October Anchor Bytes
SHLB in Action
This week, John Windhausen Jr. attended SETDA ’s Leadership Summit and Ed Forum, where he connected with the team of Funds For Learning, LLC , including Cathy Cruzan (SHLB board member), John Harrington , and Brian Stephens .
It was a great opportunity to reconnect with SHLB members and engage in discussions on closing the digital divide one anchor institution at a time.
SHLB’s Filings & Letters
Comments Responding to Texas RFI: SHLB filed a letter with the Texas Comptroller in response to a request for information about barriers to internet access in multi-tenant dwelling units (MDUs). We voiced our support for a Texas MDU program to address these needs.
Dark Fiber: SHLB submitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission advocating for a 2021 petition to reinstate provisions allowing competitive broadband providers access to existing dark fiber transport. We believe this would enhance broadband access for health care providers, libraries, schools, colleges, public housing, and other anchor institutions and their surrounding communities.
AnchorNets-lloween 2025
AnchorNets 2024 was incredible. Who agrees? ??
If you haven’t yet, check out the highlights from attendees on our LinkedIn page.
Next year, we’re making it even bigger and better with AnchorNets-lloween from October 29-31, 2025. We might even host a costume contest—what do you think?
Also, today is the last day for the biggest AnchorNets 2025 savings! Future early-bird tickets won’t be this low, but don’t worry if you miss out. Registration reopens in the spring of next year.
Issues We’re Watching
USF: SHLB filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Fifth Circuit’s decision on the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund.
School Bus Wi-Fi: Oral arguments are set for Monday, November 4, in the Fifth Circuit case on the FCC’s school bus Wi-Fi ruling from last year.
Schools and Libraries Hotspot Lending Initiative: The FCC’s hotspot lending initiative has a pending Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, with reply comments due November 3.
Spectrum: The FCC has a pending Notice of Proposed Rulemaking related to updating CBRS, including proposed changes to power levels. Comments are due by November 6, with replies due December 5.
Member Spotlight: Ji Soo Song
领英推荐
Policy Group Call Updates
Rural Health Care Policy Call (Oct 10): Members shared insights from AnchorNets, highlighting valuable takeaways and addressing unresolved issues regarding USAC. Concerns were raised about stable funding for cybersecurity at healthcare facilities and the impact of consortium rurality changes on funding.
Wireless Policy Call (Oct 17): Esther Jang from the Local Connectivity Lab discussed the Seattle Community Network (SCN), which uses CBRS and WiFi to provide free internet to low-income residents and empowers communities to run their own local networks. The group also reviewed the FCC’s NPRM on CBRS power level changes.
Digital Equity Policy Call (Oct 22): The group shared applications for the Digital Equity Act Competitive Grant Program, featuring proposals from South Bend, Philadelphia, and other regions. Many proposals focus on expanding digital navigator programs, device distribution, and digital skills training.
These calls are exclusive to SHLB members. For membership inquiries, contact Eric Fredell at [email protected].
SHLB Board Elections
The SHLB Board of Directors Election is open until November 5. Each SHLB member organization may cast one vote through the member portal.
Review the nominees here, and please contact SHLB’s COO, Kristen Engebretsen, with questions at [email protected].
Member News
Are you a SHLB member with news or achievements to share? Submit them here, and we’ll include them in our next newsletter.
UniteLA: LA Deal is collaborating with 10 LA County municipalities to develop broadband best practices in permitting and leadership, a statewide initiative led by CETF.
Mobile Beacon : Launched its Disaster Recovery Technology Kit, providing up to 25 free 4G hotspots for organizations impacted by recent hurricanes. Learn more here.
KINBER : Somerset County Library received a $1M grant for a multifunctional digital space, with KINBER consulting on the project. More details here.
Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) : Registration for CoSN2025 in Seattle is now open! Early Bird pricing available until November 30, 2024. Register here.
Merit Network : Partnered with Internet2 to expand Wi-Fi access across Minnesota and Michigan via eduroam, supporting digital inclusion. Read more here.
Funds For Learning, LLC : Released the 2024 E-rate Trends Report, highlighting connectivity trends for schools and libraries. Get your free copy here.
OARnet : Celebrated decades of service excellence in broadband optimization and partnered with Ohio’s public broadcasting for enhanced connectivity. It’s also partnering with public broadcasters to bring next-generation connectivity to local stations, and empowering Ohio State agricultural center’s exploration of autonomous farming.
Los Angeles County Office of Education : Jose Gonzalez received the Candice Dodson Influencer Award from SETDA, recognizing LACOE's commitment to empowering students through technology.
微软 : Refreshed its Digital Equity Data Dashboard with the latest FCC and Census data to inform policy on bridging the digital divide. Explore the dashboard here.