Broadband for All Update
May 2025
The California Department of Technology’s (CDT) Broadband Update provides the latest information on the implementation of the State’s Broadband Action Plan, Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative (MMBI), and other digital equity and inclusion activities, collectively known as Broadband for All.
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Community Spotlight
Riverside County Launches Tech on Wheels to Expand Digital Access
Riverside County recently launched Tech on Wheels, a mobile hub offering digital resources and internet access to underserved communities. Funded by Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez through ARPA funds and managed by Rivco Connect, the vans provide free Wi-Fi, computer access, digital literacy training, and resources for job applications and government services. The program aims to bridge the digital divide and help residents thrive in the digital world.
Tech on Wheels is visiting residents in the cities of Moreno Valley, Beaumont, Hemet, Banning, Calimesa, San Jacinto and the unincorporated communities throughout the region. Any organization in these communities interested in having a Tech on Wheels van visit their location can submit a request here.
Please send story ideas related to your work to close the digital divide and foster digital equity to digitalequity@state.ca.gov for consideration in future Broadband for All email updates.
Broadband for All Update
Thank you for participating in Q2 California Broadband Council Meeting
The California Broadband Council (CBC) held its second meeting of the year on Friday, April 25. State agencies provided updates on Broadband for All Action Plan implementation, Middle-Mile and Last-Mile programs, statewide broadband adoption efforts, and the implementation of the State Digital Equity Plan (SDEP) and State Digital Equity Capacity Grant. LA County’s Director of Digital Equity gave a presentation to the Council on the LA County Wildfires Digital Equity collaboration efforts in Altadena, East Los Angeles, and Pasadena.
The next CBC meeting will take place on Friday, July 25 at 9:30 am at CoveredCA (Tahoe Board Room) and on Zoom.
To find past meeting recordings, presentations, and minutes, access Broadband for All: Past Events.
Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative Update
CDT Expands Partnership with American Dark Fiber
The California Department of Technology has expanded its joint-build partnership with American Dark Fiber (ADF), signing a contract agreement to build out nearly 500 additional miles of middle-mile network infrastructure. The State benefits by sharing construction costs with ADF, leveraging industry partnerships to maximize network miles. These miles are spread across several counties in the northern and southern parts of the state. Together, ADF and CDT continue their goals of addressing the digital divide and delivering middle-mile infrastructure that will enable high-speed broadband connections for underserved and unserved California communities.
Q2 Middle-Mile Advisory Committee Meeting
The Q2 Middle-Mile Advisory Committee (MMAC) meeting was held on April 18 at the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors building and on Zoom. The Committee heard the latest updates on the MMBI from CDT and its partners at Caltrans and GoldenStateNet (GSN). The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) also provided updates on the last mile programs it is administering, focusing on last mile connections to the Middle Mile Broadband Network (MMBN).
During the meeting, CDT shared information on several new partnership agreements, recent progress in moving to construction, coordination with CPUC on FFA grant applications and awardee handoffs, and efforts in looking ahead to operation of the network. The recordings, transcripts, and presentation will be available on the Meetings tab of the MMBI website by May 5.
Upcoming Stakeholder Engagement
CDT held its second quarterly (Q2) Stakeholder Engagement meeting for the year on May 2. These meetings are designed for stakeholders and partners to get project updates and provide an open venue to be able to ask questions tailored to their respective interest in MMBI. For more information about these meetings, you can contact CDT by sending an email to middlemile@state.ca.gov.
Installation Updates
The installation of the MMBI network continues across the state. More than 3,860 miles of MMBI network have gone to installation through CDT’s joint build, IRU/lease, and purchase partnerships, and Caltrans. Here is the breakdown of updates for April 2025.
Caltrans Construction Highlights:
Caltrans continues to make progress moving from planning to installation on nearly 305 miles of the network as projects move from pre-construction to installation. Installation started this month for the following three segments of approximately:
- 38 miles along State Route 89 from Sierra County to Nevada County.
- 10 miles along State Route 580 and State Route 24 in Alameda County.
- 4 miles along State Route 125 in San Diego County.
Joint Build & Lease Highlights:
ADF Project: Installation from one of our joint build network partners, ADF (covering approximately 900 miles), has also made substantial early progress. Installation started this month for the following three segments of approximately:
- 20 miles along State Route 46 from the US-101 to the city of Shandon in San Luis Obispo County.
- 115 miles along State Route 36 and State Route 139 spanning through Tehama, Plumas, and Lassen counties.
- 85 miles along State Route 20, 101, and 29 in Lake County.
LA Bureau of Street Lights Joint Build project: Installation from one of our network partners, LA Bureau of Street Lights covers a 13-mile segment in Southern California which started construction this month. This segment runs along county roads parallel to State Route 110 in Los Angeles County.
Last Mile Program Update
Federal Funding Account Updates
Expedited, Limited Six County Applications. The CPUC received applications for last mile Federal Funding Account projects in the six counties of Calaveras, Contra Costa, Inyo, Monterey, Orange, and Trinity in April. More information is available on the Application Resources and 2025 Data and Public Map pages.
