Digital Inclusion
Western Massachusetts Towns Become National Model for Community Broadband
New report chronicles how 19 rural communities built America’s densest collection of locally owned fiber networks
ILSR
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance is a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minn.; one of its areas of focus is community broadband.
Digital Inclusion
Sudden Cuts Erode Public Trust, Digital Equity Advocates Say
Disrupted federal support has stalled state efforts in digital literacy, workforce, and affordability programs.
Expert Opinion
Karl Bode: California’s Affordable Broadband Bill at Risk of Being Destroyed by Lobbying
Amendments degrade the bill’s speed definitions, weaken the CPUC's ability to hold large telecoms accountable, and creates new financial risks for municipal providers.
Maine
Driving Towards Better Broadband, Maine Buckles Up For Difficult Road Ahead
Andrew Butcher's five-day 'Driving Connections' tour will highlight broadband infrastructure investments by Maine.
Washington
Clallam County, Washington, Launches $22 Million Fiber Expansion Plan
County and Astound Broadband have begun construction on a joint partnership to bring fiber access to more than 1,500 rural homes.
BEAD
New BEAD Rules Trigger Uproar Over U.S. Broadband Future
Awardees under original rules say they may not reapply.
Infrastructure
Virginia Looking to Preserve Railroad Crossing Law After Setback in State Court
The state is urging the Fourth Circuit not to strike down the law.
Digital Inclusion
Longmont NextLight’s Affordability Program Picks Up Federal Slack For Low Income Locals
Follow-up studies about the Affordable Connectivity Program have shown that costs were more than offset by the broad savings it generated American taxpayers.
Digital Inclusion
Uncertainty Follows After Trump Targets Digital Equity Programs
The Infrastructure Act provided $2.75 billion in digital equity funding.
Infrastructure
AAPB and ILSR Prepare For Inaugural ‘Future of Public Broadband’ Conference
The in-person gathering will focus on the potential dramatic changes to the $42.5 billion BEAD program.
Vermont
Vermont’s Otter Creek CUD Finishes Fiber Expansion, Focuses On Customer Service
Much of Vermont’s $150 million ARPA-based broadband package went toward assisting CUDs
BEAD
Former BEAD Director: Trump Admin Could Squander Once-in-a-Generation Fiber Broadband Investment
Proposed changes could raise LEO participation to 50–70% in some states, Feinman said.
Open Access
Willmar, Minnesota Moves Forward With Open Access Fiber Network
The city promises options ranging from symmetrical 300 megabits per second to symmetrical 1 gigabit per second.
Spectrum
Industry and Tribes at Odds on Tribal Priority Window
The FCC took comment on boosting Tribal access to spectrum ahead of an upcoming auction.
Health
Vermont Looks To Bring Oasis of Fiber-Connected Telehealth Hubs to ‘Healthcare Deserts’
None of this would be possible without the only telecommunication infrastructure capable of delivering telehealth at scale: Fiber networks.
Spectrum
FCC Moves Forward on Efforts to Promote Spectrum
Both the AWS-3 and Upper C-Band items included language seeking input on boosting Tribal spectrum ownership
