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 Ryan Johnston, Federal Policy
In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of bipartisan consensus that broadband is a necessity that households cannot afford to go without. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have come together to agree that access is a required for meaningful...
Jun 29, 2021 | Blog Entry, Broadband Mapping, By Lukas Pietrzak, Digital Divide, Low-income
The digital divide has been present since the nationwide rollout of consumer Internet plans in the 1990s, but certain communities entered the Internet age in a position that would disadvantage them for years to come. These communities have fallen victim to a...
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 24, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Brittany-Rae Gregory, Digital Inclusion, Emergency Broadband Benefit, FCC, NCC, News
On June 16, 2021, Next Century Cities’ Communications Director Brittany-Rae Gregory moderated a panel discussion on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The event was part of the annual Diversity in...
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 10, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Ryan Johnston, FCC, Federal Policy
Since enrollment for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (“EBBP”) began in May 2021, 2.3 million people have signed up to receive assistance with their broadband bill. However, eligible participants have faced significant challenges to enrollment such as the...
Jun 8, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Francella Ochillo, Digital Divide, Digital Inclusion
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that serves economic development officers nationwide. Its 2021 Future Economic Forum conference focused on fostering regional innovation, economic...
Jun 3, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Francella Ochillo, Digital Inclusion, Federal Policy, Financing
Due to the COVID pandemic, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s (“NDIA”) annual conference had a different look and feel this year. It is traditionally a production fueled by volunteers where digital inclusion practitioners and other stakeholders gather in...
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....
Jun 1, 2021 | Blog Entry, By Francella Ochillo, Digital Inclusion
On May 19, 2020, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Reserve Banks of Dallas and Kansas City, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency co-hosted a webinar, “Collaborating for Digital Inclusion Success in New Mexico.” Next Century Cities’...
