Level of Government

The Maine Connectivity Authority is the state agency responsible for implementing the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. The MCA team and partners have worked tens of thousands of hours over the past three years to develop and execute thou

Things are about to get uncomfortable in Washington for Google. Top Republicans in Congress are leaning hard on the tech giant to make its content policies friendlier to the GOP, after winning that fight with social media companies Meta and X. Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) are now putting pressure on Google and its parent company Alphabet, which owns both the internet’s dominant search engine and the popular YouTube video platform.

The Federal Communications Commission received an interesting petition in March from the owner of low-power TV stations. HC2, which owns 14 percent of the 1,800 low-power stations in the country, asked the FCC to allow the stations to cease the requirement to provide at least one free traditional broadcast signal. Instead, HC2 wants to repurpose the TV spectrum to use 5G technology to broadcast signals to 5G-enabled devices. TV delivered straight to cell phones would be an interesting product.

WISPA – The Association for Broadband Without Boundaries submitted remarks to the Federal Communications Commission in response to the In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete request for comments. WISPA offered several recommendations, including:

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) shared a couple of important updates about the Digital Access for All Idahoans (DAAI) Plan. The ICfL did not receive full spending authority from the Idaho Legislature for the federally funded DAAI Plan in the upcoming fiscal year. This impacts the scope of projects and opportunities tied to the plan. Notably, the ICfL will not be allowed to open another round of monetary subgrants in fiscal year 2026. The ICfL does anticipate being able to award the initial round of subgrants that opened in fall 2024.

USTelecom - The Broadband Association submitted remarks to the Federal Communications Commission in response to the In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete request for comments. USTelecom's suggestions focused on regulations that impact broadband providers that started as voice providers, like requirements to maintain copper telephone lines. "USTelecom recommends prioritizing elimination of regulations that stymie fiber and other broadband investment by imposing high and unjustified costs that tip the playing field towards competing providers and industries.

Across the more than 400 federal agencies that regulate almost every aspect of American life, from flying in airplanes to processing poultry, President Trump’s appointees are working with the Department of Government Efficiency, the cost-cutting initiative headed by Elon Musk and also called DOGE, to launch a sweeping new phase in their quest to dismantle much of the federal government: deregulation on a mass scale.

The Reason Foundation remarks to the Federal Communications Commission in response to the In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete request for comments. The Foundation's comments focused on:

Verizon submitted remarks to the Federal Communications Commission in response to the In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete request for comments. Verizon concurred with USTelecom and CTIA's recommendations. Further, Verizon recommended the FCC continue to streamline the discontinuance and network change notification processes and eliminate requirements to create in-vehicle coverage maps. 

The Michelson 20MM Student Fellowship empowers students to lead change in higher education. In a 10-month program, fellows learn key advocacy skills, build projects that tackle student-identified challenges, and ultimately launch a student-led campaign.