# Broadband Breakfast > Broadband Breakfast reports every day on America's broadband buildout. Broadband Breakfast is the community for Better Broadband, Better Lives. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Digital Infrastructure Investment URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment/ Last updated: 2026-09-07T12:17:37.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/DII-1.webp) ## Digital Infrastructure Investment Our next summit in Washington will be in 2027! [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ***See all of our Digital Infrastructure Investment Summits:*** [Resilient Critical InfrastructureA one-day conference on securing vulnerable critical infrastructure![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-c22b64f9-9d1c-4fc2-b654-8f13b7ebb5cb.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/rdi_graphic-rci-25ee93e4-759d-46b9-bc78-8a57fea10bda.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/resilient-digital-infrastructure/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2024Digital Infrastructure Investment 2024 is ‘All-in’ on Open Access on September 19, 2024.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-155.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/dii-for-day-of-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2024/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2023Become a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-151.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/dii-for-day-of-1-5.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2023/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment Program-Washington (2022)Digital Infrastructure Investment–Washington (2022) A summit uniting financial services and broadband operators Become a Breakfast Club Member Full Program, Speaker Bios and Sponsors for 2022 In person or online attendees may access the videos. Members of the Broadband Breakfast Club also have full access. Video page: Digital Infrastructure InvestmentBecome![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-157.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/dii-for-day-of-1-6.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2022-washington/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-154.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/dii-ad-2-3.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2022/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2021Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-153.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/sifi-networks-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2021/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2020Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-152.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/dii-ad-2-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2020/) ### *Video welcome to the 2024 Digital Infrastructure Investment:* ### *Other Broadband Breakfast Events:* [EventsBroadband Breakfast in-person events.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-156.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bblo_leaderboard__1024_x_800_px___2_-events-wm-og-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/past-events/) ### Connect20 Summit URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connect20-summit/ Last updated: 2024-03-21T23:53:34.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Connect20-copy-3.jpeg) ## Connect20 Summit How digital navigators can help close the broadband adoption gap [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ## The Connect20 Summit Videos ### November 14-15, 2023 | Washington, D.C. In person or online attendees may access the videos free of charge. ## See the Connect20 Summit Program Full bios of speakers, too [View the program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connect20-summit-program/) We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect the 20% of Americans who don’t subscribe to home broadband—and digital navigators are the key. Here is the welcome video, and further videos are below. ### FIRESIDE CHAT Keynote speakers will discuss the importance of digital navigators and digital equity practitioners’ work to close the digital divide. - **Mario Salazar**, Executive Director, Public Policy, Comcast - **Juan Muro Jr.**, Executive Director, Free Geek ### TOWN HALL CONVERSATION Representatives from several agencies will provide an update on efforts within the government to expand broadband access and adoption and close the digital divide. [Federal Officials Agree: Infrastructure Alone Will Not Close the Digital DivideOfficials from broadband funding programs emphasized the important of non-deployment projects at the Connect20 Summit in Washington.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/panel-photo.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-officials-agree-infrastructure-alone-will-not-close-the-digital-divide/) ### PANEL 1: CONNECTING THE HARDEST-TO-REACH AMERICANS As policymakers consider digital inclusion solutions, understanding the barriers to the problem is important. [Connect20 Summit: Building Trust with Communities is Key to AdoptionDigital navigators spoke about their work at the Connect20 Summit in Washington.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/c20-panel-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connect20-summit-building-trust-with-communities-is-key-to-adoption/) ### PANEL 2: BUILDING SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL ADOPTION PROGRAMS THROUGH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS With so much public funding available, how can local organizations work with their states and beyond to help secure public funding on all levels? [Connect20 Summit: Partnerships are Key for Digital Equity EffortsState broadband offices should look to local organizations for digital equity efforts, panelists said.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/c20-panel2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connect20-summit-partnerships-are-key-for-digital-equity-efforts/) ### PANEL 3: IMPROVING DIGITAL SKILLS Digital adoption doesn’t go very far if users lack the ability to meaningfully engage with the online world. [Connect20 Summit: The Crucial Role of Digital Skills TrainingDigital skills are a necessary foundation for workforce development, said panelists at the Nov. 14 event.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/c20-panel3.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connect20-summit-the-crucial-role-of-digital-skills-training/) ### PANEL 4: THE POWER OF NAVIGATION SERVICES Navigation services are key to getting Americans online, and the data proves it. [Connect20 Summit: Data-Driven Approach Needed for Digital NavigationThe NTIA’s Internet Use Survey doesn’t delve deeply enough into why people choose not to adopt broadband.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/c20-panel4.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connect20-summit-data-driven-approach-needed-for-digital-navigation/) ### Defining Digital Navigators Short Talks [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Broadband-Breakfast-4-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connect20-summit-program/) ### Visit the new Broadband Breakfast URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about-member/ Last updated: 2025-05-21T17:01:42.000Z ## What is Broadband Breakfast? ****Broadband Breakfast reports every day on America's broadband buildout. Broadband Breakfast is** ***the community** **for Better Broadband, Better Lives.** [Sign up for the Media Kit](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about-form) _This page is for subscribers only._ ### All Tags URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/all-tags/ Last updated: 2023-12-26T21:49:13.000Z **Categories/Tags** By most popular **Impact** 1214 FCC 889 Roundup 879 **Wireless** 492 National broadband plan / 419 Expert-opinion 391 **Infrastructure** 371 Recovery act / 362 **Net-neutrality** 351 Ntia 318 **Broadband-mapping-and-data** Data - 299 Making and data 132 Broadbandlive 295 **Fiber** 290 **Funding** 268 **Privacy** 238 **Universal service** 234 **Spectrum** 207 International 207 **Digital-inclusion** 187 States / 173 Mobile / 170 Rural 159 Copyright / 155 **Social media** 150 Education 146 Breakfast media minute / 145 Intelectual property / 145 Health 142 Broadband-news / 135 Cybersecurity 135 Congress 124 Big Tech 121 Section 230 115 Innovation 104 Antitrust 103 **Open access** 101 Senate 101 ### BEAD Implementation Summit 2023 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit-2023/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T01:17:18.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444-copy-2.jpg) ## BEAD Implementation Summit A full-day conference on September 21, 2023 [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) [BEAD Implementation SummitA full-day conference on March 18, 2026![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-162.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bis_2026_graphic_v4-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit/) ## BEAD Implementation Summit Videos In person or online attendees may access the videos. Members of the Broadband Breakfast Club also have full access. ## See the BEAD Implementation Summit Program Full bios of speakers, too [View the program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit-2023-program/) Here is the welcome video. Sign up for the [Broadband Breakfast Club](#/portal/) to watch all the videos! - ***PANEL 1: ROUNDTABLE FOR STATE BROADBAND LEADERS*** - ***PANEL 2: PRECURSORS TO BEAD: ARPA, CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND AND MIDDLE MILE DEPLOYMENT*** - ***KEYNOTE ADDRESS: BEAD IMPLEMENTATION*** - ***Evan Feinman, Director of BEAD Program, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce*** - ***PANEL 3: MATCHING FUNDS, PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS*** - ***PANEL 4: TOWN HALL ON BUY AMERICA, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND NETWORK DEPLOYMENT*** ### Want to see other Broadband Breakfast events? [EventsBroadband Breakfast in-person events.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-172.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bblo_leaderboard__1024_x_800_px___2_-events-wm-og-4.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/past-events/) ### Videos for Panels 1, 2, 3 and 4, plus Evan Feinman's Keynote Address, and Other Remarks: _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Issues We Cover URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tags/ Last updated: 2026-10-19T17:27:35.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2025/10/bblo_leaderboard__1024_x_800_px___8_-topics.png) ## Topics The most popular issues covered by Broadband Breakfast [Join for Free](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about/#/portal/signup/free) ## Broadband Infrastructure [Rural - Broadband BreakfastBecause Rural America is often the least-connected region in the country, ensuring coverage is central to BEAD.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/rural.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/rural/) [Funding - Broadband BreakfastThe pandemic has prompted a new era of funding for broadband infrastructure.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/funding.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/funding/) [BEAD - Broadband BreakfastThe Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program is implemented by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/BEAD-photo.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/bead/) [Universal Service - Broadband BreakfastThe Universal Service Fund, codified in 1996 with the Telecommunications Act, remains the foundation of universal access.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/universal-service.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/universal-service/) [Broadband Mapping and Data - Broadband BreakfastAccurate broadband mapping and data has been central to America’s broadband buildout.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/broadband-mapping-and-data-copy-1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/broadband-mapping-and-data/) [Tribal - Broadband BreakfastTribal leaders say the federal government has failed to uphold its trust responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of Native American tribes.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/tribal.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/tribal/) [Community Broadband - Broadband BreakfastThe last three years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of communities building publicly-owned, locally controlled infrastructure.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/community-broadband.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/community-broadband/) [Open Access - Broadband BreakfastOpen Access networks separate network operations from internet services. Ownership may also be separate from operations.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/open-access.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/open-access/) ### Fiber, Wireless and Satellite [Fiber - Broadband BreakfastFiber-optic technology is the gold standard for home or commercial broadband, and powers wireless connectivity, too.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/fiber.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/fiber/) [Satellite - Broadband BreakfastSatellite broadband remains an option those areas beyond the reach of fiber, terrestrial or mobile wireless.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/satellite-tag.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/satellite/) [Wireless - Broadband BreakfastWireless technologies are critical for mobile communications, and for being able to reach remote locations.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/wireless.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/wireless/) [Mobile - Broadband BreakfastMobile communication has become a central part internet connectivity.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-226.png)Broadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/mobile-1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/mobile/) [Spectrum - Broadband BreakfastWhether licensed, unlicensed or shared, radio frequency spectrum is the critical resource for wireless communication.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/spectrum.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/spectrum/) ## Free Sign up for Broadband Breakfast Better Broadband, Better Lives Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Broadband's Impact [Digital Inclusion - Broadband BreakfastWe need humans to make digital inclusion work.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/digital-inclusion-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/digital-inclusion/) [Education - Broadband BreakfastTechnology, particularly broadband access and adoption, plays a vital role in K-12 and secondary education.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastTeralyn Whipple![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/education-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/education/) [Health - Broadband BreakfastThe innovations of telehealth and mobile health care has transformed medicine and health care.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/health-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/health/) [Public Safety - Broadband BreakfastEnsuring that emergency communications are enabled with broadband is the next frontier in public safety.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/public-safety.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/public-safety/) [Telework - Broadband BreakfastBroadband internet service allows many people to work from almost anywhere.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/telework.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/telework/) [Democracy - Broadband BreakfastThe internet has the potential to impact, and also to enhance, society’s democracy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-228.png)Broadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/democratization-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/democracy/) ## Data Centers and Energy [Data Center - Broadband BreakfastFacilities designed to house computer systems, servers, and other related equipment, data centers support critical computing functions. Many technology companies are building data centers across various states to support artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-229.png)Broadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/data-center.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/data-center/) [Energy - Broadband BreakfastThe rapid rise of cloud computing and artificial intelligence has placed an unprecedented strain on America’s energy grid.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-233.png)Broadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1509390288171-ce2088f7d08e-american-energy-2-1-1-2.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/energy/) [Nuclear - Broadband BreakfastNuclear Energy is increasingly seen as essential for powering the electrical needs of data centers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-234.png)Broadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1517925035435-7976539b920d-nuclear-energy--1--1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/nuclear) [Advanced Energy - Broadband BreakfastThe infrastructure necessary for advanced energy — including renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro — also powers the infrastructure necessary for high-speed internet. As energy grids become more advanced, they help bridge the digital divide by powering data centers, fiber networks, and wireless connectivity.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-231.png)Broadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1532601224476-15c79f2f7a51-1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/advanced-energy) ## Tech Policy [Artificial Intelligence - Broadband BreakfastArtificial intelligence is poised to transform humans’ relationship with technology, and each other.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/photo-1545987796-200677ee1011.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/artificial-intelligence/) [Chips - Broadband BreakfastSemiconductors are the world’s new oil.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/photo-1494083306499-e22e4a457632.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/chips/) [Crypto - Broadband BreakfastCryptographic technologies and blockchain ledgers are driving a new era of decentralized finance.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-227.png)Broadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/Cryptocurrency-statistics.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/crypto/) [Cybersecurity - Broadband BreakfastDigital locks and keys are necessary, but not sufficient, to ensure cybersecurity.