Research

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Broadband Policy and Development (BPD) Office was created in 2023 with a commitment to addressing the internet infrastructure challenges in CNMI. Under this commitment, the CNMI BPD Office assumed the responsibility of spearheading CNMI's efforts to secure federal support, like the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Digital Equity Capacity Grant, and coordinate the effective utilization of broadband funding for residents.

A new report from Reviews.org shows that Rhode Island is the best state for fiber availability, with the technology available to 80.19% of households. Conversely, the worst state is Alaska, with the technology available to only 9.18% of households. The information is based on data contained in the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map. The report also notes that 46% of American homes have access to fiber, compared to 82% that have access to cable internet.

This paper examines the parallels between historical telecommunications regulation and current proposals for increasing competition in technology markets, focusing on three key market characteristics the sectors share: network effects, economies of scale, and switching costs. Regulators have addressed these issues in telecommunications markets through mandatory interconnection among telephone networks, compulsory asset sharing, and number portability requirements.

Digital blackouts reached a record high in 2024 in Africa as more governments sought to keep millions of citizens off the internet than in any other period over the last decade. A report released by the internet rights group Access Now and #KeepItOn, a coalition of hundreds of civil society organisations worldwide, found there were 21 shutdowns in 15 African countries, surpassing the existing record of 19 shutdowns in 2020 and 2021. Authorities in Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritius joined repeat offenders such as Burundi, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, and Kenya.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently suggested that he plans to change the way the government reports data on gross domestic product in order to remove the impact of government spending. His remarks have renewed concerns that the new administration could seek to interfere with federal statistics—especially if they start to show that the economy is slipping into a recession. The basic definition of gross domestic product is widely accepted internationally and has been unchanged for decades.

This policy brief examines the targeting of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a $42.45 billion federal initiative under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) aimed at expanding high-speed internet access the United States. The analysis links state-designated BEAD-eligible locations to key demographic indicators, focusing on “BEAD clusters” – census block groups where at least half of broadband-serviceable locations qualify for funding.

 A public-private partnership (PPP) that uses public resources (e.g., grant funds) to leverage the expertise of private firms (e.g., established ISPs) is the most effective way to extend broadband networks into unserved and underserved areas. Across the country, states are increasingly relying on PPPs with incumbent ISPs to close digital divides and will likely continue to do so as BEAD funds are doled out. PPPs are governed by contracts, allowing parties to ensure that priorities, timelines, budgets, and other parameters of a project are memorialized and legally protected.

Americans’ views of two prominent tech executives – Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg – tilt more negative than positive. Musk is a deeply polarizing figure, with Republicans largely viewing him favorably and Democrats largely unfavorably. By contrast, views of Zuckerberg are less polarized, with majorities in both parties viewing him unfavorably. Just over half of U.S. adults (54%) say they have an unfavorable view of Musk, including 36 percent who have a very unfavorable opinion of him.

In an age of platforms, apps, and streaming services, telecommunications policy has a distinctly antiquated ring. Conventionally associated with POTS—plain old telephone systems—telecommunications policy, some might say, is decidedly not about PANS—pretty awesome new stuff. However, both POTS and PANS depend on a global infrastructural backbone of fiber optic cables, satellites, spectrum, and networks to bring the digital age to people’s homes, offices, and mobile phones.