FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr

"It is a tremendous honor to be confirmed and designated as the first permanent Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission," said Jessica Rosenworcel. "I would like to thank President Biden for the opportunity.  People across the country count on the FCC to support the connections they need for work, learning, healthcare, and access to the information we require to make decisions about our lives, our communities, and our country.

The Federal Communications Commission's current model for funding internet builds is now hopelessly outdated. The dominant platform for communications has shifted from the telephone network to the internet. Indeed, the revenue base associated with the traditional telephone network has fallen sharply from a peak of around $80 billion in the 2000s to less than $30 billion today as more and more services—including those now offered by Big Tech—are delivered over the internet instead.

The Biden administration’s broadband plan tracks many of the ideas contained in the $94 billion “Internet for all” infrastructure bill that congressional Democrats introduced. And that is not a good thing.

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr announced that Danielle Thumann has joined his office as Legal Advisor. Ben Arden, who has been serving as a Legal Advisor in Commissioner Carr’s Office since 2019, will serve as Carr’s Chief of Staff.

I am very pleased to learn that Senator Cantwell and Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel had a phone call in which they reached an understanding that maps will get done in just four months. This is an important development because completing these maps is key to unlocking the funding needed to further close the digital divide. It’s great to learn about the new July 2021 timeline.

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr detailed his plan to extend US leadership in 5G at an event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute.  Highlights of Commissioner Carr’s plan:

I differ from my colleagues on a few of the issues we address today. But it is imperative that we come together, compromise, and find common ground so that we can stand up this program. For instance, while I would have preferred that we prioritize the needs of students, I remain pleased that the program we stand up today will benefit school kids. Indeed, we include several paths to participation for families with school-aged children, thus ensuring that we have stood up a program that will put dollars directly towards the monthly Internet bills of families with children.

“From my first day as Chairman, the FCC’s top priority has been closing the digital divide. It’s heartening to see these numbers, which demonstrate that we’ve been delivering results for the American people,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “In just three years, the number of American consumers living in areas without access to fixed broadband at 25/3 Mbps has been nearly cut in half. I’ve personally met some of these consumers, from Mandan, North Dakota to Ethete, Wyoming.

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr announced that Greg Watson has joined his office as Policy Advisor. Prior to joining Commissioner Carr’s office, Greg served as a Policy Advisor to the Chief Technology Officer of the United States in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy where he led efforts to increase broadband access through the American Broadband Initiative. He was also involved with the Administration’s efforts to advance America’s leadership in 5G.

I think it is safe to say that terrestrial broadcasting in India is at pivotal point in time. With the ongoing digital transition and historically underutilized broadcast spectrum, India has an opportunity to take a giant leap forward and embrace the cutting edge of broadcast technology, namely ATSC 3.0. Because it is an IP-based standard that is aligned with 3GPP specifications, it is ready made for the evolving wireless marketplace.