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/cybersecurity-photo-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/cybersecurity/) [Net Neutrality - Broadband BreakfastWhether broadband providers may prioritize delivery of bits by the entities they own is a divisive topic.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/net-neutrality.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/net-neutrality/) [Privacy - Broadband BreakfastThe entire concept of privacy has been transformed by broadband and the internet.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/privacy.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/privacy/) [Robocall - Broadband BreakfastThe scourge of robocalls is making America’s once-vaunted telephone network less trustworthy.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/robocall-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/robocall/) [Section 230 - Broadband BreakfastSection 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, enacted as part of the Communications Decency Act in 1996, protects providers from liability for content or information posted by their users. It is often referred to as “the 26 words that created the internet.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-e485d544-d6c5-43fd-9ad2-fd39d26c021a.png)Broadband BreakfastAkul Saxena![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1564760290292-23341e4df6ec-6f00d6e0-51b2-4a4e-95b9-bff4f121a792.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/section-230/) ## Special Topics [Course36-lesson course on 150 Years of American Telecommunications!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-41de4f52-666a-4f2e-b26e-6fdd8ee7cd4e.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-783dfd7c-f673-4e44-8e93-80c3d1e96590.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course) [State Broadband PagesGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in every state, district and territory.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444--4--2.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/us/) [Premium Reports - Broadband BreakfastThe Broadband Breakfast Club produces exclusive reports for Breakfast Club Members.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/bonai-photo-1624162872504-e57ceca8874f.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/premium/) ## More About Broadband Breakfast [Welcome to Breakfast ClubEverything Broadband Breakfast has to offer.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-236.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/broadband_breakfast_stacked_logo-16.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/welcome/) ## Free Sign up for Broadband Breakfast Better Broadband, Better Lives Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Events URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/past-events/ Last updated: 2026-10-02T02:17:16.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2025/10/bblo_leaderboard__1024_x_800_px_-event-without-wm-smaller.png) ## Events In-person events [Join for Free](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tags/#/portal/signup/free) ### Upcoming Events [Broadband and AI in the Next CongressArtificial Intelligence is now driving infrastructure investment and public policy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-404ffafb-5dcb-42a2-acbb-1791f8554e74.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-757e39ea-eca7-42a6-8993-fa973e4e5d31.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) ### Prior 2026 Events [America250/Telecom150250 Years of American Independence & 150 Years of American Telecommunications An in-person event at the National Press Club Thursday, October 1, 2026 Register for Only $150! Mark your calendar for the National Press Club on Thursday, October 1, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET! In the![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-18e2f191-d99f-4899-a522-4f14f1da60e8.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/150-gilbert-full-jpg-a4714efa-2a7d-412c-bf8c-f9acac3d600f.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/) [BEAD Implementation SummitA full-day conference on March 18, 2026![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-169.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bis_2026_graphic_v4-1-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit/) ### 2025 Events [Resilient Critical InfrastructureA one-day conference on securing vulnerable critical infrastructure![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo-670.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/rdi_graphic-rci.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/resilient-digital-infrastructure/) [Speeding BEAD SummitHow will the broadband infrastructure program be modified? How will deployment of BEAD be expedited?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo-437.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bead_event_graphic_with_info.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/speeding-bead-summit/) [Data Centers, Nuclear Power and BroadbandData Centers, Nuclear Power and Broadband A one-day conference exploring AI and Broadband Infrastructure Early Bird ONLY $145 Thursday, March 27, 2025 | Washington, DC The rapid rise of cloud computing and artificial intelligence has placed an unprecedented strain on America’s energy grid, drawing new attention to the energy-hungry expansion![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo-244.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/data_centers_graphic-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/data-centers-nuclear-power-and-broadband/) ### 2024 Events [Broadband in the Next AdministrationDon’t miss the chance to learn about BEAD, spectrum, Universal Service Fund reform, and the future of the internet.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo-53.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bna_-_trump.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-in-the-next-administration/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2024Digital Infrastructure Investment 2024 is ‘All-in’ on Open Access on September 19, 2024.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-160.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/dii-for-day-of-7.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2024/) [California Broadband SummitThe event in Sacramento on Wednesday, June 5 is part of the CalMatters Ideas Festival on June 5-6, 2024.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/California-Broadband-Summit-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-broadband-summit/) [Affordable Connectivity Program Rally on April 30The event will be in person at Shaw/Watha T. Daniel Library, located at 1630 7th St NW in Washington, and live online.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/ACP-Day-of-Action-1--1-.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/affordable-connectivity-program-rally-on-april-30/) [Broadband Measurement SummitAn event in Washington on Thursday, March 7, 2024\. Understanding BEAD challenges, FCC Nutrition Labels and more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BMS-Base-Graphic.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-measurement-summit/) ### 2023 Events [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2023Become a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/dii-for-day-of-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2023/) [Connect20 SummitThe Connect20 Summit is the opportunity to connect the 20% of Americans who don’t subscribe to home broadband.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/2024/01/Broadband-Breakfast-4-1-copy-3.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connect20-summit/) [BEAD Implementation Summit 2023Become a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-168.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444-copy-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit-2023/) [Made in America SummitA unique one-day event tackling broadband infrastructure, green energy and domestic semiconductor manufacturing.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/made-in-america-banner-graphic--5-.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/made-in-america-summit/) [Big Tech & Speech SummitAt the intersection of content moderation and political power.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/00-big-tech-speech-summit.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-tech-speech/) ***Join*** [***the Broadband Breakfast Club***](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/past-events/#/portal/) ***(our paid membership offer) and Take $100 discount off all in-person events.*** ### Events from 2020 to 2023, including all Digital Infrastructure Investment Summits [Digital Infrastructure InvestmentDigital Infrastructure Investment 2024 is ‘All-in’ on Open Access on September 19, 2024.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/dii-for-day-of-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2023Become a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/dii-for-day-of-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2023/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment–WashingtonBetter Broadband, Better Lives![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/dii-summary.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-washington/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastDrew Clark![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/dii-ad-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2022/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2021Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastDrew Clark![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/sifi-networks.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2021/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2020Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastDrew Clark![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/dii-ad-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2020/) --- ### Don't Miss Broadband Breakfast Live Online, every Wednesday at 12 Noon ET [BroadbandLiveBroadband Breakfast Live Online is a FREE broadband news webcast on broadband technology and internet policy. It takes place every Wednesday at 12 Noon ET.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-171.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bb_live_events__665_x_475_px___1_-triangle-1-1-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadbandlive/) \\ ### BEAD Implementation Summit 2023 Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit-2023-program/ Last updated: 2026-03-16T19:42:45.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444-copy-2.jpg) ## Program for BEAD Implementation 2023 A full-day conference on September 21, 2023 [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ## Full Program, Speakers Bios, Sponsors and Stories from the Summit In person or online attendees may access the videos. Members of the Broadband Breakfast Club also have full access. ### *Video page:* [BEAD Implementation SummitBecome a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-163.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444-copy-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit-2023) ## BEAD Implementation Summit Program ### PANEL 1: ROUNDTABLE FOR STATE BROADBAND LEADERS State Broadband Leaders have a vital role to play in the implementation of BEAD. Not only are they responsible for distributing funds that will soon be allocated by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, they are also poised to play a crucial role in implementing other key programs. This discussion will delve into state initial proposals, state goals and priorities, and high-cost thresholds. What are the next hurdles? How can states support each other • **Angie Bailey**, Director, Broadband Infrastructure Office, North Carolina • **Valarry Bullard**, New Jersey Broadband Director • **Andrew Butcher**, President, Maine Connectivity Authority • **Glen Howie**, Director, Arkansas State Broadband Office • **Matt Schmit**, Director, Illinois Office of Broadband • **Drew Clark** (moderator), Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast [State Broadband Officers Outline BEAD Implementation EffortsBroadband heads from 5 states listed community outreach, mapping, and program deadlines as top priorities for BEAD.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/panel-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/state-broadband-officers-outline-bead-implementation-efforts/) ### PANEL 2: PRECURSORS TO BEAD: ARPA, CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND AND MIDDLE MILE DEPLOYMENT For at least two years, the Biden Administration has been deploying federal broadband funds through the American Rescue Plan Act, including Capital Project Funds awards. Now, Middle Mile broadband awards were announced on June 16, 2023\. How have or will these precursor programs to BEAD operate? What problems have they faced? What are states doing to build on previous investments? **• Chas Eberle,** Director of Outreach and Senior Policy Advisor for the Capital Projects Fund, Treasury Department **• Joel Daly,** Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Product Strategy, Zayo **• Dr. Tamarah Holmes,** Director of the Virginia Office of Broadband **• Laurel Leverrier,** Assistant Administrator, USDA’s RUS, Telecommunications Programs **• Kathryn de Wit** (moderator), Director, Pew’s Broadband Access Initiative [Middle Mile Infrastructure Will be Key to Support BEAD Builds: ExpertsExperts cited a lack of middle mile as the biggest obstacle to reaching many unserved areas.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/panel-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/middle-mile-infrastructure-will-be-key-to-support-bead-builds-experts/) ### REMARKS **• David Don,** Senior Vice President for Public Policy at Comcast Corporation ### KEYNOTE ADDRESS: BEAD IMPLEMENTATION **• Evan Feinman,** Director of BEAD Program, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce [BEAD Director Says NTIA is Working on Changes to Letter of CreditEvan Feinman, speaking at the BEAD Implementation Summit, said the agency will also issue guidance on project auditing.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/evan-feinman-at-bis.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-director-says-ntia-is-working-on-changes-to-letter-of-credit/) ### PANEL 3: MATCHING FUNDS, PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS The BEAD program requires a 25 percent match from its subgrantees and a letter of credit. These requirements have the potential to be a large hurdle for many providers and states. How is the private sector poised to supplement the federal funds being deployed for the BEAD program? How will providers invest this capital into new broadband infrastructure? **• Steve Coran,** Chair, Lerman Senter’s Broadband, Spectrum and Communications Infrastructure practice group **• Willie Heflin**, Managing Director, Kinetic Ventures **• Blair Levin,** Policy Equity Analyst, New Street Research; Non-resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution **• Brian Vo**, Chief Investment Officer at Connect Humanity **• Rob Pegoraro** (moderator), Journalist for Fast Company, PCMag, Wirecutter and other outlets [BEAD Could Spur Private Investment in Network Expansion: ExpertsBEAD efforts to stimulate private investment may hinge upon the availability of the Affordable Connectivity Program.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/brian-vo-at-bis.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-could-spur-private-investment-in-network-expansion-experts/) ### PANEL 4: TOWN HALL ON BUY AMERICA, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND NETWORK DEPLOYMENT The BEAD program includes a Buy America requirement that directs providers to source 55 percent or more of material from the United States. Although the NTIA’s draft waiver may address some of these concerns, there are other compliance burdens on both private and public internet service providers. Additionally, there will be many “back end” issues as part of BEAD network deployment. This concluding “town hall” session at the Summit will address issues with Buy America, letters of credit, workforce development, supplier diversity, regulatory requirements and rights-of-way. **• Angie Kronenberg**, President of INCOMPAS, the internet and competitive networks association **• Mike Romano,** Executive Vice President of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association **• Scott D. Woods,** President of Public-Private Partnerships for Ready.net • **David E. Bronston** (moderator), Special Counsel, Phillips Lytle LLP [Federal Broadband Subsidies Essential for Long-Term BEAD Success: ExpertsIt’s not just about building networks, but providing affordability through programs like the ACP.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/panel-4-at-bis.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-broadband-subsidies-essential-for-long-term-bead-success-experts/) --- [BEAD Implementation SummitBecome a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444-copy.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit-2023/) ## Speaker Bios As state broadband offices work to prepare their five-year plans for the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, this timely event will discuss the challenges, controversies and solutions surrounding this historic push for universal high-speed connectivity. ### KEYNOTE ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/key-feinman-bis-1.png) ### Evan Feinman Evan Feinman is the director of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the primary program deploying broadband created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. He has previously served in multiple roles within government, on political campaigns, and in the private sector, most recently directing both the Virginia broadband effort and a state economic development agency. Feinman received his bachelor's degree from UVA, his law degree from Washington and Lee, and has completed multiple public policy fellowships. He lives in Richmond, Va., with his wife, Annalisa Feinman, a Richmond public defender, and his son, Bennett. ### PANEL 1: ROUNDTABLE FOR STATE BROADBAND LEADERS ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p1-bailey-bis.png) ### Angie Bailey Angie Bailey, director of the Broadband Infrastructure Office within the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity, focuses on planning and implementation of the infrastructure investment programs that are helping close the digital divide in North Carolina. Bailey previously served as director of N.C. Broadband within the N.C. Department of Commerce and has more than 20 years of experience in broadband planning and development in North Carolina. She has extensive expertise in broadband policy issues, rural and community development, coordination of statewide programs and partnerships with North Carolina’s broadband providers. Bailey was named N.C. Tech Association’s 2022 Tech Woman of the Year as part of the N.C. Tech Awards. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p1-bullard-bis.png) ### Valarry Bullard As the State of New Jersey’s first Broadband Director, Valarry drives the state’s broadband strategy of equal access for all New Jerseyans and direct substantial federal and state funding that will soon become available by working with industry, communities, and agencies to ensure the greatest impact for digital literacy and inclusion. She also focuses on building out an enhanced staff and processes to manage funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p1-butcher-bis.png) ### Andrew Butcher Andrew Butcher is the inaugural president of The Maine Connectivity Authority a new quasi-governmental agency serving as the primary entity charged with achieving universal access of affordable high-speed broadband in the state of Maine. By balancing investments in projects, places and people MCA is advancing digital equity for all. Butcher has over 15 years in community and economic development, social entrepreneurship and connected infrastructure. Prior to his role at MCA he founded an internationally recognized non-profit, served as director of the Maine Broadband Coalition and helped advance numerous innovation and resilience initiatives in Maine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p1-howie-bis.png) ### Glen Howie Glen Howie is the Director of the Arkansas State Broadband Office, where he serves as the chief broadband advisor to Gov. Asa Hutchinson. He will oversee the state’s BEAD and Digital Equity planning and implementation, an effort expected to exceed $1 billion. Starting in his role August 1, he came to Arkansas from the nationally recognized Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p1-schmit-bis.png) ### Matt Schmit Matt Schmit currently serves as Director of the Illinois Office of Broadband, where integration of 21st century infrastructure and service delivery is a primary focus of his work and research. He previously held office as a senator in his home state of Minnesota, and has served on many legislative boards on broadband deployment, transportation policy & investment, and community & economic development. In addition, Mr. Schmit has served on the Cook County Council on Digital Equity (CODE), the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) board, the Blandin Broadband Strategies board, the St John’s University Board of Regents, and the Legislative Water Commission; represented Minnesota on the National Conference of State Legislators Nuclear Energy Work Group and Commerce Committee; and was an active member of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators and State Ag and Rural Leaders. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p1-clark-bis.png) ### Drew Clark Breakfast Media LLC CEO Drew Clark has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing campaign for broadband data. As Editor and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media company advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. ### PANEL 2: RECURSORS TO BEAD: ARPA, CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND AND MIDDLE MILE DEPLOYMENT ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p2-daly-bis.png) ### Joel Daly Joel Daly is a seasoned entrepreneur and technology executive with a 25-year track record. He currently holds the position of SVP Government Affairs and Product Strategy at Zayo, where he successfully secured NTIA Middle Mile Awards totaling $93M. Over the past 4 years at Zayo, Joel has served in key leadership roles, including President of zColo, overseeing a $1.4B datacenter divestiture, and SVP of Zayo Central Fiber Region. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p2-eberle-bis.png) ### Chase Eberle Chas Eberle is the Director of Outreach and Senior Policy Advisor for the Capital Projects Fund, a $10 billion program at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Prior to joining CPF, Chas served for 10 years at the Federal Communications Commission in a variety of roles as an attorney in the Wireline Competition Bureau and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Front Office, where his work focused on universal service programs, wireless infrastructure and spectrum policy, and the Broadcast Incentive Auction. Prior to joining the FCC, he was in private practice in Washington. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p2-holmes-bis.png) ### Dr. Tamarah Holmes Dr. Tamarah Holmes is director of the Office of Broadband at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. She has served the Commonwealth of Virginia for nearly nine years as a program manager for the Virginia Appalachian Regional Commission. She previously served as a coordinator for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for Newark, NJ, an administrative project analyst for Richmond, and a community development block grant coordinator Chesterfield County. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p2-leverrier-bis.png) ### Laurel Leverrier Laurel Leverrier is the Assistant Administrator of the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Telecommunications Programs, where she oversees RUS’ $5 billion portfolio of telecommunications loans and grants. During her eighteen-year career at USDA, Laurel has served in a variety of positions and has participated on a number of federal working groups, including the American Broadband Initiative (ABI). Laurel is a graduate of American University’s Key Executive Leadership Program and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Economics from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p2-dewit-bis.png) ### Kathryn de Wit Kathryn de Wit directs Pew’s broadband access initiative, which works to accelerate efforts to connect millions of Americans to affordable, reliable high-speed internet. Her team works with broadband offices and state officials across the country, as well as researchers, advocates, and Congress to help states and the field prepare for this momentous federal investment. De Wit holds degrees from Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh, is a recipient of the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society’s Emerging Leader Award, and was named to The Washingtonian’s 500 Most Influential People in 2023. ### REMARKS ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/david-don-circle-1.jpg) ### David Don David Don serves as Senior Vice President for Public Policy at Comcast Corporation. He is responsible for developing and implementing the company’s strategies before federal and state governments. David has worked extensively on public policy, infrastructure, and spectrum allocation for over 25 years, and he often represents Comcast in public fora examining the most relevant issues of the day. ### PANEL 3: MATCHING FUNDS, PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p3-coran-bis.png) ### Steve Coran Steve Coran is chair of Lerman Senter’s Broadband, Spectrum and Communications Infrastructure practice group. He represents broadband providers, private equity firms, equipment and technology companies, and new technology firms, serving their policy, transactional, compliance, and licensing needs. He also actively represents a trade association before the FCC, Congress, and other federal agencies in matters involving spectrum policy, Internet regulation, the Universal Service Fund, and other proceedings affecting wireless broadband service providers and other wireless technology interests. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p3-heflin-bis.png) ### Willie Heflin William Heflin is Managing Director at Kinetic Ventures, an investment firm with over 35 years of history investing in the technology and services industries. Kinetic’s most recent investment fund will focus on investing in rural broadband and digital infrastructure businesses. Willie has led investments in the communication and software areas. Prior to his work with Kinetic he worked for IBM. He received his BS and MS in engineering from the University of Illinois and his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p3-levin-bis.png) ### Blair Levin Blair Levin has worked for the past 30 years at the intersection of broadband policy and capital markets. From 1993-1997 Levin served as Chief of Staff to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt and subsequently oversaw the development of the 2010 United States National Broadband Plan. He has also worked as a policy equity analyst, which he now does for New Street Research, while also serving as a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Metropolitan Policy Project of the Brookings Institution ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p3-vo-bis.png) ### Brian Vo Brian Vo is the Chief Investment Officer at Connect Humanity, an impact fund investing in broadband infrastructure targeting low-income, rural, and BIPOC communities. Connect Humanity provides structured loans to ISPs, municipalities, co-ops, and others building and operating affordable broadband. Prior to impact investing, Brian was with McKinsey & Company's Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice, Macquarie's Private Equity team, and Jefferies Investment Bank. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p3-pegoraro-bis.png) ### Rob Pegoraro Rob Pegoraro covers the problems and possibilities of consumer technology--computers, gadgets, telecom, social media, apps, and other things that beep or blink--for Fast Company, PCMag, Wirecutter and other outlets. He also speaks frequently about them on radio, podcasts, TV and at conferences. Pegoraro has met most of the founders of the Internet and once received a single-word e-mail reply from Steve Jobs. ### PANEL 4: TOWN HALL ON BUY AMERICA, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND NETWORK DEPLOYMENT ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p4-kronenberg-bis.png) ### Angie Kronenberg Angie Kronenberg is President of INCOMPAS, the internet and competitive networks association. Angie is responsible for managing the INCOMPAS policy team and its work before federal, state, and local governments, and she leads the association’s efforts on membership and business development. Angie has successfully influenced and shaped some of the most complex, high-profile matters in the communications space, and she is an expert on technology and telecommunications policy, including broadband deployment, access, and availability, universal service, net neutrality, merger reviews, competition policy, and administrative law. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p4-romano-bis.png) ### Mike Romano Mike Romano is the Executive Vice President of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, overseeing NTCA’s public policy and business development initiatives, the educational and community-focused mission of the Foundation for Rural Service, and several areas of association operations including member engagement, information technology, and human resources. Before joining NTCA, Mike was of counsel with Morgan Lewis, served as the founding vice president and general counsel of GTT Communications, and held a variety of positions with America Online and Level 3 Communications. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p4-woods-bis.png) ### Scott D. Woods Scott D. Woods is the President of Public-Private Partnerships (P3) for Ready.net, Inc. Scott facilitates and develops key public-private partnerships with state broadband offices, service providers, anchor institutions, and local communities. He also focuses on providing a platform for local communities to express their needs for broadband access and digital equity investments. He also develops industry partnerships and fosters alliances with key stakeholders across the country to advance and support community-based broadband education and advocacy initiatives. Scott currently hosts the Ready or Not? Podcast, where he shares his deep knowledge of the broadband industry while giving local ISPs and communities a voice and a platform. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p4-bronston-bis.png) ### David E. Bronston David Bronston, former general counsel for the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, is an authority on fiber and wireless network deployment in public and private rights of way. Bronston has obtained and negotiated licensees, franchise leases and authorizations necessary for digital infrastructure deployments of towers, small cells, Distributed Antenna Systems, data centers, metro enterprise and middle mile networks. A builder of both telecommunications and professional networks, Bronston and Phillips Lytle can assist with public private partnership and joint venture agreements, financing transactions and network build agreements. In other words, the regulatory, operational and transactional elements of successful network deployments. ### *See BEAD Implementation 2023* [BEAD Implementation Summit 2023Become a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-179.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444-copy-6.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit-2023/) ### *See Speeding BEAD Summit 2025* [Speeding BEAD SummitHow will the broadband infrastructure program be modified? How will deployment of BEAD be expedited?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-180.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bead_event_graphic_with_info-25.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/speeding-bead-summit/) ### *See BEAD Implementation 2026* [BEAD Implementation SummitA full-day conference on March 18, 2026![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-181.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bis_2026_graphic_v4-1-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit/) ### Digital Infrastructure Investment Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-program/ Last updated: 2024-06-29T17:43:06.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/DII-1.webp) ## Digital Infrastructure Investment 2023 A summit uniting financial services and broadband operators [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ## Full Program, Speaker Bios and Sponsors In person or online attendees may access the videos. Members of the Broadband Breakfast Club also have full access. ### Video page: [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2023Become a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/dii-for-day-of-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2023/) ## Digital Infrastructure Investment Summit Program ### Tuesday, December 5, 2023 | WASHINGTON D.C. ### PANEL 1: INVESTMENT IN AND BEYOND BEAD Broadband infrastructure expansion hinges on the availability of sufficient funding, be it from federal, state, local, or private channels. Beyond the hundreds of millions (and frequently billions) of dollars earmarked for each state under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, internet service providers must also obtain at least 25% of the project’s cost in matching funds. Where will this funding come from? What implications does this requirement hold for smaller and municipal providers? And, for those ISPs not interested in BEAD, what financing opportunities are available now that weren’t there previously? **• Kenrick (Rick) Gordon**, Director, Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband **• Thomas Tyler**, Deputy Director, Connect Louisiana **• Brian Vo**, Chief Investment Officer at Connect Humanity **• Maria Curi** (moderator), Reporter, Axios [State Broadband Officials Gear Up for Map Challenges as Some Still Concerned About ResourcesSome state officials are concerned about county-level understaffing.![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cropped-logo2.png?fit=192%2C192&ssl=1)Broadband BreakfastJericho Casper![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/scene-at-clydes.jpg?resize=1000%2C600&ssl=1)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2023/12/state-broadband-officials-gear-up-for-map-challenges-as-some-still-concerned-about-resources/) ### PANEL 2: SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE FUTURE OF VERTICAL REAL ESTATE Urbanization and smart city deployments are among the trends driving the transformation of shared infrastructure. The post-pandemic surge in remote work and the nationwide push for universal and affordable high-speed internet access, generally through fiber, raises an important question: What’s next for “vertical infrastructure”? How is wireless infrastructure being capitalized? How is wireless infrastructure connected to fiber builds? Are small-cell deployments proceeding vigorously? And what role will “managed services” within multiple dwelling units, commercial and enterprise environments play in driving smart and hybrid networks? **• Jonathan Adelstein,** Managing Director and Head of Global Policy and Public Investment at DigitalBridge Investment Management • **David E. Bronston**, Special Counsel, Phillips Lytle LLP **• Greg McLaughlin**, CEO, AEX Automation Exchange **• Drew Clark** (moderator), Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast [Shared Broadband Infrastructure to Get Increasingly Common: ExpertsThe model is well-suited to address the problem of indoor connectivity, experts said.![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cropped-logo2.png?fit=192%2C192&ssl=1)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CleanShot-2023-12-07-at-10.58.55@2x.png?resize=1000%2C600&ssl=1)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2023/12/shared-broadband-infrastructure-to-get-increasingly-common-experts/) ### KEYNOTE ADDESS: THE PAST AND FUTURE OF OPEN ACCESS - **Mikael Philipsson**, CEO, COS Systems [Sweden’s Open Access Fiber Deployment Offers Lessons for U.S. StrategyThe country boasts internet penetration with 98% served with Gigabit symmetrical speeds.![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cropped-logo2.png?fit=192%2C192&ssl=1)Broadband BreakfastJericho Casper![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Mikael-Philipsson-ACTUAL.png?resize=1000%2C600&ssl=1)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2023/12/swedens-open-access-fiber-deployment-offers-lessons-for-u-s-strategy/) ### PANEL 3: DEVELOPMENTS IN OPEN ACCESS: IS CHANGE IN THE OFFING? The United States is still early in its experimentation with open access networks. But countries including Sweden have seen widespread success in implementing this model. Open access networks aim to deliver affordable and high-speed internet even to remote, low-return areas. But various policy and operational challenges are often needed before this model can see the fullest adoption. With an array of new market developments in the United States from both incumbents, scrappy equity-based investors and municipalities, does the future for open access on these shores look brighter? • **Scott Bradshaw,** President, SiFi Networks • **Robert Bridgham**, Executive Director, Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority • **Jeff Reiman**, President, The Broadband Group • **Christopher Mitchell** (moderator), Director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative, Institute for Local Self-Reliance [Panelists Debate Whether Lease-Utility Model Offers Open Access BenefitsAt the Digital Infrastructure Investment Summit, five experts debate the essence of ‘open access networks’.