General

UCL Swift Summer2026 Quarterly Newsletter

This quarter at UCL Spotlight on Steve HarrisVice President of Sales & Marketing, BroadbandThis quarter, UCL Swift welcomed Steve Harris to the team—and the impact has been immediate.Steve brings more than 30 years of broadband leadership experience to his role, with expertise spanning telecommunications, network engineering, technology deployment, workforce development, and industry standards. He is also widely recognized across the industry as a thought leader, educator, and engaging speaker who connects technical knowledge with real-world application.In his first six months alone, Steve has represented UCL Swift at some of the industry’s most respected events, including:- SCTE Chapter Leadership Conference- MACTA- BCAP- Connect (X)- Fiber ConnectThere, he’s shared insights into UCL Swift’s total-solution partnership and fostered key relationships with industry professionals. We’re proud to have Steve on the team and look forward to the continued impact he’ll bring to UCL Swift and the broader broadband community.Read more about Steve >Build and Scale Highly Efficient Networks Swift-FX Solution The Swift FX solution is designed to deliver unmatched connectivity right to your doorstep. Whether it’s new construction or dropping fiber optic links from existing infrastructure, this industry-changing solution delivers the performance required by the service provider and the flexibility desired by contractors.Showing Up Where It Matters This quarter was full of incredible trade shows across the nation. Q2 found the UCL team at:- Iowa Communications Alliance | March 23-25, 2026- TCEI Expo | March 31–April 2, 2026- MACTA 2026 Mid-America Show | April 6-7, 2026- TANE Spring Symposium | April 7-9, 2026- NTTA Tribal Broadband National Summit | April 7-10, 2026- BCAP Pennsylvania Broadband Summit | April 8-9, 2026- SCTE Ontario Chapter ​Spring Show | April 15, 2026- Graybar National Training Conference | April 23-25, 2026- Connect(X) WIA Connectivity Expo | May 4-6, 2026- FBA Fiber Connect | May 17-20, 2026- CCTA Annual Conference | May 24-26, 2026 Thank you to everyone who visited our booth, attended a session, or participated in a training. These are the conversations that drive us to continue innovating and delivering future-focused fiber solutions.Your secret to educated industry conversations.For leaders and teams making decisions in a fast-moving industry, staying informed shouldn’t slow you down.Our bimonthly broadband newsletter contains highlights from leading industry resources and is expertly compiled by David Levine, RCDD.Subscribe Today >

