Reporting

A Walden Exit Interview on All Things Tech

Rep Greg Walden (R-OR), one of the most influential conservative figures in the technology and telecommunications policy landscape, is set to retire from Congress. He pushed back on GOP-led calls for the Federal Communications Commission to step in on Section 230even as FCC Chairman Ajit Pai faces pressure to do so before he leaves the agencyin January: “I'm not so sure that I want the FCC in the middle of all of this,” Rep Walden said. “Even if some think they have the authority, I'm not convinced that's the case.

Lawmakers, officials stress need to expand broadband access

Lawmakers and former federal officials said that universal broadband access is essential to boosting the American economy during and after the coronavirus pandemic. “The pandemic has conclusively proven that everyone needs internet connection to have a fair shot at success,” said Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. She added that there is an enormous amount of lost economic opportunity if the United States doesn’t figure out how to expand internet connectivity to all Americans.

190,000 UK properties can't access broadband speeds to meet modern needs

Almost 200,000 “forgotten homes” across the UK are being left behind in the government’s digital revolution, unable to get broadband speeds deemed the minimum to meet a modern family’s needs.

Moffett: Cable broadband subscriber growth to slow in 2021

US broadband growth continued to surge through the third quarter of 2020, but "pull-forward" growth driven by the ongoing pandemic will likely lead to a slowdown in 2021, MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett predicted in a new report. According to the report, the US broadband market finished Q3 2020 with a penetration rate of 84%.

States Allege Google Cut Deal With Facebook to Rig Online Ad Market

A coalition of state attorneys general sued Google, accusing the search giant of operating an illegal digital-advertising monopoly, in part thanks to an auction-rigging deal with rival Facebook. The complaint, filed in US District Court in Texas, alleges that Facebook emerged in 2017 as a powerful new rival to the Alphabet unit’s established dominance in the market for online advertising.

Outstanding Issues at the FCC

As the tenure of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai and his deregulatory Republican majority winds down, DC policy watchers are looking for action on some big issues yet to be resolved one way or the other.

Broadcast Deregulation Foes File Supreme Court Brief

In advance of the Supreme Court's Jan.

Roddy Takes Helm of NTIA in Trump's Final Days

Carolyn Roddy is now listed as acting chief of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration following previous acting Administrator Adam Candeub’s jump to the Justice Department.

Connecticut Gives Every Student a Computer and Home Internet to Close the Digital Divide

The state of Connecticut is giving every student in grades K-12 a laptop and paying for their internet access. Recently, the state announced that it had achieved near-universal access for both device distribution and connectivity—a significant achievement in a state where 40 percent of households in some cities lack home access, according to census data. The program, known as the