Telecommunications Act of 1996

Assessing Broadband Affordability Initiatives

Reducing the broadband affordability gap is an important and noble goal. Unfortunately, it is far from clear whether Lifeline, the federal program tasked with getting low-income households online, actually addresses this problem. For over a decade, academics, government watchdogs, and independent auditors have criticized the Federal Communications Commission’s inability or unwillingness to measure the program’s effectiveness—while private studies suggest much of this spending may be misdirected toward families at no risk of losing internet access.

Subsidies for Hotspot Devices a ‘Great Idea,’ FCC Chairwoman Says

Federal Communications Commissioner Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said that using the E-rate program to subsidize mobile hotspot devices is a “great idea” and that there may be some activity on that front in the future. The chairwoman was fielding a comment from a mayor of a Texas city, who said that his jurisdiction has a program that lends out connectivity hubs – allowing others to connect to the device – in parts of the town for residents seeking internet. He asked whether that’s something that the FCC could fund.

Google Says Supreme Court Ruling Could Potentially Upend the Internet

A case before the Supreme Court challenging the liability shield protecting websites such as YouTube and Facebook could “upend the internet,” resulting in both widespread censorship and a proliferation of offensive content, Google said in a court filing.

Blair Levin on why the USF is a ticking time bomb

The year 2023 could prove to be a volatile year for the Federal Communications Commission as it wrestles with a number of lawsuits concerning its Universal Service Fund (USF) program.

An $8 Billion Phone Subsidy for Poor Is Targeted by Conservative Group

The $8.6 billion Universal Service Fund, a linchpin of US communications funding since the late 1990s, helps more than 8 million people afford phone and internet service. The conservative advocacy group Consumers’ Research filed lawsuits in three US courts saying the program should be invalidated because its funding is set by regulators, rather than by Congress, which has taxing authority. There’s a high chance one of the courts will strike down the program in 2023, shifting the battle to the Supreme Court, where justices skeptical of US regulatory agencies could hand the challengers a win.

FCC Opens Docket and Seeks Comment for 2022 Quadrennial Review of Media Ownership Rules

The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau started the 2022 Quadrennial Review of the FCC’s media ownership rules. The Bureau seeks comment on whether the media ownership rules remain “necessary in the public interest as the result of competition.” Although the FCC has not yet adopted final rules in the 2018 Quadrennial Review proceeding, it remains cognizant of the statutory obligation to review the broadcast ownership rules every four years.

Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Support for 1,764 Winning Bids Ready to be Authorized

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau and the Office of Economics and Analytics announced they are ready to authorize Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (Auction 904) support for 1,764 Auction 904 winning bids. Nearly all of the winning bids are Resound Networks, a wireless internet service provider. Bids are to serve parts of Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The FCC also announced that Xiber, a broadband provider headquartered in Indianapolis, is forfeiting bids in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas. 

NTCA-USF Study on Universal Service Contribution Methodology

The authors were previously asked to analyze from an economic perspective the appropriate contribution methodology for the federal Universal Service Fund (USF). In a prior study, they analyzed the effects of modifying and expanding the “contribution base,” i.e., the supply of financial resources for the USF, to include both voice and broadband connections. In particular, the prior study investigated the economic effects of modifying and expanding the contribution base on broadband adoption rates.

FCC Seeks Comment on Requests to Allow the Use of E-Rate Funds for Advanced or Next-Generation Firewalls and Other Network Security Services

The Federal Communications Commission has received several petitions and requests from E-Rate stakeholders through the annual E-Rate eligible services list (ESL) proceedings, asking that the FCC permit the use of E-Rate program funds to support advanced or next-generation firewalls and services, as well as other network security services. The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on these petitions as well as the related funding year 2023 ESL proceeding filings.

2022 Annual Consumer Survey

The Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) serve a vital role in providing low-income Americans with affordable access to essential communication services. Between November 21 and December 8, 2022, the National Lifeline Association (NaLA) surveyed more than 60,000 customers who use the Lifeline and/or ACP program about who they are and how they use the programs. Survey results indicate that low-income consumers use Lifeline and/or ACP service to connect to family and to access other government programs, healthcare, jobs and online education.