Broadband Beat – Page 2 of 179 – Thoughts & Perspectives from Shirley Bloomfield

White House Releases Rural Community Action Guide on Response to Addiction Issues

February 2, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

NTCA has had a long and very productive working relationship with Anne Hazlett, beginning with her work as the top Rural Development policymaker at USDA under Secretary Perdue. While we were sad to see her leave, her departure simply meant a new role focusing on issues critical to rural America that deserve the policy attention she was willing to give to it – the opioid epidemic and its impact on rural America. Anne is now the Senior Advisor for Rural…

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Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Takes Another Step Forward

January 30, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

For too long, NTCA members have heard the calls from consumers in neighboring rural areas desperate for broadband, and they have tried to respond wherever they can while also continuing to invest and deliver high-quality services in their own deeply rural communities. We all know the stories of the larger company service territory in a rural area being the last they bring service to and consumers getting increasingly frustrated. Today’s vote to establish the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund offers great…

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5G, Workforce of the Future and Next Steps for ReConnect…

January 28, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

Whew, it’s been quite a week out here in Washington DC. In spite of what the headlines look like, there are a number of activities still underway that are constructive in a news cycle that looks to be all political. NTCA was delighted to receive the phone call from the Senate Commerce Committee to join the discussion earlier this week on 5G and the workforce needed in the communications space. We may have only had 24 hours to prepare but…

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Terrific Digital Opportunities Ahead…But Some Tweaks Are Needed To Prevent Storm Clouds In The Future

January 21, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

I wrote recently about how NTCA members are excited to participate in the upcoming Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auctions, and how pleased we are that FCC Chairman Pai responded to the call of Congress by circulating an order for those auctions that will help strike a terrific balance by looking to reach as many rural Americans as possible while ensuring that the FCC is “buying the best possible networks” for the available budget. I am energized by the role that NTCA…

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You Must Not Hate

January 20, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day, a federal holiday here in our nation’s capital. Sometimes with federal holidays, it’s almost too easy to forget what we are really celebrating instead of thinking of it as a “free” day off of work and less traffic on the roads. However, most of the news media today has done a good job of reminding us of Dr. King’s legacy as a civil rights leader who set goals for humanity of tolerance, equality,…

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ReConnect, Round Two

January 16, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

It was exciting to see the number of successful NTCA members and their bid for USDA broadband support from the newly created ReConnect program administered by RUS over the course of the past few months. Rural broadband providers in North Dakota, North Carolina, Iowa, South Carolina, Alaska and points in between have secured grants and loans to build broadband to those communities that are in need of connectivity and it’s going to be exciting to see how all of this plays…

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A New Year, A New Look At Wellness

January 14, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 1 comment

Quickly whipping through some trade press today, an article that cited a recent Wall Street Journal analysis on mortality caught my eye. Americans are increasingly dying of heart disease and strokes as they hit middle age – a trend that seems to be hitting much of our country equally, which suggests that the underlying causes of heart disease are more universal and tougher to address than was once thought. It used to be easy to pin the health statistics on…

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CES Ends Another Round

January 12, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

I have yet to actually experience first hand the chaos, glamour and mind-blowing technology showcased at CES every year in Las Vegas but I find myself living vicariously through our own Josh Seidemann’s blogs and updates. Check out his latest Medium post entitled Privacy, Promise and Temptation as he shares his take on the latest show that wrapped up last week. Given our interest in technology and health care, it’s no surprise that Josh spent a fair amount of time…

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FIBER – Fast Interconnection Between Everything Rural

January 9, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

Giving credit where credit is due, my thanks to Bob Debroux with TDS for coining what might be one of my new favorite phrases as we enter what is hopefully a new era of placing a public policy priority on fiber and future-proofed networks as the government looks for different ways to close the digital (or rural/rural) divide. Since last spring NTCA has advocated for opportunities for our members to participate in the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), and…

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Being Part of the Solution

January 7, 2020 Shirley Bloomfield Comments 0 Comment

Haven’t you noticed that these days it’s easier for some to whine about circumstances than it is to act? And I totally get it, sometimes finding a solution and being proactive is a little scary and kind of “puts you out there.” But doing just that is what a number of NTCA members have now done in seeking USDA ReConnect support over the past few months. This new grant, grant/loan and loan program at USDA, authorized and funded by Congress,…

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