Hello Hoosiers!
My name is Graham Fishell and I work for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as the Federal Program Officer (FPO) for the State of Indiana. NTIA is a division of the United States Department of Commerce and responsible for administering the high-speed internet programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
In my role as Indiana’s FPO, I work hand in hand with the Indiana Broadband Office to work towards our shared mission of ensuring every single Hoosier has access to high-quality, affordable, high-speed Internet. My responsibilities include assisting our state partners in navigating the BEAD and DE programs, engaging with community and industry stakeholders and traveling the state to bring awareness to the critical opportunities presented by the BEAD and DE programs.
Last November, NTIA awarded the State of Indiana nearly $5 million in initial planning funds to complete a five-year plan to connect every Hoosier with high-speed internet. Additionally, Indiana received nearly $1 million to create a State Digital Equity Plan so that all individuals and communities can participate in the digital space. Work continues on those plans as we move from winter into spring.
In the coming months, the Indiana Broadband Office and NTIA will be traveling to conduct local coordination events in communities across the state to seek input Indiana’s five-year plan. We hope that you and your neighbors will participate in these events. Please stay tuned for further information regarding local coordination events.
As we move into race month in Indiana, planning for BEAD and DE will shift into high gear. Should you have questions about Indiana’s BEAD or DE efforts, please do not hesitate to contact me using my information below.
Sincerely,
Graham Fishell
Federal Program Officer (IN)
Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth
Email: gfishell@ntia.gov
Phone: 202-451-1004
|
Earnie Holtrey, Deputy Director of the Indiana Broadband Office, sat in as a panelist on broadband at the Connect America Conference in late March. This panel was dedicated to understanding what communities can do to while waiting for the disbursement of funding from the government.
Holtrey was one of the panelists discussing the strategy behind preparing for the disbursement - which totals over $42 billion - to ensure resources are used efficiently in a timely manner.
Although the federal grant processes move slowly, Holtrey encouraged stakeholders to begin planning and launching connectivity projects as soon as possible. “Spend some money now, get some projects going — there’s still going to be plenty of projects to do when the BEAD money comes around.”
Continue reading about this conference.
Indiana Broadband’s level of collaboration is unmatched! Eight communities are in the process of being announced as Broadband Ready Communities (BBRC). We are in the process of planning an in-person announcement for 5 communities that have worked together to each receive BBRC designations in May. We are also working on a joint announcement for 3 more communities.
IBO’s total number of certified communities is at 76 and growing. We’re looking forward to growing this number in 2023 and the years to come.
Learn more about the Broadband Ready Communities Program.
Meet our most recent Broadband Champion: Erica Cline from Jefferson County!
Erica works in the Jefferson County Commissioner’s Office. She sat with us to discuss the county’s process for earning the Broadband Ready Community certification and gave tips for new communities in the process.
Visit our YouTube page to watch the full video.
The Indiana Broadband Office is making progress on its BEAD 5-Year Action Plan. IBO has engaged Guidehouse to execute on public engagement and develop the plan. Guidehouse is a consulting firm with over 15,000 professionals, and their State and Local Government practice supports numerous broadband projects across the country. They are currently working with several states on their development of BEAD and DE plans.
Their team includes Dave Matusoff, Harrison Phelan, Gabby Bryant, Rebecca Fadel and Elizabeth Shaw. They are also partnering with aFit Staffing Inc., PME Indy, Olsson and Sondhi Solutions, LLC.
As part of this effort, IBO and the Guidehouse team have had several interviews with community stakeholders, internet service providers, state offices and departments, regional planning organizations and economic development offices to understand communities' current broadband capacity and how it can be improved. IBO will be visiting local communities this spring to gather feedback on their broadband needs and talk to community members. These Community Listening Sessions will include on-site surveys, broadband background presentations and an overview of local strategic plans. These sessions will collect on-the-ground information, capture direct concerns from the community and focus on those areas that are unserved and underserved. The timeline of events is below.
In late March, Earnie Holtrey visited Howard County and BerryComm, LLC to celebrate the first customers connecting to the Fiber 55 Internet Ring.
This initiative began over two years ago and will advance connectivity in the county by providing faster internet connection for more people.
Read more about BerryComm and the Fiber 55 Internet ring.
|