Upcoming event

At this meeting, the Task Force will vote on reports and recommendations discussed during the Task Force’s term. This agenda may be modified at the discretion of the Task Force Chair and the Designated Federal Officer.

An informative session on the latest developments in the Congressional infrastructure plan and its impact on modernizing telecommunications infrastructure nationwide. Industry leaders, regulators, and policy experts will discuss progress on key initiatives, share effective deployment strategies, evaluate funding allocations, and address current implementation challenges with solutions to keep the plan on course.

A two-day conference dedicated to exploring innovative strategies for enhancing connectivity while optimizing non-deployment funding.

As always, State of the Net will be your first look at the new players and the new issues that will take center stage in the new Administration and the new Congress. This conference is unique for its diverse blend of perspectives and provocative thinkers. As policy debates become more polarized, State of the Net is the most important stakeholder gathering which brings together key players who disagree (respectfully). 

In 2022, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program largely excluded satellite broadband from its Notice of Funding Opportunity, due to reliability concerns over the technology's nascent state. But recent guidance from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration has cracked the door open, allowing alternative technologies like satellite broadband to compete for BEAD funding in high-cost areas - provided they can meet the program’s performance standards. How will fiber and wireless projects be impacted? How will the BEAD program be affected?

The Federal Communication Commission’s Connect2Health Task Force will provide an update on the Mapping Broadband Health in America-Maternal Health mapping platform during the Open Meeting on October 17, 2024.  The platform, released in June 2023, allows users to view the intersection of broadband connectivity and maternal health outcomes.

Being connected to the digital world is critical to everyday life. This is especially true in the employment arena with online job applications and remote work being the new norm. But large segments of the country are without broadband coverage. Join us for a conversation about the importance of broadband access. We will look at challenges to getting connected in rural and urban areas, developing digital skills, and building the infrastructure needed for broader access.

The COVID-19 pandemic normalized working from home in the U.S., and the number of workers in remote and hybrid work arrangements remains elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels despite the end of the public health emergency. One benefit of remote work is that it allows parents to spend more time on childcare and housework—potentially reducing the barriers to starting a family.

Andy Berke, Administrator of Rural Utilities Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will discuss how the Rural Utilities Service is implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which, among other priorities, includes a historic $65 billion investment in broadband infrastructure.