Daily Digest 5/13/2024 (Roger William Corman)

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
Table of Contents

Broadband Funding

Senate Inaction on ACP Could Strand Tens of Millions of Americans Without Affordable Broadband Access  |  Read below  |  Press Release  |  Free Press
FCC Proposes $8 Million Fine and Initiates Removal for ACP Violations  |  Read below  |  Public Notice  |  Federal Communications Commission
FCC Removes Tone Communication from ACP  |  Federal Communications Commission
FCC Removes City Communications from ACP  |  Federal Communications Commission
FCC Settles With Alaska Communications For Rural Health Care Violations  |  Federal Communications Commission
States face a long winding road ahead for BEAD  |  Read below  |  Masha Abarinova  |  Fierce

Digital Inclusion

NDIA Publishes Digital Inclusion Coalitions Webpage  |  Read below  |  Paolo Balboa  |  Press Release  |  National Digital Inclusion Alliance

Broadband Infrastructure

Rep Johnson Introduces Bill to Streamline Rural Broadband Projects  |  Read below  |  Press Release  |  House of Representatives
Roundtable Outcomes Report: A Look Ahead to Access and Regulation in the Not-Too-Distant Broadband Future  |  Read below  |  Kevin Nguyen, Gabrielle Daley  |  Research  |  University of Colorado

State/Local Initiatives

More Charter RDOF Withdrawals in Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin  |  Read below  |  Public Notice  |  Federal Communications Commission
Great Plains Communications Expands Fiber Network to Additional Nebraska Communities  |  Read below  |  Press Release  |  Great Plains Communications
HBC's Flight Fiber Internet Lights Up Multi-Gig Fiber Network in Farmington  |  Read below  |  Press Release  |  Hiawatha Broadband Communications
Spectrum Launches Gigabit Broadband, Mobile, TV and Voice Services in Wyandot County  |  Read below  |  Press Release  |  Charter Communications
Brightspeed Fiber Internet is Headed to Hinesville  |  Brightspeed

Wireless

The US is losing the 5G race. But Next-G is just getting started  |  Read below  |  Mitch Wagner  |  Fierce

Labor

Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Jobs and Increased Fiber Manufacturing in Georgia  |  Read below  |  Press Release  |  National Telecommunications and Information Administration
We checked in with Hollywood writers a year after the strike. They’re not OK  |  Los Angeles Times
Virtual Workers Are Here to Take Your Job—and Give You a Promotion  |  Wall Street Journal

Platforms/Social Media

Sunset of Section 230 Would Force Big Tech’s Hand  |  Read below  |  Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Rep Frank Pallone (D-NJ)  |  Op-Ed  |  Wall Street Journal
Elon Musk’s Diplomacy: Woo Right-Wing World Leaders. Then Benefit.  |  New York Times
Elon Musk’s X wins Australia court fight over censorship of church stabbing video  |  Financial Times

Elections & Media

Looming TikTok Ban Gives Young Voters Another Beef With President Biden  |  Wall Street Journal

Kids & Media

Is there a middle way on children and smartphones? This researcher thinks so  |  Read below  |  Henry Mance  |  Financial Times
There's No Undoing Tech's Great Rewiring of Childhood  |  Wired

Devices

Global Chips Battle Intensifies With $81 Billion Subsidy Surge  |  Bloomberg
Fooled by AI? These firms sell deepfake detection that’s ‘REAL 100%.’  |  Washington Post

Privacy

Google’s new ‘Find My’ device network is useful—but is it safe?  |  Washington Post

Advertising

How Television Advertising Lost Its Relevance  |  Wall Street Journal

Energy

There’s Not Enough Power for America’s High-Tech Ambitions  |  Wall Street Journal
The answer to AI’s energy needs could be blowing in the wind  |  Vox

Education

The Long, Steep Fall of Online Education Giant 2U  |  Wall Street Journal

Policymakers

5 questions for Arati Prabhakar  |  Politico
Today's Top Stories

Senate Inaction on ACP Could Strand Tens of Millions of Americans Without Affordable Broadband Access

Press Release  |  Free Press

On May 9, the US Senate passed the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization package without a proposed amendment to provide $6 billion to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).  Without this injection of new capital to the ACP, the broadband-access subsidy that has helped more than 23 million households get and stay online will expire in May. Free Press Action Internet Campaign Director Heather Franklin said “Free Press Action is deeply disappointed in Congress for failing to pass funding for this essential and successful internet-access subsidy ... While the program’s days are numbered, Congress still has a chance to save it. It doesn’t matter whether funding is extended through an amendment to other measures or as a stand-alone bill. Leadership in both the House and the Senate must step up before it’s too late. Without the ACP, more than 23 million households face the imminent loss of the support they need to afford their broadband bills ...  Lawmakers must pass legislation that extends funding for affordable high-speed internet access for everyone.”

