Jul 20, 2026 · 12 min · 11 segments
In this week’s episode of [The Broadband Exchange](https://www.telecompetitor.com/podcast/ "Telecompetitor, The Broadband Exchange"), we cover the recent news about the resumption of Digital Equity…
Ian DescherHost
We'll start this week with broadband policy, where a court decision cleared the way for federal Digital Equity Act programs to move forward.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit lifted an injunction that had prevented the NTIA from distributing funding through the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program.
The injunction had followed a challenge arguing that the program's focus on covered populations violated constitutional equal protection requirements.
The Digital Equity Act, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provided $2.75 billion for efforts designed to help people adopt broadband and use it effectively, including things like digital skills, devices, technical support, and overcoming other barriers.
Digital equity was also at the center of a new Oklahoma initiative in the news last week.
The Oklahoma Broadband Office announced a $14.5 million program that will turn as many as 175 libraries into what the state calls community access portals.
Those portals will give residents places to participate in virtual primary care appointments and telehealth consultations, complete job interviews, access workforce development services, and build digital skills.
More than 75 rural libraries and regional library systems expressed interest during the state's initial survey.
We'll start this week with broadband policy, where a court decision cleared the way for federal Digital Equity Act programs to move forward.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit lifted an injunction that had prevented the NTIA from distributing funding through the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program.
The injunction had followed a challenge arguing that the program's focus on covered populations violated constitutional equal protection requirements.
The Digital Equity Act, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provided $2.75 billion for efforts designed to help people adopt broadband and use it effectively, including things like digital skills, devices, technical support, and overcoming other barriers.
Digital equity was also at the center of a new Oklahoma initiative in the news last week.
The Oklahoma Broadband Office announced a $14.5 million program that will turn as many as 175 libraries into what the state calls community access portals.
Those portals will give residents places to participate in virtual primary care appointments and telehealth consultations, complete job interviews, access workforce development services, and build digital skills.
More than 75 rural libraries and regional library systems expressed interest during the state's initial survey.
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