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJericho Casper![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2023/12/panel-3-dii.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/panelists-debate-whether-lease-utility-model-offers-open-access-benefits/) ### PANEL 4: INTERNET EXCHANGE POINTS AND THE NEXT STEP FOR DATA CENTERS Substantial investments are directed by the BEAD program toward last-mile fiber infrastructure. Middle mile, backhaul access and data centers almost seem left out of the current conversation. Despite this lower profile, ISPs seeking to deploy better broadband understand all too well the significance of internet exchange points that facilitate the exchange of data between various networks. They are vital to reducing latency and lowering costs. Notably, 14 U.S. states and 3 territories currently lack IXPs. What obstacles do IXPs face? How will more IXPs facilitate the data center and cloud computing revolutions? What’s next for IXPs and data centers? **• Scott K. Brown**, President, The Pixel Factory **• Tom Cox,** Vice President of State Government Affairs, Connected Nation **• Ron da Silva,** Network Technologies Global, Saras Partner **• Ben Hedges,** Vice President Network Strategy, Cyxtera **• Peter Cohen** (moderator), Principal Program Manager, Microsoft [Last Mile BEAD Builds Need More Exchange Points to be Effective: ExpertsThe high cost of data transport and high latency could hinder fiber builds in rural areas.![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cropped-logo2.png?fit=192%2C192&ssl=1)Broadband BreakfastJake Neenan![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/panel-4-dii.jpg?resize=1000%2C600&ssl=1)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2023/12/last-mile-bead-builds-need-more-exchange-points-to-be-effective-experts/) ## Sponsor [![](https://i0.wp.com/broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/COS_Systems_logo_200.png?fit=200%2C200&ssl=1)](https://www.cossystems.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [COS Systems](https://www.cossystems.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) delivers cloud-hosted software to plan, build, and manage broadband networks globally. COS Business Engine is a proven network management solution (BSS/OSS) supporting traditional ISPs as well as Open Access networks. The end-to-end platform provides self-service management, digital sales, and marketing through an online marketplace. It is simple and intuitive for customers and employees to use and offers a great user experience, increasing take rates and revenues. [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2023Become a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/dii-for-day-of-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2023/) ## Speaker Bios ### PANEL 1: INVESTMENT IN AND BEYOND BEAD ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/rick-gordon-circle.jpg) ### Kenrick (Rick) Gordon **Kenrick (Rick) Gordon**, P.E. has over 30 years of engineering design and construction administration experience. As the Director of Maryland’s Office of Statewide Broadband at the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Rick oversees digital inclusion efforts and the expansion of broadband capabilities statewide to ensure broadband access is available to all unserved households and businesses in Maryland. He works with agencies across county, state and the federal government and with independent provider stakeholders to establish and enact programs to provide statewide access to high-speed internet. Prior to his position at DHCD, he served as the Director of the Governor’s Office of Rural Broadband. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Thomas-Tyler-circle.jpg) ### Thomas Tyler **Thomas Tyler** has experience in technology strategy, cybersecurity affairs, economic development, and public policy disciplines. As the Deputy Director for Louisiana’s Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, he has served an instrumental role in standing up key initiatives and leads numerous functions ranging from policy and government relations to strategic planning and grant program administration. Previously, Thomas served both in the public and private sectors, leading Louisiana Economic Development’s Digital Interactive Media and Software Development Incentive Program. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p3-vo-bis-1.png) ### Brian Vo **Brian Vo** is the Chief Investment Officer at Connect Humanity, an impact fund investing in broadband infrastructure targeting low-income, rural, and BIPOC communities. Connect Humanity provides structured loans to ISPs, municipalities, co-ops, and others building and operating affordable broadband. Prior to impact investing, Brian was with McKinsey & Company's Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice, Macquarie's Private Equity team, and Jefferies Investment Bank. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/maria-curi-circle.jpg) ### Maria Curi **Maria Curi** is a tech policy reporter at Axios and author of the Axios Pro: Tech Policy newsletter. She covers tech from Capitol Hill, including AI, industrial policy and telecom. Previously, she was at Bloomberg Government. ### PANEL 2: SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE FUTURE OF VERTICAL REAL ESTATE ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Jonathan-Adelstein-DigitalBridge-circle.jpg) ### Jonathan Adelstein **Jonathan S. Adelstein** is a Managing Director and Head of Global Policy and Public Investment at DigitalBridge Investment Management. He works with all DigitalBridge portfolio companies on public policy and strategic regulatory matters and reviews policy impacts on potential investments. Prior to joining DigitalBridge, Adelstein was President and CEO of the Wireless Infrastructure Association, representing more than 200 businesses that build, own, and operate wireless infrastructure. Prior to WIA, Adelstein was nominated to positions by both President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush and confirmed unanimously for each by the U.S. Senate. Under Obama, Adelstein headed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service as Administrator, leading the investment of nearly $7 billion under the Recovery Act in rural broadband and water infrastructure and oversaw a $60 billion loan portfolio in rural electric, telecommunications, and water infrastructure. Adelstein was nominated by Bush and served as Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission from 2002 to 2009\. He also served in the U.S. Senate as a senior policy advisor to the Senate Majority Leader. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/p4-bronston-bis-1.png) ### David Bronston **David Bronston**, former general counsel for the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, is an authority on fiber and wireless network deployment in public and private rights of way. Bronston has obtained and negotiated licensees, franchise leases and authorizations necessary for digital infrastructure deployments of towers, small cells, Distributed Antenna Systems, data centers, metro enterprise and middle mile networks. A builder of both telecommunications and professional networks, Bronston and Phillips Lytle can assist with public private partnership and joint venture agreements, financing transactions and network build agreements. In other words, the regulatory, operational and transactional elements of successful network deployments. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/McLaughlin-circle-copy.jpeg) ### Greg McLaughlin **Greg McLaughlin**, the CEO of AEX | Automation Exchange, boasts a robust background in US telecom and an impressive range of expertise encompassing operations, technology, and strategy. Throughout his illustrious career, McLaughlin has held pivotal positions, including serving as the Senior Director of Operations for Charter Communications' Wireless Engineering Group. In this capacity, he played a crucial role in driving advanced wireless deployment initiatives and shaping Charter's positions on spectrum and technology policy. Moreover, his previous tenure as the Director of Corporate Strategy for Bright House Networks, along with being a key member of the SpectrumCo and Cable WiFi wireless consortiums, adds to his extensive operational roles spanning over twenty-three years in the broadband industry. McLaughlin now leads AEX’s entry into the US broadband market. With a decade of success in South Africa, AEX moved its operations to Charlotte, North Carolina—offering the first and only tested and proven integrated OSS/BSS platform built by network operators for network operators. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Drew-Clark-BTSS.png) ### Drew Clark Breakfast Media LLC CEO **Drew Clark** has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing campaign for broadband data. As Editor and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media company advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. ### KEYNOTE ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Mikael-circle.jpg) ### Mikael Philipsson **Mikael Philipsson** is CEO of COS Systems, a BSS/OSS software provider for broadband operators to enable zero touch automation and Open Access. He has extensive experience in fiber infrastructure rollouts as he for 18 years had leading roles as CTO, Sales director and CEO when developing IP-Only, a fiber infrastructure operator in the Nordics. From 2013 under ownership of EQT he led a large FTTH rollout to millions of homes challenging the legacy large telecom operators. The initiative kicked off the fiberrace in Sweden, and now, 10 years later 98% of all homes and businesses have access to fiber (1/1 Gbit/s) and the broadband operator landscape looks very different compared to before the fiberrace started. Mikael moved to the US in august to lead the expansion of COS in US/Canada. ### PANEL 3: DEVELOPMENTS IN OPEN ACCESS: IS CHANGE IN THE OFFING? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/scott-bradshaw-circle.jpg) ### Scott Bradshaw **Scott Bradshaw** is President of SiFi Networks, which funds, builds and owns FiberCity™ networks for use by Internet Service Providers, 4G/5G carriers and other service providers. SiFi Networks is for all wishing to deliver ubiquitous high-speed broadband services to business and residential properties as well as connectivity for city-wide Internet of Things applications. Bradshaw has also helped lead entities to create and deliver P3 investment models, IP licensing and channel partnerships throughout emerging markets in North America, Europe and Middle East. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/robert-circle.jpg) ### Robert Bridgham **Robert Bridgham** has held a number of senior management positions over the past 25-years providing technical, administrative, and executive leadership. As Executive Director of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority(ESVBA), Robert is responsible for all facets of the organization including operations, engineering, construction, finance, procurement, sales and service. Robert was the senior technical designer of the ESVBA and has been directly responsible for the organizations budgeting, personnel, deployment, political impacts and development of all relationships for joint projects. Being experienced in both private and public sectors has enabled Robert has a diverse set of skills to address the needs of both private industry as well as the knowledge to address the public interest. Prior to the ESVBA, Robert served as Senior Vice President of Engineering for Cornerstone Telephone designing, engineering, implementing and operating a multi-state network. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/reiman-circle.jpg) ### Jeff Reiman As President of The Broadband Group, **Jeff Reiman** leads both the The Broadband Group and TBG Network Services in representing cities, electric utilities, and developers of large- scale master planned communities to identify achievable wired and wireless broadband deployment strategies. Over the past 25+ years, TBG’s influence, and planning expertise has been instrumental in the creation of industry-shaping fiber broadband deployments and Technology Master Plans in markets throughout the nation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/christopher-mitchell-circle.jpg) ### Christopher Mitchell **Christopher Mitchell** is the Director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Minneapolis. Mitchell, a leading national expert on community networks, Internet access, and local broadband policies, built MuniNetworks.org, the comprehensive online clearinghouse of information about local government policies to improve Internet access. Its interactive community broadband network map tracks more than 600 such networks. ### PANEL 4: INTERNET EXCHANGE POINTS AND THE NEXT STEP FOR DATA CENTERS ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Brown_Scott_2020-circle.jpg) ### Scott K. Brown In 2014 **Scott K. Brown** was one of the founding members in the creation of the Richmond Virginia Internet Exchange, the first IX outside of Ashburn in the Virginia region. Providing a neutral location for networks and content providers to connect. RVA-IX was acquired in 2019 by the world’s leading internet Exchange Deutsche Commercial Internet Exchange, or DE-CIX, which continues its operation of RVA-IX three locations in Richmond: Pixel Factory, QTS and Edgeconnex data centers. After the sale of RVA-IX, Scott continues the day to day operations of the data center. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/rep_cox_tom_1-copy.jpg) ### Tom Cox **Tom Cox** is the Vice-President of State Government Affairs at Connected Nation and works directly on their IXP initiative. A Kansas native, Tom served 4-years in the Kansas House of Representatives and was known for his work advocating for broadband and telecommunications policy during that time. Before Tom’s time in office he was the Vice President at one of the 25 largest self-storage portfolios in the U.S., managing operations, revenue management, technology and marketing initiatives. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/RondaSilva-Photo-circle.jpg) ### Ron da Silva **Ron da Silva** is an NACD certified Board Director with extensive corporate and internet governance experience. He serves on the Boards of Chartway and CertifiedTrue, is a Communications Commissioner for Loudoun County, Virginia, maintains a consulting practice, Network Technologies Global and is an advisor with Saras Partners. Previously, Ron was Board member of ICANN, Board Member of the Data Center Coalition, Vice President of Operations for Quantum Loophole, Executive Director with Denuo, CIO and Co- Founder of CertifiedTrue, and various leadership and engineering roles with Charter, Time Warner Cable, American Online and Sprint. He holds a Bachelor of Science in applied mathematics and English from Old Dominion University. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/ben-hedges-circle.jpg) ### Ben Hedges **Ben Hedges** has served as a Board Director of the Global Peering Forum since 2015\. He was the organization’s President from 2021-2023 and currently serves as Treasurer. Ben is Vice President, Network Strategy at global colocation operator Cyxtera, including IXP expansion and development across their 24 markets. As part of the leadership team at the London Internet Exchange (LINX) from 2010-2019 Ben was responsible for launching multiple regional IXPs to underserved areas of the UK, and the creation of their first International IXP in the USA. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/petercohen-circle.jpg) ### Peter Cohen **Peter Cohen** is a highly experienced professional with over 25 years of expertise in the tech industry, and is Principal Program Manager for Microsoft. Throughout his career, he has worked on a wide range of projects related to peering, IP transit, datacenters, CDNs, and subsea cables. He has worked with some of the most prominent companies in the world, including Arelion, Amazon, and Netflix. Currently, Peter resides in the Washington D.C. area. ### *Other Broadband Breakfast Events:* [EventsBroadband Breakfast in-person events.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/us-mapping-1-copy.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/past-events/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2023Become a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/dii-for-day-of-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2023/) --- ### Digital Infrastructure Investment 2020, 2021, 2022: [Digital Infrastructure Investment–WashingtonBetter Broadband, Better Lives![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/dii-summary.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-washington/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2022Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastDrew Clark![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/dii-ad-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2022/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2021Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastDrew Clark![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/sifi-networks.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2021/) [Digital Infrastructure Investment 2020Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastDrew Clark![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/dii-ad-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-infrastructure-investment-2020/) ### Broadband Measurement Summit URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-measurement-summit/ Last updated: 2024-03-14T14:46:11.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BMS-Base-Graphic-1.jpg) ## Broadband Measurement Summit Watch keynote and intro videos, Join Breakfast Club to see all panels [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ## Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Washington, DC ### *Keynote address by Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman's Office:* [FCC’s New Era in Broadband Mapping and TransparencyCurrent broadband mapping and data initiatives at the FCC appear poised to usher in a new era of transparency in the realm of digital connectivity.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastJericho Casper![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/03/scurato-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-new-era-in-broadband-mapping-and-transparency/) ## See the Broadband Measurement Summit Program Full bios of speakers, too [View the program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-measurement-summit-program) ## *See the Videos of Panels 1, 2, 3 and 4, plus the Special Address:* _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ### Made in America Summit URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/made-in-america-summit/ Last updated: 2025-04-29T23:06:11.