Broadband in the Trump Administration
Panel 1: Finishing the Job on the BEAD Program
As power moves to a new administration, the future of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program - is likely to come center stage. What kind of changes can we expect from the NTIA, and potentially the FCC, as Donald Trump returns to the White House. Will the new administration stay the course or tweak aspects of BEAD?
- Eric Frederick, Chief Connectivity Officer, Michigan High-Speed Internet Office
- Diane Rinaldo, Executive Director, Open RAN Policy Coalition
- Ronnie K. Hammond, Director, Office of Statewide Broadband, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
- Other panelists have been invited
- Christopher Cole (moderator), Senior Reporter, Telecom, Law360
Panel 2: A Return to Spectrum Authority?
Since the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to conduct spectrum auctions lapsed in March 2023, advocates have been clamoring for Congress to renew it. Thus far, their efforts have fallen flat. As the FCC looks to explore additional spectrum opportunities, the authority’s lapsing casts a long shadow. With a new Congress on the horizon and a potentially reshuffled FCC, what factors will facilitate - or hinder - a revival of auction authority authority? And what impacts might this have on future spectrum strategies, the broader economy, and the U.S.’s competitive edge in wireless technologies?
- Scott Blake Harris, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Crest Hill Advisors LLC
- Shiva Goel, Senior Advisor for Spectrum Policy, NTIA, U.S. Department of Commerce
- David Redl, Founder and CEO, Salt Point Strategies
- Jeff Blum, Executive Vice President, External & Government Affairs, EchoStar
- Other panelists have been invited
- Kelcee Griffis (moderator), Telecom Reporter, Bloomberg News
Panel 3: Reforming the Universal Service Fund, and Renewing the Affordable Connectivity Program?
While lawmakers say they support empowering underserved communities, the biggest disappointment for broadband advocates in 2024 was the expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Its fate has become intertwined with potential changes in the Universal Service Fund. To complicate matters, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down the USF as unconstitutional, and the Supreme Court is widely expected to review that decision next year. How will these two twin issues play out in the new administration, and in the next Congress?
- Roslyn Layton, Senior Vice President, Strand Consult
- Amy Huffman, Policy Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance
- Mignon Clyburn, Principal, MLC Strategies, LLC
- Harold Furchtgott-Roth, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for the Economics of the Internet, Hudson Institute
- Other panelists have been invited
- Ryan Tracy (moderator), Co-Writer, Capitol Account
Panel 4: With Chevron Deference Dead, Will Courts Check the Next Administration?
The Supreme Court's decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo marks the end of Chevron deference, fundamentally altering the regulatory landscape that federal agencies navigate. This change has profound implications for the FCC's authority on critical issues including Net Neutrality and digital discrimination. A second Trump administration will face a transformed regulatory environment where agency rulemaking powers are significantly constrained. Additionally, are we likely to see more litigation about Section 230 content moderation under the Trump Administration? How will the FCC approach Big Tech, and how will courts react?
- Joel Thayer, President, Digital Progress Institute
- Nathan Leamer, CEO, Fixed Gear Strategies
- Other panelists have been invited
- Lynn Stanton (moderator), Senior Editor, Wolters Kluwer’s TR Daily