The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) has come up with an estimate of how much it has cost its members to Keep Americans Connected over the life of the Federal Communications Commission-prompted voluntary pledge that they do so during the pandemic. According to WISPA, which polled its members on June 23, the average cost was over $30,000 per operator. That was based on an average sub count of 1,500. The costs broke down this way: $25,000 to cover nonpayment; $3,200 in waived late fees, and $4,500 in free Wi-Fi. 

On June 15, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai wrote to Members of Congress about the FCC's efforts to inform newly-eligible low-income consumers about their eligibility for discounted broadband and telephone service through the Lifeline program. The FCC and the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), which administers the Lifeline program, have undertaken numerous efforts to promote Lifeline awareness during the pandemic to ensure that consumers who are newly eligible for the program due to loss of employment or income have the information and resources they need to apply. These coordinated outreach initiatives have involved not only federal and state agencies that administer programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid, through which consumers can qualify for Lifeline, but also a variety of other government agencies and non-profit organizations serving low-income communities. At the federal level, FCC and USAC staff are coordinating with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Social Security Administration, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the Department of Agriculture. Through these coordination efforts, the agencies have shared Lifeline materials for distribution to low-income consumers, presented program information to agency employees both in Washington (DC) and regional field offices interested in learning about and promoting awareness of the program among their constituents, and organized customized training sessions for agency stakeholders who serve on the front lines in providing support to low-income individuals who may qualify for Lifeline. At the state level, the FCC has partnered with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners to spread awareness of the Lifeline program among the low-income population, including consumers who may be newly eligible for the program. USAC has also distributed outreach materials directly to state government agencies that administer SNAP and Medicaid programs across the United States, urging them to inform consumers of their eligibility for Lifeline. In addition, the FCC and USAC have expanded access to the Lifeline National Eligibility Verifier to enable state agencies to take a more hands-on role in helping consumers apply for the Lifeline program. With this access, state departments of health and human services and state social service agencies can assist consumers with submitting their online applications, uploading eligibility or other documentation (as needed), and tracking the status of their applications. At the local level, USAC has distributed Lifeline materials to over 13,000 food banks, homeless shelters, and other direct service organizations to ensure people in need are aware of the program.

On April 24, Sens Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, saying, "We must coordinate the voluntary efforts of broadband service providers with the targeted investments of federal, state, and local governments to ensure that efforts are focused on those who need our help the most." They urged Chairman Pai to work with the companies that stepped up to take the Keep Americans Connected Pledge to provide a comprehensive report on the distribution of hotspots by April 27th so we can understand where hotspots have been deployed, where they will be deployed, and where they could be deployed with a little help from the federal government to improve access for more Americans who lack connectivity. On June 15, Chairman Pai replied saying, "a new, industry-wide hotspot coverage map would likely take months in order to implement. Moreover, the Commission does not have funding to implement such new maps, particularly given that we still don't have funding to implement the Broadband DATA Act."

Issues around equity, access to broadband and the broader social ills related to racism are finding a stronger foothold in smart city strategies. The compounding events of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, its related economic fallout and nationwide protests calling attention to unjust policing and systematic racism are redefining how cities use technology as an instrument for achieving community goals. The coronavirus crisis, which either idled large segments of the economy or required workers to go remote, has laid bare lingering problems like the digital divide, as smart city leaders rethink goals around equity and inclusion. Sixty percent of low-income residents in New Orleans lack access to the Internet at home, said Kimberly Walker LaGrue, chief information officer for New Orleans. “We have to start there. We have a vast digital divide to address,” said LaGrue, signaling an area where she hopes to focus some of the city’s technology and smart city efforts. “Public Wi-Fi is top of mind,” she added. “That is a huge investment, so a public-private partnership works best, and is the smartest."

New consumer research finds the market for broadband service is steady overall, showing high adoption rates and rising average revenue per user (ARPUs), with the adoption rate for stand-alone internet service rising from 34% in 2017 to 42% in 1Q 2020. The average stand-alone internet subscriber now pays $60 per month for service, which increased by 36% from 1Q 2012 to 3Q 2019, while payment for TV + Internet services increased from $107 to only $127 over the same time period. "[S]peed, which correlates with [value-added services (VAS)] adoption, is the primary driver of ARPUs,” said David Drury, Research Director, Parks Associates. COVID-19-related changes in the needs of broadband households indicate that many consumers are likely trying many VAS for the first time, particularly telehealth, video conference, and remote learning tools. The increase in consumer need for these services represents an enormous opportunity to grow these markets even after the crisis passes. The research finds nearly one-half of US broadband households receive at least one value-added service (VAS) from their service provider, but these services are generally included at no additional cost. The most commonly adopted VAS are support, antivirus, streaming video, and Wi-Fi services. AT&T and Suddenlink by Altice subscribers have the highest number of VAS adopted overall, combining both free and paid services.

On May 5, Sen John Kennedy (R-LA) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai about the C-band auction, urging the FCC to institute a "Buy American" request to all satellite operators. On June 15, Chairman Pai wrote that the five eligible space station operators are required to file their Transition Plans for FCC review by June 19. These plans should provide detailed information on the specific aspects of the planned transitions for each operator, including plans to manufacture, procure, and launch new satellites. The FCC will provide an opportunity for public comment before the Transition Plans are finalized. We have encouraged eligible space station operators to purchase satellites built in the United States.

T-Mobile has applied for instant spectrum leases with Channel 51 License Company and LB License Co. to lease 600 MHz spectrum in a number of major markets, including Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, New Orleans, St. Louis, San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta, and Seattle, among others. Currently, these companies are lending 600 MHz spectrum to T-Mobile to help the carrier boost its network during the Covid-19 pandemic. The parties have filed their application with the Federal Communications Commission, and if granted, the leases would exist until February 28, 2023. T-Mobile said in the filing that the leasing arrangements will yield public interest benefits, enabling it to provide 5G wireless services “in several large US markets, including eight of the country’s top 10.” The leasing arrangements will put T-Mobile over the spectrum ownership maximum amounts in a small percentage of counties in Dallas and Chicago. But it argues that immediate access to between 10 MHz and 30 MHz of additional 600 MHz spectrum for up to three years “will promote the objective of T-Mobile’s rapid buildout of its 5G network in the exact same manner as access to the 600 MHz licenses that Dish has agreed to negotiate in good faith to lease to T-Mobile.”