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/made-in-america-banner-graphic--5--1.webp) ## Made in America Summit Broadband infrastructure, green energy and semiconductor manufacturing [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ## Made In America Summit Videos In person or online attendees may access the videos. Members of the Broadband Breakfast Club also have full access. ## See the Made in America Summit Program Full bios of speakers, too [View the program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/made-in-america-summit-program/) Here is the welcome video. Sign up for the [Broadband Breakfast Club](#/portal/) to watch all the videos! - ***WELCOME*** - ***PANEL 1: REACTING TO BROADBAND FUNDING ALLOCATIONS*** - ***PANEL 2: SCALING UP THE SMART GRID*** - ***PANEL 3: DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND THE CHIPS RACE*** - ***PANEL 4: THE FUTURE OF BUY AMERICA REQUIREMENTS*** - ***PANEL 5: CREATING AN AMERICAN GREEN ENERGY INDUSTRY*** ### Want to see other Broadband Breakfast events? [EventsBroadband Breakfast in-person events.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/2024/01/us-mapping-1-copy.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/past-events/) _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Made in America Summit Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/made-in-america-summit-program/ Last updated: 2024-07-10T11:54:24.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/made-in-america-banner-graphic--5--1.webp) ## Made in America Summit Broadband infrastructure, green energy and semiconductor manufacturing [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ## Full Program, Speakers Bios and Sponsors In person or online attendees may access the videos. Members of the Broadband Breakfast Club also have full access. ### Video page: [Made in America SummitBecome a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/made-in-america-banner-graphic--5-.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/made-in-america-summit/) ## Made in America Summit Program ### June 27, 2023 | Washington, D.C. It’s the most dramatic effort to restructure the American industrial base in decades, if not generations. The combination of the green energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (August 2022), semiconductor promotion in the CHIPS and Science Act (July 2022), and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (November 2021), will together invest more than $2 trillion of federal funds into American manufacturing, infrastructure (including broadband) and advanced energy. Call it the Biden Administration’s Made in America initiative. The idea behind it, in the words of the Economist, ”is that with government action, America can reindustrialize itself, bolster national security, revive left-behind places, cheer up blue-collar workers and dramatically reduce its carbon emissions all at the same time.” The summit’s sessions will explore the intersection of these vital big-picture topics: ● (R)e-building Energy and Internet Infrastructure ● Semiconductor Manufacturing and U.S.-Chinese Tech Race ● Challenges to Reorienting America’s Supply Chain ● Making Cleaner Energy and Enhancing Green Industry The Made in America Summit will be held at the Samsung Executive Briefing Center (700 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Suite 600). Breakfast and lunch are included with event registration. ### WELCOME **• Drew Clark,** Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast **• The Hon. Mark Lippert,** Executive Vice President, Head of North American Public Affairs and Chief Risk Officer for Samsung Electronics North America ### PANEL 1: REACTING TO BROADBAND FUNDING ALLOCATIONS The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program will take a huge step toward implementation when the agency announces the state-by-state funding allocations on Monday, June 26, 2023\. In this panel at the Made in America Summit, we’ll hear reactions to the allocation announcements from state broadband officials. **• Dr. Tamarah Holmes,** Director of the Office of Broadband, Commonwealth of Virginia **• Jade Piros de Carvalho,** Director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development **• Kelly Schlegel,** Director, New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion **• Drew Clark** (moderator), Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast [Virginia Set to Submit Initial Proposal for Broadband Equity, Access and DeploymentVirginia is waiting for data on the number of unserved and underserved locations in the state.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastTeralyn Whipple![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/tamarah-holmes-at-mias.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/virginia-set-to-submit-initial-proposal-for-broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program/) [Permitting, Purchase Restrictions Still Outstanding as BEAD Makes Way to StatesPermitting delays could make the five-year deployment timeline difficult to meet, panelists said.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastAhmad Hathout![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/made-in-america-summit.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/permitting-purchase-restrictions-still-outstanding-as-bead-makes-way-to-states/) ### PANEL 2: SCALING UP THE SMART GRID The Inflation Reduction Act invests billions of dollars in clean energy projects that work to limit carbon emissions and other pollutants, including solar, wind, nuclear, clean hydrogen and more. But will its investments in clean energy founder on the lack of infrastructure deployment, or by delays in federal, state and local permitting? This session will also consider the intersection of “smart grid” infrastructure, long-haul and local, and the synchronicities between the broadband and energy economies. **• Lori Bird**, U.S. Energy Program Director and Polsky Chair for Renewable Energy, World Resources Institute **• Xan Fishman**, Director of Energy Policy and Carbon Management, Bipartisan Policy Center **• Quindi Franco**, Assistant Director, Government Accountability Office **• Robert Glicksman** (moderator), Professor of Environmental Law, George Washington University Law School [Experts Call for Permitting Reform Legislation for BEAD Funding, Energy EffectivenessKey solutions addressing permitting for clean energy projects include interagency coordination and hiring more people.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastTeralyn Whipple![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/panel.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/experts-call-for-permitting-reform-legislation-for-bead-funding-energy-effectiveness/) ### PANEL 3: DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND THE CHIPS RACE The CHIPS and Science Act provides $280 billion in funding to spur semiconductor research and manufacturing in the United States. Semiconductors are key components of consumer electronics, military systems and countless other applications, making a domestic supply chain critically important — particularly amid an increasingly hostile technological race with China. How successful will efforts be to bring semiconductor manufacturing to America? **• Gene Irisari**, Head of Semiconductor Policy, Samsung **• Shawn Muma**, Director of Supply Chain Innovation & Emerging Technologies, Digital Supply Chain Institute **• Maryam Rofougaran**, CEO and Co-Founder, Movandi Corporation **• Rishi Iyengar** (moderator), Global Technology Reporter, Foreign Policy [Domestic Manufacturing and the CHIPS Race: Excerpts from Made in America SummitSee highlights from Made in America Summit featuring Samsung, Movandi, Digital Supply Chain Institute and Foreign Policy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastDrew Clark![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/panel-3-with-rishi-and-two-panelists.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/domestic-manufacturing-and-the-chips-race-excerpts-from-made-in-america-summit/) [U.S. Needs Robust Semiconductor Workforce Training to Make Progress on More Chip IndependenceThe country needs to work with schools to encourage semiconductor manufacturing training.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastEnoch Eicher![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/panel-3-edited.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-needs-robust-semiconductor-workforce-training-to-make-progress-on-more-chip-independence/) ### PANEL 4: THE FUTURE OF BUY AMERICA REQUIREMENTS The Build America Buy America Act, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, established a domestic content procurement preference for all federally subsidized infrastructure projects. Although waivers of Buy America requirements have been proposed for certain projects — such as Middle Mile Grant Program recipients — it appears unlikely that these will be extended to initiatives such as the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, despite requests and warnings from industry leaders. Although fiber-optic cable production is on the rise, significant issues remain in America’s semiconductor and electronic equipment supply. How will these issues be addressed in broadband and other infrastructure projects? **•** **Patrick Lozada**, Director of Global Policy, Telecommunications Industry Association **•** **Marrisa Mitrovich**, Vice President of Public Policy, Fiber Broadband Association **•** **Louis Peraertz**, Vice President of Policy, WISPA – Broadband Without Boundaries **• Teralyn Whipple** (moderator), Reporter, Broadband Breakfast [Industry Associations Urge NTIA Action on Buy America Guidelines for BEAD ProjectsA crucial step would be for the NTIA to provide Buy America waivers for BEAD-funded projects, panelists said.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastQuinn Nghiem![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/panel-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/industry-associations-urge-ntia-action-on-buy-america-guidelines-for-bead-projects/) ### PANEL 5: CREATING AN AMERICAN GREEN ENERGY INDUSTRY The Inflation Reduction Act establishes requirements for the use of American-made equipment in clean energy production. How will those requirements impact green energy development? How will the resulting projects interact with other ongoing infrastructure initiatives? What will it take for America to establish itself as a clean energy superpower? **•** **Fatima Maria Ahmad**, Vice President for Clean Energy, Boundary Stone **•** **Harrison Godfrey,** Managing Director of Federal Affairs, Advanced Energy United **•** **Chris Perrault**, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Operations, Powerhouse **•** **Dr. Ed Rightor**, Information Technology and Clean Energy Consultant **•** **Julian Spector** (moderator), Senior Reporter, Canary Media [IRA Spurs Private Investment and Innovation in Clean EnergyThe IRA provides long-term investments and tax credits that boost business confidence in pushing forward with private investments.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastTeralyn Whipple![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/panel-5.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ira-spurs-private-investment-and-innovation-in-clean-energy/) ## Sponsor ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/07/download--1-.png) Samsung Electronics constantly reinvents the future, expanding its highly differentiated mobile devices as well as working hard to develop next-generation innovation. Samsung follows a simple business philosophy: to devote its talent and technology to creating superior products and services that contribute to a better global society. In 2021, Samsung announced a $17 billion investment in a new semiconductor manufacturing facility, helping to improve supply chain resilience and boost production of crucial logic chips. [Made in America SummitBecome a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/made-in-america-banner-graphic--5-.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/made-in-america-summit/) ## Speaker Bios ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/mark-lippert-circle-1.jpg) ### Mark Lippert The Honorable Mark William Lippert is Executive Vice President, Head of North American Public Affairs and Chief Risk Officer for Samsung Electronics North America. He joined Samsung after executive positions at Google (YouTube) and The Boeing Company. He is a senior adviser to the CSIS Korea Chair where he hosts the biweekly webcast entitled the Capital Cable on the geopolitics and economics of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. He served as the United States ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea, based in Seoul. He previously held positions in the Department of Defense, including as chief of staff to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and as assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, the top official in the Pentagon for all Asia issues. Lippert also worked in the White House as chief of staff to the National Security Council in 2009. Lippert served in the uniformed military. An intelligence officer in the United States Navy, he mobilized to active duty from 2009 to 2011 for service with Naval Special Warfare (SEALs) Development Group that included deployments to Afghanistan and other regions. From 2007 to 2008, he deployed as an intelligence officer with Seal Team One to Anbar Province, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Earlier in his career, Lippert served as a staff member in the United States Senate, where he worked on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for then-Senator Obama; the Senate Appropriations Committee State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee for Senator Leahy, and for other members of the Senate. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq. ### PANEL 1: REACTING TO BROADBAND FUNDING ALLOCATIONS ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Tamarah-Holmes-MIAS.png) ### Dr. Tamarah Holmes Dr. Tamarah Holmes is director of the Office of Broadband at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. She has served the Commonwealth of Virginia for nearly nine years as a program manager for the Virginia Appalachian Regional Commission. She previously served as a coordinator for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for Newark, NJ, an administrative project analyst for Richmond, and a community development block grant coordinator Chesterfield County. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Jade-Piros-de-Carvalho-MIAS.png) ### Jade Piros de Carvalho Jade Piros de Carvalho is director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development since June 2022\. In less than a year, her successes include the award to the Kansas Department of Commerce of a $43 million grant by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to support an $87 million Middle Mile broadband project. Until earlier this year, she was the mayor of Hutchinson, the 11th largest city in the state, with a population of more than 40,000\. She was previously the director of industry and community relations for the independent rural internet service provider Ideatek. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Kelly-Schlegel-MIAS.png) ### Kelly Schlegel Kelly Schlegel, director of the New Mexico Office of Broadband Expansion, oversees the office and executes the state’s multi-billion-dollar strategic and operational plan to significantly expand New Mexico’s broadband capabilities. Schlegel has worked in the software engineering, aerospace and technology fields for more than 40 years, including over three decades with The Boeing Company. She is a graduate of the University of New Mexico and University of Redlands in Redlands, California. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Drew-Clark-BTSS-1.png) ### Drew Clark Breakfast Media LLC CEO Drew Clark has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing campaign for broadband data. As Editor and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media company advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. ### PANEL 2: SCALING UP THE SMART GRID ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Lori-Bird-MIAS.png) ### Lori Bird Lori Bird is director of the World Resources Institute’s U.S. Energy Program and the Polsky Chair for Renewable Energy. In this role, she leads a team of more than 20 specialists who work with utilities, cities and other large energy users to decarbonize the electric sector and accelerate transportation electrification. The team works to advance equitable access to clean energy, accelerate renewable energy and electric vehicle deployment, identify policy pathways to deep decarbonization, ensure wholesale power markets enable the transition to clean energy, and facilitate innovative customer and utility clean energy solutions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Xan-Fishman-MIAS.png) ### Xan Fishman Xan Fishman is the Director of Energy Policy and Carbon Management at the Bipartisan Policy Center, working on energy and infrastructure policy and carbon management. Prior to joining BPC, Fishman worked for Congressman John Delaney for nine years, most recently as his Presidential Campaign Manager and as his Chief of Staff in Congress. He helped Congressman Delaney draft and champion priority legislation to invest in infrastructure, address climate change, and spur social impact investing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Quindi-Franco-MIAS.png) ### Quindi Franco Quindi Franco is an assistant director for the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s Natural Resources and Environment team, which works on a broad spectrum of energy issues including energy security, government-wide energy programs and activities, management of oil and gas on federal lands and waters, nuclear power and waste regulation, electricity markets regulation and renewable energy sources. Franco has worked with the GAO since 2006. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Robert-Glicksman-MIAS.png) ### Robert Glicksman Robert Glicksman is a nationally and internationally recognized expert on environmental, natural resources, and administrative law issues. Before joining the George Washington University Law School faculty in 2009, he taught at the University of Kansas School of Law, where he joined the faculty in 1982\. Professor Glicksman has practiced with law firms in D.C. and New Jersey before joining and while on leave from academia, focusing on environmental, energy and administrative law issues. ### PANEL 3: DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND THE CHIPS RACE ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Gene-Irisari-MIAS.png) ### Gene Irisari Gene Irisari is head of semiconductor policy for Samsung Electronics America, a U.S. subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. headquartered in South Korea. Based in Washington, Gene is responsible for all policy work affecting Samsung’s computer chip business, one of the largest companies in the world leading this industry. Gene also served as the corporate chair for the Task Force on American Innovation, a coalition of industry, trade associations, university groups and professional science societies all advocating for stable and robust funding for key federal research agencies. