|
by Angela Siefer, Executive Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance
Since 2020, the digital navigator model has spread like wildfire. Programs with trusted guides who assist community members with ongoing, individualized support for accessing affordable and appropriate connectivity, devices, and digital skills are now in hundreds of communities across the U.S. Thirty-nine states and territories included digital navigator programs in their state/territory digital equity/opportunity plans, many of whom included libraries as key community partners. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is one of the reasons this model was developed and went to scale so quickly. Just yesterday, staff at the Institute for Museum and Library Services were placed on leave, meaning there are no staff to manage current grants. In Spring 2020, when everything was shutting down, it quickly became clear that home internet, a device, and digital skills support were essential. NDIA and the Salt Lake City Public Library reached out to IMLS. We wanted to test out the digital navigator model with a library anchor who had a demonstrated history of partnering with local trusted community-based organizations to document what worked and what did not. And, with the support of IMLS, we created a model that was adaptable to support the needs of community members across the country. Did IMLS move as quickly as we wanted them to? Of course not. They did their due diligence as a responsible steward of public funds. Connect AZ, one of the leading digital navigator programs in the U.S. relies upon IMLS funding. With no one at IMLS to manage grants, this amazing program that helped people across Arizona with technology challenges is no longer operating. In 2020, Queens Public Library received a grant from the CARES Act Grant for Museums and Libraries for the “Immediate Access: Technology Re-entry Program” in partnership with Queens Defenders. This program was the basis for their work in providing parolees with devices, data plans, technology assistance, and job training designed to prevent recidivism. This led to a New York Digital Inclusion Fund Innovation Grant, supporting the growth of a comprehensive digital navigator program supporting the re-entry community as well as older adults, job seekers, and new Americans. Most public libraries are primarily funded by city and county taxes. Small and rural libraries with limited local funding will feel the loss of their IMLS grants the hardest. Losing millions of dollars in grant funds from IMLS will drastically impact the ability of these anchor institutions to deliver critically needed services for their community members–from getting people online to teaching them the skills they need to support workforce development, education, and telehealth. Call and email your member of Congress and tell them how libraries are critical to getting affordable and appropriate connectivity, devices, and digital skills to people across the U.S. Demand that the Executive Order be overturned and that funding to IMLS be protected. You can do this as an individual citizen. You can also support this work by signing EveryLibrary’s Online Petition.
0 Comments
 Check out the latest addition of Broadband Action, the CBAN podcast! CBAN Co-founders Jon Willow and Curtis Dean provide a sneak preview of the CBAN/IAMU 2025 Spring Summit, scheduled for April 22 and 23, 2025 in Ames Iowa. We hope you can join us! On YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZA9FSRsJoRs
On Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/broadbandaction/episodes/Spring-Summit-Preview-e30n508 Or search "Broadband Action" on whichever platform you use for podcasts!  When the City Council of Willmar, Minnesota rejected a last-minute proposal from Charter and decided to move foward with an open-access fiber network, it was a victory for local control over opposition fueled by corporate giants. And in a recept op-ed in the Minneapolis Tribune, CBAN friend and Executive Director of the American Association for Public Broadband Gigi Sohn called out the latest attempt by monopoly broadband providers to keep out competition from locally-controlled networks. "Take the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota, the nonprofit organization that Meeks leads. Like other industry-backed groups, it trots out outdated claims that public broadband is a failure — ignoring the reality that most municipal networks are thriving. Just look at two of these — Idaho Falls and Ammon, Idaho. They are among the oldest and most successful public networks in the country. There are hundreds more examples across the United States." -- Gigi Sohn, AAPB To read Gigi's full op-ed, CLICK HERE.
Former BEAD Program Director Evan Feinman, who resigned on March 14, 2025, recently revealed that arbitrary decision-making left his staff "constantly concerned" about their job security despite strong performance. Speaking on the Beyond the Cable podcast with Broadband Communities, Feinman expressed worry that the new administration's approach to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program is shifting from a state-led effort to a more "top-down, directed out of D.C." model.
Feinman disclosed that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's office directed him to "increase the use of satellite and decrease the use of fiber," a directive he believes contradicts the statute that created the BEAD program. In a Financial Times interview, Feinman noted the contradiction that while Elon Musk's SpaceX promotes Starlink satellite internet, "Musk, when Tesla opens up a facility, doesn't put it on Starlink, he gets fiber." His departure came shortly after Secretary Lutnick announced a "rigorous review" of BEAD. Feinman welcomed such a review but stated, "it seems as though the outcome of any review had been determined already." He fears the program's new direction could "lock in" a digital divide. Read more about the Broadband Communities interview and listen to the Beyond the Cable podcast, CLICK HERE.  The Iowa Communications Network (ICN) has completed a major technology upgrade across Iowa's southern tier, spanning 278 miles from Council Bluffs to Burlington. The project enhanced equipment at 12 rural aggregation sites to pure-10Gb connections, strengthening the state-owned fiber optic infrastructure.
