1. Monthly archive
  2. July 2022

July 2022

USDA seeks temporary reprieve from Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ‘Buy American’ rules

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development division sought to delay the implementation of a “Buy American” provision included in the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) on the grounds that the requirement could hinder critical projects including broadband rollouts. Its move is notable given the USDA administers a number of key broadband funding initiatives, including the well-known ReConnect Program.

FCC Seeks Comment on Interagency Broadband Coordination Agreement

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the interagency agreement between the Federal Communications Commission, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) entered into pursuant to the Broadband Interagency Coordination Act of 2020 (BICA). Comments will inform the FCC’s preparation of a report to Congress on the effectiveness and possible improvements to the agreement. Under the BICA, within 180 days of the

Spectrum Sharing: Holy Grail or False Hope?

This report assesses spectrum sharing to help observers look realistically at the prospects for sharing and barriers to realizing its more aspirational promises. Key findings include:

How Fast is Starlink Broadband?

A recent analysis of Starlink broadband speeds from Ookla gathers huge numbers of speed tests from across the country. According to the study, the US average download speeds on Starlink have improved over the last year, from an average of 65.72 Mbps in first quarter 2021 to 90.55 Mbps in first quarter 2022. But during that same timeframe, upload speeds got worse, dropping from an average of 16.29 Mbps in first quarter 2021 to 10.70 Mbps in first quarter 2022.

How Senator Leahy’s broken hip puts net neutrality at risk

One of the strange features of American government is that an 82-year-old’s broken hip can cause a sea change in telecom policy. The 82-year-old in question is Sen Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who had surgery after a fall and is said to be resting comfortably. But while Leahy recuperates, he won’t be able to cast votes and Democrats won’t be able to flex their razor-thin Senate majority — which could cost the administration its last chance to institute net neutrality rules. The temporary stalemate caused by Leahy’s recovery has lots of downstream effects.

European Union adopts landmark rules for a safer, open online environment

On July 5, European Parliament held the final vote on the new Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, following a deal reached between Parliament and Council on 23 April and 24 March respectively. The two bills aim to address the societal and economic effects of the tech industry by setting clear standards for how they operate and provide services in the EU, in line with the EU’s fundamental rights and values.

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