Hello, my name is Stephen Cox and I am serving as the State Infrastructure and Broadband Administrator. In this position, I function as the State Infrastructure Administrator with the objective that the state of Indiana achieves appropriate and optimal benefits from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. My primary focus will be on broadband deployment and adoption of quality service across the state, leading and coordinating activities with state agencies, local governments and communities, and other groups to pursue appropriate and prudent opportunities offered by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and other federal legislation. I work in the Indiana Office of Management and Budget and directly with the Indiana Broadband Office.
The focus of my position is leading our state team through the processes of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) and the State Digital Equity Grant Program (DE). These programs will provide significant funding and resources to ensure all Hoosiers have access to high-quality, affordable, high-speed internet. This has become a necessity for citizens to participate in all aspects of daily life from health care and education to commerce and recreation. It is an essential service impacting quality of life.
The Indiana Broadband Office is currently creating plans for BEAD and DE to fund projects to connect Hoosier families and businesses. Listening sessions will be taking place throughout the state over the next several months to ensure community needs are understood and addressed. We look forward to these discussions and are excited for this opportunity for our state.
Stephen Cox
State Infrastructure and Broadband Administrator
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As part of the BEAD Five-Year Action Plan, the IBO is beginning its travels across Indiana to engage in broadband visioning sessions, stopping in 18 counties with the invitation sent to all 92 counties. The purpose of these sessions is to adequately understand and address the barriers to broadband deployment and unique community challenges.
The IBO will be in Rush County for the first-ever session on May 16, and will visit Franklin County on May 17. These visioning sessions will be attended by the local community leaders and stakeholders regarding the future of broadband in the area.
If you would like more information about a visioning session near you, please get in touch with Earnie Holtrey or Megan Minor.
In April, the Indiana Connectivity Program awarded over $842,000 to 216 addresses across the state in the program’s fifth round. Internet providers carrying out the projects are matching over $1.4 million for a total investment of more than $2.2 million. To find a list of providers who were awarded funding, visit in.gov/ocra/broadband/icp.
Currently, the Indiana Connectivity Program is collecting bids for its sixth round, with all bids due on June 2. New address applications will also be collected during this time for the seventh round of the Indiana Connectivity Program. For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/broadband/icp.
An update on the Digital Equity plan from the Director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development's Executive, Roberto Gallardo:
Work on the digital equity plan continues. As mentioned previously, the data gathering session has mostly been completed. Several key insights are worth sharing:
- Digital asset mapping effort is ongoing.
- A minimum of six published (as of March 2023) digital inclusion or equity plans were reviewed ranging from the city, to the county, to the regional level.
- Based on 2021 Census data, rural areas of the state are affected at a higher rate by the digital divide compared to other covered populations.
- Lack of devices is a bigger issue among the population aged 65 or older than internet access.
- The East Central region of the state (region defined by OCRA) had the highest internet income ratio (a measure of inequality).
- The Southeast region of the state (region defined by OCRA) had the largest homework gap—share of children with a computer but no internet.
- About 12.4% of survey respondents did not pay for home internet; largest difference regarding home internet was between more educated versus less educated.
- Close to 44% of respondents did not own a desktop computer while close to one-quarter did not own a laptop computer. About 9.1% of respondents were smartphone-only users.
In the next couple of months, the task force will document barriers and write draft strategies to address these barriers. The next step will be to conduct six regional solutions sessions across the state (locations to be defined) where input on the barriers and draft strategies will be discussed as well as gathering solutions or objectives. We are still on track to unveil the plan in the fall.
The OCRA, alongside the IBO, is preparing for the Next Level Connections Round 4 announcement in June. 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 for a release this summer.
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.
Read more about NLC to learn about requirements and find more resources.
In April, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that $20 million will be allocated throughout the nation to assist in delivering broadband technical assistance. This program is funded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a nationwide effort to bring all Americans affordable, reliable, high-speed internet.
This funding will support technical assistance projects such as conducting feasibility studies, completing network designs and developing broadband financial assistance applications.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO) and the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) announced Decatur County as the state’s 76th Broadband Ready Community.
“Communities like Decatur County becoming broadband ready encourage and enhance increased accessibility to connectivity,” said Crouch. “Decatur County has taken a critical step in investing in and prioritizing quality-of-life through broadband expansion. Congratulations to the local leaders and residents throughout Decatur County!”
Continue reading the full press release.
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