OMBI Story
Office of MinorityBroadband Initiatives
The CAA 2021 legislation requires that “the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that for the year covered by the report that details the work of the Office in expanding access to fixed and mobile broadband Internet access service and identifies barriers to providing access to broadband Internet access service at HBCUs, TCUs, MSIs, and within their anchor communities.” This report is the second annual Congressional report of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives.
This 2023 OMBI Report is divided into three parts:
Part I - Expanding Access to Broadband
Part I of the report describes the efforts and accomplishments of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives to expand access to broadband and close the digital divide.
Part II - Barriers to Broadband Access
Part II describes the common barriers to increasing broadband access and highlights examples of early wins to address the barriers of availability, affordability, and adoption.
Part III - Looking Ahead
Part III highlights the goals and key performance indicators OMBI is using to measure success as well as points to watch for the next annual report.
OMBI Authorizing Legislation
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (Section 902(b)(3)) mandates that OMBI:
- Collaborate with Federal agencies that carry out broadband Internet access service support programs to determine how to expand access to broadband Internet access service and other digital opportunities in anchor communities.
- Collaborate with State, local, and Tribal governments, HBCUs, TCUs, MSIs, and stakeholders in the communications, education, business, and technology fields to—
- Promote initiatives relating to broadband Internet access servi ce connectivity for anchor communities; and digital opportunities for anchor communities;
- Develop recommendations to promote the rapid, expanded deployment of broadband Internet access service to unserved HBCUs, TCUs, MSIs, and anchor communities, including to students, faculty, and staff; as well as senior citizens and veterans who live in anchor communities;
- Promote activities that would accelerate the adoption of broadband Internet access service (including any associated equipment or personnel necessary to access and use that service, such as modems, routers, devices that combine a modem and a router, Wi-Fi hotspots, and connected devices) by students, faculty, and staff of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs; and within anchor communities;
- Upon request, provide assistance to HBCUs, TCUs, MSIs, and leaders from anchor communities with respect to navigating Federal programs dealing with broadband Internet access service;
- Promote digital literacy skills, including by providing opportunities for virtual or in-person digital literacy training and education;
- Promote professional development opportunity partnerships between industry and HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs to help ensure that information technology personnel and students have the skills needed to work with new and emerging technologies with respect to broadband Internet access service; and
- Explore how to leverage investment in infrastructure with respect to broadband access service to:
- Expand connectivity with respect to that service in anchor communities and by students, faculty, and staff of HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs;
- Encourage investment in communities that have been designated as qualified opportunity zones; and
- Serve as a catalyst for adoption of that service, to promote job growth and economic development and deployment of advanced technologies.
OMBI’s authorizing legislation, the CAA, also mandates the establishment of the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program to promote broadband access in and around HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs. The purpose of the program is to provide grants to eligible recipients in anchor communities for the purchase of broadband access service or any eligible equipment or to hire and train technology personnel.