Level of Government

T-Mobile is asking the Federal Communications Commission for permission to expand its SpaceX satellite messaging service to more phones. The reason the request is necessary? Paperwork. According to T-Mobile, the issue centers on obscure FCC waivers and authorizations for SCS services as well as for standard smartphones.

Sen Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, called on Senate colleagues to reject Trump nominee Mark Meador for a spot on the Federal Trade Commission after firing the two Democratic Commissioners without cause and undermining the FTC’s independence and history of protecting consumers from fraud, scams and anti-competitive practices, free from political influence. “Ninety years ago, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law that affirmed that FTC Commissioners should be protected and removed only for cause,” 

In the 20th century, connecting your house to the electric grid was the best way to experience the rapidly evolving world. These days, the best way to engage with modern society is undoubtedly the internet. The name of the game is broadband internet. That means a connection fast enough to stream TV at home, connect computers in a school, or manage a small business. And while internet speeds in urban areas continue to get faster, about a quarter of people living in rural or tribal communities are still stuck using slow connections.

Rep Dave Taylor (R-OH-2) introduced the Bridging the Broadband Gap Act, which will prioritize the affordability and expansion of broadband to rural communities through satellite and fixed-wireless broadband. This bill will allow states to use funds from the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment Program to pay for 50 percent of the initial cost of a satellite or fixed wireless receiver and $30 of each monthly bill for the first year of service.

When you think of water infrastructure, what comes to mind? Most of us think of pipes, water treatment plants and reservoirs. But there’s an essential ingredient that many people miss: reliable fiber-optic internet. Broadband internet and water systems may seem like an odd pairing, but they’re inseparable when it comes to tackling the challenges Vermont faces today. Aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, and the growing impacts of climate change demand smarter, more efficient solutions. Broadband is the backbone that makes those solutions possible.

The Trump Administration nominee who will oversee the distribution of $42.45 billion in broadband subsidies has pledged to move away from an 'extreme tech bias in favor of fiber' toward technology neutrality—a welcome shift that could bring transformative connectivity to rural America. Low-earth orbit satellite broadband has fundamentally changed the economics of rural deployment, and a neutral approach that considers cost, quality, and speed of implementation could stretch taxpayer dollars significantly further through an efficient mix of fiber, terrestrial wireless, and satellite technolo

President Trump issued a memorandum to the heads of executive agencies directing the review and repeal of unlawful regulations without a period for notice or comment.

President Trump issued an executive order directing executive agency heads, in consultation with the Attorney General and Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, to begin the process of eliminating anti-competitive regulations. "Federal regulations should not predetermine economic winners and losers.  Yet some regulations operate to exclude new market entrants.  Regulations that reduce competition, entrepreneurship, and innovation—as well as the benefits they create for American consumers—should be eliminated.

President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum removing former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency head Christopher Krebs' security clearance. The Memorandum also directs the Attorney General to conduct a review of Krebs' activities as a government employee. "I hereby direct the heads of executive department and agencies to immediately take steps consistent with existing law to revoke any active security clearance held by Christopher Krebs.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has signed House Bill 2061, which amends the definition of a critical infrastructure facility to include telecommunications and broadband infrastructure. This will extend legal protections to these facilities to help ensure their security and limit service outages for Kansans. The bill specifies that the term includes aboveground and belowground lines, cables, and wires used for telecommunications or video services as well as antennas, towers, and structures.