Baltimore activists and leaders say the city is making steady progress in efforts to bridge the digital divide in the city of 565,000. The efforts have culminated in several grant-fueled initiatives to deliver fiber and wireless to city apartment complexes, a city middle-mile network, and a looming partnership with regional providers to further expand affordable access.

When we last checked in with Baltimore, the city had just doled out $2 million of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to bring fiber to 12 new city apartment buildings. The deployment is in partnership with Waves, a nonprofit formerly known as Project Waves.

Waves was first launched in 2018 in direct response to the Trump FCC’s repeal of net neutrality and the general failures of federal telecom policy to address digital inequity. Project Waves (profiled by ILSR in 2023) initially used Point-to-Multipoint wireless connectivity to deliver free wireless broadband service to about 300 multi-dwelling unit (MDU) residents.

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Now Baltimore Director of Broadband and Digital Equity Kenya Asli tells Government Technology the city is putting the finishing touches on a Request for Proposal (RFP) to strike a new public-private-partnership with an as-yet-unselected broadband provider. The deal should further expand fiber access to unserved and underserved parts of the city.

“Folks want more options, and so we are bringing in more options,” Asli said.

Baltimore activists and leaders say the city is making steady progress in efforts to bridge the digital divide in the city of 565,000. The efforts have culminated in several grant-fueled initiatives to deliver fiber and wireless to city apartment complexes, a city middle-mile network, and a looming partnership with regional providers to further expand affordable access.

When we last checked in with Baltimore, the city had just doled out $2 million of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to bring fiber to 12 new city apartment buildings. The deployment is in partnership with Waves, a nonprofit formerly known as Project Waves.

Waves was first launched in 2018 in direct response to the Trump FCC’s repeal of net neutrality and the general failures of federal telecom policy to address digital inequity. Project Waves (profiled by ILSR in 2023) initially used Point-to-Multipoint wireless connectivity to deliver free wireless broadband service to about 300 multi-dwelling unit (MDU) residents.

Image

Now Baltimore Director of Broadband and Digital Equity Kenya Asli tells Government Technology the city is putting the finishing touches on a Request for Proposal (RFP) to strike a new public-private-partnership with an as-yet-unselected broadband provider. The deal should further expand fiber access to unserved and underserved parts of the city.

“Folks want more options, and so we are bringing in more options,” Asli said.

Baltimore activists and leaders say the city is making steady progress in efforts to bridge the digital divide in the city of 565,000. The efforts have culminated in several grant-fueled initiatives to deliver fiber and wireless to city apartment complexes, a city middle-mile network, and a looming partnership with regional providers to further expand affordable access.

When we last checked in with Baltimore, the city had just doled out $2 million of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to bring fiber to 12 new city apartment buildings. The deployment is in partnership with Waves, a nonprofit formerly known as Project Waves.

Waves was first launched in 2018 in direct response to the Trump FCC’s repeal of net neutrality and the general failures of federal telecom policy to address digital inequity. Project Waves (profiled by ILSR in 2023) initially used Point-to-Multipoint wireless connectivity to deliver free wireless broadband service to about 300 multi-dwelling unit (MDU) residents.

Image

Now Baltimore Director of Broadband and Digital Equity Kenya Asli tells Government Technology the city is putting the finishing touches on a Request for Proposal (RFP) to strike a new public-private-partnership with an as-yet-unselected broadband provider. The deal should further expand fiber access to unserved and underserved parts of the city.

“Folks want more options, and so we are bringing in more options,” Asli said.

Frustrated by years of substandard broadband service from regional telecom monopolies, Kendall County, Illinois residents have joined the growing chorus of Americans that are tackling the problem head on by building their own better, faster, more affordable fiber networks.

The Kendall County network, part of a public-private partnership (PPP or P3) with Pivot-Tech, is being funded by a tax-free revenue bond.

Kendall County officials tell ILSR that the full cost of the network, which will include private investment from Pivot-Tech, is expected to ultimately be $67 million, serving more than 13,000 locations county wide.

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The first phase of the network build will consist of a combination of fixed wireless and fiber last and middle middle connectivity, supported by $15 million in state broadband grants made possible by 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) legislation. Construction is slated to begin this fall, and officials say the county will own the finished network.  

“The network is a combination of fiber and fixed wireless, with the goal to serve as many customers by fiber as possible,” Kendall County Administrator Christina Burns told ILSR. “The fixed wireless access count planned in phase one will be approximately 1,900. The remainder will be fiber to the premises.”

