Government & Communications

FCC Inspector General Answers GOP Leaders on Broadband Subsidies

Are Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) subsidies being targeted to households currently without broadband?

We Need More Programs Like Project OVERCOME

One of the very first programs I managed upon my arrival at US Ignite in 2021 was Project OVERCOME. We selected six communities to pilot advanced wireless and community broadband adoption programs through a rigorous solicitation and review process.

FCC Issues Limited Lifeline Waiver

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau), on its own motion, grants a limited, one-time waiver to a limited number of Lifeline subscribers who received incorrect information about the deadline for recertifying their eligibility for the Lifeline program. Specifically, in letters from the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), these subscribers were informed that they had approximately 80 days in which to recertify their eligibility for the Lifeline program, rather than the 60-days provided for under the Lifeline program rules.

What did NTIA's Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth Accomplish in 2022?

The Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OICG) is housed within the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Congress created OICG in the ACCESS BROADBAND Act of 2021, part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, to oversee all broadband activity at NTIA and lead federal efforts to fund and expand broadband access across the country.

Senator Schmitt Introduces Legislation Aimed at Stopping the Federal Government’s Collusion with Big Tech to Censor Speech

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) introduced the Curtailing Online Limitations that Lead Unconstitutionally to Democracy’s Erosion (COLLUDE) Act, in order to halt the collusion between Big Tech and the federal government which has led to censoring Americans’ speech. The COLLUDE Act prevents Big Tech companies from colluding with government to censor free speech, by stripping them of their Section 230 protection if they commit such actions. Specifically, the bill:

New York Attorney General James Secures $615,000 from Companies that Supplied Fake Comments to Influence FCC’s Repeal of Net Neutrality Rules

New York State Attorney General Letitia James (D-NY) secured $615,000 from three companies—LCX, Lead ID, and Ifficient—that supplied millions of fake public comments to influence a 2017 proceeding by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to repeal net neutrality rules.

Secure Internet Routing

Networks make routing decisions based on these whispers, following the path back to the network that says it is number six. Sometimes those whispers are right. Sometimes they are wrong.

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan threatens to hold Google in contempt of Congress for failing to produce subpoenaed documents

House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) threatened enforcement action against Google that could include holding the company in contempt of Congress for failing to produce documents the committee subpoenaed. In a letter to a lawyer for Google shared exclusively with CNBC, Chairman Jordan called the company’s compliance so far “insufficient” and demanded it hands over more information.

New Dashboard Highlights Coordinated Federal Investments in High-Speed Internet Programs

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a new dashboard highlighting federal investments in high-speed Internet programs. NTIA developed the dashboard to accompany the Federal Broadband Funding Report.

A torpedoed Biden FCC nominee shows the power of dark money campaigns and a ‘perfect storm’ of industry interests

When President Joe Biden nominated Gigi Sohn [Senior Fellow and Public Advocate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society] to serve on the Federal Communications Commission, the longtime consumer advocate expected to face criticism over her desire to expand free internet access and improve competition among broadband providers. Instead, Sohn found herself the target of an aggressive campaign funded by a conservative group that doesn’t have to disclose its donors. The American Accountability Foundation called Sohn too partisan, anti-police, and soft on sex trafficking.

FCC Announces New Affordable Connectivity Program Application Landing Page at Getinternet.Gov

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced a new Affordable Connectivity Program application landing page available at GetInternet.gov.

Hearing from the American People: How Are Automated Tools Being Used to Surveil, Monitor, and Manage Workers?

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is releasing a public request for information (RFI) to learn more about the automated tools used by employers to surveil, monitor, evaluate, and manage workers. The RFI seeks to advance our understanding of the design, deployment, prevalence, and impacts of these automated technologies. Employers are increasingly investing in technologies that monitor and track workers, and making workplace decisions based on that information. Through this RFI, we hope to gather:

GOP debt plan would hurt internet access efforts, Democrats say

Democratic officials are expressing concern that the House Republican debt limit plan would undermine bipartisan efforts to boost internet access nationwide and secure U.S.

Sens Thune, Luján Request GAO to Review Broadband Regulatory Structure

A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report uncovered that “federal broadband efforts are fragmented and overlapping, with more than 100 programs administered by 15 agencies.” We request that GAO build upon this work and conduct an additional review of federal, state, and local broadband efforts to determine the effectiveness of each program.

Supreme Court to decide if officials can block constituents on social media

The Supreme Court will consider whether the First Amendment prohibits a public official from blocking constituents from personal social media accounts when those accounts are used to communicate with the public. The court took two cases for the term that begins in October 2023 to decide a digital-age issue that has been active in lower courts.

FCC Leadership Renews Call to Restore Spectrum Auction Authority

On April 18, 2023, Federal Communications Commission leadership wrote to Congressional leadership to restore the Commission's spectrum action authority. The FCC's auction authority expired for the first time in the program’s 30-year history on March 9, 2023.

Washington Bill Tests Limits of State BEAD Authority

Service providers in the state of Washington are concerned about legislation pending in the state’s House of Representatives.

China has equipment that can spy on us in our telecommunications networks. We must remove it now

Due to a shortfall in federal funding for a critical national security program under the Secure and Trusted Communications Act — commonly known as “rip and replace” — US telecommunications networks remain riddled with insecure equipment manufactured by companies beholden to the government of China that can do everything from capture Americans’ data to disrupt critical communications at US Strategic Command. The potential consequences of the widespread infiltration of U.S. networks by Chinese state-connected companies Huawei Technologies Ltd.

FCC Announces Staff for Office of International Affairs & Space Bureau

The Federal Communications Commission officially launched its new Space Bureau and Office of International Affairs on April 11, 2023.

UK Releases Wireless Infrastructure Strategy

The United Kingdom announced its wireless infrastructure strategy on April 11, 2023. As part of this effort, the UK aims to deliver nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030, ensuring that it can bring its full benefits to villages and rural communities well beyond cities and towns. The Prime Minister has set out 5 priorities for the UK government - to build a better, more secure, more prosperous future for the UK, including growing the economy, and creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country, which this strategy is focused on delivering.

Net Neutrality Again?

There is an interesting recent discussion in Europe about net neutrality that has relevance to the US broadband market. The European Commission that oversees telecommunications and broadband has started taking comments on a proposal to force content generators like Netflix to pay fees to Internet service providers (ISP) for using the Internet.