Press Release

On Aug 8, 2019, House Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman Mike Quigley (D-IL) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to express concern about the FCC failing to act to stop abusive and unwarranted equipment rental fees for broadband service. "These unreasonable fees defy common sense and undermine the FCC's stated 'number one priority' of closing the digital divide." Chairman Quigley described a consumer in Texas who was charged a $10 "rental" fee by Frontier Communications for a router that they neither asked for nor ever received.

The Department of Justice announced that it has filed an amended complaint that adds Arkansas as a plaintiff in the suit and proposed settlement relating to the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint.Arkansas joins Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Dakota in the settlement, which is designed to launch Dish Network as a fourth nationwide provider of retail mobile wireless services.  In addition to protecting competition, the proposed settlement will expedite the availability of high-quality 5G networks for American consumers and entrepreneurs.

T-Mobile plans to light up its nationwide 5G on Dec 6, laying a foundation for the New T-Mobile’s massive network that will have the capacity to deliver breakthrough connectivity initiatives to millions if the T-Mobile/Sprint merger closes in 2020.

US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey announced USDA has invested over $4.2 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for rural households and farms in Oklahoma.

US Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy announced USDA has invested $23.7 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for nearly 8,750 rural households in North Carolina.

Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR) urged the Federal Communications Commission to secure next-generation, 5G telephone networks against hackers, scam-artists and foreign spies. In a letter addressed to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, Sen Wyden demanded the administration require all wireless carriers to implement improved cybersecurity measures – including upgrading encryption and authentication features – on 5G telephone networks.

The Federal Communications Commission issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order, Declaratory Ruling, and Order of Proposed Modification approving—with conditions—the transfer of control applications filed by T-Mobile and Sprint. The FCC found that the transaction will help close the digital divide and advance US leadership in 5G, the next generation of wireless connectivity. Specifically, T-Mobile and Sprint have committed within three years to deploy 5G service to cover 97% of the American people, and within six years to reach 99% of all Americans.

The T-Mobile-Sprint merger will end a golden age in wireless that helped bring to market lower prices and more innovative services. It will mean an end to the competitive rivalry that reduced prices by 28% during the last decade. Similarly, the pressure to support unlimited data plans and free international roaming will fade. Offers to pay early termination fees to help families switch to plans that fit their lives will fall by the wayside.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced more than $3.5 million in funding to support new, independent research into issues at the forefront of national tech policy debates.

Reps Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced the Online Privacy Act of 2019 (HR 4978), sweeping legislation that creates user rights, places obligations on companies to protect users’ data, establishes a new federal agency to enforce privacy protections, and strengthens enforcement of privacy law violations. The Online Privacy Act protects individuals, encourages innovation, and restores trust in technology companies by: