Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) andRon Wyden (D-OR) along with Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA-06) introduced the Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act, legislation that would accurately classify broadband internet access as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act, giving the Federal Communications Commission the appropriate authority to reinstate net neutrality protections. The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the present need to promote an accessible and just broadband future, with students having spent upwards of two years studying online, entrepreneurs creating new businesses through remote work, and patients receiving the care they need through telemedicine services. In the wake of Congress’ historic investment in broadband deployment, the Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act would give the FCC the authority it needs to prohibit discriminatory practice like blocking, throttling and paid prioritization online. It would also provide the FCC with ability to enact effective broadband policies that enhance public safety, increase accessibility, close the digital divide, and protect consumers.    

Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Patty Murray (D-WA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tammy Duckworth (D-II), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-Maine), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are also original Senate co-sponsors. 

Established in 1965 by an act of Congress, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is putting $30 million in grants per year into broadband. The 13-state region, encompassing 423 counties and 25.7 million people, only has high-speed broadband to 21% of homes in the most economically challenged areas, a statistic ARC wants to change. Among ARC’s biggest focuses are prepping communities for putting in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program applications and funding planning grants so communities can figure out exactly what they should be doing with their BEAD applications. It is also working on raising awareness of the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program so communities can incorporate it into their plans and funding.

When it comes to finding a job, a phone may be enough to fill out an application at McDonald’s or Home Depot if you have a reliable internet connection. But if a job application is more complicated, say, requiring a résumé or a CV, the process of applying by phone can range from exasperating to impossible, especially if your internet connection is sketchy. Some 2.3 million Californians may have some kind of digital access but lack the high-speed capacity needed to navigate the employment landscape. Day-to-day familiarity that comes with routine computer use helps people pick up the basic skills needed to negotiate the internet, says Steven Simon. Without that experience, it can be hard for a job seeker to know how or where to begin.   

Comcast failed to gain broadband subscribers for the first time in its history. Comcast had 32.16 million subscribers at the end of the second quarter, the exact same number it had at the end of the first. The company lost about 10,000 net broadband residential subscribers compared with the first quarter, while it added about 10,000 business-services broadband customers. Despite the broadband-subscriber slowdown, company executives said there have been few broadband customers leaving Comcast. In past quarters, the company has attributed the slowdown to fewer people changing homes. A review of the company’s quarterly filings shows that Comcast added at least 100,000 net new broadband subscribers every quarter over the past 20 years, with the exception of a single instance during the 2008-09 financial crisis, when the company gained 65,000 broadband subscribers in the second quarter of 2009. The cornerstone of Comcast’s operations, the broadband business has been a longstanding driver of growth. During the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic, the company added more than a million broadband subscribers every year, often setting records. But like its peers, Comcast warned late in 2021 that broadband-subscriber growth was waning.

Overall, the company said net profit declined 9.2% to $3.4 billion from $3.74 billion in the year-earlier quarter. Revenue rose 5.1% to $30.02 billion. Comcast said the number of paying subscribers to its Peacock streaming service remained stable at around 13 million. During the first quarter of this year, Peacock’s paying subscriber base had jumped by more than 40%, largely thanks to top sporting events such as the Super Bowl and Beijing Winter Olympics, as well as new original content, including “Bel-Air.” NBCUniversal had $467 million in losses stemming from Peacock, and expect that to increase in the second half of the year. Comcast’s cable unit—which includes the Xfinity-branded broadband, cable-TV, and mobile businesses—saw revenue increase 3.7% to $16.6 billion, and continued to make up the bulk of Comcast’s overall revenue.