National Telecommunications and Information Administration

One Giant Leap for Mobility: Recapping the 2023 5G Challenge
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is working to foster the development of an open 5G wireless ecosystem to help the private sector bring new life and innovation to a marketplace held back by few vendors and little competition. NTIA's 5G lab at the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, partnered with the Department of Defense for the 2023 5G Challenge. The 2023 5G Challenge tested whether an open 5G ecosystem can work in real world scenarios.

Google Fiber's Open Letter to State Broadband Leaders on Planning for BEAD and Future Deployment Efforts
Google Fiber is pleased to submit the recommendations below for broadband leaders to consider as they structure their BEAD Five-Year Action Plans and Initial and Final Proposals. Over the past decade, GFiber has launched gigabit-speed internet service in nearly 20 major metropolitan areas, setting a new standard for internet speeds, climbing to the top of industry rankings in customer satisfaction, injecting meaningful competition into a fossilized industry, and driving other providers to upgrade the speeds and service they offer their customers.
Illinois's Director of the Office of Broadband Matt Schmit is empowering local governments and communities ahead of BEAD projects
Director of the Illinois Office of Broadband, Matt Schmit, has been working for over 20 years in economic development, and began his public interest career as a grad student at University of Minnesota. There, he spent his spare time doing consulting work with local communities to take stock of their connectivity needs and make use of federal broadband funding programs.
Louisiana Will be Tech-Neutral on BEAD. Say What?
When Executive Director for ConnectLA—Louisiana's broadband office—Veneeth Iyengar was asked if he was concerned that there might be areas of Louisiana that no broadband provider would want to serve, his response was, "We’re not concerned [because] it’s all in how you design the program.

Research Roundup: Notes from the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference
Last month, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society staff, fellows, former fellows, and friends attended the 51st Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC) in Washington (DC). Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate Gigi Sohn delivered the keynote, Executive Director Adrianne Furniss awarded the

Put Out the Red Light (Report)
Have you read Senator Cruz’s Red Light Report on broadband funding that came recently? The report accomplished several things:

Kentucky Pursues Full and Equitable Digital Access for All
The goal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Digital Equity Plan is to establish a roadmap that ensures everyone, regardless of their background or community, has access to the necessary technological resources to fully engage in our society, democracy, and economy. The Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet’s (ELC) Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has made the state's draft plan available to the public for feedback until October 15, 2023.
Joint Statement from Department of Defense Chief Information Officer John Sherman and Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alan Davidson on the Emerging Mid-Band Radar Spectrum Sharing (EMBRSS) Feasibility Assessment
Spectrum is vital to our most sensitive and important Federal missions, including military radar operations for homeland security, the training of our war fighters before they deploy overseas, and our ability to develop new and advanced military capabilities. Within this context, the Department of Defense has completed and submitted to the Department of Commerce the Emerging Mid-Band Radar Spectrum Sharing (EMBRSS) Feasibility Assessment as directed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Kids Online Health and Safety Request for Comment
Preventing and mitigating any adverse health effects from use of online platforms on minors, while preserving benefits such platforms have on minors’ health and well-being, are critical priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration.

It’s Time to Kick the Tires on Those Enforceable Broadband Deployment Commitments
The goal of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) $40+ billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program is to ensure that everyone in the United States has access to reliable, high-speed, and affordable broadband. Part of the challenge is how to treat areas where funding already has been awarded for broadband deployment. Will all awardees perform as expected?