County officials are still finalizing the selection of a consumer-facing ISP.

“We have identified an ISP and are working through the details,” Burns said. “We do still plan for the network to be open access, hoping to bring more ISPs on in the future.”

Like so many communities we cover, the county’s foray into community broadband was forged by decades of local frustration with limited local broadband competition, high prices, and patchy service, which was painfully highlighted during COVID lockdowns.

Frustrated by years of substandard broadband service from regional telecom monopolies, Kendall County, Illinois residents have joined the growing chorus of Americans that are tackling the problem head on by building their own better, faster, more affordable fiber networks.

The Kendall County network, part of a public-private partnership (PPP or P3) with Pivot-Tech, is being funded by a tax-free revenue bond.

Kendall County officials tell ILSR that the full cost of the network, which will include private investment from Pivot-Tech, is expected to ultimately be $67 million, serving more than 13,000 locations county wide.

Image

The first phase of the network build will consist of a combination of fixed wireless and fiber last and middle middle connectivity, supported by $15 million in state broadband grants made possible by 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) legislation. Construction is slated to begin this fall, and officials say the county will own the finished network.  

“The network is a combination of fiber and fixed wireless, with the goal to serve as many customers by fiber as possible,” Kendall County Administrator Christina Burns told ILSR. “The fixed wireless access count planned in phase one will be approximately 1,900. The remainder will be fiber to the premises.”

County officials are still finalizing the selection of a consumer-facing ISP.

“We have identified an ISP and are working through the details,” Burns said. “We do still plan for the network to be open access, hoping to bring more ISPs on in the future.”

Like so many communities we cover, the county’s foray into community broadband was forged by decades of local frustration with limited local broadband competition, high prices, and patchy service, which was painfully highlighted during COVID lockdowns.

Frustrated by years of substandard broadband service from regional telecom monopolies, Kendall County, Illinois residents have joined the growing chorus of Americans that are tackling the problem head on by building their own better, faster, more affordable fiber networks.

The Kendall County network, part of a public-private partnership (PPP or P3) with Pivot-Tech, is being funded by a tax-free revenue bond.

Kendall County officials tell ILSR that the full cost of the network, which will include private investment from Pivot-Tech, is expected to ultimately be $67 million, serving more than 13,000 locations county wide.

Image

The first phase of the network build will consist of a combination of fixed wireless and fiber last and middle middle connectivity, supported by $15 million in state broadband grants made possible by 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) legislation. Construction is slated to begin this fall, and officials say the county will own the finished network.  

“The network is a combination of fiber and fixed wireless, with the goal to serve as many customers by fiber as possible,” Kendall County Administrator Christina Burns told ILSR. “The fixed wireless access count planned in phase one will be approximately 1,900. The remainder will be fiber to the premises.”

County officials are still finalizing the selection of a consumer-facing ISP.

“We have identified an ISP and are working through the details,” Burns said. “We do still plan for the network to be open access, hoping to bring more ISPs on in the future.”

Like so many communities we cover, the county’s foray into community broadband was forged by decades of local frustration with limited local broadband competition, high prices, and patchy service, which was painfully highlighted during COVID lockdowns.

Frustrated by years of substandard broadband service from regional telecom monopolies, Kendall County, Illinois residents have joined the growing chorus of Americans that are tackling the problem head on by building their own better, faster, more affordable fiber networks.

The Kendall County network, part of a public-private partnership (PPP or P3) with Pivot-Tech, is being funded by a tax-free revenue bond.

Kendall County officials tell ILSR that the full cost of the network, which will include private investment from Pivot-Tech, is expected to ultimately be $67 million, serving more than 13,000 locations county wide.

Image

The first phase of the network build will consist of a combination of fixed wireless and fiber last and middle middle connectivity, supported by $15 million in state broadband grants made possible by 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) legislation. Construction is slated to begin this fall, and officials say the county will own the finished network.  

“The network is a combination of fiber and fixed wireless, with the goal to serve as many customers by fiber as possible,” Kendall County Administrator Christina Burns told ILSR. “The fixed wireless access count planned in phase one will be approximately 1,900. The remainder will be fiber to the premises.”

County officials are still finalizing the selection of a consumer-facing ISP.

“We have identified an ISP and are working through the details,” Burns said. “We do still plan for the network to be open access, hoping to bring more ISPs on in the future.”

