Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX) will propose plans May 16 to maintain the Affordable Connectivity Program in a slimmed-down new form. Though Cruz’s plan contains a number of provisions unpalatable to Democrats and may be unlikely to be adopted as-is, it could inform how Democrats and Republicans negotiate any terms for saving the broadband benefit, which is running out of money. Cruz’s plans show his most detailed thinking yet about how to preserve some version of a program that currently helps about 23 million low-income households pay their monthly broadband bills. The Cruz plan would tighten the eligibility requirements of the Affordable Connectivity Program to more narrowly target the neediest households. It would slash the monthly subsidy in urban areas from $30 to $10 and impose other verification requirements, including the use of the last four digits of individuals’ Social Security Numbers. An able-bodied adult without dependents would be restricted from receiving the subsidies. The proposal would also seek to prevent duplication with an existing older subsidy effort known as the Lifeline Program, which subsidizes phone and internet service for low-income households, by mandating that the Federal Communications Commission end Lifeline’s broadband support.

According to new figures from Rewheel, T-Mobile's purchase of Sprint in 2020 helped to keep mobile prices in the US sky high. "Five years on, the Sprint / T-Mobile 4-to-3 mobile merger made the US one of the most expensive mobile markets in the world," the Finland-based research firm wrote in a new report. "While monthly prices were falling and continue to fall across mobile markets and while the same was true in the US mobile market prior to the merger, after the merger prices in the US either stopped falling altogether or fell at a much slower rate. The 4-to-3 mobile merger in the US led to higher prices and consumer harm." Rewheel's new findings underscore its predictions made prior to the close of T-Mobile's blockbuster $26 billion acquisition of Sprint, then the fourth-largest wireless network operator in the US. As T-Mobile sought regulatory approval of its Sprint purchase in 2018, Rewheel reported that mobile prices for consumers generally fall faster in markets with four players rather than three players.

AT&T and AST SpaceMobile have entered a definitive commercial agreement to provide a space-based broadband network direct to everyday cell phones. This agreement extends until 2030. Previously the companies were working together under a Memorandum of Understanding. This is not just one small step, but one giant leap towards enhanced connectivity for consumers and businesses across the country. In the summer of 2024, AST SpaceMobile plans to deliver its first commercial satellites to Cape Canaveral for launch into low Earth orbit. These initial five satellites will help enable commercial service that was previously demonstrated with several key milestones. These industry first moments during 2023 include the first voice call, text and video call via space between everyday smartphones. This is another key step on AT&T’s path to providing even more expansive connectivity on America’s largest wireless network. There are many situations where dead zones outside will become a thing of the past thanks to the reach of a satellite solution providing two-way connectivity. 

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed requiring the largest broadband providers to file confidential reports on Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) security so the FCC and its national security partners can for the first time collect more up-to-date information about this critical internet routing intersection. BGP is the technology used for routing information through the physical and digital infrastructure of the internet. The proposal aims to increase the security of the information routed across the internet by proposing certain reporting obligations on broadband internet access service (BIAS) providers on their progress towards secure internet routing. The proposal looks to utilize the Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) as a critical component of BGP security. It proposes to require that all broadband providers develop plans for implementing BGP security measures, and that a select number of the largest broadband providers would file those plans with the FCC as well as file quarterly data reports. 

Eight years ago, while working as a sprinkler system installer, Adam Roy had never heard of fiber optics. Today, the technology supports his entire family to live on the road. Yet unlike your prototypical digital nomad, Roy's job isn't remote. Rather, it's what makes remote life possible in the first place. With his wife, Lauren, the Roys run a fiber subcontracting company, enabling the whole family to live in a mobile camper full time—moving with the work and the seasons. When a buddy asked Roy if he wanted to splice fiber, he and his wife jumped on the opportunity and traded in their home for the open road and their nine-to-five jobs for more time with their kids. And so Upstream Telecommunications was born. While Roy handles the fiber work itself, Lauren operates the business. He gives endless credit to her ability to run the books—the taxes and benefits for the family—while also homeschooling their children. His son already knows how to splice fiber and loves it.

Mediacom has increased the download speeds of two of its service tiers and introduced a new plan aimed at economically challenged households that could be a low-cost option for households losing their Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) benefit. The service provider’s Xtream Internet 100 will become Xtream Internet 250, with download speeds increasing from 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 250 Mbps. The Xtream Internet 300 tier will become Xtream Internet 500, with download speeds increasing from 300 Mbps to 500 Mbps. The switch will be flipped on the higher download speeds on May 17. The new low-cost plan — which replaces Connect2Compete Plus — is Xtream Connect. It is available to households in Mediacom’s service territory enrolled in the National School Lunch Program, SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC or certain other federal programs. It offers 100 Mbps download speeds and 20 Mbps upload speeds.