The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) said Thursday that it received notice from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that its $5.3 million digital equity capacity grant was canceled as of May 9. VCBB said it's in contact with the Vermont Attorney General's office and "is exploring legal options." NIST's letter explains that President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick "agreed" that the program is "unconstitutional and grants issued pursuant to it were created with, and administered using, impermissible and unconstitutional racial preferences." The "decision is final and there is no right of administrative appeal," the letter said. Vermont had planned to use the funding to implement its digital empowerment (DE) program. “Vermont’s DE program was going to improve the lives of Vermonters who can’t access the internet," said VCBB Executive Director Christine Hallquist. "Taking this funding away now will severely limit our work and will mean many Vermonters will be left behind, unfortunately the most vulnerable," Hallquist added.
North Carolina announced $48 million in additional funding for its completing access to broadband (CAB) broadband program. The latest round of CAB funding will serve 14,514 homes and businesses in 22 counties, Gov. Josh Stein (D) said Friday. "Connecting all North Carolinians, especially in our rural areas, opens doors of opportunity," Stein said. The state has awarded $118 million in CAB support so far to serve more than 46,000 households and 130 businesses, according to an awards tracker. Of the total funding announced Friday, more than $33 million will be funded through the American Rescue Plan and more than $14 million from the selected ISPs. Brightspeed, Star Communications, Foothills Broadband, RiverStreet Networks, Spectrum, Fybe, RIVR Tech, Zirrus, Windstream, Zito Media, Focus Broadband, Star Communications and Surry Communications received funding. Brightspeed will serve seven of the 22 counties.
Pivot-Tech Development received two grants to deploy broadband in Illinois and Idaho, CEO Jim Cannon wrote Thursday in a blog post. The company received a "full grant" for Illinois' broadband project in Kendall County, Cannon wrote, adding that an additional $30 million in tax-exempt municipal bonds will be raised over the next two years for the project's first phase. In Idaho, the Port of Lewiston selected Pivot-Tech to build a city-wide fiber network. Cannon said this will be funded by about $30 million in tax-exempt municipal bonds. Cannon didn't comment.
The Michigan High Speed Internet Office (MIHI) is reviewing the 392 BEAD applications it received during its first round of proposals, the agency said Thursday. The applications cover more than 193,000 BEAD-eligible locations for fiber broadband expansion, MIHI said. The agency also wants comments by May 22 on its draft grant agreement for BEAD.
A Louisiana bill would allow the state's broadband office to use some appropriated funds to administer the state's Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities program. State Rep. Daryl Deshotel (R) introduced the measure, HB-689, on Wednesday. The bill would give the state broadband office flexibility in determining thresholds for grant recipients to receive additional disbursements. In addition, it would provide guidance on oversight and enforcement authority of broadband development.
The Connecticut General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to approve a bill requiring all school districts to adopt a smartphone policy for students during school hours. The bill, HB-7009, would require districts to have a policy by the 2026-27 school year. It still must be approved by the state Senate before it ends its current legislative session June 4. "I urge the Senate to pass it in concurrence with the House so that I can sign it into law," Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said Wednesday.
The Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board on Tuesday awarded $53.4 million in federal funding to five ISPs to deploy 19 middle-mile infrastructure projects. The ISPs will also contribute a collective $36.2 million in matching funds. The state's Broadband Office received 72 proposals. Awarded ISPs have until October 2026 to complete their projects.
Much of the U.S.' digital divide problem is concentrated in affordable housing, as residents there struggle with the cost of internet connectivity, as well as inadequate residential wiring and broadband infrastructure, EducationSuperHighway blogged this week. It said the return on investment for ISPs is much lower for multi-dwelling units (MDU) in public and affordable housing, meaning less incentive for ISPs to retrofit such housing or offer incentives. A number of states are trying to tackle MDU issues through BEAD nondeployment funds, the Capital Projects Fund or American Rescue Plan Act funds, it said. The group called on all states to ensure that their BEAD nondeployment funds include plans for MDU connectivity programs.
A proposed final decision issued Monday would approve Verizon and Frontier's $20 billion all-cash deal in Connecticut (see 2503260070). The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's proposed decision would also approve a settlement agreement between the companies and the Office of Consumer Counsel. The PURA said it found that Verizon "possessed the requisite financial, technological, and managerial suitability and responsibility and the ability to provide safe, adequate, and reliable service to the public."
The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority will soon issue a proposed final decision on Verizon and Frontier's $20 billion all-cash deal (see 2503260070). The PURA is tentatively scheduled to release it by Monday, a spokesperson told us.