Nicole Ferarro

With the FCC's vote on net neutrality coming up Thursday, April 25, some industry groups are making a final push for a change to the language in order to leave open the possibility of meaningful Universal Service Fund (USF) reform at the agency level. Specifically, representatives at industry trade groups NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, Incompas, and the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) met with members of the FCC in the last week to urge the Commission not to forbear applying USF to broadband Internet access providers (BIAS). I

A number of former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials are pointing to expanding the Lifeline program, under the Universal Service Fund (USF), as the way to save a version of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), and prevent tens of millions of people from losing access to the monthly broadband subsidy. One way the FCC could do that was outlined in a recent petition for expedited rulemaking filed

Like all states and territories, Vermont has been hard at work developing plans for the NTIA's Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant program; and the companion Digital Equity program.

Brian Newby, broadband program director for the state of North Dakota, joined the state's broadband office as it was in the process of being created in early 2023. Since then, his primary focus has been on developing the state's Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

A broadband coalition called the Accurate Broadband Data Alliance (ABDA) is warning the Federal Communications Commission that its national broadband map contains errors that "will hinder and, in many cases, prevent deployment of essential broadband services by redirecting funds away from areas truly lacking sufficient broadband." In a filing, ABDA alleges that "significant errors" exist throughout the broadband map, due in part to incorrect reporting by some internet service providers. "A number of carriers, including LTD Broadband/GigFire LLC and others, continue to overreport Internet se

The US has gained an additional 47 municipal broadband networks since January 2021, bringing the total to nearly 450.

'Tis the season for the House Commerce Committee to hold oversight hearings of federal telecommunications agencies. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Alan Davidson took the hot seat, answering questions on implementation of the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, spectrum policy and more. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was a recurring topic of discussion throughout the hearing, and one Assistant Secretary Davidson raised in his opening statement.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is scheduled to vote Nov 15 on an order on preventing digital discrimination, but a new round of industry filings, plus commentary from FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, suggests there may be legal challenges ahead to the new rules. According to filings with the FCC, industry groups and service providers are taking issue with the agency’s definition of digital discrimination, along with other aspects of the draft order.