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Shawn-Muma-MIAS.png) ### Shawn Muma Shawn Muma is the director of supply chain innovation and emerging technologies for the Center for Global Enterprise’s Digital Supply Chain Institute. His experience includes structuring and managing technology alliances for IBM in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Middle East and South America in a wide variety of industries including aerospace and defense, investment banking, retail banking, chemical and public sector. He has designed and implemented governance models and management systems in a variety of multi-partner environments and has vast experience in dealing with the complex issues encountered in multicultural environments. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Maryam-Rofougaran-MIAS.png) ### Maryam Rofougaran Maryam Rofougaran is founder and CEO of Movandi, a leader in new 5G RF and millimeter wave technology that is commercializing multi-gigabit, 5G millimeter wave networks. Movandi’s BeamXR active repeater and system solutions solves today’s real world 5G deployment challenges by increasing 5G coverage and capacity, while reducing infrastructure costs by 50 percent, accelerating large-scale 5G commercialization. Prior to co-founding Movandi, Maryam was instrumental in starting and building the wireless business at Broadcom and in growing it to annual revenues of more than $3 billion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Rishi-Iyengar-MIAS.png) ### Rishi Iyengar Rishi Iyengar is the global technology reporter at Foreign Policy, covering the intersection of geopolitics and technology. Prior to joining FP, he spent six years at CNN Business as India editor in New Delhi and a technology writer in San Francisco, after two years reporting for Time magazine from Hong Kong. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Fergusson College in Pune, India, a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and is an alumnus of the Young India Fellowship. ### PANEL 3: DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND THE CHIPS RACE ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Patrick-Lozada-MIAS.png) ### Patrick Lozada Patrick Lozada is the Director of Global Policy at the Telecommunications Industry Association, a U.S.-based industry association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of telecommunications equipment and services. In this role, Patrick leads TIA’s work on issues related to trade, supply chains, and standardization policy. Prior to this role, he was a Director in the China Practice of the Albright Stonebridge Group and the Manager of Business Advisory Services in the Shanghai office of the U.S. China Business Council. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Marissa-Mitrovich-MIAS.png) ### Marissa Mitrovich Marissa Mitrovich is the Fiber Broadband Association’s Vice President of Public Policy, leading its efforts before Congress, the White House and regulatory agencies in Washington. She brings more than two decades of experience in governmental affairs and telecom, including previous roles as the vice president of federal legislative affairs for Frontier and vice president of public policy for Verizon, where she interfaced with the administration and worked on state government affairs issues and corporate responsibility initiatives. Mitrovich also brings experience in workforce development and public-private partnerships from her time as vice president of program development for the Wireless Infrastructure Association. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Louis-Peraertz-WISPA-circle-1-1.jpg) ### Louis Peraertz Since 2019, Louis Peraertz has served as Vice President of Policy for WISPA – Broadband Without Boundaries. Prior to this, he served for 19 years in many roles at the Federal Communications Commission. Notably, Peraertz served for more than seven years as former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn’s advisor and recommended how several FCC policies could be changed to spur deployment of advanced wireless and other services in unserved and underserved areas. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Teralyn-Whipple-MIAS.png) ### Teralyn Whipple Teralyn Whipple, who joined Broadband Breakfast in 2022, studied marketing at Brigham Young University. She has reported extensively on broadband infrastructure, investments and deployment – particularly controversies over broadband mapping, the Commerce Department Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment grant program, the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. She has also headed marketing campaigns for several small companies. ### PANEL 5: CREATING AN AMERICAN GREEN ENERGY INDUSTRY ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/fatima-ahmad-circle-1.jpg) ### Fatima Maria Ahmad Fatima Maria Ahmad is a Vice President for Clean Energy in Boundary Stone’s Washington office. Prior to joining BSP, she served as Senior Counsel with the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in the 116th and 117th Congresses. Previously, she was a Senior Solutions Fellow at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, and also served as a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Fish & Wildlife & Parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), where she helped DOI license 10,000 MW of wind, solar, and geothermal energy during the first term of the Obama Administration. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Harrison-Godfrey-MIAS.png) ### Harrison Godfrey Harry Godfrey leads Advanced Energy United’s Federal Investment & Manufacturing Working Group. With experience in industry, federal government, and academia, Harry also oversees our Virginia engagement and played a pivotal role in the passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act. Before arriving at Advanced Energy United, Harry worked at Invenergy and Opower, where he developed expertise in renewable generation and energy efficiency. He previously held positions in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and the Office of Majority Whip James E. Clyburn. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Chris-Perrault-MIAS.png) ### Chris Perrault Chris Perrault is the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations at Powerhouse, the climate tech innovation firm, leading Powerhouse's sales and client teams. Previously, Chris was the COO of CleanChoice Energy, the pioneering 100% renewable retailer, where he oversaw their operations, policy, and data teams. Chris has also worked for some of the largest companies in our industry, including developing Direct Energy’s corporate climate strategy, integrating new businesses at Constellation, and managing operations at AES NewEnergy. He started in energy as Director of Utilities for PepsiCo Restaurants. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Ed-Rightor-MIAS.png) ### Dr. Ed Rightor Dr. Ed Rightor recently retired from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation where he directed the Center for Clean Energy Innovation. Previously he spearheaded decarbonization initiatives while directing the Industrial Program at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Earlier he held a number of leadership roles at Dow Chemical in Environmental, Business Development and R&D during a 31 year career. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Julian-Spector-MIAS.png) ### Julian Spector Julian Spector is senior reporter at Canary Media, where he reports on the rise of clean energy. He worked at Greentech Media for nearly five years. Before that he reported for CityLab at The Atlantic and conducted grant-funded freelance journalism on climate impacts in Bangladesh. His stories have also appeared in The Guardian, HuffPost, Al Jazeera America and more. He graduated from Duke University and now basks in the sunshine of Los Angeles. [Made in America SummitBecome a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/made-in-america-banner-graphic--5-.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/made-in-america-summit/) ### State Broadband Pages URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/us/ Last updated: 2025-07-26T20:08:19.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444--4--3.webp) ## State Broadband Efforts Broadband in the U.S.A.: Every state and territory [Join Broadband Breakfast community](#/portal) ## Join the Broadband Community for FREE! \* Join Broadband Breakfast **Live Online* \* **Comment and interact* with others in Broadband \* Get the **free* Daily Newsletter \* Access 5 News Articles/month **during off-hours* \* Read unlimited Expert Opinions **anytime* Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. (You'll learn how to become a Breakfast Club Member.) [Chart of States Accepting BEAD Grant ApplicationsBraodband Breakfast is tracking each state’s BEAD grant application window.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo-417.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bbb-stacked-charts-12.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chart-of-states-accepting-bead-grant-applications/) ### State-by-state broadband pages [AlabamaAlabama is also electing to use one of the NTIA’s optional modifications to the model process.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1557771532-00d6ccf3ca56?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGFsYWJhbWF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzQ4OTc3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alabama/) [AlaskaThe Alaska Broadband Office is not expecting to have any of its $1 billion BEAD allocation left over after funding new infrastructure.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1548181449-abc0791d2354?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE4fHxhbGFza2F8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzUxMjczfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alaska/) [American SamoaThe Biden Administration Awarded nearly $1.4 million to American Samoa in ‘Internet for All’ planning grants in May 2023.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/american-somoa-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/american-samoa/) [ArizonaArizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva introduced legislation in November 2023 that would bring broadband connectivity to public parks and lakes.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1575408264798-b50b252663e6?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGFyaXpvbmF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzUyOTIzfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/arizona/) [ArkansasArkansas expects its $1 billion BEAD allocation will be enough to serve the 190,000 homes and businesses in the state without adequate internet.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1570301921333-abd7c7f37458?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGFya2Fuc2FzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTM1MzYzNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/arkansas/) [CaliforniaCalifornia proposed to regard areas served by digital subscriber line and fixed wireless as ineligible for BEAD.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1501594907352-04cda38ebc29?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGNhbGlmb3JuaWF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzU0MDcwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california/) [ColoradoIn response to BEAD, in 2023 Colorado passed legislation, S.B. 183, removing state restrictions on community broadband networks.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1503424886307-b090341d25d1?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGNvbG9yYWRvfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTM1NDUyNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/colorado/) [ConnecticutIn late 2022, New Haven decided not to build its own new municipal broadband network.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/connecticut-broadband-1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connecticut/) [DelawareDelaware was among the first five states to receive NTIA approval of Volume 1 of the state’s plan for BEAD deployment.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/delaware-broadband-3.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/delaware/) [District of ColumbiaIn December 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department approved $22.5M in Capital Projects Funding to provide community connectivity.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/dc-broadband.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/district-of-columbia/) [FloridaFlorida was the last state to release Volume 2 of its BEAD initial proposal on November 22, 2023.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1605723517503-3cadb5818a0c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fEZsb3JpZGF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzU2NzU4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/florida/) [GeorgiaGeorgia shares concerns about broadband provided on cellular networks.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/photo-1503790267910-b4e2b1e34e3f-7.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/georgia/) [GuamGuam received a $156 million allocation under BEAD, and a $14 million under the Treasury Capital Projects Fund![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1578118454473-6a2f73027de0?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE0fHxndWFtfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTUzODI1OHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/guam/) [HawaiiThe University of Hawaii is overseeing the BEAD grant process in the state.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/hawaii-broadband-1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hawaii/) [IdahoIdaho allocated $120 million in Treasury Capital Projects Fund toward 18 broadband projects.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553535795-dfc872958233?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE4fHxpZGFob3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDU1Mzk1NzN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/idaho/) [IllinoisUniversity of Illinois Extension and the Illinois Soybean Association have been involved in the state’s broadband effort.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1630095829687-7a49579afb19?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGlsbGlub2lzJTIwY29ybmZpZWxkfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTU0MDE1NXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/illinois/) [IndianaThe Broadband Ready Community program, established in 2015, recognizes cities that meet broadband deployment requirements.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/indiana-broadband-2.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/indiana/) [IowaIowa is electing to accept speed tests as evidence in challenges, provided they meet methodological requirements.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1476487546327-1ec00030a858?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fGlvd2F8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1NTQ0MDg4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/iowa/) [KansasThe state is processing claims of incorrect broadband data ahead of funding infrastructure with $451 million.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553739289-08b7eee1afbe?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fGthbnNhc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDU1NDQ1Mzd8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/kansas/) [KentuckyIn September 2023, local counties in Kentucky received $386 million toward high-speed internet expansion.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/kentucky-broadband-2.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/kentucky/) [LouisianaLouisiana in December 2023 became the first state to have its BEAD broadband grant proposal approved by the NTIA.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/louisiana-broadband.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana/) [MaineMaine was among the first state to submit its 5-year broadband action plan to the NTIA in June 2023.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1582488719899-a2a54cb479fe?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fG1haW5lfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTU0NTcxOHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/maine/) [MarylandMaryland broadband office director Rick Gordon warned entities to do due diligence when declaring locations to be served.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1621885123086-18956efbac67?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fG1hcnlsYW5kfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTYzNjQwMXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/maryland/) [MassachusettsThe state expects ‘few or no’ underserved households will remain by the time subgrantee selection begins.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/massachusetts-broadband-2.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/massachusetts/) [MichiganA small Michigan island is asking the FCC to require broadband carriers receiving federal funds to lay fiber-optic cable.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/michigan-broadband-2.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/michigan/) [MinnesotaAn official from the Minnesota League of Municipalities said that small cities should be included in the definition of ‘rural.’![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1535082049017-5a7b43f3bcef?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fG1pbm5lc290YXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDYxMDEzMjR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/minnesota/) [MississippiThe Mississippi Broadband Association is setting up a fund to support connectivity and digital literacy in the state.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/mississippi-broadband-1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/mississippi/) [MissouriThe state broadband office is planning to administer two rounds of funding for its $1.7 billion in BEAD money.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1514893011-72dfa15bd29c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fG1pc3NvdXJpfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNjEwMTkzMnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/missouri/) [MontanaThe state lunched its BEAD challenge process on Jan. 19, under which it will receive $629 million to improve broadband.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/montana-broadband.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/montana/) [NebraskaNebraska has an outright ban on public entities providing broadband services on a retail or wholesale level.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574189937485-b94ae177a5fb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fG5lYnJhc2thfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNjEwMjIwMXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nebraska/) [NevadaNevada plan to extend the underserved designation to locations receiving fixed wireless broadband on licensed spectrum.