The North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity has named Maggie Woods director of its Office of Digital Opportunity (ODT).

The U.S. Commerce Department on Friday unveiled its revamps to the government’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, touting a new “tech-neutral” approach and tossing its previous fiber-centric efforts to the curb.

A group of 12 senators led by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., is calling on the Trump administration to release funding for states under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

While the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) National Broadband Maps spotlight underserved areas across the nation as Congress continues to funnel billions into improving internet connectivity – millions of Americans still aren’t seeing benefits of that funding due in part to the need for better mapping data and greater coordination across Federal agencies.   

Three counties in western North Carolina are set to receive high-speed internet service thanks to more than $10 million in Federal and private funding.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is launching a new $50 million broadband funding push that aims to deliver broadband services to underserved communities in the state.

The Baltimore City Office of Information and Technology recently released a report, “Broadband and Digital Equity: Progress, Success and Lessons Learned,” highlighting the city’s successes in closing the digital divide and advancing Baltimore’s Digital Inclusion Strategy.

The N.C. Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) has named Annette Taylor as the new deputy secretary for NCDIT’s Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity. The position, created in July 2021, is intended to prioritize the state’s efforts to close the digital divide.

Arielle Roth, the Trump administration’s pick to lead the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), pledged to implement Biden-era bipartisan broadband expansion plans while vowing not to favor White House advisor Elon Musk’s Starlink as part of that process.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick announced on March 5 that the agency will be conducting a review of the Federal government’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program with an aim to provide internet access for the lowest cost.