Broadband in the Next Administration

An all-day conference in Washington on Thursday, December 12, 2024

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Broadband in the Next Administration

Thursday, December 12, 2024, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Location to be announced shortly

Early Bird Rate of $145

Rises to $195 after the Election

Panel 1: Finishing the Job on the BEAD Program

As power moves to a new administration, the future of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program - Joe Biden’s flagship digital infrastructure initiative - comes center stage. Vice President Kamala Harris has taken a more cautious, or at least a more subdued, approach to infrastructure projects. At the same time, Republicans have raised concerns about various aspects of BEAD, prompting some speculation about the potential impact if Donald Trump returned to the White House. Will the new administration stay the course or tweak aspects of BEAD?

Panelists:

Panelists have been invited
Drew Clark (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast

Panel 2: A Return to Spectrum Authority?

Since the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to conduct spectrum auctions lapsed in March 2023, advocates have been clamoring for Congress to renew it. Thus far, their efforts have fallen flat. As the FCC looks to explore additional spectrum opportunities, the authority’s lapsing casts a long shadow. With a new Congress on the horizon and a potentially reshuffled FCC, what factors will facilitate - or hinder - a revival of auction authority authority? And what impacts might this have on future spectrum strategies, the broader economy, and the U.S.’s competitive edge in wireless technologies?

Panel 3: Reforming the Universal Service Fund, and Renewing the Affordable Connectivity Program?

While lawmakers say they support empowering underserved communities, the biggest disappointment for broadband advocates in 2024 was the expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program. Its fate has become intertwined with potential changes in the Universal Service Fund. To complicate matters, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down the USF as unconstitutional, and the Supreme Court is widely expected to review that decision next year. How will these two twin issues play out in the new administration, and in the next Congress?

Panel 4: Net Neutrality, Digital Discrimination, Chevron Deference and the Next Administration

Will the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright eliminate the see-saw, from one administration to another, on issues like Net Neutrality? The Supreme Court ended Chevron Deference, potentially undercutting the decision-making power of federal agencies like the FCC. In addition to the legal question of prioritization of broadband traffic by internet service providers, digital discrimination and other issues might also be overturned by Trump. But whether Harris or Trump moves into the Oval Office, what role will the next administration play in navigating the post-Chevron regulatory framework?