Vol. 18, No. 10
March 7, 2022
FBA and NTCA Release Broadband Infrastructure Playbook
The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) and NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association released the Broadband Infrastructure Playbook, a comprehensive guide designed to assist state broadband offices to best leverage federal funds available through IIJA. Developed in cooperation with global telecom consulting research firm Cartesian, the Playbook delivers relevant information from the Statute, outlines and recommends program structure and provides successful examples from the best state broadband programs.
Briefs Filed in 2nd Circuit on NY Affordable Broadband Act
Amicus briefs were filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on March 2 in support of plaintiffs-appellees in the case addressing an appeal by the New York attorney general of a judgment by a New York district court regarding the New York Affordable Broadband Act. The district court had ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, which challenged a provision in the New York fiscal year 2022 budget requiring broadband providers to offer high-speed broadband service to qualifying low-income consumers at a cost of $15 per month. The former FCC commissioners said although the NY ABA may have been enacted with the best of intentions, they agreed with the district court it is preempted by federal law. TechFreedom and WLF asserted Congress has set a policy of light-touch regulation for Title I information services and the NY ABA conflicts with that policy. NCTA asserted New York’s law discourages investment and threatens the substantial progress ISPs, assisted by government subsidy programs, have made toward bridging the digital divide.
FCC Virtual Tour Event Promotes ACP Enrollment
The FCC is joining virtually with partners across the country to promote Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment. Locally focused events began last week and will continue throughout March. This announcement comes just as the FCC recently uplifted the more than 10 million households who have already enrolled in the nation’s largest broadband affordability program. These events will build program awareness and train grassroots navigators on ACP eligibility and the enrollment process.

FCC Supported Events to Promote Affordable Connectivity Program
  • March 10, 2022, in Wisconsin: AARP Fireside Chat with Wisconsin Retired Educators Association
  • March 14, 2022, in Tennessee: Black Churches for Digital Equity
  • March 14, 2022, in Washington, D.C.: Virtual Leadership Conference for American Council for the Blind
  • March 2022 TBD, in Dallas: Operation Connectivity and Dallas Federal Reserve
Additional events are being planned and will be added to the upcoming events section on www.fcc.gov/acp. To partner with the FCC on future ACP enrollment or training events please contact ACPspeakers@fcc.gov.
NTIA to Host Pre-NOFO Technical Assistance Webinars
NTIA will host a pre-Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) technical assistance webinar series starting next month through May in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program.

These pre-NOFO technical assistance webinars are designed to help prospective applicants understand NTIA’s IIJA broadband grant programs and to assist applicants to prepare high quality grant applications.

NTIA Webinar Schedule
  • Webinar #1: Wednesday, March 9, 2022, from 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ET
  • Webinar #2: Wednesday, March 23, 2022, from 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ET
  • Webinar #3: Wednesday, April 6, 2022, from 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ET
  • Webinar #4: Wednesday, April 27, 2022, from 2:30 4:00 p.m. ET
  • Webinar #5: Wednesday, May 11, 2022, from 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ET.

These webinars will be hosted via NTIA’s virtual platform and conducted as live webinars. NTIA will post the registration information on its BroadbandUSA website as soon as the virtual platform is finalized.