to Create Their Own

Public Safety / FirstNet

• Junction City EMS Uses FirstNet in Local, Regional, and National Response

• New FirstNet Cell Sites Launch Across New Hampshire to Support Public Safety; Gov. Sununu and FirstNet Authority Join Unveiling

• No Turbulence For FirstNet at Rhode Island Airport Exercise and Drill

• Disaster Recovery and Damage Assessment with FirstNet in Southern Ohio

Broadband Funding

• USDA Seeks Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Applications to Increase Rural Access to Education, Training and Health Care

• San Jose Fund Set to Pay Out First Round of Broadband Grants

• New Bi-Partisan Grant Program Seeks To Make NC ‘First In Digital Inclusion’ By 2022

Digital Inclusion

• Congress Explores Benefits Of Digital Equity And Internet Adoption In U.S

• Does 5G Have the Potential to Make the Digital Divide Worse?

• Buses Converted to Mobile Classrooms Also Serve as Info Hubs

• Jacob Martinez: Winner of the 2020 James Irvine Leadership Award

• The Next Decade of Smart City Growth

Minority Broadband Initiative

• Two Historically Black Universities in Virginia to Get $3.5M for STEM

General News

• Elko, NV ends franchise fees for telecommunications companies over next five years

• Grant Money Will Bring Fiber Network to Springfield, Ore.

• San Jose Fund Set to Pay Out First Round of Broadband Grants

• Neighborhood broadband data makes it clear: We need an agenda to fight digital poverty

• AjitPai’s “surprise” change makes it harder to get FCC broadband funding

• Cord-Cutting Accelerates, Raising Pressure on Cable Providers

• For Remote Tribes, Free Airwaves Licenses Mean Chance to Connect

NTIA Events

Mar. 18, 2020
BroadbandUSA Practical Broadband Conversations Webinar Series
Topic: American Broadband Initiative – 1 year update
Time: 2:00 PM Eastern
In 2019, the Trump Administration launched the American Broadband Initiative (ABI) with the release of the Milestones Report. A year later, federal agencies have made significant progress across government to improve broadband access for Americans. Please join BroadbandUSA on March 18, 2020 at 2pm ET to hear from key agencies that participate in the ABI who will highlight the commitments and accomplishments of this effort. The event will open with a message from the Executive Office of the President on the status of the initiative. NTIA will provide an update on work to build the National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Chad Rupe, Rural Utilities Service Administrator, will discuss the ReConnect program and some of the agency’s regulatory changes that affect broadband permitting. Finally, the U.S. Department of the Interior will cover important changes to broadband permitting policies.

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

Events of Interest

March 8 – 11, 2020
National League of Cities (NLC) Federal Advocacy Round Table, Washington, DC.

April 5 - 7, 2020
IEEE 6th World Forum on Internet of Things (IoT), New Orleans, LA

April 5 - 7, 2020
National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) Net Inclusion 2020, Portland, OR

April 9, 2020
GCTC Smart Regions Collaborative, Denver, CO.