The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it has received more than 700 applications seeking $6.5 billion in funding for digital equity projects. NTIA noted that the total requested amount of funding is more than six times the available amount from the first round of the Digital Equity Act’s Competitive Grant Program funding. 

The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) has named Joseph Wassel executive director, which the organization regards as the equivalent of its chief executive officer.

Twelve minority-serving colleges and universities will receive $33.5 million in Federal Internet for All grants as part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (CMC).

Over the last year, the Federal government has allocated billions in funding to help close the digital divide nationwide. Multiple Federal entities, including the Treasury Department and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), have been tasked with overseeing the allocation of Federal funds.

The Senate on Jan. 11 voted to approve the nomination of Alan Davidson as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, and head of the agency’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that its National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM) now has 20 participating states. In a July 10 statement, NTIA confirmed that Wyoming and Washington State have been added to the NBAM.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a new broadband initiative dubbed the Minority Broadband Initiative (MBI), that will focus on “solving broadband deployment challenges in vulnerable communities.”