What's on the agenda for policymakers.
Agenda
The Federal Communication Commission’s Connect2Health Task Force will provide an update on the Mapping Broadband Health in America-Maternal Health mapping platform during the Open Meeting on October 17, 2024. The platform, released in June 2023, allows users to view the intersection of broadband connectivity and maternal health outcomes.
Affordable Broadband is the Way to Improve Lives and Grow the Economy in Nebraska
Nebraska is aiming to connect 99 percent of homes and businesses with reliable and affordable high-speed internet access by 2027. Based on June 2023 data, 12-15 percent of Nebraska’s locations are unserved or underserved, and approximately 105,000 households lack acceptable access to the internet. An unfavorable business case for investment, especially in rural areas, has resulted in limited access.
Commissioner Starks Remarks at Mobile World Congress
The growth in mobile data traffic makes our world better informed, more fulfilled, and of course, better connected. It means consumers are taking advantage of the powerful service our networks are delivering. But it also means those networks are being tested like never before. As we know, this network strain will only continue as IoT devices, intelligent infrastructure, and AI-enabled applications proliferate.
Impact of the Election on the Broadband Sector
Let’s discuss the current Broadband Policy State of Play and how the election may affect it. There are four fundamental goals of broadband policy:
Building Infrastructure for a Better-Connected World
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's mission is to build a better-connected world. That work includes connecting everyone in America to reliable, affordable high-speed Internet service. The Internet for All initiative is historic. As such, we would be remiss if we failed to learn lessons from the recent history of other federal broadband programs. Top of mind are the failings of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, or RDOF.
SpaceX Wields Power Over Satellite Rivals to Boost Starlink
SpaceX has used its position as the world’s primary rocket launcher to push rival satellite operators to share wireless airwaves, showing how the company can flex its power in one area to benefit another part of its business.
Being connected to the digital world is critical to everyday life. This is especially true in the employment arena with online job applications and remote work being the new norm. But large segments of the country are without broadband coverage. Join us for a conversation about the importance of broadband access. We will look at challenges to getting connected in rural and urban areas, developing digital skills, and building the infrastructure needed for broader access.
The COVID-19 pandemic normalized working from home in the U.S., and the number of workers in remote and hybrid work arrangements remains elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels despite the end of the public health emergency. One benefit of remote work is that it allows parents to spend more time on childcare and housework—potentially reducing the barriers to starting a family.
House Oversight Chairman Comer Probes FCC Decision to Revoke Starlink Funds
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to reaffirm its revocation of an award authorizing Space Exploration Technologies Corporation’s Starlink to receive broadband deployment subsidies through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). The Committee seeks information from the FCC to ensure that the Commission followed established processes and is not improperly using the regulatory process for political purposes.
Andy Berke, Administrator of Rural Utilities Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will discuss how the Rural Utilities Service is implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which, among other priorities, includes a historic $65 billion investment in broadband infrastructure.