Federal Communications Commission

In light of changes in the way we all connect, it is time for an E-Rate program that supports the educational needs of students and library patrons and permits them to learn without limits.  In other words, under existing law, this program is set for an update that helps ensure those who count on school and library connections can use them no matter who they are, or where they go. We now seek to build on those lessons from the pandemic and modernize the E-Rate program.

Spectrum announced the launch of Spectrum Internet, Mobile, TV and Voice services to more than 530 homes and small businesses in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. Spectrum’s newly constructed fiber-optic network buildout in Orangeburg County is part of the company’s approximately $5 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund-related investment in unserved rural communities, partly offset by $1.2 billion in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) RDOF auction.

Michael Baker International announced that the firm was recently selected by the Arkansas State Broadband Office (ASBO) to provide broadband grant administration systems and services. The firm will partner with ASBO to supply services for managing and administering public funding sources—including the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD), U.S.

Rep Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced the Clarifying E-Rate Act of 2024, which would expand Wi-Fi access to school buses by making them permanently eligible for E-Rate funding, a program that provides discounts to schools and libraries for affordable telecommunications and internet access.

The Federal Communications Commission proposed new rules to ensure that wireless equipment authorizations are not compromised by entities that have been found to pose national security concerns. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will launch a proceeding to ensure that telecommunications certification bodies (TCBs) and measurement facilities (test labs) that participate in the Commission’s equipment authorization program are not influenced by untrustworthy actors.

As May nears its final days, so does the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP, which entered a partial payment period at the start of the month, will officially end on May 31, unless Congress decides to save it. While there are myriad efforts underway to compromise on a path forward, saving the program is still seen as unlikely.

Bob Latta (R-OH5) introduced a 

The outlook for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) remains terminal, with none of the multiple late-hour efforts in Congress intended to replenish funding for the depleted program appearing close to achieving that goal. The cancellation of the ACP, which comes at a time when the US broadband industry is already bleeding customers, with Comcast Cable president and CEO Dave Watson telling investors to expect increased customer attrition in the second and third quarters. On a consumer level, the ACP’s sunset could leave more than 23 million U.S.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared with her colleagues an Order and Declaratory Ruling that updates the FCC’s biannual data collection and audit processes and proposes further updates to the agency’s verification processes for its National Broadband Map. The circulated item:

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared with her colleagues a new agency proposal that, if adopted, would look into whether the agency should require disclosure when there is AI-generated content in political ads on radio and TV. With the circulation of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and the subsequent support of her colleagues, the FCC would initiate a proceeding that recognizes consumers’ right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they view. If adopted, this proposal aims to increase transparency by: