Press Release

Sen Ron Wyden (R-OR) introduced sweeping new privacy legislation, the Mind Your Own Business Act, to create the strongest-ever protections for Americans’ private data and to hold accountable the corporate executives responsible for abusing our information. Wyden’s bill contains the most comprehensive protections for Americans’ private data ever introduced, and goes further than Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The expert staff of the Commission and the Justice Department have agreed that the merger between TMobile and Sprint, as originally submitted, would likely harm competition and raise prices. Rather than denying that merger, however, the majority has turned to the parties for paper-thin commitments that they contend will expand broadband access and the deployment of 5G. But these promises cannot mask reality. You don’t need to be an expert to know that going from four wireless carriers to three will hurt competition. This merger takes a bad situation and makes it worse.

We’ve all seen what happens when markets become more concentrated after a merger like this one. In the airline industry, it brought us baggage fees and smaller seats. In the pharmaceutical industry, it led to a handful of drug companies raising the prices of lifesaving medications. There’s no reason to think this time will be different. Overwhelming evidence demonstrates that the T-Mobile-Sprint merger will reduce competition, raise prices, lower quality, and slow innovation.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr announced that Ben Arden will join his office on detail as Acting Legal Advisor for media issues. Arden is currently the Associate Chief of the Media Bureau’s Video Division, having recently returned to the FCC following a year in Rwanda where he served as a program specialist for a USAID-funded project designed to increase access to justice and enhance the rule of law in Rwanda. He previously held various positions in the Media Bureau’s Industry Analysis Division, most recently serving as Deputy Division Chief.

Rep Antonio Delgado (D-NY-19) announced a package of legislation aimed at addressing flawed broadband mapping practices and increasing speed standards in rural communities. Additionally, one of Rep. Delgado’s proposals would empower local communities to accurately assess who has access to broadband and at what speeds and who has been left behind by the digital divide. The legislative package is comprised of two bills that empower communities to improve flawed broadband mapping procedures.

Attorney General Jim Hood (D-MS) reached an agreement with T-Mobile as an alternative to litigation against the phone company’s merger with Sprint. The following commitments were made:

Cox announced it has increased speeds for the company's low-cost internet product, Connect2Compete, which is available to families with school-aged children who are enrolled in low-income assistance programs. Download speeds are now up to 25 megabytes per second for all Connect2Compete customers. Upload speeds have also increased from 1 to 3 megabytes per second.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is investing $152 million in 20 projects to provide or improve rural broadband service in 14 states. “Deploying high-speed broadband internet connectivity, or ‘e-Connectivity,’ in rural America expands access to essential health, educational, social and business opportunities,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald "DOJ" LaVoy said.

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) sent a letter to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) urging the government watchdog to investigate and evaluate months-long communication failures and restoration efforts in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands following Hurricane Maria in 2017.  As part of his request, Chairman Pallone wrote that the Federal Communications Commission’s response to Hurricane Maria raises serious questions about the state of our communications infrastructure.