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Broadband News and Events

Events

• May 29,30, 2013 - Kansas City, MO. FTTH Council Americas Community Toolkit Conference.
  FTTH Council Americas is holding this special conference to provide communities with the Toolkit they need to deploy gigabit networks. Read More>>
  

News

• December 5, 2012 - TechNet ranks Virginia in top 10 for broadband adoption, network quality and economic structure. Read the report>>

• July 11, 2012 - The Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy released its annual Virginia Economic Forecast which stresses the importance of broadband and the need for lawmakers to pursue policies that will promote affordable, wide-spread broadband. Read More>>
  

• June 13, 2012 - Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) announced today that two of his proposals to promote more rapid and cost-effective expansion of broadband networks will be advanced through an Executive Order to be signed by the President.  Read More>>
  
  
• December 2011 - 2011 was a landmark year in broadband infrastructure development. “Broadband Activities in the Commonwealth: An Annual Report” describes the broadband availability mapping initiatives and progress being made at the state and federal level.  “Broadband Coverage in the Commonwealth of Virginia" estimates the percentage of the Virginia population falling into certain broadband internet service availability categories.
  
  
• November 11, 2011 - The Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy released a study called, "Connecting Virginia: The economic benefits to expanding advanced internet access." Read the Study>>
  
  
• November 8, 2011 - The Center for Innovative Technology releases Ecommerce maps. See the maps>>
  
  
• August 2, 2011 - The FCC released the results of its wireline broadband speed tests. Read the Report>>
  
  
• July 13, 2011 - Secretaries of Technology and Education Announce New Round of K-12 Broadband Speed Tests.
  Read More>
  
  
• June 30, 2011 - Commonwealth releases broadband availability map. Read More>>
  
  
• March 4, 2011-USDA Invites Applications for Grants to Connect Rural Communities to Broadband Service. Read More>>
  
  
• February 20, 2011 - USDA Introduces Online Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America. Read More>>
  
  
• February 20, 2011 - USDA Rural Development Invites Applications For Rural Economic Development Funding. Read More>>
  
  
• February 17, 2011 - The National Broadband Map goes live. Check it out>>
  
  
• February 15, 2011 - Wisconsin returns millions of federal money for broadband. Read More>>
  
  
• February 10, 2011 - President Obama unveiled an initiative that will expand wireless coverage to 98% of Americans, reduce deficit by nearly $10 billion, and invest in nationwide public safety network. Read More>>
  
  
• January 27, 2011 - USAC's News Brief
  
  
• January 24, 2011 - USAC's News Brief
  
  
• NTIA-RUS Announce Second Round of Broadband Funding Opportunities - January 15, 2010 - The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and USDA's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced availability of $4.8 billion in ARRA grants and loans to expand broadband access and adoption in America. Read the press release. For additional information: Round 2 NOFA - RUS(PDF); Round 2 NOFA - NTIA(PDF)

• Virginia receives first Recovery Act (ARRA) funding for Broadband.  Alleghany County, NTELOS Telephone Inc., $8,062,088 grant and $8,062,088 loan. The funds will provide broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved homes, businesses and critical community institutions in this rural county. A fiber-based project, it will enable work-from-home jobs and foster economic development, and improve health, education and public safety services to the county citizens.  Read the RUS press release. 

• November 13, 2009 - NTIA has published summary comments from service providers regarding the unserved or underserved nature of applicants’ proposed service areas as part of the online Applications Database located here. Please notice the “Public Notice Response” category at the bottom of every applicant profile, and see the attached .pdf file for related comments. Any applications that have been the subject of public comment will be marked as such.  Infrastructure applications submitted by Virginia entities to provide services in Virginia can be found at: here.
  

• November 10, 2009 - The USDA's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced they are streamlining the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act‟s broadband grant and loan programs by awarding the remaining funding in just one more round, instead of two rounds, to increase efficiency and better accommodate applicants. Read the press release.
  

• October 27, 2009 Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information Larry Strickling and RUS Administrator Jonathan Adelstein testify during The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's full committee hearing on Oversight of the Broadband Stimulus Programs in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The testimonies and the archived webcast can be found at here.

• FCC announces “OpenInternet.gov” to provide a place for interested parties to join the discussion about the important issues facing the future of the Internet. Through this site you can stay connected to all Federal Communication Commission activities on the issue, and share your thoughts and ideas on open Internet.  Check it out… www.fcc.gov or www.openinternet.gov  (September 2009)

• NTIA/RUS post submissions to first round BIP/BTOP programs
  RUS and NTIA have posted a searchable database of all applications received during the first funding round.  Search the database at: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants/applications/search.cfm

• Commonwealth’s Deputy Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson named one of three recipients of Public Knowledge’s ip3 awards for 2009 for her work in information policy.  Read the Public Knowledge press release. (August 2009)

• The Recovery Act authorizes the FCC to create a National Broadband Plan, that “shall seek to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal www.broadband.gov

• The Commonwealth's Broadband Toolkit has been selected as one of the technologies to be presented at the Internet Caucus Committee's 12th Annual Kickoff Technology Policy Exhibition on January 13th at the Hart Office Building in Washington, DC. View the Press Release. For more information on the event visit http://www.netcaucus.org/events/

• President Bush signs Broadband Data Improvement Act
  A first hurdle to a national broadband policy was cleared on Friday, as President Bush signed the Broadband Data Improvement Act (S. 1492)
  
  
• NC PROVIDES FUNDS FOR BROADBAND
  The North Carolina legislature allocated $1.5 million for the e-NC Authority broadband efforts for the coming fiscal year. The funding will be used to increase the availability of residential Internet connectivity in underserved areas. e-NC awards connectivity incentive grants with matching requirements to qualified service providers for the expansion of high-speed access. The authority also provides financial support to rural business and technology telecenters, as well as capital expenditure grants for local governments. Visit the e-NC website.
  
  
• Commonwealth of Virginia Selected to Receive Funding from FCC Rural Healthcare Pilot Program. The FCC Press Release and List of Participants can be found at FCC - Notices and Press Releases.
  
  
• Governor Kaine Announces Partnership to Improve Citizen Access to GED Content. http://www.lcnv.org/docs/ged_ondemand.pdf
  

• JCOTS Announces Formation of Wireless Broadband Advisory Committee
  
  

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