Spring has sprung! Or at least on the calendar it has. While the weather is often still cold, IBO can’t wait for the warmer weather to begin.
As IBO prepares for the 2nd quarter of the year, we’re beginning to plan for local engagement that will be vital for Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) and Digital Equity (DE) plans. This will include visiting local communities to gather feedback on broadband needs. IBO will be talking to community members and include individual interviews with community stakeholders, Indiana service providers, elected officials, regional planning organizations and economic development offices to understand communities' current capacity and how it can be improved as well as gather current resources. This can include surveys, speed tests, complaint logs, local strategic plans, RFP/RFQ/RFIs, underserved areas, digital equity efforts, ISP service areas, publicly owned buildings and land that could be leveraged for broadband and more. As we reach out to communities, IBO will provide a comprehensive list of resources that will be helpful. Guidehouse will also be working with the state of Indiana and IBO to create, solicit feedback, and submit a plan for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) by mid-August.
In addition to our BEAD and DE planning, IBO continues to work alongside the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) in preparation for Next Level Connections (NLC) Round 4 that will be announced this spring. Since Round 1, NLC has been able to award $268 million across 83 counties in Indiana.
It’s been an exciting start to 2023 and IBO can’t wait to see what is up ahead. Stay tuned to hear exciting updates and advancements for broadband in Indiana.
Earnie Holtrey
Deputy Director of the Indiana Broadband Office
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At the beginning of the month, IBO Deputy Director attended the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) Net Inclusion conference in San Antonio, Texas.
There were about 800 digital inclusion practitioners, policymakers, advocates, researchers and other digital inclusion leaders at the conference. Holtrey attended workshops, listened to speakers and panels regarding digital inclusion research, funding and economic development.
You can learn more about the NDIA here.
Earlier in March, Earnie Holtrey, Deputy Director at IBO, was in Louisville at the WISPAMERICA 2023 conference.
Holtrey was part of this conference that hosted over 50 sessions to network with other broadband leaders and discuss the latest industry technology regarding wireless internet services.
WISPA – Broadband Without Boundaries represents the interests of the evolving wireless internet service provider (WISP) ecosystem: small innovative entrepreneurs who provide fixed wireless, fiber and other connectivity solutions to consumers, businesses, first responders and community anchor institutions.
Learn more about WISPA here.
 
Roberto Gallardo, the Director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development and an Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture Economics at Purdue University, has given IBO an update on the DE program. Gallardo has been a key player in the DE program, and the IBO extends its gratitude for his efforts.
Gallardo gives his updates on the DE program:
“The statewide digital equity planning process continues. We are still in the data gathering phase. Close to 50 key informant interviews have been completed, including task force members and providers as well as those directly affected by digital inequities. In addition, a survey conducted by the Indiana University Center for Survey Research has been completed and data is being analyzed. This survey oversampled groups to document their digital equity barriers and differences that are of interest to the planning process such as veterans, elderly, rural, etc. There is an ongoing effort to gather digital equity assets and we need your help! Please share this link to your networks so we can compile as many assets as possible: Digital Equity Takes a Village – Purdue Center for Regional Development. Lastly, stay tuned as we will conduct six regional digital equity sessions in the summer, and we look forward to your input.”
The Indiana Broadband Office, alongside OCRA, is preparing for the Next Level Connections Round 4 announcement in mid-April. In total, Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of the program have awarded $268 million across 83 counties to provide broadband access to more than 74,800 homes and commercial locations. This upcoming round has $80 million in available funding for the NLC, so stay tuned to IBO’s social media in April for the release.
The IBO continues to urge broadband stakeholders to engage with internet service providers (ISPs) to determine eligible project areas and compile a list of addresses for the letter of intent.
To read more about NLC, learn about requirements and find more resources, click here.
As the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is ensuring their new broadband map is up to date, this flyer lays out the process for submitting a challenge. The challenges are still being accepted so the FCC can accurately depict the areas that are unserved and underserved for future broadband deployment. This flyer also illustrates the timeline in which the FCC plans to utilize this map and the challenges submitted. Click here to view this file, available for download.
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