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1581351721010-8cf859cb14a4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxuZXZhZGF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA2MTAyNDg0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nevada/) [New HampshireNew Hampshire expects its $196 million in BEAD funds will be enough to get broadband to the 36,000 locations that lack.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516458819443-0f257d640de9?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fG5ldyUyMGhhbXBzaGlyZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDYxMDI3MTh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-hampshire/) [New JerseyThe state’s director of broadband access has a mission to connect students and low-income households to high-speed internet.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/new-jersey-broadband.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-jersey/) [New MexicoApplicants for the Connect New Mexico fund are required to offer a low-cost option and participate in federal and state affordability programs.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/new-mexico-broadband.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-mexico/) [New YorkMore than $228 million was allocated to launch the ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Program to foster open access.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/new-york-broadband.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-york/) [North CarolinaPresident Joe Biden travelled to the state in January 2023 to announce an $82 million investment from the Capital Projects Fund.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599521328728-ccff739cc6f4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fG5vcnRoJTIwY2Fyb2xpbmF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA2MjA4Nzk3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/north-carolina/) [North DakotaGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in North Dakota.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1635174815450-337f1f0abf5a?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI1fHxub3J0aCUyMGRha290YXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTgyMTQ3NzB8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/north-dakota/) [Northern Mariana IslandsGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in the Northern Mariana Islands.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/06/northern-mariana-islands-broadband.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/northern-mariana-islands/) [OhioGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Ohio.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1610300767236-da52b625326c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fG9oaW98ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4MjE1MDUyfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ohio) [OklahomaGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Oklahoma.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1594403589024-f6973e942f93?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDU0fHxva2xhaG9tYXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTgyMTUyMzh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oklahoma/) [OregonGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Oregon.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1602966291194-30c55717c607?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fG9yZWdvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTgyMTU1MjN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oregon/) [PennsylvaniaGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Pennsylvania.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/06/pennsylvania-broadband.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/pennsylvania/) [Puerto RicoGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Puerto Rico.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589402249680-5ff95f2ac3bd?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fHB1ZXJ0byUyMHJpY298ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4NDI4OTgwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/puerto-rico/) [Rhode IslandGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Rhode Island.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1632764164790-465b137efba2?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE0fHxyaG9kZSUyMGlzbGFuZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTgyMTYwNzF8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rhode-island/) [South CarolinaGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in South Carolina.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1611859328053-3cbc9f9399f4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fHNvdXRoJTIwY2Fyb2xpbmF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4NDk4NzkwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/south-carolina/) [South DakotaGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in South Dakota.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/06/rushmore-3-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/south-dakota/) [TennesseeGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Tennessee.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/06/tennessee-broadband.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tennessee/) [TexasGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Texas.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1576774998824-794e36d43490?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDQxfHx0ZXhhc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTgyMTYyNzh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas/) [U.S. Virgin IslandsGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in the U.S. Virgin Islands.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1593544382242-4aa9bd7ed66f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE3fHx1LnMuJTIwdmlyZ2luJTIwaXNsYW5kc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTg0MjkyMTh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-virgin-islands/) [UtahGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Utah.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1641361784653-73767ccfdf60?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fHRpbXBhbm9nb3N8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4NDI2NjM2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/utah/) [VermontGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Vermont.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1603331651359-86dd9d0a92c2?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHZlcm1vbnR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4MDU1NTU3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/vermont/) [VirginiaGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Virginia.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1612155576354-da59a4aca3f4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHx2aXJnaW5pYXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTg0Mjc1MjN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/virginia/) [WashingtonGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Washington.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1501914334045-d73f21057207?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fFdhc2hpbmd0b24lMjBzdGF0ZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTg0Mjc4ODJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/washington/) [West VirginiaGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in West Virginia.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1580516091751-4523472921a0?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEyfHx3ZXN0JTIwdmlyZ2luaWF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4NDI4MjEwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/west-virginia/) [WisconsinGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Wisconsin.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1660056252469-a1996f1f5080?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fHdpc2NvbnNpbiUyMGRhaXJ5fGVufDB8fHx8MTcxODQyODU1NXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wisconsin/) [WyomingGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Wyoming.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/06/wyoming-broadband.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wyoming/) ### NTIA Broadband Tracker URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tracker/ Last updated: 2024-01-15T23:59:33.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444--4--3.webp) ## NTIA Broadband Tracker Every U.S. state and territory [Join Broadband Breakfast community](#/portal) ### Visit State Broadband Pages [State Broadband PagesState Broadband Pages![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444--4--2.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/us/) ## Access the NTIA Broadband Tracker ### *Updated daily; Last update January 15, 2024* _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ### NTIA Broadband Tracker URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-broadband-tracker/ Last updated: 2024-01-16T00:10:03.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444--4--3.webp) ## NTIA Broadband Tracker Every U.S. state and territory [Join Broadband Breakfast community](#/portal) ### Visit State Broadband Pages [State Broadband PagesState Broadband Pages![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/BIS-Graphic-States-e1685737846444--4--2.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/us/) --- ## Access the Broadband Tracker Scroll to the bottom of the page [Sign up for Breakfast Club to access](#/portal) [AlabamaAlabama is also electing to use one of the NTIA’s optional modifications to the model process.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1557771532-00d6ccf3ca56?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGFsYWJhbWF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzQ4OTc3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alabama/) [AlaskaThe Alaska Broadband Office is not expecting to have any of its $1 billion BEAD allocation left over after funding new infrastructure.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1548181449-abc0791d2354?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE4fHxhbGFza2F8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzUxMjczfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alaska/) [American SamoaThe Biden Administration Awarded nearly $1.4 million to American Samoa in ‘Internet for All’ planning grants in May 2023.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/american-somoa-1.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/american-samoa/) [ArizonaArizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva introduced legislation in November 2023 that would bring broadband connectivity to public parks and lakes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1575408264798-b50b252663e6?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGFyaXpvbmF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzUyOTIzfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/arizona/) [ArkansasArkansas expects its $1 billion BEAD allocation will be enough to serve the 190,000 homes and businesses in the state without adequate internet.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1570301921333-abd7c7f37458?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGFya2Fuc2FzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTM1MzYzNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/arkansas/) [CaliforniaCalifornia proposed to regard areas served by digital subscriber line and fixed wireless as ineligible for BEAD.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1501594907352-04cda38ebc29?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGNhbGlmb3JuaWF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzU0MDcwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california/) [ColoradoIn response to BEAD, in 2023 Colorado passed legislation, S.B. 183, removing state restrictions on community broadband networks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1503424886307-b090341d25d1?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGNvbG9yYWRvfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTM1NDUyNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/colorado/) [ConnecticutIn late 2022, New Haven decided not to build its own new municipal broadband network.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/connecticut-broadband-1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connecticut/) [DelawareDelaware was among the first five states to receive NTIA approval of Volume 1 of the state’s plan for BEAD deployment.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/delaware-broadband-3.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/delaware/) [District of ColumbiaIn December 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department approved $22.5M in Capital Projects Funding to provide community connectivity.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/dc-broadband.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/district-of-columbia/) [FloridaFlorida was the last state to release Volume 2 of its BEAD initial proposal on November 22, 2023.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1605723517503-3cadb5818a0c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fEZsb3JpZGF8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA1MzU2NzU4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/florida/) [GeorgiaGeorgia shares concerns about broadband provided on cellular networks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/photo-1503790267910-b4e2b1e34e3f-7.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/georgia/) _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ### A Hidden Issue Potentially Impacting BEAD Implementation–Pole Attachments URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-hidden-issue-potentially-impacting-bead-implementation-pole-attachments-2/ Last updated: 2024-01-18T18:08:44.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Pole-Attachments-Stock-1.webp) ## A Hidden Issue Potentially Impacting BEAD Implementation–Pole Attachments Breakfast Club Exclusive Report–October 2023 The heat that arose over the course of 2022 on the topic of pole attachments shows no signs of abating. _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ### Big Tech & Speech Summit Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-tech-speech-program/ Last updated: 2024-03-09T20:43:17.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/00-big-tech-speech-summit-1.png) ## Big Tech & Speech Summit At the intersection of content moderation and political power [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ## Full Program, Speaker Bios and Sponsors In person or online attendees may access the videos. Members of the Broadband Breakfast Club also have full access. ### Video page: [Big Tech & Speech SummitBecome a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/00-big-tech-speech-summit.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-tech-speech/) ## Big Tech & Speech Summit Program ### Tuesday, March 9, 2023 | WASHINGTON D.C. ### KEYNOTE ADDRESS: REP. GUS BILIRAKIS **Chairman of the House Innovation, Data and Commerce Subcommittee** ### SPECIAL ADDRESS: ELI NOAM **Director, Columbia Institute for Tele-Information** ### PANEL 1: THE BIG PICTURE FOR BIG TECH It’s safe to say that Big Tech is no longer Washington’s favored child. Silicon Valley and the Big Tech giants that it has spawned — including Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Apple and others — are under a microscope as never before. What accounts for this shift? Has reverence for the mantra “move fast and break things” become revulsion at what Big Tech has done to our brains? • **Drew Clark**, Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast (moderator) • **Steve DelBianco**, President and CEO, NetChoice • **Willmary Escoto**, U.S. Policy Analyst, Access Now • **Amy Peikoff**, Head of Policy and Legal, Parler • **Dane Snowden**, Senior Advisor, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP [Panelists Recommend More Concentrated Focus on Federal Privacy LegislationThe federal parties have opposite aims as to what to do about Section 230.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastAhmad Hathout![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/btss-panel.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/panelists-recommend-more-concentrated-focus-on-federal-privacy-legislation/) ### SPECIAL ADDRESS: JOHN SAMPLES **Vice President, Cato Institute** [Creating Institutions for Resolving Content Moderation Disputes Out-of-CourtPrivate institutions may become primary method for content moderation disputes, says expert.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastTeralyn Whipple![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/samples.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/creating-institutions-for-resolving-content-moderation-disputes-out-of-court/) ### PANEL 2: THE FRAGILITY OF SECTION 230 Section 230 has been referred to as “the 26 words that created the internet.” The law allows online platforms to engage in content moderation without accepting liability for third-party content. With the Supreme Court digging deeply into the law, the internet’s foundation might be at risk. Plus, Congress is considering proposals to require greater transparency of platforms’ algorithms. Others want to force social networks to be hands-off. Still others want them to more actively police misinformation. Who will force changes upon Section 230 practices: The President, Congress, the High Court or the marketplace? **• Cathy Gellis**, Attorney (moderator) **• Matthew Bergman**, Founding Attorney, Social Media Victims Law Center **• Ashley Johnson**, Senior Policy Analyst, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation **• Emma Llansó**, Director, Free Expression Project, Center for Democracy & Technology **• Chris Marchese**, Counsel, NetChoice **• Ron Yokubaitis**, Founder, Texas.net, Inc. [Section 230 Shuts Down Conversation on First Amendment, Panel HearsThe law prevents discussion on how the first amendment should be applied in a new age of technology, says expert.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastTeralyn Whipple![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fragility.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/section-230-shuts-down-conversation-on-first-amendment-panel-hears/) --- [Big Tech & Speech SummitBecome a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/00-big-tech-speech-summit.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-tech-speech/) ### SPECIAL ADDRESS: ADAM CONNER **Vice President for Technology Policy, American Progress** [Congress Should Focus on Tech Regulation, Said Former Tech Industry LobbyistCongress should shift focus from speech debates to regulation on emerging technologies, says expert.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastTeralyn Whipple![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/conner.