Federal Communications Commission

Fixing ACP's funding gap 'biggest issue' on 2023 horizon, says ACA Connects CEO Spellmeyer

The math suggests that Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) funding will be depleted sometime in early 2024. That means the clock is ticking for the US government to move the needle in the coming months. "I think the biggest issue for the second half of this year is how that gets resolved," said Grant Spellmeyer, CEO of ACA Connects. He said the clock is running out when governors will be lavishing more attention on the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. But few have their eye on the ball. "The silence [about the ACP funding issue] has been notable," he said.

FCC Grants Auction 108 Licenses

The Federal Communications Commission granted licenses to seven of the smaller winning bidders in the 2.5 GHz auction, which was completed in August 2023.

Federal Universal Service Support Mechanisms Quarterly Contribution Base for the Second Quarter 2023

The total projected collected interstate and international end-user revenue base to be used in determining the contribution factor for the Universal Service Fund support mechanisms for the second quarter of calendar year 2023 (2Q2023) is $8,761,742,607.

SpaceX Broadband Data Collection Methodology

SpaceX submitted its Broadband Data Collection filing, which includes subscription and availability data related to Starlink services as of December 31, 2022. In connection with this filing, the Federal Communications Commission requires all internet service providers to submit supporting information regarding the methodology underlying its availability data.

Democrats fear Biden's FCC nominee Gigi Sohn won't be confirmed

President Biden’s nominee for an open seat on the Federal Communications Commission, Gigi Sohn [Senior Fellow and Public Advocate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society], appears stalled in committee and is in danger of failing to reach the full Senate floor for a vote. If Sohn's nomination falters, the FCC will remain deadlocked with two Republican and two Democratic commissioners — hindering the Biden administration’s effort to implement key parts of the president’s agenda. After a contentious Commerce Committee hearing, Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has yet to schedule a vote

CostQuest Breaks Its Silence on Broadband Map Issues

The Federal Communications Commission's update of the National Broadband Map has received considerable criticism.

House Commerce Republicans Demand Accountability on Biden’s Massive Spending and Inflation Agenda

House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), along with the chairs of the subcommittee of jurisdiction, wrote letters to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), requesting a full accounting of how they’ve spent taxpayer dollars. The Chairs specifically requested funding information from: the American Rescue Plan Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Ac

Chairwoman Rosenworcel's Response to Senator Capito Regarding Pole Attachments

On April 6, 2022, Sen Shelley Moore Capito wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel about pole attachment and replacement regulations in West Virginia. On February 22, Chairwoman Rosenworcel reminded Sen. Capito that, since 2020, West Virginia regulates pole attachments at the state level. This means that the state retains complete authority to deviate from the federal regime to suit the particular needs of West Virginia.

Millions of low-income families could soon face steeper broadband internet bills

Over the past two years, millions of low-income US households have received broadband internet at a discount through two consecutive government programs. But they could soon lose that benefit. More than 16 million US households are currently enrolled in the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which offers a $30 discount on broadband services to qualifying low-income households.

FCC Announces Over $20 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding

The Federal Communications Commission committed over $20 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Program (ECP), which provides digital services for students in communities across the country. This funding commitments support applications from all three filing windows benefiting approximately 190,000 students across the country, including students in California, Florida, Maine, Oklahoma, Washington, and Wisconsin. This commitment will support over 90 schools, 8 libraries, and 5 consortia.