Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed off on an executive branch broadband office, signing HB-1029 into law. “This office will give us a coordinated & streamlined approach to expanding broadband access across the state,” Reeves tweeted. He said it will be led by Sally Doty, executive director at the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff. Reeves earlier signaled support for HB-1029 (see 2203290027).

Third-party speed test app developers can immediately start submitting their apps to the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology for review and approval, OET and the FCC Broadband Data Task Force said in a Thursday docket 22-152 notice. OET said it will try to complete its review of proposals received by June 9, "in advance of the FCC’s publication of the initial versions of the broadband availability maps required under the Broadband DATA Act.” The timetable will allow “third-party apps, in addition to the FCC Speed Test app, to be made available to consumers and other entities to begin submitting mobile challenge and crowdsource data … once the mobile broadband availability maps are published,” the notice said.

As the prices of items like fuel and food climb notably, broadband prices are rising far less, NCTA said Tuesday. It cited Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index data for March released Tuesday showing internet pricing up 2.3% year over year, while the all-items index was up 8.5%.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a broadband bill Thursday. SB-83 by Sen. Don Coram (R) directs the state transportation department to develop an electronic application, permitting, contract and fee structure for accessing public rights of way for broadband deployment.

Missouri local governments could be banned from using federal funds for broadband construction in areas deemed served by the state broadband office. The state’s Senate Commerce Committee heard testimony on SB-1074 at a livestreamed hearing Wednesday. Citing existing state definitions, the bill would consider areas without at least 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload wireline or fixed wireless as unserved and areas without at least 25/3 Mbps wireline or fixed wireless as underserved. If the area is determined to be unserved or underserved, the bill would require local governments to provide 100/20 speeds. No project area where an ISP is to receive federal funding to provide 100 Mbps symmetrical speed may be classified as unserved or underserved, it said. The bill is meant to prevent overbuilding, said sponsor Sen. Dan Hegeman (R). Chairman Mike Cierpiot (R) said he wants to focus on areas with no broadband and isn’t sure about saying speeds should be 100 Mbps. Scott Avery, city administrator of Houston, Missouri, said he has concerns about SB-1074 because his city is building a municipal broadband network. It’s unfair to let private companies challenge governments that get federal funding without allowing the reverse, Avery said. The Missouri Cable Telecommunications Association supports SB-1074 because it will stop overbuilding, said Husch Blackwell lobbyist Noel Torpey. In Colorado Tuesday, the House Transportation Committee voted 11-1 to clear HB-1306, which would update rules for awarding grant money under the American Rescue Plan Act to comply with finalized federal regulations. The Hawaii House Finance Committee voted 12-0 to clear a Senate-passed bill (SB-2479) that would require public housing built, renovated or reconstructed after Jan. 1 to have broadband access (see 2202040034). Two other House committees approved it earlier, so it can now go to the floor.

Amazon signed contracts for up to 83 launches over five years with Arianespace, Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance to put up its Project Kuiper broadband constellation, it said Tuesday. The launches would be the majority of its planned 3,236-satellite constellation, it said. Amazon said it has contracts for 18 Ariane 6 rockets; 12 launches using Blue Origin's New Glenn, with options for up to 15 more; and 38 launches on ULA's Vulcan Centaur. The agreement is atop Project Kuiper’s existing deal to secure nine Atlas V vehicles from ULA, it said.

A Hawaii digital equity bill cleared the House Finance Committee in a 14-0 vote Monday. The Senate-passed SB-2076 would define broadband equity, clarify the state broadband office’s equity duties and provide funding for staff. Having cleared three House committees, the bill can go to the floor. Due to House amendments, it would need to go back to the Senate for concurrence.

The Kentucky General Assembly passed a bill to set up a state broadband office with $300 million from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (see 2203210034). In Tuesday floor sessions, the House voted 92-0 to concur with the Senate, which voted 35-1 to pass an amended HB-315. A Senate floor amendment added a required annual audit of the broadband office’s fund administration. The bill needs a signature from Gov. Andy Beshear (D), who didn’t say whether he will sign. Wednesday in Minnesota, the House Judiciary Committee members voted 16-0 for a broadband bill to establish a grant program to extend service to unserved areas via reverse auction. HF-3605, which would also allow companies to use existing easements for broadband, can next go to the floor.

T-Mobile representatives discussed issues faced by wireless as the agency tackles digital discrimination, in virtual meetings with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Alejandro Roark, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau chief. “Wireless signals do not travel along streets or follow traditional residential patterns,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 22-69: “In determining whether broadband deployment is equitable, we urged the Commission to consider the massive investment the company is making, as well as the once-in-a-generation buildout that will happen over the next few years as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The so-called digital divide could be greatly diminished or even eliminated over the next few years.”

Analysis shows that “a constant refrain often heard in the broadband debate” that U.S. internet speeds are slower than in other nations isn’t true, the Phoenix Center said in a report released Tuesday. “As with fixed broadband, the most consistent result is that download speeds for mobile wireless broadband in U.S. cities are, on average, faster than in other nations and often materially so,” said Phoenix Center Chief Economist George Ford. “The U.S. mobile wireless industry is providing globally exceptional broadband services,” he said. The study looked at speeds in 98 countries and found average download speeds in the U.S. are in the top 15%.