CNBC

White House wants universal broadband by 2030, but funding could take years to deliver

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said she is committed to the administration’s goal of universal broadband by 2030, but cautioned that distributing funds from the new infrastructure law to meet that deadline could take years. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes $65 billion to improve broadband access and affordability. Most of that is funneled through the Department of Commerce, and Sec Raimondo said that some of those dollars – such as money for tribal governments – are starting to trickle out. But the bulk of the funding will take longer.

Senate confirms FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel to another term

The Senate voted 68-31 to confirm Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, the first woman to hold that title, to another five-year term, narrowly avoiding a Republican majority at the agency once her current term was set to expire at the end of 2021. Rosenworcel will be tasked with expanding broadband connectivity, supporting 5G implementation and bringing back net neutrality rules.

SpaceX adds capabilities to Starlink internet satellites to boost network capacity

SpaceX revealed new details about plans for the next generation of satellites in its Starlink internet system. “This Gen2 System was designed to complement the first-generation constellation SpaceX is currently deploying,” SpaceX wrote in an FCC filing.