Federal Communications Commission

Bridging the Digital Divide: Our Enduring Commitment to Global Connectivity

We’re launching a refresh of the Microsoft Digital Equity Data Dashboard with current data from the Federal Communications Commission, the United States Census Bureau, Code.org, Broadband Now, and Microsoft to help federal, state, and local policymakers gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to the digital divide in communities across the United States.

Commissioner Simington Addresses MWC 2024

 The U.S is at a critical juncture for regaining leadership in driving future international spectrum allocation decisions.  The U.S is in serious risk of marooning itself and becoming a mid-band spectrum and technology island, given U.S. allocations in the 3 and 6 GHz bands that increasingly diverge from the harmonization in the rest of the world.  To stave off such an outcome, the U.S.

FCC Explores How Broadband Data Caps Impact Competition and Consumers

Fixed and mobile broadband Internet access service providers (BIAS providers) have responded to increasing demand for more data by offering higher bandwidth plans. Many of these BIAS

AT&T proposes moving CBRS users via incentive auction

AT&T is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to move existing CBRS spectrum users to a different portion of the 3GHz band.

FCC announces six-month waiver to provide discounted phone and broadband service support for Hurricane Milton survivors and future storms

The Federal Communications Commission took action to assist those affected by Hurricane Milton and future hurricanes, typhoons, tropical storms, and tropical cyclones (together, “tropical weather systems”) by temporarily waiving certain Lifeline program eligibility rules to ensure that consumers receiving federal disaster assistance can easily apply for and enroll in the Lifeline program. Hurricane Milton caused significant power and infrastructure disruptions, in addition to property damage in homes, schools, libraries, businesses, and healthcare facilities in impacted areas.

It’s time to rethink how wiretaps work after Chinese hack, experts say

Cybersecurity experts say a recent Chinese intrusion into major U.S.

Commissioner Starks Remarks at Mobile World Congress

The growth in mobile data traffic makes our world better informed, more fulfilled, and of course, better connected. It means consumers are taking advantage of the powerful service our networks are delivering. But it also means those networks are being tested like never before. As we know, this network strain will only continue as IoT devices, intelligent infrastructure, and AI-enabled applications proliferate.

Impact of the Election on the Broadband Sector

Let’s discuss the current Broadband Policy State of Play and how the election may affect it. There are four fundamental goals of broadband policy:

Cable could return to broadband subscriber growth in 2026

Cable execs have been adamant that their broadband businesses will return to subscriber growth eventually. But they haven't pinpointed exactly when they expect to turn that corner as they grapple with the demise of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and a one-two punch of fiber and fixed wireless access (FWA) competition.

Predicting Uptake Rates for the Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is one of several US federal and state government programs that seek to bridge the so-called “digital divide” through targeted consumer subsidies and support for infrastructure rollout. Though these subsidy programs aim to improve vital broadband and telecommunications access to low-income households, their uptake has varied across US states and counties. This fits the pattern of low participation rates in other means-tested broadband subsidy programs such as Lifeline and Linkup.