What's on the agenda for policymakers.
Agenda
A close look at precisely what effect the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) may have on the digital economy, on U.S. innovation in the broadband and tech sectors, and on eradicating the digital divide.
The Fiber Broadband Association announced that in partnership with NTCA –The Rural Broadband Association, the two groups have released the Broadband Infrastructure Playbook, a comprehensive guide designed to assist state broadband offices to best leverage federal funds available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
At this meeting, the Task Force will provide updates on Task Force administration; review and discuss programs and policies relevant to the Task Force’s duties; and continue to discuss strategies to advance broadband deployment on agricultural land and promote precision agriculture.
This agenda may be modified at the discretion of the Task Force Chair and the Designated Federal Officer.
The meeting will be held via conference call and be available to the public via live feed from the FCC’s web page at www.fcc.gov/live
Telecommunications Workforce Interagency Group Announces Kickoff Webcast For March 8
The Telecommunications Workforce Interagency Group (TWIG) will hold a kickoff webcast on March 8, 2022 at 11am (eastern). The webcast will feature remarks of leaders from the Federal Communications Commission, Department of Labor, the Department of Education, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The distinguished speakers will provide remarks regarding the importance of the TWIG’s mission and formally initiate the work of the group.
The webcast will feature remarks of leaders from the Federal Communications Commission, Department of Labor, the Department of Education, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The distinguished speakers will provide remarks regarding the importance of the Telecommunications Workforce Interagency Group’s mission and formally initiate the work of the group.
The meeting will be webcast with open captioning at www.fcc.gov/live
The demand for reliable access to digital tools has grown rapidly. Thankfully, agencies across the country have at their disposal new resources, funding and advancements to help their communities combat disparities in access to the internet and the technologies it enables.
Fully overcoming this digital divide requires efficiently matching needs with available (but limited) resources. However, agencies must first determine where demand for digital access exists, and compiling that information can be a time-consuming and complex task.
USF Contribution Reform Debate Well Underway as Stakeholders Weigh In
In addition to making unprecedented funding available for broadband, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also directed the Federal Communications Commission to study the impact of the new government broadband funding on the Universal Service Fund program. As part of this process, the commission asked stakeholders for their comments on this, and many of those comments – particularly those from service provider associations — had a common thread: The USF program will still be needed, but its contribution system needs reform.
Cable One scraps 100 Mbps plan as high-speed demand rises
Cable One unveiled a plan to ditch its 100 Mbps plan at the end of Q1 and make a 200 Mbps tier its entry-level offering, citing strong demand for higher-speed services. CEO Julie Laulis said approximately 22% of its residential broadband customers are currently on its 100 Mbps plan, but “200 meg will become – and quite honestly it already is – our standard offering.” She said the move comes in response to consumer demand for faster speeds, noting four out of five new customers in Q4 opted for speeds at or above 200 Mbps.