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SHLB Weekly Roundup

Explore SHLB’s weekly highlights for the week starting May 6.

SHLB at Broadband Communities Summit

From May 6 to 8, Eric Fredell and John Windhausen attended the Broadband Communities Summit. During the summit, John held a panel discussing how schools and libraries are using wireless solutions to connect community members.

The event was a great opportunity to connect with familiar faces and learn from the innovative initiatives shared by SHLB members.

We’re incredibly proud to have you as part of the SHLB community! 

Press Release: SHLB Supports Bipartisan ACP Amendment

Issues We’re Watching

ACP funding efforts: Unfortunately, the Senate passed the FAA bill without  the Luján/Vance amendment calling for $6 billion in ACP funding. But Senator Schumer did agree to allow a full Senate vote on the Luján/Vance bill later this year.

Schatz & Cruz’s Bill: SHLB, CoSN, SETDA and ALA wrote a letter last week to oppose the Eyes on the Board Act, which was included in the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA). SHLB is planning to send a second letter to members of the entire Senate next week.

Interesting articles:

NTIA to Release Guidelines for Alternative Broadband Technologies Under BEAD

FCC Urges Supreme Court Not to Review USF Challenges

Policy Groups Update

Here’s a look inside what was discussed on policy group meetings this week:

USAC/SHLB Rural Health Care Roundtable: On May 7, SHLB members virtually met with USAC to discuss:

• FY 2023 timing and projections for FY 2024.

• Implementation of programmatic changes by the FCC.

• Suggestions for overcoming issues in USAC’s online filing system.

Member Policy Call: On May 8, Stephanie Stenberg and Therese Perlowski from Internet2 shared their Community Anchor Program and IMLS-funded Toward Gigabit Libraries toolkit.

We also discussed:

• Congressional efforts to fund the ACP on the FAA Authorization bill (supported by SHLB).

• Eyes on the Board Act (opposed by SHLB).

• Draft of a letter to support technological-neutrality in the upcoming hotspot lending order.

Rural Health Care Policy Call: On May 9, members debriefed about the USAC meeting, and discussed the application review process and associated delays, which remains a top issue for many members.

We also discussed preparing educational materials for the FCC and USAC about the various scenarios that could affect start and end dates in evergreen contracts.

AnchorNets 2024 Sponsorship Opportunity

AnchorNets provides the perfect platform for expanding your company’s presence in the broadband market.

With 300-400 attendees, including representatives from schools, libraries, telehealth networks, and broadband companies nationwide, you’ll witness real-world examples of programs such as E-rate, Rural Health Care, and Digital Equity.

As a sponsor, you’ll enjoy unparalleled access to industry experts.

For sponsorship inquiries, please reach out to Eric Fredell at efredell@shlb.org.