The upgrade supports critical redundancy and addresses increasing bandwidth demands for essential services including public safety, healthcare, government, and education users. ICN's engineering team executed the project using a methodical "daisy-chain" approach, upgrading sites sequentially with equipment supporting 24x10Gb connections, replacing the previous 24x1Gb technology. This southern tier enhancement is part of a comprehensive network improvement initiative affecting 156 aggregation locations statewide. The project builds upon ICN's previously completed 100Gb core upgrade, ensuring the network can meet future capacity requirements. The upgraded sites include Council Bluffs, Glenwood, Red Oak, Corning, Creston, Osceola, Chariton, Albia, Ottumwa, Fairfield, Mount Pleasant, and Burlington. This initiative utilizes ICN's extensive 3,400-mile fiber optic network to deliver enhanced Ethernet and IP services through a more resilient infrastructure. To date, ICN has successfully upgraded 62 locations, with 15 more installations currently underway and plans to enhance approximately 79 additional sites in the future.  On the new edition of Broadband Action, CBAN’s Jon Willow chats with Christa Vinson and Joshua Williams with Rural LISC. Rural LISC believes that in a resilient rural community, digital access means affordable, reliable broadband internet, widely available internet-enabled computer technology and digital skill supports that meet user needs. Achieving this goal requires intentional strategies and investments to reduce and eliminate barriers to access and use technology. Jon, Christa, and Joshua chat about the work of the organization, including their Broadband Planning Help Hub.
Broadband Action is available on the CBAN YouTube Channel. Or enjoy the audio version on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform - just search for "Broadband Action" for a list of all episodes!  Commerce Secretary Lutnick recently called for a "tech-neutral" approach to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, signaling a potential shift from fiber to satellite technology. This could redirect $10-20 billion in funding to providers like Starlink, disrupting states' existing plans that primarily focus on fiber deployment.
In a blog post, the nonproft organization Connect Humanity argues strongly for maintaining BEAD's fiber-first approach, highlighting fiber's advantages:
In contrast, LEO satellite broadband faces limitations:
While satellite technology has its place in serving extremely remote areas, the article contends that fiber remains the most cost-effective long-term solution for most communities. It compares the fiber-to-satellite shift to "replacing a bridge with a ferry service" - cheaper initially but less effective and ultimately more expensive.  DZS, a provider of broadband access and connectivity solutions, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Friday, March 14, 2025, after failing to secure necessary working capital to continue operations. The filing has resulted in the immediate cessation of all United States operations and the termination of all US-based employees.
Foreign subsidiaries in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia may continue to operate independently from the US liquidation process, though they are expected to experience significant disruptions to daily operations, including IT systems and software programs. A Chapter 7 Trustee will soon be appointed to oversee the liquidation process in the United States and determine the fate of foreign subsidiaries - whether through going concern sales, local administration, or orderly liquidation. Despite two years of efforts to balance technology initiatives while optimizing expenses and securing capital, the company was ultimately unsuccessful in stabilizing its financial position. After 25 years in operation, DZS remains hopeful that its market-leading solutions will be acquired through the liquidation process, potentially restoring service to customers and suppliers. Affected parties can expect to receive official notification from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas with additional information and the Trustee's contact details.  FCC Chair Brendan Carr has launched an initiative called "In re: Delete, Delete, Delete" inviting public input to identify regulations for elimination. This effort responds to President Trump's executive orders aimed at reducing government regulation, including one requiring agencies to repeal ten rules for each new one proposed.
Carr, who has closely aligned with Trump's policy priorities, argues that administrative agencies have often exceeded their authority or maintained outdated regulations, creating obstacles for innovators and businesses. "The FCC is committed to ending all of the rules and regulations that are no longer necessary," Carr stated. The FCC specifically seeks comments on regulations that are outdated, create market entry barriers, disadvantage American businesses, or impose costs exceeding their benefits. The public has 30 days to submit comments through the FCC website. Louisiana's $1.3 billion federal broadband funding remains stalled due to an ongoing federal review, according to Thomas Tyler, deputy director of the state's broadband office. While Louisiana, Delaware, and Nevada received spending plan approvals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program during the Biden administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology hasn't provided final sign-off since the Trump administration transition.
The delay has left these states in limbo despite providers being "ready to hit the dirt" with deployments. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently announced plans to revamp BEAD with a "tech-neutral approach," potentially shifting away from the program's preference for fiber infrastructure. This comes as Republican lawmakers challenge aspects of the program, with Rep. Richard Hudson introducing legislation to eliminate certain requirements and broaden technology options. Despite uncertainties, over 32 states have begun soliciting grant applications under current guidelines. For more, CLICK HERE to read the story at Broadband Breakfast. |
Broadband Bytes NewsPresented by the Community Broadband Action Network and curated by Curtis Dean. Archives
April 2025
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
