What an inspiring week for digital opportunity in Western North Carolina!
Our first (maybe annual) Digital Opportunity Pitch Party brought together community leaders, funders, and local partners who are working every day to close the digital divide. The energy in the room was contagious—each pitch reflected the creativity and determination of people who believe that access to broadband, devices, and digital skills can transform lives and communities. The judges had no easy task, and the collaborations sparked at this event will continue to ripple across our region. A personal congratulations to all our winners, and I hope to hear from more of you in the future.
As we celebrate National Digital Inclusion Week, it’s clear that Western North Carolina is not just participating in the national conversation—we are leading it! From grassroots digital navigator programs to regional-level broadband expansion, we continue to show what’s possible when we come together with shared purpose and a focus on getting everyone online. Despite setbacks from the Digital Equity Act and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment programs, we are more committed than ever to ensuring that every household, business, and community anchor in our mountain region can connect, learn, and thrive.
The Blue Ridge Broadband Alliance is proud to be part of this growing movement built on partnership, persistence, and a deep love for the place we call home.
Thank you to everyone who continues to show up, share ideas, and lift this work forward. We do this together, so keep us in mind for questions and ideas as we move forward. Together, we’re building a more connected and resilient Western North Carolina.
Warm regards,
Sara Nichols
Blue Ridge Broadband Alliance
In This Edition
Upcoming Meetings
Drew’s Policy Corner
Connecting the Community: Highlights from the Digital Opportunity Pitch Party
Big Broadband News
More News
Upcoming Meetings
- October: The October 14th Zoom meeting is cancelled (the Pitch Party was our October meeting).
- November: The November 11th Zoom meeting has been rescheduled to November 18th to avoid Veteran’s Day. Please update your calendar or re-register to get an updated event.
Drew’s Policy Corner
Happy October!
It’s going to be a spooky month for broadband, unfortunately. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration started slashing fiber projects from BEAD, which could shift North Carolina’s results from 68 percent fiber and 30 percent satellite to nearly 50/50. NTIA is also poised to cut BEAD’s budget in half, denying North Carolina over $1 billion for digital opportunity and other connectivity projects.
But there is hope. Alliance members are pushing back strongly (nearly 80 people signed the letter against these changes), many other states and bipartisan stakeholders are joining the opposition, and the law is on our side. BEAD continues to be a fight, but it’s far from lost.
In other news: The FCC may roll back broadband “nutrition labels” (have you seen these in the wild?); the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) is suing the administration over the Digital Equity Act termination; and NTIA continues to work through the government shutdown (although staff are not being paid).
Enjoy the fall colors and see you in November!
Connecting the Community: Highlights from the Digital Opportunity Pitch Party
On October 7, policymakers, practitioners, and members of the telecommunications industry came together at Devil’s Foot Brewing in Asheville, North Carolina, for the first-ever Blue Ridge Broadband Alliance Digital Opportunity Pitch Party.
Pitchers & Projects
Four pitchers were selected through a competitive review process to share their visions for projects that will help advance digital opportunity in Western North Carolina.
The first pitcher was Susan Toole, Director of Library Services at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech) in Asheville. Toole pitched a pilot program for device lending and support for students in need at A-B Tech.
She talked about the difference that access to a reliable device can make in a student’s education journey; “We educate our community’s future nurses, brewers, cosmetologists, electricians, paramedics, firefighters, and more. Everyone of them is fighting the same fight—the drive to build something better colliding with barriers that make it hard to get there. At A-B Tech, I oversee our laptop and hotspot checkout program, and I’ve seen firsthand how access to devices, internet, and digital literacy can change a person’s entire life.”
The next pitch came from Charles Long and Bob Williams, co-founders of Swift App School, which teaches youth coding. Long and Williams requested funding for their new Residential App Camp, launching at University of North Carolina at Asheville in the summer of 2026. They spoke about how they have expanded into a non-profit to offer scholarships to underserved youth.
The third pitcher was Yvette Brooks, Executive Director of Through the Trees, a nonprofit that focuses on device refurbishment and digital navigation services in Transylvania County. Brooks presented on Through the Trees’ Tech Spa, where people can come get help using or repairing their devices. She explained how the one-on-one structure of the Tech Spa allows for personalized assistance that is immediately helpful to those who need it.
