Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R-TX) applauded the federal government’s decision to provide a waiver for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that will give potential applicants broader financing options. “I am pleased [the National Telecommunications and Information Administration] has agreed to allow alternative ways for providers to comply with this requirement of the [Notice of Funding Opportunity],” Comptroller Hegar said. “Stakeholders have noted that the [letter of credit] requirement may have an adverse effect on smaller providers and could prevent them from participating in the BEAD program. Texas needs providers of all sizes to be able to participate in this program if it’s to be successful, and NTIA needs to continue to give us the freedom to build broadband infrastructure in Texas without needless restrictions.”

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to demand answers regarding the FCC’s partisan Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to reinstate failed Title II net neutrality rules. “As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, I have seen the Biden Administration attempt to enact regulations that would ban gas stoves, mandate that domestic semiconductor manufacturers work with equity groups to promote gender ideology, and require internet service providers to develop plans to combat climate change when building out their broadband networks. Administrative agencies have implemented these far-left regulations without any clear congressional delegation. As a result, it truly confounds the mind that under your leadership as Chairwoman, the FCC would attempt to reinstate failed net neutrality rules. Despite the law and history, your FCC is acting as if the major questions doctrine and other decisions limiting agency authority since are merely footnotes that can be ignored in your unabashed power grab to regulate the internet. Let me be clear then: Because neither the Communications Act of 1934, the Telecommunication Act of 1996, nor any other act of Congress provides the FCC the clear authority to implement this massive regulatory scheme, the FCC does not have the ability to survive a legal challenge. Your blind efforts to move forward ignores our separation of powers, and the will of the people through their elected representatives in Congress to determine how to best balance our economic and national security interests on the internet. The powers you seek firmly rest with Congress.”

The state of Idaho has awarded nearly $119 million in funding to Ziply, Comcast and 14 others. Ziply won two awards totaling over $14.3 million. Comcast won a single award for over $9.8 million. Other awardees included competitive and incumbent local providers. In addition, some awards went to individual counties. Awardees will contribute matching funds equal to 30 percent of project costs on average. The funding will go toward last mile and middle mile projects. The funding for the program came through the federal Capital Projects Fund. Idaho was awarded $120 million for the state program, known as the Capital Projects Fund- Broadband Infrastructure Grant program. As with many recent broadband funding programs, the state received applications requesting considerably more funding than the state had available. Forty-one applicants requested a total of over $596 million. Among the applicants that did not receive funding were Charter, Cox, Lumen, TDS and Vyve Broadband.

Glo Fiber, powered by Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel), reached a partnership with municipal officials to deploy next-generation fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband services to the City of Lancaster (PA). Glo Fiber will utilize portions of the city’s extensive existing fiber network and provide key fiber assets to the City for Smart City uses. Engineering work is currently underway, and construction is slated to begin in mid-2024 and last approximately 18 months. “The City of Lancaster is enthusiastic to embark on the next phase of implementing city-wide broadband with Glo Fiber to ensure all residents can access best-in-class broadband services,” said Danene Sorace, Mayor of Lancaster. Glo Fiber provides a direct fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet connection with super-fast, symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 5 gigabits per second (Gbps) with service already available to more than 30,000 homes and businesses in Pennsylvania. The fiber-to-the-home network, coupled with Shentel’s 9,000-mile regional fiber network, enables Glo Fiber to deliver high speeds, low latency, and unparalleled reliability.