Funding

Expert Opinion

Christopher Mitchell: Brendan Carr is Wrong on the Treasury Department’s Broadband Rules

The Federal Communications Commission has no excuse for why the agency finished with the same bad data it started with.

ARPA

Preparing Collaboration Model, Data Collection Suggested Before Infrastructure Money Flows

With infrastructure bill, there is no longer a shortage of funds for states to expand their broadband infrastructure, consultants said.

IIJA

NTIA Official Says Rural Broadband Funds Do Not Disqualify Area from New Broadband Monies

While NTIA will interpret grant funding under the law, it’s up to states to determine where to allocate money.

IIJA

Digital Equity the Focus at NTIA’s Listening Session on Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act

Attendees questioned how digital equity progress can be measured and how underserved populations are educated on technology use.

Expert Opinion

Christopher Mitchell: Treasury Department Rescue Plan Act Rules Improve Broadband Funding

The Treasury Department has resolved all of the concerns that the Institute for Local Self Reliance identified in May.

Marsha Blackburn

Senate Confirms Davidson as National Telecommunications and Information Administration Chief

Bipartisan vote confirms Davidson atop the Commerce Department agency. It has a large pile of money to spend on broadband.

Cybersecurity

Congress Must Avoid ‘Overly Prescriptive’ Incident Reporting To Avoid Missing Larger Cyberattacks

Too many reports could burden federal officials, said the executive director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation.

Marsha Blackburn

CES 2022: Multiple U.S. Senators Highlight Rollout of Biden Infrastructure Bill as a Top 2022 Tech Priority

Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Shelley Moore Capito listed infrastructure fund disbursement among their foremost focuses for the coming year.

Infrastructure

Treasury Department’s Final Rule Uses Less Restrictive Language to Qualify for Broadband Funding

Treasury Department departed from its original proposed rule, granting recipients flexibility on broadband download and upload speeds.

Commerce

Commerce Department’s NTIA Issues Request for Comment on IIJA

Comments are due on February 4, 2022, focused on the infrastructure grants, middle-mile program, and digital equity planning grants.

NTCA

Broadband Infrastructure Playbook will Push Benefits of Fiber, Help States Craft Fund Applications

The Fiber Broadband Association and the NTCA Rural Broadband Association said it will release the book before May 2022.

Broadband Live

Feds Likely to Maintain Oversight of Infrastructure Bill Fund Disbursement

NTIA is likely to continue to oversee the $42.5 billion for broadband from the IIJA.

FCBA

Broadband Offices Concerned About Uncertainty in Compliance with Federal Program Requirements

Minnesota’s broadband office is concerned about federal compliance in the wake of new federal funding.

Tribal

Sen. Alex Padilla Emphasizes Billions in Broadband Funds for California

California also has 18 projects that are part of the state’s $6-billion broadband investment under its California Comeback Plan.

Infrastructure

Governors Discuss Infrastructure Bill Spending at Summit

Leaders addressed strategies and importance of private spending.

Infrastructure

President Biden Signs Infrastructure Bill at White House, Touting Better Broadband

President Biden celebrated $65 billion for broadband deployment.