UNITE-LA continues to advance strategies that expand broadband access and strengthen digital equity across California by helping shape the policies, partnerships and investments that guide broadband deployment. This quarter, UNITE-LA engaged state leaders and broadband stakeholders through the California Public Utilities Commission’s California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Annual Workshop to strengthen policies governing regional broadband consortia, improve coordination across funding and implementation efforts and help ensure underserved communities benefit from historic broadband investments. Through this work, UNITE-LA is helping position broadband as essential infrastructure that supports economic opportunity, educational access and community connectivity.

As part of the CASF Annual Workshop, UNITE-LA shared insights on how updated policies—particularly those governing regional broadband consortia—can better support broadband deployment and ensure communities are not left behind. Discussions highlighted the importance of governance structures, funding rules and cross-agency coordination in moving broadband investments from approval to implementation and maximizing their impact at the local level.

The workshop also underscored the scale of California’s broader broadband investment ecosystem, including federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding, the Federal Funding Account and complementary financing tools that are accelerating infrastructure deployment statewide. Together, these investments are expanding connectivity for millions of Californians, including schools, libraries and other community anchor institutions, while helping close longstanding gaps in broadband access.

Recent CPUC policy updates further reinforce this work by expanding program eligibility, increasing minimum service standards, improving flexibility in program design and strengthening the role of regional consortia. Together, these efforts reflect a coordinated strategy to position broadband as essential infrastructure for California’s long-term economic growth, equity and resilience, while helping communities more effectively leverage broadband investments and advance digital equity outcomes.

For more information, please reach out to Liliana Aide Monge, Director of Digital Equity, at [email protected].