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California Law Lets Renters Opt Out Of Landlord ‘Bulk Billing’ Broadband Arrangements
California lawmakers approved new legislation letting renters opt out of bulk-billing arrangements that force them to pay for Internet service from a specific provider. Lawmakers say they didn’t ban the practice for fear of undermining some of the more beneficial aspects of bulk billing, which can make deployments more financially tenable for smaller providers.
B4DE: Moving At The Speed of Trust Reprise
The third Building for Digital Equity livestream of the year brought together policy experts and frontline workers to explore how community-driven connectivity solutions are inextricably tied to building local trust. If you missed it, the entirety of the event can be viewed here. The event provided attendees a jolt of hope and optimism, even as the world of digital equity has been upended by the demise of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, the sudden termination of the Digital Equity Act, and numerous other Trump administration policy shifts that will make it harder to bridge the digital divide.
Trump FCC Kills Popular Program That Brought Free Wi-Fi To Low Income School Kids
The Trump FCC has voted to kill two different programs that helped bring free Wi-Fi to school kids in underserved poor and rural U.S. communities. It’s the latest casualty of an administration that has been taking a brutal hatchet to FCC consumer protection and affordability initiatives, many of which were developed over decades – with popular bipartisan support.
Sertex Will Build Lion’s Share Of Maine’s Massive Middle Mile Network
The Maine Connectivity Authority has chosen Sertex Broadband Solutions to help build and manage a massive portion of the state’s 536-mile middle mile fiber network known as MOOSE Net. Sertex will engineer and construct a 450-mile segment of MOOSE NET on the back of a $30 million grant. The effort is expected to dramatically improve affordable broadband connectivity for 11,000 homes and businesses as well as 200 community anchor institutions, including rural Maine schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities.
Wisconsin Public Radio Covers New City-Owned Broadband Network in Superior with Assist from ILSR
ILSR's Christopher Mitchell offers insights on Superior, Wisconsin's new city-owned network and how federal policy, municipal broadband barriers and Tribal networks fit into the picture.
Minnesota’s Paul Bunyan Communications Shares $3.6 Million Windfall With Members
The telephone cooperative-owned Paul Bunyan Communications in Northern Minnesota recently announced it was giving a $3.6 million profit windfall back to local community members. It’s the fourth such payout to local subscribers in the last seven years. For distributions of $150 or less, a credit was applied to subscriber’s bills. For sums greater than $150, the cooperative mailed checks out to locals.
Countdown to Next Building for Digital Equity Event: Moving at the Speed of Trust
Slated for October 1 at 3 pm EST, the next B4DE virtual gathering will spotlight local strategies for digital equity and explore why it’s necessary for frontline digital inclusion practitioners to be “Moving at the Speed of Trust.” Building on a phrase popularized by Stephen Covey and echoed by noted writer and activist Adrienne Maree Brown in her book “Emergent Strategy,” the line-up of guests will share their on-the-ground experiences and stories to showcase why bottom-up trust building is not just a soft, emotional concept but a measurable, actionable asset that improves outcomes.
Vermont’s Otter Creek CUD Finished Fiber Build $3 Million Under Budget
Vermont’s Otter Creek Communications Union District not only recently finished its major fiber deployment, CUD leaders say the project came in significantly under budget, saving Vermont state leaders more than $3 million in taxpayer dollars. That money will now be redirected toward efforts to make access more affordable for state residents.
California Regulators To Include Broadband Affordability Requirements In Verizon Frontier Merger Approval
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is poised to include new broadband affordability requirements as part of the state’s looming approval of Verizon’s massive $20 billion merger with Frontier Communications, even as some consumer advocacy groups worry the changes may not go quite far enough to hold Verizon accountable. The CPUC’s Public Advocates Office has struck a partial settlement with Verizon that the state hopes will take some of the sting out of the telecom industry’s latest consolidation spree.
In Our View: Trump Administration Doubles Down on Pulling Investment Away from Rural Internet Access
NTIA, the federal office administering the largest single investment to expand Internet access across the nation, appears to once again be changing the BEAD program in ways that would only force states to further reduce investment in rural areas. NTIA seems to have added yet another time-consuming wrinkle: a super secret “Best and Final Offer” round imposed on states after submitting final proposals.
Thumb Electric Cooperative Hits 4,000th Fiber Customer Milestone
Michigan-based Thumb Electric Cooperative says its ongoing fiber deployment has hit a new milestone: its 4000th connected broadband subscriber. The cooperative’s latest customer, Verona Hills Golf Course in Huron County, Michigan, comes three years after the cooperative joined the growing trend of expanding into broadband access.
Massachusetts To Spend $31.5 Million On Broadband, Modernizing MDUs
The first installment of an ongoing series we are calling Connected Complex looks at how states, local communities, and Internet service providers are working to address the often complex challenges involved in bringing high-speed Internet access to multi-dwelling units. In Massachusetts, state leaders have announced a new $31.5 million investment to bring reliable, high-speed Internet access to residents in affordable and public housing statewide by helping to update long outdated wiring in multiple-dwelling-units, many of which were built before the advent of the Internet.