Jun 30, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, June 2026 Issue 2

BROADBAND NEWS:1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Updated: May 18, 2026 8:15 am Pacific time. Updated Comprehensive BEAD Awards.  Progress Dashboard.2. Private equity firm Grain combines fiber operators Great Plains and Ritter. The private equity firm Grain Management is combining two of its fiber operators — Ritter Communications and Great Plains Communications — into one entity called Rightfiber. Rightfiber will serve more than 300,000 locations and continue deploying more fiber broadband. Great Plains Communications is based in Blair, Nebraska, and serves nearly 200 communities across various states. Ritter Communications is based in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and serves 197 communities in multiple states. Rightfiber is tentatively planned to be based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Read more.3. LOGIX announces Texas long-haul route. LOGIX Fiber Networks — which serves Texas — has deployed a multi-terabit wavelength route for an enterprise client. The network enables scalable connectivity between Houston, Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth. LOGIX declined to identify the client. LOGIX said that its network spans more than 300,000 fiber miles and connects to thousands of enterprise locations and more than 80 data centers in the Lonestar State. Read more.4. School connectivity advocates push back against E-Rate scrutiny. Earlier this month, the FCC released two notices of proposed rulemaking, proposing a renewed focus on—and potentially a sunset of—the agency’s E-Rate program. According to the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB), E-Rate advocates this month have met with FCC officials, advising them the FCC lacks the statutory authority to cancel the Congressionally conceived program. The FCC will further consider the matter at their open meeting on June 25. Read more.5. Telecom associations warn of US memory chip shortage.  A coalition of telecom trade associations is warning that rapid AI expansion is causing a critical shortage of U.S. memory chips. In a June 3 letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the groups outlined the critical challenges posed by surging demand for memory chips driven by the rapid expansion of AI data centers. The letter emphasizes the “unprecedented surge in the price of memory chips and reduced supply of these chips for manufacturing and consumer-facing industries.”  It also warns of immediate and near-term impacts, including rising prices for everyday electronics, increased costs for telecommunications infrastructure, and risks to other market sectors. Read more.6. FCC Questioning State Pole Regulation Continued. An FCC Public Notice asks for comments on the effectiveness of regulations in States that have chosen to regulate pole attachments, meaning rules that regulate how telcos and others get access to poles that are in the public right-of-way. Comments are due on the Public Notice by July 13, 2026. States were given the right to regulate pole attachments in Section 224 of the 1934 Communications Act. Twenty-three States have elected to regulate poles over the years, and the FCC has created regulations for the States that have not done so. Read more.7. Astound, other ISPs, decline Oregon BEAD awards. The Oregon Broadband Office (OBO) announced that while most selected providers accepted their funding under the BEAD Program, several declined.  Sixteen providers—including Comcast, Starlink, and various local co-ops—accepted their awards to bring reliable connectivity to thousands of underserved households and businesses. However, a handful of providers rejected contracts, leaving 13,381 broadband-serviceable locations temporarily in limbo. Astound, which announced plans to merge with GFiber this year in March, walked away from the majority of these projects, declining fiber and mixed technology builds across ten different district grant areas. State officials noted that a backup plan is already underway to find new takers for the orphaned zones. Read more. FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. Conexon Connect nears completion of third Florida fiber project. Conexon Connect, the ISP formed by Conexon, has neared completion of its FTTH network project in partnership with Glades Electric Cooperative. The 1,600-mile Connect fiber network now spans Glades, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee counties, covering the vast majority of the Moore Haven, Florida-based cooperative’s footprint. Conexon Connect continues to expand its footprint in the state, now reaching more than 40,000 homes and businesses across rural Florida. Read more.2. California grants $18.2M for rural fiber. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved more than $18.2 million in broadband grants to support broadband infrastructure, regional planning, and digital inclusion programs across the state. The funding covers fiber construction in rural Northern California, planning grants reaching 16 counties, and digital literacy efforts in underserved communities. Nearly $14.7 million went to four fiber-optic projects from Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications. The awards will bring service to 460 unserved homes across Lassen, Plumas, and Sierra counties. Read more.3. Sertex Broadband grows in Maine and acquires Trenchworks Inc. Sertex Broadband Solutions has acquired Trenchworks Inc., a Maine-based telecommunications construction company well-versed in aerial and underground fiber optic infrastructure deployment. With the addition of Trenchworks, Sertex says they’ve immediately increased their construction capacity in the region. Read more.4. ImOn Communications breaks ground on $100 million fiber network in Duluth. ImOn Communications is breaking ground on a new fiber network in Duluth, part of what the company estimates is a $100 million investment in local internet infrastructure. The company says the new fiber build will reach about 25,000 homes this year. In 2027, it expects to connect another 26,000. Crews will install both underground and aerial fiber using existing utility poles. The project will roll out in sections, with work already underway. Read more.5. Application window opens for $790M in Tribal broadband grants. Application windows for two NOFO’s opened June 17 as the NTIA takes steps to make $790 million available for Tribal broadband. The NTIA’s June 17 release underscored the intent behind these funding opportunities is to help Tribal and Native nations focus on connecting their communities rather than struggling with bureaucratic processes. The application process for both funding opportunities opened on June 17, 2026, and will remain open until September 17, 2026. The NTIA also said they plan to award funds on a rolling basis, beginning in the spring of 2027. Read more.6. Intrepid Fiber Networks California Expansion. Wholesale open-access fiber provider Intrepid Fiber Networks, announced an expansion of its California network with a major investment to build FTTP infrastructure across the cities of Corona and Riverside in Riverside County. The deployment will bring fiber broadband to over 50,000 homes and businesses.  Construction is expected to begin immediately, with service available to residents and businesses in 2026. Read more.7. GoNetspeed fiber expansion into Salem, MA and more ISP news. ISP Roundup: Broadband Communitiess   Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

Jun 30, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, June 2026 Issue 1

BROADBAND NEWS: 1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Updated: May 18, 2026 8:15 am Pacific time. Updated Comprehensive BEAD Awards.  BEAD Progress Dashboard.2. AT&T is investing big in California. AT&T has announced a $19 billion investment commitment to modernize their telecommunications infrastructure in California by 2030. The push from AT&T in California aims to connect more than 4 million new households and businesses with fiber internet. The investment underscores how AT&T plans to transition from obsolete copper networks to fiber and wireless services, responding to the state’s growing demand for faster, more reliable, and affordable connectivity.  Besides infrastructure upgrades, AT&T is looking to bolster its workforce to support their objectives in the state. The company said they plan to hire hundreds of technicians for fiber expansion and copper decommissioning while investing in training programs to maintain a skilled workforce. Read more.3. Nation’s fiber-lit buildings over 2M by year’s end. U.S. fiber-lit buildings will exceed 2 million by year’s end, according to a Vertical Systems Group report.  The majority of fiber-connected commercial buildings in the U.S. have only one provider today — but that’s starting to change as redundancy becomes a higher priority for business customers.  The companies with the most fiber-lit commercial properties at the end of last year were (In descending order): AT&T, Verizon, Charter (Spectrum Business), Comcast Business, Lumen, Cox Business, Zayo, Crown Castle, Frontier, Uniti, Breezeline, Brightspeed, and Segra. Each had 25,000 or more on-net fiber-lit buildings. Read more.4. Electric co-ops 'not happy' with BEAD. Electric cooperatives are disappointed with a number of policy changes to the BEAD program, from its dropped fiber preference to the NTIA's move to impose FCC pole attachment regs on co-ops. Some are declining their grants. "Quite frankly, some decisions have been made in the BEAD program that we are not happy with," said Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). NRECA represents the interests of the country's electric co-ops, of which roughly 200 offer retail broadband service in the US. "We were pretty disappointed that the preference for fiber was removed. We think that shifts the program's focus from what would be more of a proven, durable, scalable broadband technology. So, we were not in favor of that decision. Read more.5. FCC eyes new steps to streamline broadband deployments. Local and state permitting processes can tie up network deployment projects in delays and red tape but new steps being considered by the FCC could change everything. Chairman Brendan Carr, who has been spearheading a broader deregulation effort during his chairmanship, is behind the new proposal. “It is clear from the input we’ve received in the public record that in far too many cases, America’s broadband builders are facing excessive fees and unnecessary delays,” Carr said in a June 3 release. If the FCC moves forward with Carr’s proposal, the agency will eventually seek comment on rules that would give state and local governments 120 days to process infrastructure authorization requests and limit fees. Read more.6. National Advertising Division allows Comcast Xfinity’s “fiber-powered” language. Comcast advertising sufficiently explains that the company’s Xfinity internet service does not deliver fiber to the home, BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD) ruled. However, NAD recommended that Xfinity modify its advertising disclosures to ensure that “fiber-powered” claims are clear and conspicuous. The ruling came following a challenge brought by AT&T.  In a related recent case, Charter agreed to modify their “fiber-powered” claims in website and video advertising too. Read more.7. FCC-announces review-of-e-rate. The FCC announced it is conducting a full evaluation of its $3 billion annual E-Rate program that supports internet access for schools and libraries. The FCC is considering reforming or ending the three-decade program altogether as part of its review. The FCC will vote June 25 on the proposal, which will be posted for public comment on various aspects of the program. Read more.8. OMB Proposed New Rules for Federal Grants. These proposed rules would apply to a large percentage of federal grants awarded to States or directly to grantees. In the broadband world, the new rules would apply to grants made by the FCC, NTIA, U.S. Treasury, and the USDA. That means these rules impact BEAD, RDOF, ReConnect, Capital Project Fund grants, and the various NTIA broadband grants. The big picture is that this is a clear attempt by OMB, which is part of the Executive branch, to take over the grant process. The vast majority of grants are created by federal legislation, and this would allow the executive branch to override grant rules created by Congress. Read more.9. More providers default on RDOF awards. More service providers participating in the RDOF Fund have backed out of commitments, with the latest defaults hitting Kansas, Maryland and Texas. Like other ISPs that have defaulted on their RDOF awards in recent years, two of the providers in this latest group of defaulters (MSEC and Easton Utilities) cited