Funding
FCC to Vote on ‘Top-to-Bottom’ E-Rate Review, Local Permitting Shot Clocks at June Meeting
Also on the agenda: subsea cable security licensing, 911 reliability, and emergency alerts.
Jake Neenan
Reporter Jake Neenan, who covers broadband infrastructure and broadband funding, is a recent graduate of the Columbia Journalism School. Previously he reported on state prison conditions in New York.
Cybersecurity
Cable Industry Wants Waiver from FCC Router Ban
NCTA said its suppliers need to swap components in already approved router designs amid AI-induced shortages
Funding
House Committee Advances USDA Funding Bill
The bill includes $40 million for the ReConnect program.
Spectrum
First FCC Spectrum Auction in Four Year Brings in $54 Million on Day One
Is SpaceX or EchoStar joining the carriers in bidding?
Spectrum
NextNav, Opponents to Square Off at House GPS Hearing
A PNT industry group said the GPS system itself was ‘ripe for rapid modernization.’
BEAD
ACLP: BEAD Winners Set to Put Up $11.4 Billion in Matching Funds
That’s more than 37 percent of the program’s total project costs, the group found.
California
CPUC Seeking Comment on FCC Copper Preemption Order
The state wants input on whether federal rules impact its regulations.
Spectrum
EchoStar Aiming to Sell Remaining Terrestrial Spectrum by Sept. 2028
The company said it would commit to doing so if the FCC waived buildout deadlines for the licenses.
Funding
Optimum Raises $500 Million as Debt Wall Looms
Looking to push lenders to the negotiating table, the company also moved its eastern footprint to a new subsidiary.
Digital Inclusion
Researcher: Tribal Areas Have Lower Broadband Adoption Rates
A recent analysis found gaps in Arizona and four other states.
BEAD
Electric Co-ops Finding BEAD Rules Onerous, Especially on Poles
Two said they were turning down tentative BEAD awards.
Spectrum
House Communications Subcommittee Sets GPS Hearing for June 4
An SIA attorney expects the FCC to seek more comment on the issue 'sometime this summer'
Spectrum
EchoStar Agrees to Drop Suit over AWS-3 Auction
The company would still be on the hook for a shortfall payment if the auction fetches less than $2.9 billion.
mergers
Charter Agrees to Infrastructure Upgrades, Statewide Low-Income Price Locks if California Approves Cox Deal
The company said it would also apply for grant funding to serve all BEAD locations in its footprint if the Commerce Department doesn’t approve the state’s spending plan.
Broadband Mapping and Data
Comcast Leads in Download Speed: Opensignal
Opensignal’s Q1 report on major ISPs found AT&T had the best upload speeds, and Charter had the highest network reliability score.
Satellite
EU Looking to Set Aside Most of 2 GHz Band for European Operators
American firm SpaceX is buying 30 megahertz in the band from EchoStar, but could at most access 20 megahertz in Europe under the plan.
