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July 2021

Public-private partnerships key to providing high-quality broadband to all

"Billions for broadband" are about to pour out of Washington. That sounds good, but it is not aligned with the reality faced by many individual states, counties and towns. In rural – as well as some poor urban – areas, the "business model" for private ISPs “prevents” them from offering service. That is to say, they can’t make the minimum profit margins that they require. And they're right. They can't. For these areas (like mine in Maine, one of America's most rural, least wealthy and oldest-in-average-age states), the result is no choice of ISP.

Sponsor 

American Library Association

Date 
Thu, 07/29/2021 - 14:00

A live Q&A event on Instagram to share how libraries are planning to use the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program supporting digital equity efforts through libraries and schools nationwide.


Sponsor 

Federal Communications Commission

Date 
Tue, 08/03/2021 - 14:00

A virtual webinar to provide additional information about the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program, on fcc.gov/live. Prior to, or during, this event, questions can be submitted by sending an email to ECFwebinar@fcc.gov

The webinar will highlight frequently asked questions about the ECF Program and application process. Participants will also have an opportunity to submit any additional questions they may have during, or in advance, of the event. The webinar will be recorded and available on the FCC’s website.


Sponsor 

Federal Trade Commission

Date 
Tue, 07/27/2021 - 09:00 to 17:00

The event will feature remarks by Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and FTC Chief Technologist Erie Meyer, as well as presentations and discussions on a variety of privacy and data security research.

The event will be tweeted live from the FTC’s Twitter page (@FTC) using the hashtag #PrivacyCon21.


FCC composition remains murkier than ever

Few probably would have guessed that the telecommunications industry would still be waiting around in late July for the Biden Administration to name a permanent Federal Communications Commission chair, but that’s where things stand. One name that has been floated in recent weeks is that of long-time public activist Gigi Sohn [a senior fellow at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society], who was on the staff of former Chairman Tom Wheeler and led the consumer group Public Knowledge for more than a decade.

FCC Announces Over $311 Million for Broadband, Acts to Clean Up Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Program

The Federal Communications Commission is ready to authorize over $311 million in broadband funding across 36 states through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. At the same time, the agency took steps to clean up issues with the program’s design originating from its adoption in 2020. For now, 48 broadband providers will bring 1 Gbps broadband speeds to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses over the next 10 years. But in light of complaints that the program was poised to fund broadband to parking lots and well-served urban areas, the FCC sent letters to 197 winning bidders.

Submitted on July 26, 2021

 

One might think this is the moment for community broadband networks. The truth is, locally-directed networks have been serving their communities for a long, long time.

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