high construction costs in their letters notifying the FCC of their plans to withdraw from the program. Following recent news that Nebraska will reopen its bidding portal for the BEAD program after three providers declined to move forward with their grants, Texas last week issued a similar announcement confirming it finalized subgrantee agreements with 17 providers, or five fewer than the state previously said would be receiving BEAD grants, leaving 31,000 broadband serviceable locations uncovered. Read more.FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. Ripple Fiber strengthens presence in Illinois with Naperville launch. Ripple Fiber, a 100-percent fiber-optic internet provider and network operator, announced the launch of its new fiber internet service to homes and businesses in Naperville, Illinois. This comes less than one year after Ripple Fiber announced its expansion into Illinois. Construction also continues in areas of Elk Grove Village, Naperville, and Streamwood. Additional municipalities that are in the pre-construction phase include Aurora, Downers Grove, Glendale Heights, and Plainfield. The local Ripple Fiber office is located at 945 W. Hawthorn Dr., Itasca, IL. Read more.2. New Mexico approves $300K in broadband planning grants. New Mexico has awarded a total of $300,000 in broadband planning grants to Jemez Springs, Doña Ana County, and Santo Domingo Pueblo. The announcement was made by the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access & Expansion (OBAE). The broadband grants will come to the Tribal homelands through the OBAE’s Grant Writing, Engineering, and Planning Program (GWEP), to which New Mexico allocated $5 million to help Tribes, local governments, and cooperatives bring broadband to unserved locations.  So far, OBAE has awarded GWEP grants to 18 Tribal communities, 17 local governments, and four rural electric and telephone cooperatives. There is still $1 million available and OBAE welcomes applications. The maximum award is $100,000. There are no matching requirements. ISPs are not eligible to win grants. Read more.3. Brightspeed launches fiber service in rural Arkansas. Brightspeed, the nation’s third largest fiber builder, announced the launch of fiber internet in Coal Hill Arkansas, Hartman and surrounding rural areas. The broadband project was made possible through a combination of $470,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and Brightspeed’s continued investment in its fiber internet expansion across Arkansas. This funding is just a portion of the $294.6 million ARPA money Brightspeed was awarded to augment the company’s million-dollar fiber network deployment investment in 13 states, providing more than 140,000 Americans access to high-speed connectivity. Read more.4. Fox Fiber launches Kendall County IL Broadband initiative. Fox Fiber has launched the Kendall County Broadband initiative. The nonprofit was formed by Kendall County government to manage a community-owned broadband network meant to serve rural parts of the county.  The first loop will cover about 4,700 addresses in Lisbon, Millbrook, Millington, Montgomery, Oswego, Plattville and Yorkville. Permitting is underway, and construction could begin in the next few weeks. The project is funded through a $15 million grant from the Illinois Broadband Office and revenue bonds taken out by Fox Fiber. Read more.5. Omni Fiber acquires Citizens Fiber. Regional broadband operator Omni Fiber, which operates in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Texas, acquired local Pennsylvania provider Citizens Fiber. The move deepens Omni Fiber's footprint in Westmoreland County in the western part of the state. Omni Fiber said the move complements its plans to add 200,000 passings in Fayette, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Washington and Westmoreland Counties. Read more.6. ISP Roundup News: Latest ISP Headlines7. Texas final BEAD awards: Over $1B The Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) announced that it had finalized its subgrantee agreements for the BEAD program. The BEAD funds are being awarded to 17 providers and will connect more than 208,000 underserved and unserved locations, and total over $1B. Texas is one of the few states to make their list of final BEAD awards public, as New York did in April. The 17 final Texas BEAD awards can be found here: Read more.8. Wire 3 $53M expansion in Martin County, FL. Daytona Beach FL based Wire 3 plans to expand its 100% fiber network into Martin County, bringing fiber connectivity to Ocean Breeze, Sewall’s Point, and Stuart. The privately funded $53 million investment will provide access to Wire 3’s fiber network for more than 53,000 residents and businesses, Construction is expected to start this summer. Read more.9. Shentel's fiber network surpasses 19,000 route miles. Shentel’s fiber network now spans over 19,000 miles with more than 700,000 passings across 8 states, aiming to reach 510,000 passings by 2026. In Q1, Shentel added approximately 6,000 new customers and grew its revenue by 4.8%, driven by Glo Fiber expansion and increased passings. Shentel plans to complete 1,800 additional government-subsidized passings in 2026, primarily in West Virginia, supporting its growth strategy. Read more.   Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

