Upcoming policy issue
23 Million Americans Navigate Hiked Internet Costs Since the ACP Ended
In May, the $14.2 billion Affordable Connectivity Program officially ran out of money, leaving 23 million households with internet bills that were $30 to $75 higher than the month before. That's if they decided to hang on to their internet service at all: 13% of ACP subscribers, or roughly 3 million households, said that after the program ended they planned to cancel service, according to a Benton Institute survey
After millions lose access to internet subsidy, FCC moves to fill connectivity gaps
The Biden administration is moving to blunt the loss of an expired broadband subsidy program that helped more than 23 million families afford internet access by using money from an existing program that helps libraries and schools provide WiFi hotspots to students and patrons.
GAO to Ted Cruz: USAC Is Just Alright With Me
In May 2023, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), the minority leader of the Senate Commerce Committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an examination of how the Federal Communications Commission administers the Universal Service Fund (USF). The USF consists of money collected from telecommunications companies that is dedicated to fulfilling the goals of universal service.
Shot Clock Winding Down on ARPA Funds For Broadband Projects
Communities looking to leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for broadband or other local infrastructure need to act soon or risk losing access to a once-in-a-generation funding resource. Most ARPA recipients seem well aware of the deadline, but data suggests more than a few communities could drop the ball. The Treasury Department tracks allotted ARPA awards and projected budget plans via a massive database.
In Chicago, Democratic Mayors Urge Action to Preserve Affordable Internet
Democratic mayors from major U.S. cities discussed the critical need to maintain affordable internet access for their constituents to mitigate impacts of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program’s expiration. The mayors outlined strategies to bridge the gap left by the program’s end during a discussion hosted by the Democratic Mayors Association at the Democratic National Convention.
'24 Democratic Party Platform
Under President Joe Biden (D-DE), we’re finally rebuilding our roads, bridges, ports, airports, water systems, electric grids, broadband, and more, paving the way for a great American “Infrastructure Decade” that will create hundreds of thousands of good-paying union jobs. We are bringing affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to every American household. High-speed internet is as vital to our economy today as electricity first was a century ago; Americans need it to do their jobs, to do their homework, to access healthcare, and to stay connected.
The Democratic platform is doubling down on tech antitrust and children’s online safety
While billionaires have pushed Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) to depart from President Joe Biden’s antitrust policy, the Democratic Party seems to be doubling down. The word “competition” comes up 18 times in the party’s 2024 platform, compared to nine in the 2020 version.
Commissioner Starks Joins Rep Veasey for STEAM School Tour Promoting Student Connectivity
Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks joined Rep Marc Veasey (D-TX) at Lady Bird Johnson Middle School to discuss the important role of student connectivity and the FCC’s efforts to expand internet access. Established in 1996, the FCC’S E-Rate program helps schools and libraries to obtain broadband. The FCC has recently taken steps to modernize this program to ensure it addresses the changing connectivity needs of students.
Customer Friendly Regulation
We’re finally seeing many consumer-friendly initiatives from the Biden administration coming to fruition. The White House recently announced a Time is Money initiative that would require corporations to implement customer-friendly practices to eliminate long hold times and excessive paperwork for customers. This is a follow-up to a proposed rule from the Federal Trade Commission in March that would require companies to make it as easy to cancel service as it is to subscribe.
Information Sought on Sharing in the 18 GHz Band in Connection With the National Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan
The Federal Communications Commission's Space and Wireless Telecommunications Bureaus, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Engineering and Technology seek to further develop the record for the 18.1–18.6 GHz band (18 GHz band) with the goal of informing the forthcoming report mandated by the National Spectrum Strategy (NSS) Implementation Plan. The NSS identified the 18 GHz band as a potential band for expanded Federal and non-Federal satellite operations, consistent with the U.S.