Agenda

In 2024, the Federal Communications Commission ordered Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to pay nearly $200 million total for sharing customers' location data. The FCC fined AT&T around $57 million, Verizon around $47 million, and T-Mobile $92 million (including $12 million for Sprint, which merged with T-Mobile in 2020). The companies, which paid the fines under protest, now want appellate courts to reverse the FCC's ruling. “The Commission’s forfeiture order is unconstitutional, inconsistent with the limitations of the Communications Act, and arbitrary and capricious,” AT&T writes in

The Chamber of Progress wrote to Donald trump asking him to clarify his position on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act as voters and donors assess the candidates in this year’s general election. Section 230 is the legal bedrock for online speech. People deserve to know whether Trump still plans to repeal the law that’s enabled online platforms to host user posts, or whether he plans to rewrite the rules for speech online. Republicans often rail against Section 230, but it’s a key tool in enabling free expression online.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Montana, Oklahoma, and Vermont's Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.  This approval enables Montana, Oklahoma, and Vermont to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program—a major step towards closing the digital divide and meeting the President’s goal of connecting everyone in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service. One year from Initial Proposal approval, states must submit a Final Propos

The Federal Communications Commission intends to recharter the Disability Advisory Committee for a period of two years. The FCC is seeking nominations for membership. The mission of the Committee is to make recommendations to the FCC regarding disability issues specified by the Commission.

On July 24, 2024, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration published the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Competitive Grant Program. The Competitive Grant Program is the third (and final) set of funds available from the

The Federal Communications Commission may propose rules and seek public comment on how to best lower costs and address the lack of choice for broadband services available to households in apartments, condos, public housing, and other multi-tenant buildings. Thirty-one organizations wrote to the FCC to express their support for opt-out of bulk billing arrangements.

The Senate Commerce Committee advanced Senator Peter Welch’s (D-VT) amendment to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program with $7 billion, as requested in his bicameral, bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. The amendment was attached to the PLAN for Broadband Act, legislation to streamline federal broadband program to make it more accessible for underserved areas. The Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act’s original Senate cosponsors include Sens Welch (D-VT), JD Vance (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Sherrod Brown (D-O

An appeals court ruled the current structure of the Universal Service Fund is unconstitutional. This decision puts at risk the high-speed connectivity of millions of rural and low-income Americans and the future trajectory of U.S. economic growth and global competitiveness. Now it’s Congress’s duty to promptly and decisively make clear the nation’s unwavering commitment to affordable, universal connectivity. The court’s fundamentally flawed decision hands Congress an enormously important opportunity to seize the initiative and ensure our nation’s abiding commitment to universal service.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on the proposed eligible services list (ESL) for the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism (more commonly known as the E-Rate program) for funding year (FY) 2025.

Seven recommendations to allow the Department of Commerce to assist the next President in implementing a bold agenda to deliver economic prosperity and strong national security, including: