Jul 12, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, California, California Public Utilities Commission, Digital Equity, Inglewood, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, San Rafael, State Filing, State Policy
On Friday, July 2, 2021, Next Century Cities submitted comments with the California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) elevating the importance of using local digital equity strategies to address historic and ongoing discriminatory practices. The CPUC sought...
Jun 29, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, By Lukas Pietrzak, Digital Divide, Digital Equity
Each June, communities around the world come together to recognize LGBTQ+ Pride Month. This month is dedicated to acknowledging the battle for equal rights for Queer communities and honors the legacy of activists of past and current generations. As Next Century Cities...
Jun 29, 2021 | Blog Entry, Broadband Mapping, By Corian Zacher
In May 2021, Next Century Cities released a report, Broadband Mapping Across the U.S.: Local, State, and Federal Methods & Contradictions, which discusses broadband mapping initiatives across the country. Since the report’s release, several more communities...
Jun 21, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, State Policy
State Lawmakers Proposed New Prohibitions on Municipal Networks On June 9, 2021, the Ohio Senate Finance Committee and Senate approved amendments to the state’s annual appropriations legislation which could cut municipalities off from federal funding...
Jun 2, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, Filing, Last Mile, Middle Mile, Open Access, State Policy
On May 18th, NCC joined allied organizations in a letter to the California State Assembly Committee on Budget, supporting Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to invest $7 billion in broadband infrastructure for a publicly-owned open access middle mile fiber network....
May 25, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, Digital Divide, State Policy
In 2017, the West Virginia legislature created the West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council within the West Virginia Department of Commerce. The Council has since released its Broadband Strategic Plan for 2020-2025 and a companion Broadband Development Guide, which...
May 25, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, Digital Divide, Digital Inclusion, State Policy
Since 2013, E2D (“Eliminate the Digital Divide”) has worked to refurbish devices, promote digital literacy, and work toward the goal of ensuring that everyone in Charlotte, North Carolina, has equitable access to the digital tools and training they need to succeed in...
May 25, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, By Ryan Johnston, COVID-19, Digital Divide, Emergency Broadband Benefit, Federal Policy, Treasury Department
The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (“SLFRF”) is a $350 billion emergency fund to be used by eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to support the populations hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of the...
May 19, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, Emergency Broadband Benefit, State Policy
On May 10, 2021, Next Century Cities’ Francella Ochillo, Ryan Johnston, and Corian Zacher met with California Public Utilities Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves and members of her staff to discuss state promotion strategies for the Emergency Broadband Benefit (“EBB”)...
May 18, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, Federal Policy, State Policy
Disparities between those who have reliable broadband access and those who do not have never been more apparent. The transition of countless services online has united people living in all corners of the country toward a common goal — ensuring ubiquitous broadband for...
May 13, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, Local Policy, Pole Attachments, State Policy
On April 28, 2021, the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition hosted a webinar to discuss the ways that state and federal oversight of pole attachments impact broadband deployment. NCC’s Corian Zacher, Policy Counsel for State & Local...
May 12, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Corian Zacher, Federal Policy, Low-income
Teachers fill a variety of critical roles outside of traditional classroom education. Promoting wellness and child nutrition, ensuring that students are safe and cared for at home, and preparing children for emergencies and natural disasters are only a few examples of...