The final pitcher was Brian Scott, Executive Director of OurJourney, a non-profit that helps guide formerly incarcerated North Carolinians through the reentry process. Scott requested funding to launch Women’s Centric Re-Entry Kits for women coming out of prison. He spoke about the difference that having access to resources and technology coming out of prison can make in a person’s reentry process and recidivism rate, as well as the different needs of women coming out of prison compared to men.
Judges & Criteria
The pitchers’ presentations were scored by an esteemed panel of judges consisting of:
- Jess Epsten, Digital Opportunities Initiative Lead at the Institute for Emerging Issues
- Jess George, Head of Digital Equity & Community Impact at GFiber
- Amy Huffman, Policy Director at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance
- Maggie Woods, Director of the North Carolina Office of Digital Opportunity
The judges scored presenters based on five criteria:
- Clarity of Vision: Does the pitch explain what specific activity or solution will be carried out? Is it realistic for the grant size and timeframe?
- Community Focus: Does the pitch show evidence of listening to or involving the community in design or implementation? Will the project meaningfully improve digital opportunity for the people they intend to serve?
- Need and Impact: Will the proposed work have measurable or visible benefits, even on a small scale? Does the project identify a real need?
- Credibility: Does the team have relevant experience, skills, and/or partners? Is the project scope feasible?
- Leverage: Could this small grant lead to something larger? Is there any thought given to what happens after this intervention?
In addition to the judges, audience members were also able to join in on the scoring through a Google form. The audience vote served as a fifth judge.
Fireside Chat
While judges added up their scores to determine the winners, the audience was treated to a fireside chat between Gigi Sohn, Senior Fellow at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, and Jennifer Epperson, Deputy General Counsel for the North Carolina Office of the Governor.
The two talked about changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, how they will impact broadband infrastructure deployment in North Carolina, and the role of advocacy in the broadband and digital opportunity sphere. Jennifer Epperson formerly served as Chief Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and worked closely on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which created the BEAD Program.
F
Winner
Finally, the votes were in, and the winners were announced.
Brian Scott and OurJourney came in first place, winning $4000.00 and a free ticket to Net Inclusion. OurJourney will use the money and support to launch a women’s version of their Digital Opportunity First Aid Reentry Kit, which comes with supplies and resources for returning citizens, as well as a smartphone with 90 days of free unlimited service.
Every pitcher won a cash prize, as well as a discounted ticket to Net Inclusion 2026 in Chicago, and support from WestNGN Broadband.
Building Momentum for Digital Opportunity
The Pitch Party brought together an incredible group of passionate people working to improve internet access and digital opportunity in Western North Carolina and beyond.
R
By Zoë Walker
Big Broadband News
Helene created an unprecedented communications blackout; a year later, vulnerabilities remain | Asheville Watchdog | Andrew Jones | October 1, 2025
When western North Carolinians needed to communicate with one another more urgently than ever before, the region’s telecommunications systems went dark. High winds and floodwaters from Hurricane Helene in September of 2024 destroyed more than 1,700 miles of fiber optic cables, according to North Carolina Statewide Interoperability Coordinator Greg Hauser. This knocked out most of the area’s cell towers, leaving residents starved for basic information. According to the Land of Sky Regional Council—a local government and development nonprofit that serves Buncombe, Madison, Henderson, and Transylvania counties—and West NGN Broadband research, $100 million worth of communications infrastructure was damaged, 200,000 internet and phone line customers lost connection and residents lost about 12,000 communications devices, like cell phones and computers. Crews scrambled to restore networks as quickly as possible, a task made impossible at times by the devastation. Roads were washed away, blocked by landslides or clogged by traffic. Power outages that lasted for weeks compounded the crisis. A year later, networks have mostly returned to normal, but there are still gaps, and no comprehensive public reports have been issued about exactly why western North Carolina went dark for so long, experts say.
