In comments filed last week to the U.S. Department of Treasury's Interim Final rule on state and local fiscal recovery funds, INCOMPAS underscored the importance of a fiber backbone in meeting the increasing demand, since every technology in the broadband ecosystem - including fixed broadband, cable, cellular (mobile and 5G) and satellite - need access to fiber.

INCOMPAS noted that setting minimum standard of symmetrical 100 Mbps upload and download speeds "have the potential to promote additional fiber deployment," which "can be beneficial to communities who are currently not served by fiber."

INCOMPAS believes it is critical that investment be made in robust and reliable networks that can offer where it is feasible at least 1 gigabit fixed connectivity today and higher speeds in the future and encouraging investment in infrastructure that can scale to 1 gigabit connectivity also should be included in Treasury’s final rule.

Qualified buyers are eligible for complimentary registration for The 2021 INCOMPAS Show to participate in the Buyers Forum, a unique, dedicated time that brings together buyers and sellers in a speed-meeting format. The show will take place October 25-27 at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

You'll be able to make the most of your time at the show, improving your travel ROI by facilitating meetings with several potential vendors all in a single location.

In order to receive complimentary registration, you are required to participate in designated open meeting times on Monday, October 25, and Tuesday, October 26, and stay at our host hotel. The program is limited to one free registration per company.

For more information or to see if you qualify, email Gail Norris by no later than June 30.

With its purpose-built C-RAN infrastructure, ZenFi Networks is at the forefront of network architecture innovation and a critical part of the mobile and wholesale telecom ecosystems in one of the biggest markets in the world.

During last week's webinar, Rob Sokota, ZenFi Networks' chief administrative officer and president, Wireless Division of CityBridge, shared his insights on the municipal landscape of New York and New Jersey, the importance of public-private partnerships and why 5G is critical infrastructure for the nation’s future.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a new publicly available digital map that displays key indicators of broadband needs across the country and shows huge gaps in use of high-speed internet service. This is the first interactive, public map that allows users to explore different datasets about where people do not have quality Internet access.

“The public ‘Indicators of Broadband Need’ tool puts on one map, for the first time, data from both public and private sources. It also contains data aggregated at the county, census tract, and census block level from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FCC, M-Lab, Ookla and Microsoft," the press release noted. "Speed-test data provided by M-Lab and Ookla help to illustrate the reality that communities experience when going online, with many parts of the country reporting speeds that fall below the FCC’s current benchmark for fixed broadband service of 25 Mbps download, 3 Mbps upload. This is the first map that allows users to graphically compare and contrast these different data sources.”

The FCC issued a public notice announcing its intent to recharter the Task Force for Reviewing Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States, which provides advice to the commission on accelerating the deployment of broadband internet access service on unserved agriculture land to promote precision agriculture. The FCC also seeks nominations for membership on the task force and its working groups. Nominations for membership to the task force are due July 12, 2021.

NTIA released an updated database with information on more than 80 federal programs across 14 federal agencies whose funding can be used for broadband-related purposes. This comprehensive “one-stop shop” for broadband resources, created with the help of participating federal agencies, supports the Biden Administration’s push for universal high-speed internet access and focus on closing the digital divide. This site also fulfills an obligation in the ACCESS BROADBAND Act to provide a central website for potential applicants seeking federal broadband funding. Funding opportunities include direct grants, loans, indirect support, and discounts for industry, state and local governments, schools, libraries, small businesses, and other community institutions that are interested in expanding and improving broadband access. Visitors to the website can search for programs by agency, program purpose, and eligible recipients. As agencies release new funding opportunities, NTIA will update the site.

You can access the updated BroadbandUSA Federal Funding Guide here, and the information is also available as a downloadable spreadsheet to allow users to sort the material by selected criteria.

The Senate Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband will convene a hearing entitled “Building Resilient Networks” at 2:30 p.m. this Tuesday, June 22. The hearing will examine ways in which the federal government can support deployment of resilient, redundant, and secure broadband and telecommunications infrastructure, and review the lessons learned from outage incidents. The hearing also will focus on gaps revealed by these incidents and legislative proposals to improve network resiliency and reliability.