Press Release

The Universal Service Fund is a $8 billion decades-old mechanism created by Congress in 1996 to support vital communications investments where the marketplace falls short: connecting schools and libraries to high-speed internet; helping rural hospitals adopt telemedicine; ensuring low-income households have basic communications services; and investing in broadband in communities that need it most. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that the current administration of the Universal Service Fund is unconstitutional. Why is the Universal Service Fund so important?

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Wyoming’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. This approval enables Wyoming to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program. Wyoming was allocated over $347 million to deploy or upgrade high-speed Internet networks to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service.  

The Federal Communications Commission voted to establish a new alert code to help save missing and endangered persons by delivering critical alert messages to the public over television, radio, and wireless phones. In 2023, more than 188,000 people went missing who fall outside of the criteria for AMBER Alerts.

The Federal Communications Commission proposed new consumer protections against AI-generated robocalls and robotexts.

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr joined Rep John Joyce (R-PA) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, for a roundtable discussion on the Biden-Harris Administration’s $42 billion plan for extending Internet service throughout rural America. Commissioner Carr and Rep Joyce heard directly from a range of stakeholders that want to see new Internet builds in their communities—from healthcare, education, economic, local government, and other leaders to the broadband builders that are ready to get the job done. Commissioner Carr said:

Public Knowledge is pleased to announce one addition and two changes to our staff. First, Public Knowledge welcomes Morgan Wilsmann, Policy Analyst, to the team. Ms. Wilsmann will focus her policy work on content moderation and platform regulation. Prior to joining Public Knowledge, Ms.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Wisconsin’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative.  This approval enables Wisconsin 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. Wisconsin was allocated over $1 bi

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Arizona's Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.

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, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. 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 connecting everyone in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it received 227 applications requesting more than $2.94 billion in funding to support wireless equipment innovation. The second Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund will make up to $420 million available to invest in projects that will drive commercialization and innovation in open radio units.