Press Release

The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S.

Sen Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced new legislation to help deliver reliable internet to more rural Americans by returning dormant federal funding back to the state it was intended for. The Federal Communications Commission’s current funding structure favors large companies that reap billions in federal government contracts meant to provide high-speed internet access to rural communities.

Altice USA reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024. Fiber customer growth continued in Q2 2024 with 40k fiber net additions, driven by migrations of existing customers and fiber gross additions. Penetration of the fiber network reached 15.3% at the end of Q2 2024, up from 9.4% at the end of Q2 2023. Optimum Mobile line net additions of 33k in Q2 2024, compared to 16k in Q2 2023. Mobile customer penetration of the broadband base was 5.8% at the end of Q2 2024, up from 3.8% at the end of Q2 2023. Broadband net losses were 51k in Q2 2024, compared to 37k in Q2 2023.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Montana, Oklahoma, and Vermont's Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.  This approval enables Montana, Oklahoma, and Vermont to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program—a major step towards closing the digital divide and meeting the President’s goal of connecting everyone in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service. One year from Initial Proposal approval, states must submit a Final Propos

T-Mobile US reported second quarter 2024 results, raising full-year customer and cash flow guidance while delivering industry-leading customer growth across the board, including crossing the 100 million postpaid customers milestone and the highest Q2 postpaid phone net customer additions in company history. The company translated best-in-class customer growth into industry-leading growth in service revenues and profitability, and delivered record cash flows while returning $3.0 billion to stockholders in Q2.

The Senate Commerce Committee advanced Senator Peter Welch’s (D-VT) amendment to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program with $7 billion, as requested in his bicameral, bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. The amendment was attached to the PLAN for Broadband Act, legislation to streamline federal broadband program to make it more accessible for underserved areas. The Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act’s original Senate cosponsors include Sens Welch (D-VT), JD Vance (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Sherrod Brown (D-O

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) announced more than $41 million in grants through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) for 10 broadband construction projects serving 20 localities throughout Virginia. The VATI program provides targeted funding to extend service to areas that are presently unserved by any broadband provider. The goal of VATI is to create strong, competitive communities throughout the Commonwealth by preparing those communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on telecommunications infrastructure.

July marks the 34^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and serves as a reminder of the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in every aspect of our society, especially in the digital realm. Individuals with disabilities often experience barriers to digital equity, such as obtaining affordable assistive technologies, encountering inaccessible websites and digital content, and struggling to access reliable Internet service.

Reps Mike Carey (R-OH) and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to renew the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)—a federal program that helped low-income households afford access to high-speed internet.

Sens John Thune (R-SD), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced the Accelerating Broadband Permits Act, bipartisan legislation that would improve federal agencies’ review and processing of broadband permits and allow service to be more quickly deployed to unserved communities.