Jun 18, 2026

General

Learning Alliance & UCL Swift Partner on Fiber Workforce Initiative

Tampa, Florida — April 24,2026 — Learning Alliance Corporation (LAC) announces a strategic partnership with UCL Swift North America in 2026, strengthening industry collaboration focused on fiber and broadband workforce development. The partnership aligns training programs with the tools, technologies, and real-world practices used in modern network deployment, helping prepare technicians for the growing demands of broadband infrastructure across the United States. As fiber expansion accelerates nationwide, the demand for trained technicians continues to rise. Industry analysts estimate that between 58,000 and 200,000 additional skilled workers will be needed to support upcoming fiber infrastructure projects. By bringing industry –grade equipment directly into training environments, this partnership ensures students gain hands– on experience with the tools they will encounter in the field. Steve Harris, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at UCL Swift North America, emphasized the importance of industry involvement in workforce preparation. “At UCL Swift, we look for partners who are directly connected to workforce outcomes, not just training delivery. LAC has built programs that consistently produce technicians ready for real deployment environments. This partnership allows us to place our tools in the hands of learners who will be using them in the field from day one.” Through the partnership, UCL Swift North America will provide fusion splicers, cleavers, and specialized fiber tools used in broadband and network construction. These tools will be incorporated into LAC training programs that support fiber technicians, broadband installers, and line workers. The collaboration also includes instructor support, technical training, advisory participation, and engagement with students and employers across the industry. Fred Arnold, Executive Director at LAC, noted that the partnership reflects a broader effort to align workforce education with industry needs. “This partnership strengthens how we deliver training at every level. By integrating UCL Swift equipment and expertise into our programs, we give students direct experience with the tools and standards used in today’s fiber builds. That level of alignment accelerates readiness and improves outcomes for both technicians and employers.” The partnership will introduce joint initiatives throughout 2026, including co– branded training programs, curriculum collaboration, industry advisory participation, and events designed to connect employers with trained technicians. Future initiatives may also include micro– credentials, educational media content, and expanded classroom engagement opportunities.About Learning Alliance  CorporationLearning Alliance Corporation partners with businesses, colleges, and universities to bring U.S. Veterans and civilians stronger training initiatives that equate to solid career growth. By partnering with employers nationwide, Learning Alliance Corporation has created workshops, labs, and simulation programs that align the theoretical concepts with real-world application learning. This adaptable approach creates learning solutions based on community-specific goals, industry, staff skill level, and corporate culture. Learning Alliance Corporation provides quality instructors who are highly trained and specialize in the areas they teach. Learn more at www.mylearningalliance.com or contact Lymaris Pabellon at lpabellon@mylearningalliance.com. About UCL Swift North AmericaUCL Swift North America is a leading provider of fiber-optic splicing and connectivity solutions serving broadband, enterprise, and data center markets across North America. As the U.S. division of UCL Swift, the company designs and manufactures high-precision fiber tools, including fusion splicers, cleavers, and fiber preparation equipment used in modern network deployment. Known for its innovative All-In-One fusion splicing technology, UCL Swift helps technicians streamline installation while improving reliability and performance in fiber infrastructure projects. Through ongoing product innovation and industry collaboration, UCL Swift North America supports the expansion of high-speed broadband networks and the advancement of the global telecommunications industry. Learn more at http://uclswiftna.com. 

