2023 in Review: A Note from the Chairwoman

Our goal to “ensure that every person in every community, of every geography and income, has access to modern telecommunications service” has been the North Star of the Federal Communications Commission since its creation in 1934. This past year at the agency will be remembered for our progress toward that objective and for the policies we advanced to reflect a world where high-speed connectivity is no longer a luxury but a necessity. I spent much of the year barnstorming the country to promote the Affordable Connectivity Program—the largest broadband affordability initiative in our Nation’s history. The FCC has not only been at the forefront of the effort to make home internet service more affordable, we have been working to make it universally available. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which created the Affordable Connectivity Program, also directed the FCC to “adopt rules to facilitate equal access to broadband internet access service,” and the agency adopted rules to prevent digital discrimination of access to broadband services based on income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion, or national origin. The FCC has also built the most accurate broadband map ever created. The FCC took many other actions in 2023 to update our rules and policies so they reflect new technologies and new market realities. I am especially excited about our proposal to harness the power of satellites to enhance mobile phone operations in areas where there is no terrestrial mobile service. This connectivity can help facilitate life-saving rescues in remote locations and the innovative opportunities it presents will only grow.