By Julia Edinger, Government Technology The Tribune Content Agency
This week in "What's New in Digital Equity" - our weekly look at government digital equity and broadband news - we have a number of interesting items, which you can jump to with the links below:
* Maryland Initiative to Support Computer Centers
All 56 states and territories have received approvals on their initial proposals for Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding as of this week.
Texas was the final state to see this approval, enabling the state to access funding up to the amount it was allocated - more than $3.3 billion.
With these initial proposals approved, BEAD-eligible entities in U.S. states and territories can now start to access funding and move into planning implementations.
More information about what the BEAD Program rollout will look like in Texas can be found on the state comptroller's website.
Although many policy changes are expected to take place under a new presidential administration, BEAD Program buildouts are unlikely to be disrupted, experts say. The program, designed to be a 10-year project, was created with the expectation of changes in political leadership. One change that is possible, though, is that the BEAD program may become more "technology neutral" under a new administration, shifting away from a fiber-only - or fiber-preferred - model to include other options for communications infrastructure. This could open up the possibility of seeing more satellite systems.
The BEAD Program was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a historic piece of legislation that celebrated the three-year anniversary of its passage this week.
Since the passage of the IIJA, the federal government has announced $568 billion for more than 66,000 projects nationwide. The legislation has led to significant investment in infrastructure, from roads and bridges to broadband. Under the current administration, 2.4 million homes and businesses have been connected to high-speed Internet for the first time.
FCC LEADERSHIP CHANGES HANDS: INDUSTRY REACTS
Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has tapped Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr to serve as FCC chairman.
Carr will take over the position from former Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who was first appointed to serve as acting chair in January 2021 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as permanent chair later that year.
The FCC is typically split along party lines, creating a sort of political gridlock at times. As such, the leadership change under a new administration does not come as a surprise, but industry reactions are mixed.
Rosenworcel herself has congratulated Carr on the appointment to the position, stating that she is confident in his understanding of the staff, the responsibilities of the chair position, and the importance of U.S. leadership in communications. Three days after issuing that statement, Rosenworcel announced her intention to depart from the FCC on Jan. 20.
Another FCC commissioner, Anna M. Gomez, said in a statement that she is looking forward to working alongside Carr to "ensure we faithfully implement the Communications Act and other Congressional mandates to serve the public."
David Dorwart, chair of the National Lifeline Association, expressed optimism in the opportunity to work with Carr to reform and refund the Universal Service Fund and the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's Director of Broadband and Spectrum Policy Joe Kane urged the FCC in a statement to prioritize policy that will mitigate the digital divide and avoid FCC overreach: "An agenda of careful adherence to the limited jurisdiction of the FCC will be essential."
Lilian Coral, head of the Open Technology Institute and vice president of technology and democracy programs at New America, issued a statement that was less neutral: "We fiercely disagree with many of Commissioner Carr's positions and statements," the statement reads, noting the organization's goal of finding areas of agreement while underlining its commitment to defending policies that promote competition and protect consumers.
Carr is eager to work with the new administration, committing in a statement to stop work on "any partisan or controversial matter and focus on the transition."
NORTH CAROLINA ANNOUNCES 211 PARTNERSHIP
In state news, the North Carolina Department of Information and Technology Division of Broadband and Digital Equity has announced a partnership with NC 211 in order to better help state residents access resources to support digital inclusion.
NC 211 plays a critical role in connecting residents with local services, especially in the case of an emergency, and Internet access and technical support will now be included in the services on which it informs the public.
"The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene has underscored how challenging it is when you cannot access online information and services," said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Jim Weaver in a statement emphasizing that this partnership will help address that challenge.
MARYLAND INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT COMPUTER CENTERS
In other state news, applications are now open for the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband's new Computer Labs Program. The initiative will leverage $2 million in grants to help local governments and partners create and expand computer labs and centers in the state. This program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The majority of individuals served by these facilities must be members of one or more underserved population categories: people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, people who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated, or veterans.
Applications will close Nov. 29. Information is on the Office of Statewide Broadband Grant Programs page.
NDIA RECOGNIZES NATIVE ENTITIES
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance has announced the inaugural awardees of the organization's new Seven Star Communities program.
The program was launched this summer to recognize native entities for their digital inclusion work. It is also intended to act as a knowledge-sharing resource for best practices by and for tribal entities.
The following native nations and communities have been recognized: Alliance for Navajo Broadband, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Gila River Indian Community, Gila River Telecommunications Inc., Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District, Jemez Pueblo Tribal Network, Mohawk Networks LLC, and Sṕq́ńiʔ Broadband Services.
One of those entities, the Gila River Indian Community, is also the location for Net Inclusion 2025.