Jun 07, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, May 2026 Issue 2

BROADBAND NEWS: 1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Updated: May 18, 2026 8:15 am Pacific time. Updated Comprehensive BEAD Awards  BEAD Progress Dashboard2. Cleveland moves to kill citywide fiber network deal. In 2023, Cleveland City Council approved a 30-year agreement with SiFi Networks, which promised to lay fiber-optic internet cable across the city at no cost to taxpayers. In the roughly 20 months since the deal was struck, SiFi Networks has failed to identify final installation sites, apply for permits or start any construction. At the time, SiFi Networks planned to spend $500 million on the project and recoup its money by charging internet service providers and others to access the network. The city says the company has failed to start the work. Read more.3. Telefônica completes purchase of FiBrasil. Telefônica Brasil, the parent company of Vivo, has completed the full acquisition of FiBrasil, consolidating its control over the fiber-optic infrastructure operator. With the transaction, Telefônica now owns 100% of FiBrasil, a company created in 2021 to operate as a neutral fiber-optic network in Brazil. In July 2025, when the acquisition was announced, the company served 151 cities across 22 states and had coverage reaching about 4.6 million households. Read more.4. Rural Broadband Institute launches for disadvantaged communities. Communities Unlimited (CU) has launched the Rural Broadband Institute (RBI), a new center built to close the connectivity gap in rural America. The institute draws on CU’s more than 50 years of offering infrastructure technical assistance to rural communities and direct broadband work across some of the least-connected communities in the country.  Millions of Americans still lack access to high-speed internet, most of them in rural communities. The communities CU works in are overrepresented in that number. Read more.5. Broadband costs down, speeds up. With costs going up across the board, one notable exception is broadband costs, according to a new report from USTelecom. The 2026 Broadband Pricing Index (BPI) reports that real prices, adjusted for inflation, have been falling while speeds have been increasing for 11 consecutive years. Real prices for 100–940 Mbps connections — the most popular offerings — dropped 6% last year and are down 43.6% in real terms since 2014.  Costs for popular gigabit plans also fell, dropping by 4.9% in real terms in 2025 and by 48.9% since 2016. Read more.6. Extension of Capital Project Fund Grants. There is a glimmer of hope that ISPs that won state grants that were funded from the Capital Project Fund (CPF) can get an extension of six months to complete grant construction. Many State grants awarded under this program have been constructed and up and operating. But some grant winners had delays and don’t expect to finish grant construction by the end of this year when the funding expires. On May 6, the Department of the Treasury updated the Coronavirus Capital Project Fund FAQs. The update includes a process where some projects can get an extension to complete construction for six months, until June 30, 2027, under new rules. Read more.7. Opinion Gigi Sohn: The Town BEAD Forgot. In Louisiana's poorest parish, a $6 million BEAD fiber award became a $150,000 Starlink contract under the Trump administration's rewritten program, leaving Lake Providence behind. What unites everyone in Lake Providence is contempt for local Internet access. A $6 million fiber award became a $150,000 award to satellite Internet provider Starlink. Set aside the technical limitations — and there are many. A service that costs $80 a month for the “lite” tier and $120 for standard is a non-starter in a town where nearly half of its residents live below the poverty line. Read more.8. FCC commits to further improving the National Broadband Map. The rural broadband picture in the U.S. is looking up, according to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who recently applauded progress he says is reflected in the agency’s new broadband map. The map shows that 96 percent of locations have access to a terrestrial fixed service of at least 100/20 Mbps. Carr applauded additional steps taken by the FCC that he says will streamline the process for broadband data collection. According to the FCC, a new notice of proposed rulemaking will solicit comments regarding approaches that could simplify and streamline the coverage restoration process. Carr said the FCC will aim to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens and make the challenge and verification processes easier for stakeholders. Read more here and