FCC Proposes $8 Million Fine and Initiates Removal for ACP Violations

Public Notice  |  Federal Communications Commission

On May 10, the Federal Communications Commission published an order proposing an $8 million fine K20 Wireless LLC and Krandon Wenger for apparently violating Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) rules. "From at least June 2022 to May 2023, K20 sought and received ACP Tribal lands support for subscribers who were not eligible for those benefits. More than 85 percent of all ACP subscribers for whom K20 claimed reimbursement during its participation in the program were transferred in (meaning electronically switched in the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) from other ACP providers to K20) without the knowledge or consent of the consumers." The FCC also adopted "an Order Initiating Removal Proceeding to begin the process of formally removing K20 from the ACP."

States face a long winding road ahead for BEAD

Masha Abarinova  |  Fierce

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has said 2024 will be “the year of execution” for Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD). But the agency still has a ways to go in approving initial proposals for each state and territory. Louisiana was the first to get its plan approved in December. Since then, Kansas, Nevada and West Virginia have been the only states to get the greenlight to start their grant programs. So, what’s the hold up? Joanne Hovis, president of CTC Technology & Energy, thinks we’re about to see a wave of approved initial proposals in the next few weeks. She noted every state and territory was required to submit volume two of their initial proposals by December 27—and they did. Once all the proposals came in, NTIA began what the agency calls “curing,” which is “their review and their requests for changes where they believe it’s necessary for compliance with the law.” Right now, most states are undertaking the map challenge process, where they give residents an opportunity to correct inaccuracies in the state’s broadband map.

NDIA Publishes Digital Inclusion Coalitions Webpage

Paolo Balboa  |  Press Release  |  National Digital Inclusion Alliance

Digital Inclusion Coalitions have long been critical to creating robust and sustainable digital equity ecosystems. They collaborate to pool together resources and capacity to make things happen that one individual or organization alone could not do. Coalitions exemplify the spirit of our digital inclusion community because they represent the unique values and perspectives of the residents of their hometowns, regions, and states. But the efforts and outputs of Digital Inclusion Coalitions may not be known outside of their direct impact locally, let alone outside of the digital equity space. That is why the National Digital Inclusion Alliance is proud to share the Digital Inclusion Coalitions webpage, a one-stop shop for all things going on in the world of Coalitions. On the page you’ll find information about the work and impact of Digital Inclusion Coalitions through resources that NDIA has created, and that we have collected through the good will of the Coalition Working Group members. 

Rep Johnson Introduces Bill to Streamline Rural Broadband Projects

Press Release  |  House of Representatives

Rep Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced legislation to streamline the permitting process for broadband infrastructure projects. The Facilitating Optimal and Rapid Expansion and Siting of Telecommunications (FOREST) Act will cut down bureaucratic red tape to improve broadband access in rural America. The lengthy permitting process on federal lands has prevented the federal government from improving broadband access, even though billions of dollars are available to improve broadband deployment. The FOREST Act expedites broadband projects in places where the government has already conducted the appropriate environmental and historical preservation reviews. Specifically, the FOREST Act:

  • Grants exemptions from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historical Preservation Act (NHPA) for a communications facility or communications use authorization on National Forest System lands if it is an upgrade or addition to existing infrastructure, or if the United States Forest Service has already conducted the appropriate environmental and historical preservation reviews.
  • Allows USFS to waive the consultation requirements under NEPA and NHPA for a communications use authorization on previously analyzed areas of National Forest System lands.
  • Streamlines the NEPA permitting process by allowing broadband infrastructure to be built on land that has already gone through the appropriate reviews as it pertains to the National Forest System.

