1. Monthly archive
  2. July 2024

July 2024

Dual-Use Foundation Models with Widely Available Model Weights

Policy recommendations embracing openness in artificial intelligence (AI) while calling for active monitoring of risks in powerful AI models. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration recommends the U.S. government develop new capabilities to monitor for potential risks, but refrain from immediately restricting the wide availability of open model weights in the largest AI systems. “Open-weight” models allow developers to build upon and adapt previous work, broadening AI tools’ availability to small companies, researchers, nonprofits, and individuals.

FCC Settles 911 Rule Investigation with Charter for $15M

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has entered into a Consent Decree with Charter Communications to resolve the investigation into whether Charter violated the FCC’s rules related to network outages, including those impacting 911 service. The failure to notify affected public safety answering points (PSAPs) of an outage impedes the ability of public safety officials to mediate the effects of an outage by notifying the public of alternate ways to contact emergency services.

WISPs see fiber as their next growth area

Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPS) are making moves to either invest in their own fiber network or share an open access network because they see fiber as an opportunity to grow. Mike Wendy, communications director with the trade group Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) said that anecdotally he’d estimate about 30% of WISPA members are doing fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). One WISP that is doing both fiber and fixed wireless access (FWA) is Cajun Broadband in Louisiana, a small provider with about 2,000 subscribers.

The Smallest BEAD Dilemma

One of the biggest challenges for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant is for State Broadband Offices to make sure that every unserved location gets covered by the grants. My understanding of the process is that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will not approve the BEAD grants being made by a State until they can demonstrate that every unserved and underserved location will be covered by the grants.

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