Press Release

The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess whether Meta, the provider of Facebook and Instagram, may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA). The suspected infringements cover Meta's policies and practices relating to deceptive advertising and political content on its services.

ECFiber customers in danger of losing a $30 monthly credit on their bill as the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) expires will receive a one-month extension directly from ECFiber. The decision was made by the executive committee in hopes that the ACP program funding will be replenished by congressional action in the coming weeks. “We can move quickly because we are a small community-oriented ISP,” said committee member Irv Thomae, who chaired ECFiber for many years, “but we cannot provide this support on our own for very long.” ECFiber has also been enhancing the ACP benefit by

The Public Service Commission (PSC) is reminding Wisconsin residents that, due to congressional inaction, the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is currently winding down, and no further ACP payments will be provided after the month of May. Initial ACP funding made available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has almost run out. Unless Congress provides additional funding for the program, the ACP is set to expire soon. A replacement for the ACP does not currently exist.

Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), and Adrian Smith (R-NE)  introduced H.R. 8151, bipartisan legislation that would permanently expand the list of practitioners eligible who provide telehealth services to include qualified physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, and audiologists. Currently, these practitioners do not have permanent authorization to deliver electronic or virtual care to their patients. Families have come to rely on telehealth since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reps Greg Murphy (R-NC-3), Michael Burgess (R-TX-26), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03), and Troy Nehls (R-TX-22) reintroduced legislation to permanently extend telehealth services for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Current Medicare telehealth flexibilities for FQHCs and RHCs, previously extended by Congress under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, expire on December 31, 2024. 

The Federal Communications Commission fined the nation’s largest wireless carriers for illegally sharing access to customers’ location information without consent and without taking reasonable measures to protect that information against unauthorized disclosure. Sprint and T-Mobile—which have merged since the investigation began—face fines of more than $12 million and $80 million, respectively.

The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes Second Chance Month as an opportunity to ensure that people returning to their communities from jail or prison have a fair shot at the American Dream. Research shows that incarcerated and recently released individuals face unique and far-reaching challenges, particularly when pursuing education and employment opportunities.

In October 2023, President Biden issued a landmark Executive Order to ensure that America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of artificial intelligence (AI). Since then, agencies all across government have taken vital steps to manage AI’s safety and security risks, protect Americans’ privacy, advance equity and civil rights, stand up for consumers and workers, promote innovation and competition, advance American leadership around the world, and more.

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the Spectrum and National Security Act, comprehensive legislation that will modernize the nation’s spectrum policy to protect our communications networks against foreign adversaries, restore Federal Communications Commission auction authority, secure critical broadband funding to keep Americans connected, and invest in CHIPS and Science innovation initiatives that will boost U.S. technological competitiveness. The Spectrum and National Security Act:

Fidium Fiber is now available to more than 7,600 homes and businesses in Berlin, Gorham, Randolph and Shelburne, NH. With the expansion of Fidium’s future-proof all-fiber network complete, residents can now connect to symmetrical multi-gig internet speeds and all the benefits that come with access to high-speed fiber connection. Fidium expansion in Berlin is part of a $90 million project by Consolidated Communications to bring fiber-to-the-home internet service to unserved locations in more than 35 towns in Carroll, Chesire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough and Sullivan counties.