press release

Rallying around a plan to eliminate the digital divide by 2022, a diverse group of community leaders, rural advocates and top innovators announced the national launch of Connect Americans Now. The new alliance will work with the Federal Communications Commission and other policymakers to ensure that there is sufficient unlicensed low band spectrum in every market in the country to enable broadband connectivity.

The US Department of Commerce and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) announced that all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have accepted FirstNet and AT&T’s proposals to design and build a broadband network for the public safety community. Guam, the Pacific Territories of American Samoa, and the Mariana Islands have until March 12, 2018, to make their decision. 

The Federal Communications Commission announced it has settled its investigations of five providers that received improper payments from the Lifeline program. Noting that the companies have already repaid the program for improper payments, the FCC found that the public interest would be served by adopting the Consent Decrees, which resolve the Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeitures issued to the companies. As part of each settlement, the companies have agreed to make additional payments to the U.S.

The Federal Communications Commission proposed a $13,376,200 fine against Sinclair Broadcast Group for apparently failing to make required disclosures in connection with programming sponsored by a third party. The programming was broadcast more than 1,700 times, either as stories resembling independently generated news coverage that aired during the local news, or as longer-form stories aired as 30- minute television programs. This is the largest fine that the Commission has ever proposed for a violation of its sponsorship identification rules.

The Bundesnetzagentur prohibited certain aspects of the "StreamOn" add-on option offered by Telekom Deutschland GmbH (Telekom) with its "MagentaMobil" mobile tariff. The decision ensures that the provisions of the European Regulation on roaming and net neutrality are being complied with. "Telekom can continue to offer StreamOn. But in the interest of consumers, adjustments have to be made to the arrangement," explained Jochen Homann, Bundesnetzagentur President.

Once tax reform is signed into law, AT&T plans to invest an additional $1 billion in the United States in 2018 and pay a special $1,000 bonus to more than 200,000 AT&T US employees — all union-represented, non-management and front-line managers. If the President signs the bill before Christmas, employees will receive the bonus over the holidays. [AT&T announced on November 8 that it would step up US investment by $1 billion if a tax bill passed.]

Meredith Attwell Baker, President and CEO of CTIA, has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep her as the head of the leading wireless industry group. Baker joined CTIA in 2014 and oversees the wireless industry’s political advocacy as well as key industry initiatives.  Under her leadership, CTIA has broadened its reach attracting new members to reflect the growing importance of mobile to the US economy.  CTIA has also invested in the technical and policy expertise needed for tomorrow’s challenges, launched a new annual convention, and developed key programs to help enable t

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai appoints the following individuals to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) Board of Directors:

Representative for schools that are eligible for discounts under to section 54.501 of the Commission’s rules: Joan H. Wade, Ed.D., Executive Director, Association of Educational Service Agencies;  Representative for low-income consumers: Ellis Jacobs, Senior Attorney, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.;

Continuing its push to expand access to broadband in rural America, the Federal Communications Commission identified the locations of nearly 1 million homes and small businesses in 48 states that are eligible for up to $2 billion in support for broadband deployment over the next decade. Currently unserved by high speed Internet access, these locations are in largely rural areas, where, absent support, carriers are unlikely to expand service.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking initiating a comprehensive review of the national television audience reach cap, including the so-called UHF discount used by broadcasters to determine compliance with the cap. The national cap limits entities from owning or controlling television stations that, together, reach more than 39 percent of the television households in the country. The Commission’s last review of this rule occurred when the video marketplace looked very different and most Americans had fewer options for watching video programming.