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News & Updates
DECEMBER 2025
| | Coming Soon - Public Dashboard to Track Broadband Investments | In the coming months, MBI plans to launch a new Infrastructure Progress Dashboard to provide up-to-date information for ongoing MBI-funded broadband infrastructure projects. As part of MBI’s effort to keep the public informed and ensure transparency for broadband investments, the dashboard will track projects funded through the U.S. Treasury Capital Projects Fund (CPF). Once live, the dashboard will be able to track projects, including the Gap Networks Grant Program and Residential Retrofit Program, across three categories including design/planning, construction and completion. | | MBI Celebrates Achievements and Progress of 2025 | | |
As 2025 comes to a close, MBI is celebrating the achievements and progress connecting the state. The team is proud to highlight these milestones, and grateful to our ecosystem for your collaboration.
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The Connected & Online Program launched and receivied 234 applications from across the state requesting 29,246 devices to enable access to education, employment and health care.
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MBI submitted the BEAD Final Proposal to NTIA, continuing towards the goal of internet for all in Massachusetts.
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Over 90% of communities participating in the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program completed a digital equity plan, resulting in 70 plans across 105 municipalities. Of these, 90 municipalities have moved into the implementation phase and are receiving grants through the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program.
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The Retrofit Ancillary Grantee Program (RANGE) was launched to help housing operators enrolled in the Residential Retrofit Program assist residents to adopt and utilize the reliable high-speed internet service made possible through the wiring upgrades funded MBI.
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More than 40,000 homes in public and affordable housing have or will be receiving state-of-the-art internet wiring as a result of their participation in the Residential Retrofit Program.
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Through the Digital Equity Partnerships Program, more than 24,333 digital skill learners have graduated programs for digital literacy skills, 66,000 individuals have received personalized digital navigation services and over 4,000 households’ residents in affordable housing have been connected to the internet.
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Four providers, Comcast, Greenfield Community Energy and Technology (GCET), Spectrum, and Verizon, are in the process of updating broadband infrastructure in 128 communities as part of the Gap Networks Grant Program.
| Connecting the Commonwealth: Building on Massachusetts' Momentum | |
On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the MBI team gathered the ecosystem of those individuals and organizations across the state working to empower digital skills and connect the Commonwealth at Massachusetts Goes DigitALL. Massachusetts Competitive Partnership President and CEO Jay Ash moderated a fireside chat titled Unlocking Digital Access: Building Opportunity & Economic Competitiveness with Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) President and CEO Brooke Thomson and City of Boston CIO Santi Garces.
Following the event, Ash shared his takeaways, summarizing years of progress and how the state can build on the momentum it is experiencing currently. MBI thanks him for his perspective and leadership on this important policy issue. Click below to read more.
READ STORY
| | Ecosystem Updates / Events | | MBI Celebrates Residential Retrofit Program at Go Live Event | |
On Friday, Nov. 21, the MBI team partnered with the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) and Aervivo to celebrate the completed retrofitting of the Gardner Terrace apartments in Attleboro. The housing community is home to aging residents. As part of MBI’s Residential Retrofit Program, internet service in 92 apartments within the community was updated with new wiring. The event featured residents and members of the Aervivo, MBI, POAH and Gardner Terrace teams.
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| | Connect with MBI at the 2026 Massachusetts Municipal Association's Connect 351 Conference | MBI will be attending the Massachusetts Municipal Association's Connect 351 conference, Thursday, Jan. 22, to Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. The team is proud of the work happening across the state to close the digital divide. MBI looks forward to connecting with ecosystem partners to further the great efforts made in 2025. The team hopes to see you there. | | $4.3 Million Awarded Through MBI's Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program | |
Sixty three municipalities across Massachusetts received funding through the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program. The program, launched in 2024, provides communities who completed a plan in the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program with a one-time grant of up to $100,000 to support projects identified as part of their plan. With this funding, communities will expand internet access, purchase devices, boost digital skills training and increase community engagement to help close the digital divide.
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Cape News published a story about Falmouth Community Television (FCTV) receiving a $79,900 grant to support digital literacy through MBI's Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program.
READ STORY
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The Benton Institute published a digital equity roundup that included a mention of MBI's Connected and Online Program and Retrofit Ancillary Grantee (RANGE) Program.
READ STORY
| | MBI Team Celebrates Go Live Event at the Gardner Terrace Community in Attleboro | |
The MBI team joined with the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) and Aervivo to recognize the completion of the Gardner Terrace housing community's retrofit through the Residential Retrofit Program.
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