North Carolina invests $26M to expand high-speed internet into additional rural areas by 2026
The additional funding targets 5,161 homes, businesses and community anchor institutions in 66 counties across rural portions of the state.
The role of state broadband policy in 2026
State legislatures address federal funding, deployment and affordability.
‘Unmet needs’ persist in Tribal broadband despite progress, report finds
The $3 billion set aside for Tribal connectivity is unprecedented, the Urban Institute found, but communities face familiar challenges if they are to truly take advantage.
FCC could tighten federal Lifeline program rules
The agency is advancing new eligibility requirements in the face of what it says is massive fraud across several states in the $1 billion-a-year internet and phone low-income assistance program.
Debate intensifies over how to spend leftover BEAD money
One elected leader said Congress needs “more say” on spending, while others said it should stick to its original intent and be used by states to close the digital divide how they see fit.
Libraries help communities weather storms. Many are getting snowed under
COMMENTARY | The recent winter storms showed how vital libraries are, but they are struggling with deferred maintenance and an uncertain funding future.
Expert warns of the ‘digitally invisible’ population amid yawning digital divide
It’s not just infrastructure that keeps people offline, but also a lack of digital skills and trust, warned Nicol Turner Lee of the Brookings Institution during this week’s CX Workshop.
South Dakota looks to space for final stretch of high-speed internet access initiative
The state will soon receive $72 million in federal funds to support satellite internet for more than 2,000 locations in need of broadband.
Texas county looks to task force to help close digital divide
Harris County, the most populous in the state, established its broadband task force in November to advise on projects, initiatives and other efforts to boost connectivity.
BEAD changes broke the law, federal watchdog finds
The Government Accountability Office found that last summer’s tweaks to the program should be submitted to Congress for approval before they can take effect.
Inside Eric Adams’ school Chromebook spending spree in New York City
The Adams administration shelled out north of $320 million to give public school students Chromebooks that connect to the internet through cell service. Most already have internet at home.
In the vast expanses of Indian country, broadband gaps create health gaps, too
On Idaho’s remote Fort Hall Reservation, thousands live without reliable high-speed internet, which supports health care, education, and daily life.
Some officials, lawmakers look to speed up permitting for broadband projects
States have billions in the pipeline to build out internet infrastructure, but getting those projects approved is challenging. Lawmakers are working on the issue, while others warn of preempting local authority.
North Dakota on track to be first in nation with 100% broadband internet access
North Dakota is on schedule to have high-speed internet access in 100% of the state by 2028 thanks to recently approved federal funding.
The future of rural healthcare hinges on high-speed broadband access
COMMENTARY | A new federal program to transform rural healthcare will rely on patients and providers having strong internet, otherwise we risk deepening existing disparities.
Feds approve first batch of finalized BEAD plans
Eighteen states and territories received approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, with the agency saying the revised plans save $6 billion.
Congress is letting states hoard broadband billions
COMMENTARY | The restructured BEAD program will save taxpayer money, but some governments want to hold onto that cash rather than return it to their residents.
Half of BEAD funds may end up unspent, report says
Around $21 billion of the federal broadband program could be left over, according to recent research, which also found that as many as 1 million locations could still be unserved.
Nonprofit offers alternative funding for school, library Wi-Fi programs
Mission Telecom said it would match any discounts those institutions received under the FCC’s E-Rate program for loaning out Wi-Fi hotspots and providing service on school buses.
Broadband’s broken promise: How federal failures and funding fights keep Native and Black farmers offline
Across the US, Indigenous and Black farmers face ‘digital redlining,’ a web of barriers to affordable broadband even as billions in federal dollars flow to internet providers. Rooted in high costs, policy failures and historic exclusion, the connectivity gap endures — but communities are fighting back with local solutions.
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