Network news roundup
March’s telecom news cycle centered on rural fiber expansion, tribal connectivity, consolidation among major providers, and continued pressure to remove policy and permitting bottlenecks.
Providers pushed fiber into smaller and harder-to-reach markets, closed out state-supported projects, and continued pairing infrastructure investment with in-home performance improvements. At the same time, policy conversations focused on clearing legacy barriers slowing deployment.
The direction is consistent. Expansion is still happening, but the focus is shifting toward execution, experience, and reaching areas that have been left behind.
Rural and community expansion
GoNetspeed brings fiber to Oneonta
GoNetspeed announced a $4.5 million privately funded expansion into Oneonta, New York. This marks its first deployment in Otsego County, with construction expected to begin soon and initial connections possible as early as spring. The move reflects continued pressure from independent providers targeting underserved smaller markets with multigig symmetrical service and new competition.
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Paul Bunyan expands all-fiber service in northern Minnesota
Paul Bunyan Communications plans to extend its all-fiber network to more than 3,200 locations across northern Minnesota, through a $7.8 million project supported by a mix of state grants, local funding, and provider investment, highlighting how rural builds continue to rely on layered funding models to move forward.
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Shentel completes Bedford County broadband project
Shentel completed a $24 million expansion in Bedford County, Virginia, bringing gigabit-capable service to more than 4,900 previously unserved homes through a combination of state, local, and private funding, reinforcing that many rural broadband efforts are now moving from construction into active service.
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TDS expands fiber in rural Wisconsin
TDS is launching a major upgrade project in Wood County, Wisconsin, planning nearly 400 miles of infrastructure to reach more than 3,500 addresses, with support from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-ACAM program alongside company investment, showing how providers are extending builds beyond minimum subsidy requirements.
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Underserved markets and connectivity gaps
Alabama awards $460 million for broadband expansion
Alabama announced nearly $460 million in grants to fund 63 broadband projects, expected to expand high-speed internet access to roughly 92,000 locations across the state, with funding distributed across multiple providers including AT&T, Comcast, and regional operators. The scale of the investment reflects continued reliance on public funding to reach underserved areas where private builds alone have not closed the gap.
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Fiber group highlights connectivity gap on tribal lands
A new report from the Fiber Broadband Association found roughly 24% of residents on Tribal lands lack reliable internet access compared to about 7% nationwide, reinforcing the scale of the gap and positioning fiber as the most durable long-term option for supporting healthcare, education, and economic development.
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Hoopa Valley Tribe secures funding for fiber build
The Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District secured nearly $40 million in funding to deploy more than 100 miles of fiber across northern California, reaching over 2,000 locations, a clear example of tribal-led broadband projects moving into execution with a focus on long-term resilience and local control.
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Experience and service delivery
Visionary Broadband adds Wi-Fi 7 to fiber offering
Visionary Broadband said it will begin offering Wi-Fi 7 devices to customers, supporting multi-gig speeds and high device density, reflecting the growing shift toward competing on in-home performance rather than just access speeds.
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GFiber and Astound plan to combine
GFiber and Stonepeak’s Astound Broadband announced plans to combine into a larger independent provider, with Stonepeak taking a majority stake and Alphabet retaining a minority position, continuing the trend of consolidation and outside investment shaping how fiber networks scale nationally.
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Policy and deployment barriers
FCC moves to speed copper retirement
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is preparing to vote on rules that would make it easier for carriers to retire legacy copper networks, a move expected to free up significant capital for fiber and next-generation infrastructure while maintaining safeguards for public safety and 911 services.
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House passes bill to improve federal land permitting
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation aimed at identifying and reducing delays in broadband permitting on federal land, targeting one of the more persistent bottlenecks that can slow deployment even after funding and planning are in place.
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A reminder of how far communications has come
125 years since the first wireless transatlantic signal
March marked 125 years since Guglielmo Marconi’s first transatlantic wireless signal, a milestone that underscores how far communications infrastructure has evolved from early experiments to today’s global fiber and wireless networks.
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Numbers worth noting
$39.7M — Funding for Hoopa Valley fiber project
100+ miles — Fiber planned in Hoopa TRAIL build
2,000+ — Locations expected to be reached
$24M — Shentel Bedford County expansion
4,900+ — Homes connected in Bedford County
3,200+ — Locations in Paul Bunyan expansion
$7.8M — Minnesota project cost
$4.5M — GoNetspeed Oneonta investment
3,500+ — Addresses in TDS Wisconsin build
125 years — Since first transatlantic wireless signal