Like so many communities we cover, the county’s foray into community broadband was forged by decades of local frustration with limited local broadband competition, high prices, and patchy service, which was painfully highlighted during COVID lockdowns.

Frustrated by years of substandard broadband service from regional telecom monopolies, Kendall County, Illinois residents have joined the growing chorus of Americans that are tackling the problem head on by building their own better, faster, more affordable fiber networks.

The Kendall County network, part of a public-private partnership (PPP or P3) with Pivot-Tech, is being funded by a tax-free revenue bond.

Kendall County officials tell ILSR that the full cost of the network, which will include private investment from Pivot-Tech, is expected to ultimately be $67 million, serving more than 13,000 locations county wide.

Image

The first phase of the network build will consist of a combination of fixed wireless and fiber last and middle middle connectivity, supported by $15 million in state broadband grants made possible by 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) legislation. Construction is slated to begin this fall, and officials say the county will own the finished network.  

“The network is a combination of fiber and fixed wireless, with the goal to serve as many customers by fiber as possible,” Kendall County Administrator Christina Burns told ILSR. “The fixed wireless access count planned in phase one will be approximately 1,900. The remainder will be fiber to the premises.”

County officials are still finalizing the selection of a consumer-facing ISP.

“We have identified an ISP and are working through the details,” Burns said. “We do still plan for the network to be open access, hoping to bring more ISPs on in the future.”

Like so many communities we cover, the county’s foray into community broadband was forged by decades of local frustration with limited local broadband competition, high prices, and patchy service, which was painfully highlighted during COVID lockdowns.

Frustrated by years of substandard broadband service from regional telecom monopolies, Kendall County, Illinois residents have joined the growing chorus of Americans that are tackling the problem head on by building their own better, faster, more affordable fiber networks.

The Kendall County network, part of a public-private partnership (PPP or P3) with Pivot-Tech, is being funded by a tax-free revenue bond.

Kendall County officials tell ILSR that the full cost of the network, which will include private investment from Pivot-Tech, is expected to ultimately be $67 million, serving more than 13,000 locations county wide.

Image

The first phase of the network build will consist of a combination of fixed wireless and fiber last and middle middle connectivity, supported by $15 million in state broadband grants made possible by 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) legislation. Construction is slated to begin this fall, and officials say the county will own the finished network.  

“The network is a combination of fiber and fixed wireless, with the goal to serve as many customers by fiber as possible,” Kendall County Administrator Christina Burns told ILSR. “The fixed wireless access count planned in phase one will be approximately 1,900. The remainder will be fiber to the premises.”

County officials are still finalizing the selection of a consumer-facing ISP.

“We have identified an ISP and are working through the details,” Burns said. “We do still plan for the network to be open access, hoping to bring more ISPs on in the future.”

Like so many communities we cover, the county’s foray into community broadband was forged by decades of local frustration with limited local broadband competition, high prices, and patchy service, which was painfully highlighted during COVID lockdowns.

Frustrated by years of substandard broadband service from regional telecom monopolies, Kendall County, Illinois residents have joined the growing chorus of Americans that are tackling the problem head on by building their own better, faster, more affordable fiber networks.

The Kendall County network, part of a public-private partnership (PPP or P3) with Pivot-Tech, is being funded by a tax-free revenue bond.

Kendall County officials tell ILSR that the full cost of the network, which will include private investment from Pivot-Tech, is expected to ultimately be $67 million, serving more than 13,000 locations county wide.

Image

The first phase of the network build will consist of a combination of fixed wireless and fiber last and middle middle connectivity, supported by $15 million in state broadband grants made possible by 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) legislation. Construction is slated to begin this fall, and officials say the county will own the finished network.  

“The network is a combination of fiber and fixed wireless, with the goal to serve as many customers by fiber as possible,” Kendall County Administrator Christina Burns told ILSR. “The fixed wireless access count planned in phase one will be approximately 1,900. The remainder will be fiber to the premises.”

County officials are still finalizing the selection of a consumer-facing ISP.

“We have identified an ISP and are working through the details,” Burns said. “We do still plan for the network to be open access, hoping to bring more ISPs on in the future.”

Like so many communities we cover, the county’s foray into community broadband was forged by decades of local frustration with limited local broadband competition, high prices, and patchy service, which was painfully highlighted during COVID lockdowns.