FCC Reverses Expansion of COVID-Era Wi-Fi Hotspots Program | Federal Communications Commission | September 30, 2025
The Universal Service Fund Working Group—a bipartisan, bicameral group of The Federal Communications Commission granted a petition for reconsideration filed by Maurine and Matthew Molak and found that the best reading of section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, is that it does not permit funding of off-premises use of Wi-Fi hotspots and the associated wireless Internet services with E-Rate program support. In so finding, the FCC rescinded the rules adopted in July 2024. The FCC also denied the two remaining petitions for reconsideration of the FCC’s Hotspots Order. Finally, the FCC directed the Universal Service Administrative Company, the administrator of the Commission’s universal service programs, to deny pending applications for E-Rate support related to the off-premises use of WiFi hotspots and services; and the FCC directed the Wireline Competition Bureau to release a public notice with an amended funding year 2025 eligible services list that reflects the changes made in this Order on Reconsideration.
FCC to End Inclusion of School Bus Wi-Fi Through E-Rate | Federal Communications Commission | September 30, 2025
In this Declaratory Ruling, the Federal Communications Commission takes the opportunity to better align E-Rate eligibility with section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and clarify that the provision of Wi-Fi, or other similar access point technologies, including the equipment needed to provide such service, on school buses is ineligible for E-Rate funding. Contrary to the FCC’s prior interpretation in the 2023 School Bus Wi-Fi Declaratory Ruling, the FCC now find that the best reading of section 254 of the Communications Act is that the use and provision of such services on school buses does not serve an “educational purpose” as defined by E-Rate program rules and conflicts with the statute’s direction to enhance access to E-Rate eligible services for classrooms. Indeed, the FCC determines here that extending E-Rate to school bus Wi-Fi was not the best reading of the Communications Act. The provision of Wi-Fi on school buses is no longer eligible for E-Rate support beginning in funding year 2025, and the FCC directs the Universal Service Administrative Company, the administrator of the E-Rate program, to deny as ineligible all pending requests for funding for school bus Wi-Fi in FY 2025 and subsequent funding years.
Broadband Plans Aim For the Stars Under President Trump’s New Rules | The Assembly | Johanna Still | September 19, 2025
In September, North Carolina submitted its final proposal to spend $408.5 million in federal funds to extend broadband access to underserved and unserved areas. The plan calls for connecting more than 93,000 homes, businesses, and community centers to high-speed internet by 2030. The state is also overseeing ongoing American Rescue Plan Act-funded programs meant to bring broadband to another 255,570 properties by 2026, for an investment of $674 million. “This is the most investment in broadband that we’ve seen in the country, ever,” said Angie Bailey, director of the state’s Broadband Infrastructure Office.Congress created the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant program in 2021, but it’s taken years to get the funds moving. Now the Trump administration’s recent funding shakeups might disrupt if and how those funds are distributed. The program has become a “piñata” for critics on both sides of the aisle to illustrate government inefficiency, said Drew Garner, director of policy engagement for the nonprofit Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. “The new administration fundamentally changed the BEAD program right before states reached the finish line,” Garner said. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which oversees how states spend their BEAD funds, slashed what it called “burdensome” rules in June and ordered states to rework their plans within 90 days to prioritize cost-cutting. “It’s a challenge for broadband providers to design projects in that timeframe,” said Bailey. “Our role as the state is to invest the money in the best way possible based on the program rules.”
Collaboration is Key to Increasing Broadband Access in Western North Carolina | Dogwood Health Trust | August 22, 2025
When it comes to improving the health and well-being of all people in Western North Carolina, expanding access to broadband is a necessary part of the work. Having reliable internet and the skills to use it are critical for every aspect of our lives—from accessing health care and landing a job to paying bills and learning new skills. Reliable internet is even more crucial in rural areas, connecting residents to vital services and helping people build businesses that serve their local community and beyond. Dogwood Health Trust launched a Digital Opportunities Initiative in early 2025 to help make the internet available, affordable, and useful for everyone in WNC. Ten collaboratives comprised of more than 50 organizations of all shapes and sizes are working to break down barriers like cost, access to devices, and digital literacy. Collaboration is key. This work cannot be done alone. The initiative is built on community partnerships that engage residents, share information, and create homegrown solutions to bring internet service and skills across WNC. This focus on collaboration is building lasting partnerships and community leadership for not only broadband but other opportunities for improving people’s lives.
More News
Asheville hopes for a big fall tourist season to boost its post Helene economy | National Public Radio | September 26, 2025
Through the Trees Named Nonprofit of the Year by Brevard Chamber of Commerce | Brevard Chamber of Commerce | September 19, 2025