USDA
States and Municipalities Should Move Quickly on Infrastructure Funding, BEAD or Not
Beginning financial planning early and allow time to tweak statutes that may stand in the way of certain funding options.
USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is a cabinet agency, and includes several broadband-related funding programs.
Infrastructure
Rural Broadband Author Touts Local Ownership of Networks
Christopher Ali wrote a book about the failures of rural broadband policies and leadership last year.
FCC
ReConnect Funding, More Emergency Connectivity Fund Money, 5G Training Grant in South Africa
The Agriculture Department announced $502M will go to service providers in 20 states.
Rural
FCC Urged to Address Overbuilding and Broadband Tech Neutrality in Agency Coordination
The FCC should incorporate the mapping data from local governments to avoid overbuilding, ensure technology neutrality.
USDA
Agriculture Department Announces Fourth Round of ReConnect Funding
The announcement is the second round of ReConnect funding in fiscal year 2022.
USDA
FTC Sues Meta, USDA Awards $401M for Broadband, Ookla Acquires CellRebel
‘Meta in recent years has set its sights on building, and ultimately controlling, a VR ‘metaverse.’
Broadband Live
Broadband Breakfast for Lunch on June 8, 2022 — Preparing for Federal Broadband Funding with the Rural Utilities Service’s Christopher McLean
Join Acting Rural Utilities Service Administrator Chris McLean on June 8 at Broadband Breakfast for Lunch
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021
Christopher Ali: How the U.S. Department of Agriculture is Quietly Reshaping Broadband Policy
In the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress reversed USDA’s ReConnect criteria in three crucial ways.
Infrastructure
NTIA Urging Partnerships with Local Broadband Officials for Infrastructure Money
The NTIA held a webinar urging local partnerships for applicants of the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act.
Broadband Live
Broadband Breakfast for Lunch on March 9, 2022 — Preparing for the IIJA’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program
We will explore what the government, states and infrastructure builders – public and private – should be doing to prepare.
Tribal
ReConnect Rep Warns of ISPs Asking for More Subsidies Than Needed for Builds
Shekinah Pepper said Wednesday tribal communities should be on alert for service providers asking for chunks of subsidies upfront.
USDA
USDA Hires Lumen, Ligado Marketing Services, IRS Facial ID, New Public Knowledge Hire
The Department of Agriculture awarded Lumen a $1.2-billion, 11-year contract for data services.
USDA
USDA Announces $120 Million in Broadband Infrastructure Loans and Grants
Money comes from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Community Connect programs.
TikTok
Agriculture Plowing $167M in Broadband, Ziply Deploys More Fiber, TikTok Takes Over
USDA putting money to expand broadband in 12 states, Ziply expands in 14 markets, TikTok most downloaded app in 2020.
Infrastructure
Funding Should Focus on Fiber, and Deployment is Critical to Improving User Experience
February 2, 2021—With new leadership at the Federal Communications Commission, there is a strong probability that more agency focus and aid will be directed towards broadband deployment, advocates for broadband deployment said on January 26. They said that there is currently a great need for direct
Cloud
COVID-19 Disinformation and Contact Tracing Discussed at DNC, Rural Cloud Initiative, NTIA Internet Use Survey
The Democratic National Convention prime-time convention kicked off Monday night. Much of the production was driven by testimonies from Americans. The way in which their hardships have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic were detailed. Kristin Urquiza, the daughter of an Arizona man who lost hi