 

Roundtable Outcomes Report: A Look Ahead to Access and Regulation in the Not-Too-Distant Broadband Future

Kevin Nguyen, Gabrielle Daley  |  Research  |  University of Colorado

In an era of increasing internet ubiquity, the ability to access and use online tools, services, and information is an essential aspect of everyday life. Many segments of society, however, remain underconnected and even excluded from the digital world. As technology evolves, the harms associated with the digital divide are compounding. To address this, Congress created the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which presents a transformational opportunity for advancing broad digital inclusion in many areas within the United States. To better understand the future of broadband regulation after BEAD’s implementation, Colorado University Boulder’s Silicon Flatirons Center convened a roundtable discussion with experts from government, academia, public interest, and industry. Roundtable participants underscored that, to realize Congress’ ambitions for BEAD and diminish the digital divide, policymakers must support additional programs and initiatives alongside—and after—BEAD. After exploring the importance of maximizing BEAD’s funding and closing the digital divide, this report offers three findings:

  1. BEAD’s deployment programs alone are insufficient to solve digital inequity.
  2. Once broadband infrastructure is in place, additional upkeep costs for new networks will require resources dedicated to routine maintenance and cybersecurity services.
  3. Effectively closing the digital divide requires additional funding mechanisms beyond congressional appropriations.

More Charter RDOF Withdrawals in Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin

Public Notice  |  Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that certain Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) census blocks are now eligible for other funding programs. This comes after Charter Communications and Altice informed the FCC of their decisions to withdraw from the RDOF support program. Both companies will face penalties for withdrawing from the program. 

Great Plains Communications Expands Fiber Network to Additional Nebraska Communities

Press Release  |  Great Plains Communications

As part of its ongoing network expansion, Great Plains Communications (GPC) announced network expansion to an additional 5,000+ homes and businesses in urban and rural Nebraska communities in 2024. The company recently completed projects and turned up fiber services including symmetrical Internet speeds up to 2 Gigabits per second to over 3,900 homes and businesses in Gretna, Papillion, Ralston and additional areas of their existing Kearney, Nebraska footprint. Additional urban Nebraska projects in progress include over 1,000 passings in LaVista, projected to be complete in Q3, 2024. Several rural projects are also underway, made possible with assistance of various government funding programs including Broadband Bridge, Nebraska Universal Service Fund (NUSF), Alternative Connect America Cost Model (ACAM) and the Nebraska Capital Funds Project. These endeavors will extend fiber services to over 1,500 homes in the following unserved or underserved rural areas and are projected to be completed by year end: Arnold, Ewing, Wausa, Hayes Center, Hay Springs, Herman, Imperial, Niobrara, Petersburg, Stapleton and Winnetoon.

HBC's Flight Fiber Internet Lights Up Multi-Gig Fiber Network in Farmington (MN)

Press Release  |  Hiawatha Broadband Communications

Hiawatha Broadband Communications (HBC) announced Multi-Gig Flight Fiber Internet is now available in Farmington (MN). Phase One construction of HBC’s reliable Flight Fiber Fiber-To-The-Premise (FTTP) network in Farmington is now complete and providing high-speed Internet, TV, and Phone services to more than 1,500 homes and businesses in the city. HBC has committed $9 million to date to the project to reach 5,000 more Farmington residents and businesses by the end of the year. Farmington’s city government offices are now connected to HBC’s multi-Gigabit network and WiFi connectivity will soon become available in the city’s parks and recreation areas. Farmington mayor Joshua Hoyt said the city partnered with HBC to build out his community from border to border with fiber. Part of the Farmington project also includes bringing Internet access to 20 of the city’s 29 parks.

The US is losing the 5G race. But Next-G is just getting started

Mitch Wagner  |  Fierce

A director at the US National Science Foundation has harsh words for the country’s telecommunications companies: We’ve lost the 5G race. But the Next-G game is just getting started, and US companies can win by playing to American strengths, said Sudharman Jayaweera, a program director at the National Science Foundation. In addition to telephone companies lagging, no US vendor has significant market share in the 5G infrastructure equipment market, which is dominated by Huawei, ZTE and other companies, Jayaweera said. The US lags in both research and true 5G networks. However, open source, open radio access networks (RAN) can play a role in the US gaining ascendancy in Next-G networking. For that, we need to get universities and research institutions more involved in open source, to build a local ecosystem that can support skilled workforce development in open source, open RAN and wireless technology. Next-G networks will be open and integrated across domains, which Jayaweera says can work to the US’s benefit, because it allows us to play to our strengths.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Jobs and Increased Fiber Manufacturing in Georgia

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alan Davidson will travel to OFS’s headquarters in Norcross (GA) with Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) to celebrate the announcement of new jobs and increased domestic production of optical fiber and fiber optic cable thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. As a result of the Build America, Buy America Act and the Internet for All programs, OFS has announced it will create 100 jobs, including union jobs, and expand its US production of fiber for use in connecting locations across the US to reliable high-speed Internet service. In February 2024, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced the majority of fiber broadband equipment for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program—including optical fiber, fiber optic cable, key electronics, and enclosures—will be made in the United States. 

