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Life After ACP B4DE Today
Today, the first Building for Digital Equity livestream of the year will kick off at 3 PM ET with a focus on "Life After ACP."
Burning Desire to Bring Affordable Fiber Service To Rural Washoe County, Nevada
Officials in Washoe County, Nevada have struck a new public private partnership (PPP) with Digital Technology Solutions (DTS) to deploy affordable fiber service into the long-neglected rural towns of Gerlach and Empire, Nevada. The deal is part of a broader effort to bring affordable access to underserved residents just out of reach of broadband access.
One Year After Launch, Dryden, NY Muni Network Making Steady Progress
One year after launching a municipal fiber network, Dryden, NY officials say they’re making steady progress in their quest to expand affordable fiber broadband to the entire town of 14,500. While the effort hasn’t been without obstacles, town leaders say the public response to their foray into broadband has been overwhelmingly positive.
Tribal Broadband Bootcamp Advances: Underground and Above
IT-minded Tribal leaders and instructors gather in southern California for the 11th Tribal Broadband Bootcamp as the three-day intensive learning experience continues to offer the ultimate Indian Country networking experience. All of the previous TBB’s offered hands-on training, but this particular bootcamp took it up a notch as TBB instructors set up a full deployment demonstration, illustrating how fiber is buried and/or deployed aerially.
Speakers And Agenda Announced for #B4DE Livestream ‘Life After ACP’
Bringing together a nationwide cross-section of leading digital inclusion practitioners, the first Building For Digital Equity (#B4DE) livestream of the year is set to zoom in on the imminent end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) on March 20.
Alabama Electric Cooperatives Power Ahead With $35 Million In New State Broadband Grants
Four different Alabama electric cooperatives receive nearly $35 million in grant funding to expand fiber access to more than 11,092 rural Alabama homes and businesses. Meanwhile, the big incumbents operating in the state, Charter and Mediacom rake in lion's share of the rest of the state's federal Capital Projects Fund.
AAPB and Benton Publish New Handbook: ‘How To Build A Public Broadband Network’
The American Association of Public Broadband’s (AAPB) publishes a new step-by-step handbook to guide communities in building their own broadband networks. The handbook is a key part of AAPB's strategy to double the number of public networks in the next five years, supporting communities in leveraging these networks for economic development, smart city initiatives, and attracting new residents.
IN OUR VIEW: ‘Without Political Power, There is No Path to Digital Equity’
A panel discussion at Net Inclusion 2024 sparked thought-provoking conversation, raising difficult questions for the digital equity movement about whether we are on track to achieve our goals and whether the main strategies used today can result in digital equity or are destined to fall well short.
Edison, New Jersey Inches Forward On Municipal Broadband Plan
Edison, New Jersey officials are moving forward on a municipal fiber plan built on the back of a $2 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant. However, the full cost and scope of Edison’s as-yet-unfinished plan remains unclear.
‘Scrappy’ Island Munis Lead Charge For Affordable Broadband In Maine
Thanks to tenacious island communities and forward-thinking state leadership, a growing roster of community-owned broadband networks are leading the charge toward affordable access in the state of Maine. Now local Maine communities are taking matters into their own hands, beginning with long-neglected island residents no stranger to unique logistical challenges.
Life After ACP Will Be Focus of Next Building for Digital Equity Livestream
As the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) nears its end, the first Building For Digital Equity livestream of 2024 to be held on March 20 will focus on what digital inclusion practitioners across the nation are doing to ensure that as many ACP enrollees as possible do not lose their access to high-speed Internet.
Martinsville, Virginia To Finally Take Full Advantage Of Decades-Old Muni Fiber Network
At a recent Martinsville City Council meeting, the council offered unanimous support for a phased expansion of the city’s Municipal Internet Network (MiNet). What exactly the expansion will look like, and how it will be funded, very much remain a work in progress. Despite having been first constructed in the 1990s, Martinsville’s MiNet only has about 376 customers in a city of nearly 14,000 residents. There’s roughly 20 users currently on a multi-month waiting list, eager to get access to affordable fiber at speeds up to a gigabit per second (Gbps).