John Eggerton

Mozilla and others that had challenged the Federal Communications Commission's deregulation of internet access in the 2017 Restoring Internet Freedom Order (RIFO) have decided not to take that challenge to the Supreme Court. This moves the issue to the states that implemented their own net neutrality legislation in response to the FCC's RIFO. The deadline was July 6, and Mozilla signaled there would be no challenge in the high court. "After careful consideration, Mozilla—as well as its partners in this litigation—are not seeking Supreme Court review of the DC Circuit decision," Mozilla.

Senate Democrats are attempting to add their distance learning E-Rate funding bill to the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have proposed their Emergency Educational Connections Act as an amendment on the bill. The bill would ensure that all K-12 students have access to "adequate" home broadband connectivity and devices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would clarify that E-rate could be used for equipment and service at "locations other than the school."

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) took to the House floor to talk up the massive Moving Forward Act infrastructure bill, including its $100 billion in funding for broadband buildouts he says will close the digital divide. The $1.5 trillion-plus bill would allocate billions to subsidize broadband competition--including from municipal providers--in "underserved" areas which could mean where service is already provided by private capitol at just short of gig speeds.  "T

The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) has come up with an estimate of how much it has cost its members to Keep Americans Connected over the life of the Federal Communications Commission-prompted voluntary pledge that they do so during the pandemic. According to WISPA, which polled its members on June 23, the average cost was over $30,000 per operator. That was based on an average sub count of 1,500. The costs broke down this way: $25,000 to cover nonpayment; $3,200 in waived late fees, and $4,500 in free Wi-Fi. 

Windstream has asked the Federal Communications Commission to approve the transfer of its licenses to a restructured company so it can get out of bankruptcy. The approval will require a limited FCC rule waiver for the two-step restructuring Windstream has set up. The FCC has put that restructuring plan out for comment on whether it should grant the waiver and transfers, with comments due July 9 and replies July 16. The company filed for bankruptcy last February. It has set up the restructuring in two phases.

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council -- joined by more than two dozen national organizations -- says the Federal Communications Commission should make sure that the initial tranche of its $9 billion in rural 5G subsidy funding goes to help those furthest from digital equality, which includes impoverished African American and Hispanic communities. The groups say that the FCC should prioritize funding according to poverty, not population density.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai says that while the FCC's hands are tied when it comes to applying E-rate schools and libraries funding to remote learning during the pandemic, there are billions of dollars that could already be applied to that purpose Congress has already allocated and the FCC is working on getting educators to spend on education tech. Chairman Pai said he understood the frustration, and had asked Congress to clear away that statutory language impediment in the meantime.

Charter Communications is asking the Federal Communications Commission to terminate the interconnection condition of its deal to acquire Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks on May 18, 2021 —  two years early — in light of the ”dramatic“ changes in the online video marketplace. The 2016 conditions were to last seven years, but the FCC allowed for the possibility of an early termination. Currently, Charter must ”offer to interconnect its IP network to any qualifying entity free of charge and on st

The Senate Commerce Committee held a nomination hearing on June 16 that featured Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O'Rielly. Commissioner O'Rielly's term expired at the end of June 2019, but commissioners can continue to serve until the close of the next Congress. The new term would date from July 1, 2019. 

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held the hearing "Oversight of FCC Spectrum Auctions Program" in which Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai testified. Leading the hearing was Subcommittee Chairman John Kennedy (R-LA), one of the harshest critics of the FCC decision to give satellite companies close to $10 billion in incentive payments to exit the C-Band spectrum by 2021 and 2023 instead of the 2025 deadline the FCC set.