here.9. Nebraska to reopen BEAD bids after providers drop out. Nebraska, which touted its first BEAD-funded activation this month, is reopening its BEAD bidding portal after some companies reportedly dropped from the program. Nebraska's broadband office confirmed that seven of the state's BEAD-winning providers have signed their award agreements. Those agreements will bring connectivity to "88 percent of the 14,032 eligible locations across the state.” That, however, leaves 1,735 locations unfunded – hence the reopening of the state's BEAD applications. A new map outlining the remaining locations available for coverage will be published "in the coming weeks," according to the state. Read more.FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. Heartland Fiber Project to create 2,000-mile fiber infrastructure. Regional backbone technology providers DCN, Range, and WIN Technology will join together to invest in the Heartland Fiber Project, a long-haul fiber network designed to increase network capacity, resiliency, and flexibility to support AI hyperscale data center development in the region. The $700 million investment from DCN, Range, and WIN Technology will enable the 2,000-mile expansion of network infrastructure across Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The Heartland Fiber Project will lay the groundwork for future high-speed communications growth between Denver and Chicago. Read more.2. Ripple Fiber expansion into Arizona. Ripple Fiber announces its plans to expand into Arizona. Investing over $80 million in the initial build, Ripple Fiber will deliver fiber internet service to over 50,000 homes and businesses. Construction will kick off in Oro Valley later this month, followed by neighboring Sahuarita in early June. Additional municipalities will be announced as the project progresses. Ripple Fiber expects to launch service for its first Arizona customers later this summer. Read more.3. GPC agrees to acquire Fastwyre Broadband’s Nebraska operations. Great Plains Communications (GPC) has reached a definitive agreement to acquire the Nebraska business of Fastwyre Broadband, the regional internet provider operated by American Broadband Holding Company. The deal covers Fastwyre’s operations in more than two dozen Nebraska communities and is presented as a bid to broaden GPC’s fiber network across the Midwest. Read more.4. ISP partners with electric co-op to deliver fiber on FL Gulf Coast. A partnership between Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative and Conexon Connect will deliver fiber to underserved communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast. This marks Conexon Connect’s sixth FTTH network built in collaboration with Florida cooperatives. Nationwide, the ISP operates more than 20 FTTH projects across seven states, reaching nearly half a million rural homes and businesses. Since its founding, Conexon says they’ve designed and constructed over 200,000 miles of fiber, connecting more than 4 million rural Americans to high-speed internet. Read more.5. Pavlov Media announces network expansion in Matteson, Illinois. Pavlov Media is expanding its fiber-optic Internet network in Matteson, Illinois, aiming to bring fast and reliable connectivity to local homes and businesses. The initiative is being managed by Campus Communications Group (CCG), Pavlov Media’s construction division that specializes in broadband infrastructure. CCG is responsible for overseeing the entire planning, design, and build of the fiber network in Matteson. Read more.6. BIG Fiber secures $250M credit facility for digital infrastructure. BIG Fiber, a leading provider of high capacity dark fiber infrastructure, announced the closing of a $250 million debt facility with an additional $100 million accordion feature. The financing provides BIG Fiber with significant capital to accelerate the expansion of its core markets. Read more.7. Syntrio to buy fiber assets from Texas electric cooperative. Syntrio Solutions LLC is acquiring the fiber-optic assets of Tri-County Electric Cooperative — based in Azle, Texas — to advance fiber deployment in the area.  Syntrio has served communities in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma for 75 years. Syntrio said it will integrate the 250-mile former Tri-County network into the company’s existing network. Read more.8. New Segra 600G route targets hyperscalers. Segra has completed a major network expansion connecting the Myrtle Beach Cable Landing Station to its inland network, delivering a new 600G route into Charlotte and Raleigh North Carolina. The network access extends to Atlanta and Ashburn, Virginia. Read more.   Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

