The state of Maryland will award $29,472,131 in grant funding to expand broadband internet access for over 12,000 households in 18 counties, Gov. Larry Hogan announced.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Senate and Assembly leaders have reached an agreement that backs a proposed $5.25 billion plan to expand the state’s broadband fiber infrastructure and increase internet connectivity for all Californians.

The National Science Foundation (NSF), in coordination with a consortium of 35 wireless communication corporations, announced the fourth testbed in a diverse portfolio of large-scale wireless research platforms located throughout the United States. This wireless research platform is intended to drive innovation in rural broadband connectivity in Ames, Iowa.

The House Appropriations Committee released a draft of the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Financial Services and General Government funding bill, to be considered by a subcommittee on June 25. 

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released the Final Rule for its Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program this week, to provide $268 million to historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs), and minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to expand their broadband.

The Education Department released guidance this month which intended to provide strategies for the safe operation of higher education institutions, as well as address the impact of COVID-19 on higher education students, faculty, and staff. Among other issues, the guidance specifically addressed helping higher education navigate online learning in a pandemic and broadband and device access for students, faculty, and staff.

Nongovernmental entities can now apply for some of the $5 million set aside to fund projects that will bring high-speed broadband infrastructure to underserved communities in Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office announced.

Municipal modernization efforts, particularly when deploying emerging technologies like 5G and broadband, don’t come without challenges. For the city of San Jose, Calif., it’s about overcoming challenges that ensure the residents are not left behind.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a radical shift in how Americans worked, learned, and interacted with the government. As a result of those changes, state and local government (SLG) policymakers focused heavily on expanding access to affordable, highspeed broadband services.

In the first week of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, more than one million households enrolled to benefit from the subsidy program, according to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.