The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau announced the counties in which conditional forbearance from the obligation to offer Lifeline-supported voice service applies. This forbearance applies only to the Lifeline voice obligation of eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that are designated for purposes of receiving both high-cost and Lifeline support (high-cost/Lifeline ETCs), and not to Lifeline-only ETCs. The FCC granted forbearance from high-cost/Lifeline ETCs’ obligation to offer and advertise Lifeline voice service in counties where the following conditions are met: (1) 51% of Lifeline subscribers in the county are obtaining broadband Internet access service; (2) there are at least three other providers of Lifeline broadband Internet access service that each serve at least 5% of the Lifeline broadband subscribers in that county; and (3) the ETC does not actually receive federal high-cost universal service support.

Arizona's economic and cultural identity has long been anchored by the "5 C's": Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus, and Climate. The next chapter of Arizona’s story adds a "6th C"—Connectivity. This new cornerstone represents the state's commitment to expand universal broadband internet access for all Arizonans. The Arizona Commerce Authority aims to bridge the digital divide and foster a more connected, inclusive, and prosperous Arizona. Although 88.2 percent of Arizonans have an internet access subscription, broadband adoption varies widely across the state. Many underserved communities—including low-income households and rural areas—face barriers in accessing the digital resources they need for education, employment, healthcare, and civic engagement. The Arizona Commerce Authority recognizes that affordability plays a pivotal role in achieving digital equity in Arizona. Affordability is a central tenet of Arizona's broadband deployment and digital adoption goals and strategies, acknowledging that building new last-mile infrastructure is ineffective if Arizonans cannot afford monthly internet service costs.  

Spectrum launched Spectrum Internet, Mobile, TV and Voice services to more than 660 homes and small businesses in Leelanau County (MI). Spectrum’s newly constructed fiber-optic network buildout to residents and businesses in portions of Cleveland, Glenn Arbor, Empire, and Kasson Townships. “Bringing high-speed connectivity to Northern Michigan families remains a top priority for me,” said Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI). “Thanks to the partnership between Charter and the [Federal Communications Commission], high-speed Internet is arriving at more homes and businesses that have not had reliable connectivity. This is another great step in the right direction for those who call Northern Michigan home.”

The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to begin a proceeding to update the Citizens Broadband Radio Service. Building on years of successful interagency collaboration, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on a wide range of potential rule changes to improve the Citizens Broadband Radio Service for all current and future users of the 3.55-3.7 GHz band (3.5 GHz band). The NPRM proposes to add definitions to part 96 related to protection of federal incumbent users and modify other part 96 rules governing such protections. It also proposes to sunset rules related to the transition of grandfathered wireless broadband services in the 3.65-3.7 GHz band. In addition to the specific proposals related to federal protection, the NPRM seeks comment on, among other things, whether to align 3.5 GHz protection methodologies with those in adjacent bands, revisit our Environmental Sensing Capability approval procedures, and facilitate the continued introduction of Citizens Broadband Radio Service in areas outside of the contiguous United States.The 3.5 GHz band uses a three-tiered spectrum sharing model that protects Incumbent Access users, allows for geographically licensed operations following the FCC’s 2020 auction of Priority Access Licenses, and permits opportunistic licensed-by-rule General Authorized Access use for a wide variety of uses, including operations within factories, cities, hospitals, research centers, schools, public libraries, and utilities.  

US cable operators are struggling to return to broadband subscriber growth, but their mobile strategies continued to bear fruit in the second quarter of 2024. Cable's share of total mobile phone net adds (both post-paid and pre-paid) was roughly 54 percent in the quarter, MoffettNathanson found in its latest analysis of the US mobile market. Analyst Craig Moffett attributes the bulk of US cable's mobile growth to relatively lower pricing when compared to many of the plans offered by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. And the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) could also play in cable's favor. Charter, for example, is offering a free unlimited mobile line for one year to help customers absorb the impact of the program's end. US cable operators are also starting to utilize handset subsidies to attract new customers—a sign that resolve to not participate in handset promotions is cracking.

A federal judge is actively considering breaking up Google after a landmark ruling last week that the tech giant has illegally abused its search monopoly.  A court-ordered Google breakup would be the U.S.'s most consequential antitrust action in decades—but figuring out how to split up the company could prove daunting. Judge Amit Mehta's decision in a case first brought by the Department of Justice in 2020 held that Google's massive $26 billion payments to competitors, chiefly Apple, violate antitrust laws and inhibit consumer choice and innovation. Now the court must choose a remedy. That could mean new rules requiring Google to share data or change other practices. It could also mean a court-ordered split of the company. However, American courts are reluctant to break up successful companies, and behavioral remedies are more likely than a move to carve up Google into new pieces.

A federal appeals court in California upheld part of a district court ruling that blocked a landmark online safety bill for children from taking effect. The panel of judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals objected to a portion of the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act — specifically, a requirement that online businesses “opine on and mitigate the risk that children may be exposed to harmful or potentially harmful materials online.” The rule “facially violates the First Amendment,” the appeals court concluded. As a result, it’s upholding a preliminary injunction on that portion of the law and related aspects. But it sent another part of the law back to the lower court to reconsider and vacated the rest of the preliminary injunction, saying it was unclear if the rest of the law violated the First Amendment.