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WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that the agency has begun to clear its waiting list for requests to the TV Converter Box Coupon Program as a result of additional funds provided by Congress. 

WASHINGTON Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling today announced two American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments to help bridge the technological divide, boost economic growth, create jobs, and improve education in Hawaii.

BOULDER, CO - The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS), a division of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, today released a collection of online training and educational videos for public viewing on ITS's website at http://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/video/.

Washington – The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released a joint report today that analyzes proposed projects for the nearly $1 billion Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant Program.  In September 2007, grants were awarded to help state and local first responders improve public safety communications and coordination during natural and man-made disasters. 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced 56 investments totaling $190 million to support state efforts to compete in the digital economy. These are the final awards in the State Broadband Data and Development (SBDD) grant program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

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Thank you for joining us this morning. I am looking forward to a very stimulating and interactive discussion on how to protect copyrighted works on the Internet consistent with our policy of preserving a free and open Internet.  I want to thank our panelists for joining us today to share their insights and expertise.  Your participation will enrich today's discussion and expand our understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing rights holders, Internet service providers, and Internet users.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today unveiled the National Broadband Map -- the first public, searchable nationwide map of broadband Internet availability -- and the results of a new nationwide survey on broadband adoption.  The data will support efforts to expand broadband access and adoption in communities at risk of being left behind in the 21st century economy and help businesses and consumers seeking information on their high-speed Internet options.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) published a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking public comment regarding the September 30, 2009, expiration date of its Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

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Today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it has selected the next spectrum band for a detailed evaluation of whether it can be repurposed for commercial broadband use. The band selected, 1755-1850 MHz is a priority for analysis based on a variety of factors, including industry interest and its potential for commercial use within ten years.

The following statement can be attributed to Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling:

WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department, through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), today announced it is recommending that 115 MHz of spectrum be reallocated for wireless broadband service within the next five years – an important step towards achieving President Obama's goal to nearly double the amount of commercial spectrum available over the next decade.

Starting this week, federal program staff from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will begin post-award site visits to get a first-hand perspective on project progress and oversee grant recipients of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), a portfolio that approaches $4 billion in federal infrastructure investments. As a core component of the Program’s comprehensive monitoring strategy, these comprehensive visits will allow us to evaluate grant recipients' performance in meeting milestones and complying with grant terms and conditions.

Today we launched the first-ever public, searchable nationwide map of broadband access.

The National Broadband Map is an unprecedented project created by NTIA, in collaboration with the FCC, and in partnership with each state, territory and the District of Columbia. The map was created at the direction of Congress, which recognized that economic opportunities are driven by access to 21st century infrastructure.

On Wednesday I spoke at a League of United Latin American Citizens conference about how BTOP is expanding broadband access and adoption in the Latino community. Though it’s been roughly 15 years since the “digital divide” gained national attention, the issue remains a serious one for Latinos.

In 2010, I helped to lead three Michigan State University projects that received BTOP broadband stimulus awards to increase computer access and broadband access throughout Michigan. These three projects will

The rapid growth of the Internet economy has provided educational, economic, and social benefits to consumers and businesses. But with these growing benefits comes growing unease about how consumer's personal information on the Internet is collected, used, and protected.

Preserving consumer trust is essential to the sustainability and continued growth of the Internet economy. Data privacy day provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of privacy policies that promote online trust and broadband use.

Freedom Rings Partnership Helps to Close Digital Divide

As we approach the end of the year, it is a fitting time to reflect on what we’ve accomplished with BTOP and the work that lies ahead.

700-MHz Demonstration Stakeholder Meeting in Boulder

Earlier this month, representatives from each of the seven BTOP 700 MHz wireless broadband public safety projects spent time at the Department of Commerce Research Labs in Boulder learning about the most recent developments in LTE wireless broadband technology.

NTIA and the Department of Commerce's Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) recently released a report that analyzes broadband Internet adoption and use across the United States. “Exploring the Digital Nation,” the new study, finds that although socio-economic factors like income and education are strongly associated with broadband Internet use, they are not the sole determinants of adoption.

The SmartChicago Sustainable Broadband Adoption project is developing innovative approaches to drive broadband adoption in Chicago. The project is funded by BTOP, managed by Local Initiatives Support Corporation/Chicago, and is a part of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Digital Excellence Initiative.

Now that all the broadband stimulus grants have been awarded I’d like to spend a few moments discussing what we’ve accomplished and what lies ahead. In less than 20 months, NTIA built a multi-billion dollar grant program from the ground up. This is the largest grant program that NTIA has ever managed and is one of the largest ever managed at the Department of Commerce. We had to hire staff, build the information systems, develop the rules, perform due diligence on the proposals, and award over $4 billion in grants, all before this past September 30.

Recently, Merit Network had the pleasure of welcoming state and federal officials to our headquarters. They joined us to celebrate the culmination of multiple BTOP awards that together will deliver the transformative power of broadband to communities throughout Michigan. The excitement we shared with the many stakeholders who participated in our grant announcement event in August is as strong today as it was when we first learned of our award.

This week, NTIA posted the most recent quarterly reports of BTOP recipients. It’s terrific to see these projects really begin to take off – from public computer centers opening, to infrastructure project groundbreakings, to sustainable broadband adoption training beginning – the benefits are becoming more and more visible.

Last week, Dr. Jill Biden hosted the first ever White House Summit on Community Colleges, at which President Obama spoke.

The summit brought together community colleges, businesses, philanthropic organizations, federal and state policy leaders, and faculty and students to discuss how community colleges can help meet the job training and education needs of the American workforce.