Broadband

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to proceed with a proposal to restore net neutrality and at the same time, potentially, broaden the agency’s reach. The 3-2 party-line vote — with all Democratic commissioners voting in favor... Read More

The Biden administration on Monday continued its push toward internet-for-all by 2030, announcing about $667 million in new grants and loans to build more broadband infrastructure in the rural U.S. “With this investment, we’re getting funding to communities in every... Read More

WASHINGTON — As one of the most isolated populated places on Earth, Hawaii has long faced a litany of unique communications challenges. But those days — and the island state’s heavy-duty reliance on submarine cables — are on the verge... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department has awarded nearly $5 billion from the Capital Projects Fund to pay for broadband expansion projects in 33 states, and expects to bestow the remaining $5 billion by the end of the year, the program’s... Read More

A couple of years into the pandemic, Shirley Neville had finally had enough of her shoddy internet service. “It was just a headache,” said Neville, who lives in a middle-class neighborhood in New Orleans whose residents are almost all Black... Read More

PORT LIONS, Alaska — The residents of the native village of Port Lions and surrounding Alaskan villages are “giddy” at the thought of getting internet through the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, said... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has taken a large step in creating its newest and most accurate broadband maps that intend to lay out, location by location, the homes, businesses, civic centers and other places without internet.  “For the... Read More

ALEXANDRIA, La. — Government officials are starting to dole out the largest pot of money to build broadband infrastructure — the $48 billion of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program overseen by the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and... Read More

WASHINGTON — Broadband dollars are continuing to flow into states as the Department of Treasury and the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced more than $500 million for programs in Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Nebraska and North... Read More

WASHINGTON — Five Native American tribes in New Mexico received $146 million Thursday to expand broadband to their residents. “This award will provide vital infrastructure and will allow Santo Domingo Pueblo community members to have access to critical infrastructure needed... Read More

BEMIDJI, Minn. — Lush forests, gleaming lakes and fast fiber optic internet have been the selling points for officials in a small northern Minnesota city of about 15,000 to lure new residents to the area. Following in the footsteps of... Read More

WASHINGTON — Friday morning the Federal Communications Commission kicked off a spectrum auction, allowing telecommunications companies to possibly buy more than 8,000 licenses in the 2.5 GHz band. The licenses are mostly available in rural parts of the country, according... Read More

WASHINGTON — Two senators and a member of the House of Representatives are working to ensure internet providers deliver equitable service to customers, banning the practice of throttling service and blocking access to certain content. Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission proposed $4.35 million in fines against 73 rural broadband companies that applied and received government funding to build their rural networks but never did. The companies had all won bids in 2020 for areas... Read More

WASHINGTON — The proposal to change the Federal Communications Commission’s definition of broadband speeds by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel last week could help “future-proof” the country’s once-in-a-generation opportunity to build broadband infrastructure, said Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of the Rural Broadband Association.... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously Thursday on a rule change that will make it easier for smaller cellphone carriers and tribal nations to expand their wireless networks in rural areas where there is no cell service. The... Read More

LINCOLN, Neb. — In Nebraska officials want to ensure the millions set aside for broadband buildout during the pandemic are used. However, it’s going to be hard for the rural state where one company recently declined to use $13 million... Read More

WASHINGTON — Native American tribes across the country are set to receive $77 million in funding to help build new broadband networks and strengthen existing ones, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.  This round of funding will go... Read More

WASHINGTON — Four states — Louisiana, New Hampshire, Virginia and West Virginia — will receive more than $500 million in funding for broadband expansion projects under the auspices of the $10 billion Capital Projects Fund created as part of the... Read More

WASHINGTON — Slow and steady will be the approach for getting everyone connected to the internet while the government disperses billions of dollars to build out broadband over the next few years. “We are going to go as quickly as... Read More

WASHINGTON — Higher internet speeds are coming to the most rural places in America, as the Federal Communications Commission changed the definition of “high-speed” internet at its meeting Thursday. The four commissioners voted unanimously and across partisan lines to change... Read More

WASHINGTON — More than 80% of Americans will have access to high-speed internet plans for $30 or less, President Joe Biden announced Monday. The partnership with 20 different broadband internet providers “gives families a little more breathing room to pay... Read More

WASHINGTON — There’s new proposed legislation to ensure the billions of infrastructure dollars flowing throughout the country to develop broadband internet actually create sustainable infrastructure. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., introduced the bill Tuesday, legislation that... Read More

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — Implementation of internet and cell phone service was never equitable across the country. Much of the divide is rural versus urban, with population masses driving disparities. Race also plays a significant factor in the likelihood someone has... Read More

WASHINGTON — When an internet connection fizzles out or slows down significantly it causes disruptions for work, medical care, education and many other aspects of everyday life that have gone online because of the pandemic. And it’s frustrating to people... Read More

WASHINGTON — More than two dozen members of Congress are urging Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to ensure the funds set aside for rural broadband expansion make it to the most rural of areas. The bipartisan letter urging the department... Read More

WASHINGTON — Bidding will start in the next auction of 2.5 GHz band licenses for 5G wireless services beginning on July 29, the Federal Communications Commission announced Monday. The ascending clock format auction will offer approximately 8,000 new flexible-use, county-based... Read More

WASHINGTON — Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, unabashedly calls it “the broadband moment.” Thanks to the availability of once-in-a-generation scale funding and an administration committed to extending high speed internet into every underserved community it can, the... Read More

WASHINGTON —The Federal Communications Commission adopted a set of rules Tuesday intended to increase broadband competition and reduce the cost of those services to those living and working in apartments, public housing, office buildings and other multi-tenant buildings. The rules... Read More

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris is set to announce Tuesday that more than 10 million households are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, the nation’s largest ever broadband affordability program, since the bipartisan infrastructure bill was signed into law... Read More