White House
Trump White House Offers Buyouts to Federal Employees
Offer includes eight months of severance pay for workers who take the deal.
Blake Ledbetter
Reporter Blake Ledbetter attended the University of California, Los Angeles and studied political science and public affairs. He is interested in broadband policy in Congress and broadband inclusion.
Infrastructure
Carr Ends Biden-Era Plan For Broadband Environmental Regulations
Proposal would have required more environmental checks on cell tower construction.
Ziply
Ting Halts Work in City Filled with D.C. Powerful
Ziply Fiber also saw operations suspended in Sammamish, Wash.
USF
Former FCC Commissioner O’Rielly Working on USF ‘Patch’
Supreme Court to rule later this year if USF's funding mechanism is unconstitutional.
Broadband's Impact
Texas Awards $424.6 million in Broadband Deployment Grants
Most of the grants will fund fiber projects.
BEAD
Senators to Question Lutnick Amid Concerns About BEAD
Confirmation Hearing set for Wednesday, January 29, at 10:00 a.m. EST
Broadband's Impact
Massachusetts Awards $12.6 Million in Broadband Grants to Comcast, Verizon
Funds will improve Internet access in 96 cities in the Commonwealth
BEAD
ITIF Plan Would Cap BEAD Grants at $1,200 Per Location
Savings would go to fund Internet affordability programs
subsea cable
Fiber Break in Alaska Causes Widespread Network Outages
Subsea fiber cables can't be repaired until late summer.
FCC
FCC Chairman Carr Ends DEI within the Agency
Trump ordered an end to federal DEI programs.
LEO
Texas Opens Funding for Starlink, LEO Rivals
Plan hopes to expand broadband access in rural communities
Trump Vance Administration
DOGE Loses Ramaswamy, Faces Lawsuit Challenging Its Transparency
Ramaswamy planning to pursue Ohio governor opening
Rural
Ookla: South Carolina Tops Nation in a Rural Speed Category
State leaders say improved mapping helped to improve rural speeds
Affordability
Maine Announces Updates to Starlink, BEAD Programs
State has received just under 200 applications for LEO project in the first month
Cox Communications
Cox Announces RDOF Shortfalls in Three States
ISP did not reach its buildout milestones in Louisiana, Nebraska, and Arizona.
Infrastructure
Altice Settlement with West Virginia to Cost $44 Million in Internet Upgrades
Agreement resolves thousands of customer complaints about service
