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October 2024

Should Kamala Harris embrace Lina Khan? Democrats are split, and some worry it will cost her

From a tight Senate race in Arizona to congressional contests in Texas and Illinois, Democratic candidates are wrapping their arms around Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan. But one candidate is keeping Khan at arm’s length. Vice President Kamala Harris has declined to appear with Khan or campaign on her energetic antitrust agenda — much less defend the FTC chair against a chorus of Silicon Valley donors calling for her head, or Khan’s GOP critics on Capitol Hill.

Rural Broadband Consolidator LICT Gets $100 Million Credit Facility

Rural broadband consolidator LICT Corporation has received a $100 million revolving credit facility from CoBank, a key rural broadband lender. LICT keeps a low profile, but the company, which trades over the counter on the pink sheets, is an important player in the rural broadband market. The five-year revolving credit facility extends the term of an existing facility through 2029 and increases the facility from $50 million to $100 million. LICT currently has 11 subsidiaries in multiple states.

FCC Adopts the Final Eligible Services List for Funding Year 2025 for the E-Rate Program

In this Order, the Federal Communications Commission adopts the final eligible services list for funding year 2025 for the schools and libraries universal service support program (more commonly referred to as the E-Rate program). The FCC also releases the final eligible services list for funding year 2025 and authorize the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to open the annual FCC Form 471 application filing window no earlier than 60 days after the release of this Order.

FCC Settles EBB and ACP Investigation with AT&T for Over $2.2 Million

The Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission has entered into a Consent Decree to resolve its investigations into whether AT&T violated the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB) and Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) rules. To settle these matters, AT&T agrees to a total settlement value of $2,299,990 to fully resolve the FCC’s investigations, which includes (i) a civil penalty of $1,921,068, and (ii) repayment to the United States Treasury in the amount of $378,922.

Celebrating Ralph Jennings, trailblazer alongside Everett Parker and in radio

The United Church of Christ (UCC) Media Justice Ministry was sad to learn that Ralph Jennings, a key aide to Everett Parker, passed away earlier this month at the age of 86. Ralph Jennings started his career in radio, joined Everett Parker in his work, and then went on to be the core creative vision in the famed WFUV noncommercial radio station at Fordham University. From 1968-1980, Jennings was deputy director in the Office of Communications, United Church of Christ. He worked with director Everett C.

T-Mobile trusts AI to make 5G network tweaks

For competitive reasons, wireless carriers typically don’t reveal too many specifics about their network expansion and upgrade plans. So when T-Mobile executives were asked to elaborate on their plans for mid-band 5G upgrades, they steered the conversation to the tools they use to determine how they’re going to expand coverage – as opposed to detailing exactly where and when they will deploy. Their approach – and brace yourself, this is going to be a real shocker – is based on artificial intelligence (AI).

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