Federal Agency

Sterling Williams Jr. was retired from the U.S. Airforce, bored, and looking for a fulfilling way to spend his time. His niece made a suggestion: going to college. Williams was intrigued but concerned about keeping a flexible schedule. Between picking his niece up from school and waiting for appointments at the Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic, the idea of commuting back and forth for classes seemed like a significant obstacle. Then he learned South Texas College would give him a laptop and hotspot to attend classes remotely.

In 2023, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called for a new Learn Without Limits Initiative spearheaded by the FCC. Initially, this meant expanding E-Rate––a Universal Service Fund program that helps to make telecommunications services more affordable for schools and libraries––funding to support Wi-Fi on school buses and Wi-Fi hotspots at libraries, school libraries, and schools for patrons or students in need.

The impossible has happened: A welfare program ended. Congress created a web-welfare program on an “emergency” basis during the Covid pandemic, and, in classic Washington form, politicians tried to make it permanent. They rebranded it the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and gave it billions in extra funding. The ACP paid its last benefits on May 31, and all funding for it has been exhausted. Are millions of people losing internet access? No. We knew that wouldn’t happen, even though ACP supporters were fearmongering that it would.

Everywhere I look I see Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant rules that are doing what I call regulating by grant. State Broadband Offices are creating grant rules that go far beyond adhering to National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) guidelines. They are insisting on grant rules which are intended to achieve social policies. I’m highlighting two such items buried inside Iowa's BEAD rules. The first requirement is in paragraph 1.3.18 of the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and concerns having a low-price option for low-income subscribers.

At her first Federal Communications Commission meeting since gaining Senate confirmation, it became clear that Commissioner Anna Gomez would be a changemaker.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called on the agency to update the Citizens Broadband Radio Service.

Washington is fumbling through a slate of potential artificial intelligence regulations—some focused on global competition, some on AI-generated deepfakes and some arguing that the government should get its arms around how it’s using AI before it tells anyone else how to do it. All the while, the tech continues to rapidly evolve with little oversight.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Illinois, Oregon, and Puerto Rico’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. This approval enables Illinois, Oregon, and Puerto Rico to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program. Today’s action allows the entities to request access to:  

Sen Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a video press conference to announce her bipartisan legislation to renew the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal program that provides financial assistance to low-income households to help them afford high-speed internet.

CentraCom, a leading provider of high-speed internet, phone, and TV services, previously announced the launch of its Extended Broadband Discount (EBD) program. This initiative is designed to bridge the gap for current Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) recipients after the FCC discontinued the program due to a lack of funding. Understanding the critical role internet access plays in today's world, CentraCom is committed to keeping its customers connected. The CentraCom EBD program extends a similar discount to current ACP recipients who are CentraCom subscribers.