News

Broadband News and Updates – National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s National Broadband Availability Map Hits New Milestones – Why Isn’t Montana Participating?

Broadband USA

Policy Corner:

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

I am excited to report on the continued growth of our National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM). As it currently stands, 22 states are partnering with NTIA to bring extensive data visualization and analytics tools to bare in the fight to fill in the digital divide. Indiana, Georgia, Wyoming, and Washington State join the other 18 participating states that have announced since the launch of the NBAM. The NBAM combines federal, state, and private data to better inform broadband projects and funding decisions. To learn more about the project and to see if your state is among those participating, visit the NBAM page on our BroadbandUSA website.

 

US Ignite Announced Project OVERCOME to Grow Broadband Access

Project OVERCOME, led by US Ignite and funded by the National Science Foundation, will select five proof-of-concept projects to grow access to broadband connectivity in underserved or unserved areas.

Why only “Broadband” – Why not “Gigabit Fiber” for Montana?  Let’s build for the future. Digital Town Squares Drive Economic Development

Gigabit internet is the next generation of broadband internet service which is typically delivered over fiber optic lines and provides speeds of 1,000Mbps, which is also referred to as “1 Gbps” or “Gigabit” internet.

 

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CBS Sunday Morning – The great broadband divide: Living without high-speed internet access – Not Enough Competition

“What the FCC says is, if you can serve one person in a census block, that means you’re serving everybody in the census block.”

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We have a crisis on our hands. ‘Close the Divide’ aims to provide Idaho’s low-income students with laptops, internet ahead of school year

200,000 Idaho students need computers by August.  What about Montana students?

 

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Broadband News and Updates

Federal News

 

State News

·         Idaho: Idaho Commerce Announces Broadband Grant Review Committee

·          Illinois: State of Illinois Announces $300,000 Public Private Investment to Support Community Driven Broadband Plans

·         Maine: Mainers Vote Overwhelmingly Approve Broadband, Transportation Bonds

·         Missouri: Missouri Announces $50 Million Program for Broadband Expansion, Including Telehealth

·         New Jersey: Governor Murphy Unveils Plan to Address Digital Divide Ahead of 2020-2021 School Year

·         New York: Niagara, Orleans Counties Expanding Wi-Fi Hotspots

·         Ohio: Ohio Advances Plan for First State Broadband Grant Program

·         Pennsylvania: Rural Broadband Tops Pennsylvania Legislative Agenda

·         South Dakota: South Dakota Gains Ground on Better Broadband

·         Washington: $18 Million Available to Bring Broadband to Unserved Washington Communities

·         Wisconsin: Gov. Evers Signs Executive Order Creating Task Force on Broadband Access

 

Digital Inclusion

 

Local

 

Public Safety/FirstNet

 

General News

 

NTIA Events

BroadbandUSA Practical Broadband Conversations Webinar Series

BroadbandUSA will not be hosting a webinar in August. The next webinar will be on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at 2 pm ET. Stay tuned for more information!

Visit our Webinar Archives for past presentations, transcripts and audio recordings.

 

NTIA’s BroadbandUSA program promotes innovation and economic growth by supporting efforts to expand broadband connectivity and digital inclusion across America. In this role, BroadbandUSA serves state and local government, industry and non-profits that want to expand broadband infrastructure and promote digital inclusion.

Contact Us. If you are interested in receiving technical assistance, please email [email protected] or call 202-482-2048. For more information, visit our website at broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov.

 

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