FCC nominee Gigi Sohn's supporters are countering a recent Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) letter to Senate Commerce Committee leaders opposing her confirmation, questioning the truth behind the group’s claims about her past interactions with the leaders of some member tribes and calling them character assassination. Telecom policy stakeholders see COLT’s letter as targeted at maintaining pressure on Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Mark Kelly of Arizona, Democrats who have remained publicly undecided on the nominee for months (see 2205050050).
NTIA awarded more than $161 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program support, for more than $620 million to date, the agency announced Friday. More than $143 million will support broadband deployment projects in California and Washington to connect more than 2,800 unserved tribal households. "Closing the digital divide in Indian country is a crucial step for protecting local customs and traditions while invigorating the opportunities for global engagement and growth," said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The Hoopa Valley Tribal Council received the largest amount, more than $65 million, to "install fiber and wireless to directly connect 1,045 unserved Native American households, 64 tribal businesses, and 19 community anchor institutions." NTIA separately awarded the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada $18.9 million for a middle- and last-mile fiber deployment project. "This funding will significantly improve the quality of life for our tribal members and is long overdue," said ITCN Executive Director Deserea Quintana.
NTIA awarded more than $118.8 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program support, totaling more than $457 million to date, the agency announced Tuesday. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe received the largest amount, more than $48 million, to "install fiber and LTE network" to connect more than 1,500 unserved tribal homes in South Dakota.
NTIA awarded nearly $50 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program support to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, said a news release Thursday. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians received more than $8.4 million to deploy fiber to 2,190 unserved homes, 86 businesses and 60 community anchor institutions. The Osage Nation received more than $40.6 million to deploy fiber and wireless towers to 3,158 unserved homes. “Closing the digital divide in Indian country is a crucial step for protecting local customs and traditions while invigorating the opportunities for global engagement and growth," said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
ASPEN, Colo. -- NTIA won't repeat the mistakes made in past federal efforts to narrow the digital divide, said Evan Feinman, director of its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, Tuesday at Technology Policy Institute's Aspen Forum. This time, he said, "we are going to solve this problem" and avoid the top-down approaches that missed unserved or underserved locations and didn't use ideal technology. But critics see danger signs.
ASPEN, Colo. -- It's "too early to tell" whether NTIA efforts aimed at better spectrum coordination among federal agencies are paying off, NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson said Sunday at the Technology Policy Institute's annual Aspen Forum. He said improved coordination has White House backing and agencies "want to do better."
NTIA awarded more than $146 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program support Thursday, totaling more than $290 million so far, to five tribal entities in New Mexico, said a news release. The Santa Fe Indian School received the largest amount, more than $57 million, to deploy fiber with symmetrical speeds of 1 Gbps. The Jicarilla Apache Nation Power Authority, Mescalero Apache Telecom, Pueblo of Isleta and Santo Domingo (Kewa) Pueblo also received funding for deployment.
New Mexico launched a $123 million broadband grant program with money from the American Rescue Plan Act, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) said Wednesday. The Connect New Mexico Pilot Program will cover up to 75% of project costs for expanding networks in unserved and underserved areas, said the governor’s office: Local governments, tribal communities, schools, nonprofits, cooperatives and broadband service providers may apply. The pilot will precede the full Connect New Mexico program that requires administrative rulemaking, the office said. At least $70 million more state funding is coming for the next round expected in 2023, it said. The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion released a notice of funding opportunity for the pilot Wednesday, and will accept applications on a rolling basis in three waves with Sept. 23, Dec. 9 and Feb. 27 deadlines.
New Mexico launched a $123 million broadband grant program with money from the American Rescue Plan Act, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) said Wednesday. The Connect New Mexico Pilot Program will cover up to 75% of project costs for expanding networks in unserved and underserved areas, said the governor’s office: Local governments, tribal communities, schools, nonprofits, cooperatives and broadband service providers may apply. The pilot will precede the full Connect New Mexico program that requires administrative rulemaking, the office said. At least $70 million more state funding is coming for the next round expected in 2023, it said. The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion released a notice of funding opportunity for the pilot Wednesday, and will accept applications on a rolling basis in three waves with Sept. 23, Dec. 9 and Feb. 27 deadlines.
The FCC rejected LTD Broadband and Starlink's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction long-form applications Wednesday, citing a "failure to demonstrate that the providers could deliver the promised service." LTD was the largest winning bidder, preliminarily bidding about $1.3 billion to serve 528,088 locations in 15 states (see 2012070039). Starlink's preliminary award was about $885.5 million.