West Virginia Delegate Henry Dillon (R) introduced a bill Wednesday that would classify ISPs as a telecommunications utility under the regulation of the state Public Service Commission. According to HB-4631, "reliable broadband internet is a fundamental and reasonable expectation of our consumers," and the need for it matches or exceeds "the need for utilities such as telephone service in importance." The bill was referred to the House Energy and Public Works Committee.
States are making progress on meeting Transportation Department requirements that they facilitate "dig once" approaches to broadband deployment, the Government Accountability Office said Thursday. Among the 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., it said 46 reported that their transportation department had identified a broadband utility coordinator, and more than half had a process for notifying ISPs of a state transportation improvement project that could facilitate broadband deployment at the same time as the roadwork. GAO said 46 of 52 survey respondents also reported broad coordination with federal, state or local agencies to help with broadband infrastructure deployment in highway rights-of-way. The dig-once requirements were issued in 2021 by DOT's Federal Highway Administration for state transportation departments receiving federal highway program funding.
T-Mobile slammed an opposition to its request for environmental review of a proposed monopole telecommunications facility in North Caldwell, New Jersey. Commenter Nihir Jariwala raised “allegations regarding wetlands, wildlife (including migratory birds), tower lighting, and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act,” T-Mobile said in an undocketed filing posted Friday by the FCC. The allegations are “generalized, speculative, and unsupported by site-specific evidence.”
The cost of gigabit broadband service is anywhere from $15 to $40 a month more expensive when there's only a single gigabit provider, according to a study last week by the California Public Utilities Commission's Public Advocates Office. The study looked at the prices of stand-alone residential internet access charged by California’s four largest fixed providers in San Mateo, Oakland, Los Angeles and San Diego. The benchmark price for competitive broadband service in those markets averages about $51 a month, it said. When comparing locations with limited competition to those with overlapping gigabit networks, "Californians could save more than $1 billion annually if competitive pricing prevailed statewide."
New York is providing more than $38 million to 17 counties and New York City for towers used by first responders in emergency communications, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Thursday. The statewide interoperable communications grant program provides money to local governments for building and repairing radio towers that enable communications with responders during disasters and emergencies, her office said.
Verizon and Frontier Communications are urging the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to reject calls by advocacy groups for what the carriers are calling "near-ubiquitous fiber buildout obligations and overreaching compliance measures." In reply comments posted Tuesday, the companies urged the CPUC to approve Verizon's proposed purchase of Frontier. The CPUC is scheduled to vote on it Thursday.
New Jersey senators are proposing to create a rural broadband infrastructure grant program to expand and improve the state's broadband infrastructure and provide service in rural areas. Under a bill (SB-325) introduced Tuesday, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority would oversee the program, and the grant amounts would be capped at $75,000 per project, with the applicant to contribute private capital of at least 25% of the value of the grant. The legislation, whose primary sponsors are Douglas Steinhardt (R) and Troy Singleton (D), would establish the fund using $2.5 million in federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds. It was referred to the Senate Economic Growth Committee.
Under a bill introduced this week by Delegate Joshua Cole (D), Virginians live-streaming while driving could face license suspension and fines of up to $500 if involved in an accident. HB-320 would prohibit initiating, taking part in or viewing any live-stream while driving.
Under HB-277, which was prefiled last week, Virginia localities won't deny applications for wireless communications infrastructure support structures if they provide additional wireless coverage or capacity for first responders or schools. The bill, introduced by Virginia Delegate Holly Seibold (D), would also prohibit localities from denying an application if the wireless infrastructure isn't within a 4-mile radius of an existing wireless support structure. In addition, it increases the minimum height at which a locality may disapprove applications of any wireless support structure or wireless facility from 50 feet to 150 feet.
New York reopened its Municipal Infrastructure Program (MIP) and is accepting applications on a rolling basis through April 30, the governor's office said Monday. The program, which will make up to $36 million available, connects unserved and underserved communities through open-access and publicly controlled broadband infrastructure. The state said that to date, it has paid $268 million for projects in 24 counties that will build more than 2,300 miles of new fiber-optic infrastructure and 68 new wireless hubs serving more than 96,000 homes and businesses. All supported projects must be substantially complete by Dec. 31, the state added.