Spectrum Launches Gigabit Broadband, Mobile, TV and Voice Services in Wyandot County (OH)

Press Release  |  Charter Communications

Spectrum announced the launch of Spectrum Internet, Mobile, TV and Voice services to more than 550 homes and small businesses in Crawford, Crane, Eden, Jackson, Marseilles, Richland, Ridge, Salem and Tymochtee Townships (OH). Spectrum’s newly constructed fiber-optic network buildout in Wyandot County is part of the company’s approximately $5 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund-related investment in unserved rural communities, partly offset by $1.2 billion in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) RDOF auction. The company’s RDOF expansion will provide broadband access to 1.3 million customer locations across 24 states in the coming years. Spectrum has also won more than $700 million in state broadband expansion subsidies, which, combined with Spectrum investment, will connect another 300,000 homes and small businesses.

Sunset of Section 230 Would Force Big Tech’s Hand

Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Rep Frank Pallone (D-NJ)  |  Op-Ed  |  Wall Street Journal

The internet’s original promise was to help people and businesses connect, innovate and share information. Congress passed the Communications Decency Act in 1996 to realize those goals. It was an overwhelming success. Section 230 of the act helped shepherd the internet from the “you’ve got mail” era into today’s global nexus of communication and commerce. Unfortunately, Section 230 is now poisoning the healthy online ecosystem it once fostered. Big Tech companies are exploiting the law to shield them from any responsibility or accountability as their platforms inflict immense harm on Americans, especially children. Congress’s failure to revisit this law is irresponsible and untenable. That is why we’re taking bipartisan action. We must act because Big Tech is profiting from children, developing algorithms that push harmful content on to our kids’ feeds and refusing to strengthen their platforms’ protections against predators, drug dealers, sex traffickers, extortioners and cyberbullies. Children are paying the price, developing addictive and dangerous habits, often at the expense of their mental health. Big Tech has failed to uphold American democratic values and be fair stewards of the speech they host. Today, we are unveiling today bipartisan draft legislation to sunset Section 230. Our measure aims to restore the internet’s intended purpose—to be a force for free expression, prosperity and innovation. It would require Big Tech and others to work with Congress over 18 months to evaluate and enact a new legal framework that will allow for free speech and innovation while also encouraging these companies to be good stewards of their platforms. Our bill gives Big Tech a choice: Work with Congress to ensure the internet is a safe, healthy place for good, or lose Section 230 protections entirely.

Is there a middle way on children and smartphones? This researcher thinks so

Henry Mance  |  Financial Times

The debate on children’s use of smartphones can veer towards two extremes. There are those who see a generation made fragile by technology. They point to studies showing that social media does not just correlate with poor mental health; it causes it. The other extreme sees this as another misguided moral panic, such as the one once aimed at video games. But there are possibilities for nuance and compromise. Sonia Livingstone is a social psychologist who leads research at the London School of Economics into children’s digital lives. Livingstone’s research has led her to focus on two points. One is to try to constrain the tech companies whose “business model is driving the competitive search for children’s attention in a way that disempowers parents or teachers or anyone else”. Livingstone’s other focus is to look for ways to empower young people and parents. 

Submit a Story

Benton (www.benton.org) provides the only free, reliable, and non-partisan daily digest that curates and distributes news related to universal broadband, while connecting communications, democracy, and public interest issues. Posted Monday through Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments, policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are factually accurate, their sometimes informal tone may not always represent the tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang (headlines AT benton DOT org), Grace Tepper (grace AT benton DOT org), and Zoe Walker (zwalker AT benton DOT org) — we welcome your comments.


© Benton Institute for Broadband & Society 2024. Redistribution of this email publication — both internally and externally — is encouraged if it includes this message. For subscribe/unsubscribe info email: headlines AT benton DOT org


Kevin Taglang

Kevin Taglang
Executive Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Institute
for Broadband & Society
1041 Ridge Rd, Unit 214
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-220-4531
headlines AT benton DOT org

Share this edition:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society All Rights Reserved © 2024