Jun 07, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, May 2026 Issue 1

BROADBAND NEWS: 1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Updated: May 4, 2026 7:50 am Pacific time. Updated Comprehensive BEAD Awards     BEAD Progress Dashboard2. $42B BEAD Program Becomes Operational. After four years of planning, a change in presidential administration that revised program rules, and months of delays, most states have unlocked a portion of funding under the $42B rural broadband BEAD program. States have six months to finalize contracts with participating internet service providers and complete required environmental and historic reviews, before construction canbegin. Some expect projects to break ground as early as the second half of this year. Still, major questions remain, including how more than half the program’s funding will be used. Read more.3. Zayo closes $4.25B Crown Castle fiber deal. Zayo closed its $4.25 billion acquisition of Crown Castle’s Fiber Solutions business, expanding its metro fiber footprint and enterprise reach across key U.S. markets. Zayo’s  national network includes long-haul, middle-mile and metro, serving the world’s largest carriers, hyperscalers, AI providers and enterprises. The addition of Crown Castle’s metro and regional fiber assets adds about 90,000 route miles and 40,000 on-net enterprise locations to Zayo’s network.  With the acquisition, Zayo’s network now spans 224,000 fiber route miles across North America. Separately, Crown sold its small cells business to the private equity firm EQT. Read more.4. Oklahoma wins a key approval for their BEAD plan. The NTIA granted final approval for Oklahoma’s last-mile grants under the federal BEAD program. The approval will enable the connection of 40,509 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions in hard-to-reach areas, spanning all 77 counties.  Upon completion of the work, over 95% of Oklahoma will have access to high-speed internet, supported by a $574 million investment dedicated to these broadband expansion projects. Read more.5. Grant application window for Colorado’s Advance-Local Middle-Mile program opens. Advance Colorado Broadband has released details for the Advance-Local-Middle-Mile grant program, which now is open. The application window closes on June 29 at 11:59 p.m. The application portal offers program guidelines and eligibility requirements.  The Grant Program Guidelines include information on the types of allowable projects (section 2.1). Tier I middle-mile projects will represent as much as 60% of the Colorado grant funds. More information about broadband in Colorado, including links to state funding resources, can be found on the Telecompetitor Broadband Nation webpage for the state. Read more.6. Eighth Circuit knocks out Biden-era digital discrimination FCC rules. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated the FCC’s rules prohibiting digital discrimination. The FCC adopted the rules in November 2023, after the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, tasked the Commission with doing so. The court vacated the final rule and kicked it back to the FCC, leaving the FCC with an unfinished obligation to ‘adopt final rules to facilitate equal access to broadband internet access service’. Read more here and here.7. NTIA tells BEAD subgrantees to flag states that alter required contract language. The NTIA has issued guidance to broadband providers that will receive BEAD Program funding, telling them not to sign subgrant agreements that omit or modify required contract language and to report any state that attempts to do so.  The document covers two main areas of required contract language. The first involves what the NTIA describes as a prohibition on utility-style rate regulation. The second area covers permitting. States are required to include commitments that broadband-related permit applications will be accepted promptly and decided within 90 days. Read more.FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. Sertex takes aim at digital gaps in some Western Mass. Towns. Sertex Broadband Solutions will install over 1,000 underground service drops connecting the existing distribution fiber network to homes and businesses across multiple towns in MA including Greenfield, Heath, Chesterfield, and Westfield itself, which will act as the project’s mobilization hub. Sertex also secured an agreement with Chicopee Electric Light (CEL) to support Crossroads Fiber, a municipally owned fiber network in Chicopee. Under this contract, Sertex will install underground conduit for FTTH expansions while providing ongoing repair and maintenance services.  This agreement extends Sertex’s partnership with CEL, which has been active since 2019. Read more.2. Race Communications breaks ground on Bakersfield CA fiber network. Race Communications has begun building a fiber-optic network in Bakersfield, CA that will extend fiber service to more than 50,000 homes and businesses across the city. Construction on the network is underway, and Race expects the first Bakersfield customers to be connected by the end of summer 2026.  The company, founded in 1994 and based in California, says it now serves more than 50 markets in the state and has invested over $650M in its all-fiber network, with another $200M planned for 2026. Read more.3. Vero Fiber completes Anson, Texas fiber network. Vero Fiber has completed construction on Anson’s high-speed FTTH internet network, delivering a major upgrade to the city’s digital infrastructure. This milestone project now provides more than 1,900 homes and businesses with access to new fiber internet. With the completion of the Anson network, Vero Fiber continues to expand its footprint across Texas, having now built fiber networks in thirteen communities statewide. Read more.4. WOW! announces a big fiber build in East Central Michigan. WOW! has announced an expansion of its all-fiber network in East Central Michigan, with the company planning to extend fiber to more than 17,000 homes and businesses across Genesee, Livingston, and Oakland counties starting this spring. By early fall, a total of over 27,000 residences and commercial locations in the region will be able to access WOW!’s high-speed fiber internet. Read more.5. Arvig Line Extension grant to bring fiber to 446 MN structures. Arvig will begin construction this spring on an upgrade project to bring last-mile fiber connectivity to 446 structures in eight Minnesota counties. Arvig was recently awarded grants totaling $3.4 million from the state’s Broadband Line Extension program after submitting successful lowest-cost bids to serve the locations. Arvig will invest another $442,000 to cover the remaining project costs, bringing the grand total of the project to $3.87 million. Upon completion later this year, 104.3 route miles of new fiber infrastructure will have been constructed. Read more.6. Utah Broadband awarded $23M USDA ReConnect grant for fiber expansion. Utah Broadband has been awarded nearly $23 million in funding from the USDA ReConnect Loan and Grant Program.  The project consists of a 50 percent grant and 50 percent loan structure, nearly $11.5 million each. This funding enables Utah Broadband to construct 315 miles of new fiber infrastructure, providing fiber broadband to over 3,000 homes, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions. Read more.7. Fatbeam Fiber selected to deliver network to Federal Way schools. Fatbeam Fiber has been selected by Federal Way Public Schools in Federal Way, Washington to provide a dedicated, district-wide fiber network, marking a significant step in the district’s technological advancement. The award came through a competitive bid process as part of the federal E-Rate program. Headquartered in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Fatbeam additionally says they plan to expand its residential fiber internet service in Federal Way, which is located in the Seattle metro area. Read more.    Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

Jun 07, 2026