California Advanced Services Fund Updates
The California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Annual Public Workshop was held on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time. The Workshop had over 380 viewers, and panelists shared valuable insights on cost-effective strategies for expanding broadband access. The Workshop recording and presentation materials can be viewed here.
The next application cycle for Broadband Adoption Account, Broadband Public Housing Account and Tribal Technical Assistance Grant Program is due by July 1, 2025. Find out more about the CASF program here.
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program
The CPUC accepted Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) Project Applications until 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Time May 9, 2025.
At the close of the application window, the CPUC will commence reviewing, scoring and ranking applications. This will be followed by a selection and negotiation process. Project Application revision requests may be sent out through the BEAD Application Portal. Applications may undergo one (1) round of revision, and applicants may have up to three (3) business days to provide responses or additional information to complete the application within the Portal. Emailed responses will not be accepted. Applicants who do not respond to revision requests within the time allotted, or who provide incomplete responses, will not be eligible to have their Project Applications considered.
The schedule, BEAD Application Portal registration information, and more can be found on the CPUC BEAD Program webpage.
Congress and the federal Administration are considering changes to the BEAD Program that may impact elements of this timeline. The CPUC will proactively communicate any impact to the timeline as information becomes available.
Please make sure to subscribe here to receive BEAD email announcements including upcoming webinar dates.
Broadband Adoption Update
Low-Cost Offer Finder Tool
Home internet service and computing devices are critical for all individuals to reap the social and economic benefits of the digital world. The cost of both remains a barrier for many people.
To find affordable broadband service and computing devices, CDT has partnered with EveryoneOn to help California residents find affordable service programs in their area by zip code.
The low-cost offer finder tool provides access to low-cost internet services, computer equipment, and digital skills training.
Digital Equity and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Updates
Reminder: California Digital Equity Program Request for Applications Period Open until May 30
The Request for Applications (RFA) period for the California Digital Equity Program (CalDEP), which is a $50 million subgrant initiative funded through the State’s Digital Equity Capacity Grant, is open until May 30 at 11:59 pm. CalDEP will provide planning and capacity grants to eligible entities to implement strategies and activities that support the goals and measurable objectives outlined in California’s State Digital Equity Plan. The program aims to assist statewide, regional, and local entities and partnerships in carrying out digital equity initiatives such as developing local digital equity plans, providing digital navigation and literacy training, running community tech programs, distributing devices to targeted groups, and supporting workforce development programs for Covered Populations across the state.
For more information, click here.
Save the Date: CalDEP Office Hours
Don’t miss our next CalDEP Office Hours! We have extended the session by an extra hour to allocate more time for Q&A. The next Office Hours will take place on Wednesday, May 7, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm PDT. This session will provide an opportunity for applicants and potential applicants to ask general questions about the RFA process. Register here
If you missed the first office hours session on April 16, you can find all presentation materials, video recordings, and other resources from past meetings on the Broadband for All portal here.
Continue to reference the CalDEP Grant Guidelines & RFA and Technical Assistance Resources.
CalDEP Partnership Coordination Resource
CDT developed the Partner Coordination Resource (PCR) to enable potential lead grant applicants and interested partner entities to find and connect with each other and form potential partnerships. The PCR should not be used as a LISTSERV sign up for grant seeking. Find out more about this resource and complete the form to have your organization’s information listed in the Partnership Coordination Resource.
Digital Equity Resource Finder
The Digital Equity (DE) Resource Finder tool has been developed with digital equity practitioner network as the initial primary user. The finder has been populated with data collected during the development of the SDEP including Digital Equity Ecosystem Mapping (DEEM) data, regional public meetings and engagement with digital equity partners. Future iterations of this tool will be developed in partnership via ongoing work efforts of SDEP implementation. Please use the DE Resource Finder, to add your organization, update your organization’s information or remove your organization.
For any questions, please contact the team at DEEM@state.ca.gov.
Funding Opportunities
Broadband for All Portal Funding Finder
The Office of Broadband and Digital Literacy tracks funding opportunities as they become available and strives to keep the Broadband for All portal up to date with information on broadband deployment, adoption, and digital literacy planning and implementation. Find these opportunities here.
Upcoming Events
**Find materials from past events [here]
| Date | Time | Event | Locations and Links |
| Wednesday, May 7, 2025 | 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. | CalDEP Office Hours #2 (Virtual) | Zoom |
| Friday, July 18, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Middle-Mile Advisory Council Meeting (Hybrid) | Sacramento County Administration Center 700 H St.,1st Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814 Zoom TBD |
| Friday, July 25, 2025 | 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. | California Broadband Council Meeting (Hybrid) | Covered CA 1601 Exposition Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95815 Zoom |
Job Opportunities
The California Department of Technology is hiring across many teams to support Broadband for All. Apply using the link below.
CDT Regional Analyst – IT Specialist I (FFD 5/9/2025)
Keep an eye on CDT Broadband job postings and CPUC job postings. Visit CalCareers for more information and to apply for open positions.