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/congress-should-focus-on-tech-regulation-said-former-tech-industry-lobbyist/) ### PANEL 3: REGULATING DATA PRIVACY Federal privacy legislation was introduced to bipartisan acclaim in 2022\. But the bill died in Congress, leaving states to set their own digital privacy rules to govern digital privacy. The time children and adults spend online is heightening attention on potentially harmful effects of digital immersion. What kind of guardrails are states putting in place? How can Congress or federal regulators respond to rapidly developing changes in the tech industry? **• John Verdi**, Senior Vice President of Policy, Future of Privacy Forum (moderator) **• Alan Butler**, Executive Director and President, Electronic Privacy Information Center **• Sara Collins**, Senior Policy Counsel, Public Knowledge **• India McKinney**, Director of Federal Affairs, Electronic Frontier Foundation **• Carl Szabo**, Vice President & General Counsel, NetChoice **• Shane Tews**, Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute [Experts Clash Over Federal Preemption and State Laws on PrivacyShould a federal privacy law pre-empt state laws?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastAhmad Hathout![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/panel-3.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/experts-clash-over-federal-preemption-and-state-laws-on-privacy/) ### PANEL 4: INNOVATION, COMPETITION AND FUTURE TECH Panel 4 will address the realities about innovation and competition.For example, artificial intelligence has taken huge strides in the past few years. How will the power of AI be harnessed? Is government regulation needed? And what about the promised “metaverse:” A fad or a game changer? Some lawmakers, on both the right and the left, agree with the President that Big Tech stifles innovation. Who’s correct? And how will innovation and competition move forward in the future? **• Sara Morrison**, Senior Reporter, Recode by Vox (moderator) **• Christine Bannan**, U.S. Public Policy Manager, Proton **• Sacha Haworth**, Executive Director, Tech Oversight Project **• Cheyenne Hunt-Majer**, Big Tech Accountability Advocate, Public Citizen **• Adam Kovacevich**, CEO, Chamber of Progress **• Berin Szóka**, President, TechFreedom Foundation [Panel Disagrees on Antitrust Bills’ Promotion of CompetitionPanelists disagree on the effects of two antitrust bills intended to promote competition.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastTeralyn Whipple![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/innovation.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/panel-dissents-on-antitrust-bills-promotion-of-competition/) --- ### PREVIEW SESSION In a March 1 preview session, the Big Tech & Speech Summit moderators set the stage for timely discussions on content moderation, privacy and competition, as well as hearing from audience members about the biggest Big Tech questions on their minds. **• Drew Clark**, Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast (moderator) **• Cathy Gellis**, Attorney **• John Verdi**, Senior Vice President of Policy, Future of Privacy Forum **• Sara Morrison**, Senior Reporter, Recode by Vox **Watch a recording of the preview session** [**online here**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2023/01/broadband-breakfast-on-march-1-2023-preview-session-for-big-tech-speech-summit/)**.** --- ## SPEAKER BIOS ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Gus-Bilirakis-BTSS.png) ### Rep. Gus Bilirakis *(keynote address)* Congressman Gus M. Bilirakis is a Republican representing Florida's 12th Congressional District, which includes all of Citrus and Hernando counties and most of Pasco County. Gus serves as a Senior Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. He is the Chairman of the Innovation, Data and Commerce Subcommittee. He is also a Senior Member of the Health Subcommittee and the Communications and Technology Subcommittee. Working in a bipartisan manner, his main priorities include controlling government spending, creating jobs for middle class Americans, finding ways for government to operate smaller and smarter, and lowering taxes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Adam-Conner-BTSS.png) ### Adam Conner *(special address)* Adam Conner is the vice president for technology policy at American Progress, where he focuses on building a progressive technology policy platform and agenda. Conner has spent the past 15 years working at the intersection of technology, politics, policy and elections as the first Washington D.C. employee for several Silicon Valley companies, including Slack Technologies and Brigade. In 2007, Conner founded Facebook’s Washington office and spent several years on the public policy team. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Eli-Noam-BTSS.png) ### Eli Noam *(special address)* Eli Noam has been a professor of economics and finance at the Columbia Business School since 1976, and the director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information. He served as New York State's Public Service Commissioner regulating the telecom and energy industries, on the White House Presidential Board on information technology, and on private sector, governmental, and NGO boards and commissions. His 37 books and textbooks, and over 350 articles, cover domestic and international telecom, internet, film, TV, e-finance, e-commerce and IT. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/John-Samples-BTSS.png) ### John Samples *(special address)* John Samples is a vice president at the Cato Institute. He founded and directs Cato’s Center for Representative Government, which studies the First Amendment, government institutional failure and public opinion. Samples serves on Facebook’s independent Oversight Board, which provides final and binding decisions on whether specific content should be allowed or removed from Facebook and Instagram. ### PANEL 1: THE BIG PICTURE FOR BIG TECH ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Drew-Clark-BTSS-3.png) ### Drew Clark *(moderator)* Drew Clark is CEO of Breakfast Media LLC. He has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing campaign for broadband data. As Editor and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media company advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Steve-DelBianco-BTSS.png) ### Steve DelBianco Steve DelBianco is the president and CEO of NetChoice. Steve is a well-known expert on internet governance, online consumer protection and internet taxation. He has provided expert testimony in 25 congressional hearings and many more state legislative sessions. Prior to NetChoice, DelBianco was the founder and president of Financial Dynamics, an IT consulting firm that he led through the evolution of industry trends. DelBianco holds degrees in Engineering and in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, plus an MBA from the Wharton School. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/WIllmary-Escoto-BTSS.png) ### Willmary Escoto Willmary Escoto is a U.S. Policy Analyst for Access Now where she works on issues around content governance, privacy, artificial intelligence, and data protection. She previously served as the Director of Policy and Government Affairs for the National Hispanic Media Coalition and was hosted by Public Knowledge as a Google Policy Fellow in 2016\. Willmary received her J.D. from Howard University and is licensed to practice law in Washington D.C. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Amy-Peikoff-BTSS.png) ### Amy Peikoff Amy Peikoff is the chief policy officer of Parler. After completing her Ph.D., she taught at several universities and law schools, publishing frequently cited academic articles on privacy law, as well as op-eds in leading newspapers across the country on a range of issues. Just prior to joining Parler, she founded and was President of the Center for the Legalization of Privacy, which submitted an amicus brief in United States v. Facebook in 2019. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Dane-Snowden-BTSS.png) ### Dane Snowden Dane started his communications career 20 years ago as the first Chief of the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission, where he focused on disability access, telemarking rules, consumer complaints and consumer policy. Joining CTIA–The Wireless Association as its first Vice President of External & State Affairs, Dane created and directed the association’s 50-state policy program and external affairs efforts. Recognized for his leadership, Dane was tapped to be the first Chief Operating Officer of the NCTA–The Internet & Television Association, and later entered the tech industry as president and CEO of the Internet Association, focused on privacy and content moderation. ### PANEL 2: THE FRAGILITY OF SECTION 230 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Cathy-Gellis-BTSS.png) ### Cathy Gellis *(moderator)* Frustrated that people were making the law without asking for her opinion, Cathy Gellis gave up a career in web development to become a lawyer to help them not make it badly, especially regarding technology. A former aspiring journalist and longtime fan of civil liberties, her legal work includes defending the rights of Internet users and advocating for policy that protects speech and innovation. When not advising clients on platform liability, copyright, trademark, privacy or cybersecurity, she frequently writes about these subjects and more for a variety of outlets. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Matthew-Bergman-BTSS-1.png) ### Matthew Bergman Matthew Bergman is an attorney, law professor, philanthropist and community activist. He is the founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center and Bergman Draper Oslund Udo, a professor at Lewis & Clark Law school, and on the boards of directors of nonprofit institutions in higher education, national security, civil rights, worker protection and the arts. Matthew is nationally known for his work in product liability litigation and has recovered over $1 billion on behalf of his clients. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Ashley-Johnson-BTSS.png) ### Ashley Johnson Ashley Johnson is a senior policy analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. She researches and writes about internet policy issues such as privacy, security, and platform regulation. She was previously at Software.org: the BSA Foundation and holds a master’s degree in security policy from The George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Brigham Young University. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Emma-Llanso-BTSS.png) ### Emma Llansó Emma Llansó is the director of the Free Expression Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, where she has worked since 2009 to promote law and policy that supports internet users’ free expression rights. Emma leads CDT’s legislative advocacy and litigation work pertaining to intermediary liability law and constitutional protections for online speech and speakers. She also represents CDT on a variety of intergovernmental and industry advisory councils. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Chris-Marchese-BTSS-1.png) ### Chris Marchese As counsel for NetChoice, Chris Marchese analyzes technology-related legislative and regulatory issues at both the federal and state level. His portfolio includes monitoring and analyzing proposals to amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, antitrust enforcement, and potential barriers to free speech and free enterprise on the internet. Before joining NetChoice in 2019, Chris worked as a law clerk at the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Ron-Yokubaitis-BTSS.png) ### Ron Yokubaitis Ron Yokubaitis was a high-technology visionary before most of us knew what that meant. A native Texan, Ron has held a lifelong passion for electronics and communications — first fueled by obtaining a ham radio license more than 40 years ago. Yokubaitis has co-founded multiple internet-related businesses, including Texas.net, Inc., Giganews, Inc., Data Foundry, Inc. and Golden Frog, Inc. Prior to Texas.net, Ron practiced law in Houston and Austin. ### PANEL 3: REGULATING DATA PRIVACY ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/John-Verdi-BTSS.png) ### John Verdi *(moderator)* John Verdi is senior vice president of policy at the Future of Privacy Forum, a global think tank based in Washington D.C. John supervises FPF’s policy portfolio, which includes data protection issues ranging from ad tech and AI to legislative analysis and youth privacy. John was previously director of privacy initiatives at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and general counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Alan-Butler-BTSS.png) ### Alan Butler Alan Butler is Executive Director and President of the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, D.C. Alan has argued privacy and open government cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the Third Circuit, and the Supreme Courts of New Mexico and New Jersey and has authored briefs on a wide range national security, open government, and data privacy issues. Mr. Butler is also Chair of the Privacy and Information Protection Committee of the ABA Section on Civil Rights and Social Justice. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Sana-Collins-BTSS.png) ### Sara Collins Sara Collins is a Senior Policy Counsel at Public Knowledge, specializing in data protection and consumer privacy. She also provides government affairs support on a range of issues like regulating algorithms, protecting local journalism and copyright. She currently serves as an advisory board member for the Future of Privacy Forum and a governing board member for the D.C. Abortion Fund. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/India-McKinney-BTSS-1.png) ### India McKinney India McKinney is director of federal affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, where she fights for consumer privacy and robust surveillance oversight. Prior to joining EFF, she spent over 10 years in Washington D.C. as a legislative staffer. Her work there primarily focused on the appropriations process, specifically analyzing and funding programs in the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security and Justice. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Carl-Szabo-BTSS.png) ### Carl Szabo Carl Szabo is vice president and general counsel for NetChoice, where he analyzes, advocates and testifies on tech-related legislative and regulatory initiatives relevant to online companies. Szabo is also an adjunct professor of privacy and internet law at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. Before joining NetChoice, Szabo was an intellectual property attorney at the lawfirm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon where he advised clients on privacy, Internet, e-commerce, and contractual matters. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Shane-Tews-BTSS.png) ### Shane Tews Shane Tews is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on cybersecurity issues, including privacy and data protection, the Internet of Things, international internet governance, digital economic policy, information and communications technology, artificial intelligence and the metaverse, emerging technologies and more. She is also president of Logan Circle Strategies, a strategic advisory firm. ### PANEL 4: INNOVATION, COMPETITION AND FUTURE TECH ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Sara-Morrison-BTSS.png) ### Sara Morrison (moderator) Sara Morrison is a senior reporter at Vox's Recode, where she covers data privacy, antitrust, and Big Tech’s power over us all. Also, TikTok. She previously wrote about technology’s impact on the world for Vocativ, and her work has also appeared in the Atlantic, Jezebel, Nieman Reports, and Columbia Journalism Review, among others. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Christine-Bannan-BTSS.png) ### Christine Bannan Christine Bannan is the U.S. public policy manager for Proton, a privacy-focused company that provides easy-to-use encrypted email, calendar, file storage, and VPN built on the principle of your data, your rules. Proton Mail is the world's largest end-to-end encrypted email service. She was previously policy counsel at the Open Technology Institute and consumer protection counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Sacha-Haworth-BTSS.png) ### Sacha Haworth Sacha Haworth is the executive director of the Tech Oversight Project, a nonprofit that advocates for comprehensive antitrust legislation. She is a veteran of political campaigns all over the country and has worked at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, House Majority PAC and on Capitol Hill. During the 2020 presidential election, Sacha ran the paid media program for American Bridge 21st Century, which used targeted television, radio, digital and mail to persuade former Trump voters in rural areas. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Cheyenne-Hunt-Majer-BTSS.png) ### Cheyenne Hunt-Majer Cheyenne Hunt-Majer is a progressive advocate and attorney specializing in the issues at the intersection of democratic erosion, technology policy, and human rights. She currently serves as a Big Tech Accountability Advocate with Public Citizen. She has drafted legislation and led campaigns to hold tech giants accountable for their role in undermining democratic norms, promoting misinformation, inciting violence, and exploiting user privacy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Adam-Kovacevich-BTSS.png) ### Adam Kovacevich Adam Kovacevich is the founder and CEO of Chamber of Progress, a new center-left tech industry policy coalition promoting technology’s progressive future. Adam is a veteran Democratic tech industry leader and expert in helping lead technology companies through today's challenging political environment. He was named a “Tech Titan” by Washingtonian magazine and an “Antitrust Super Influencer” by Baron Public Affairs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/Berin-Szoka-BTSS.png) ### Berin Szóka Berin Szóka serves as president of TechFreedom. Previously, he was a senior fellow and the director of the Center for Internet Freedom at The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Before joining PFF, he was an Associate in the Communications Practice Group at Latham & Watkins LLP, where he advised clients on regulations affecting the Internet and telecommunications industries. ## SPONSORS **NetChoice** is a coalition of trade associations, eCommerce businesses and online consumers, all of whom share the goal of promoting convenience, choice and commerce online. NetChoice works to make the internet safe for free enterprise and free expression by promoting competition, light-touch regulation and consumer choice. In 1994, Ron and Carolyn Yokubaitis founded **Texas.Net** in San Antonio, Texas to provide internet services to businesses. The company has grown from a regional internet service provider to a full-scale provider of premier wholesale and retail data center outsourcing, colocation and disaster recovery services. [Big Tech & Speech SummitBecome a Breakfast Club member and watch the videos from the Summit.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/00-big-tech-speech-summit.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-tech-speech/) ### Big Tech & Speech Summit URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-tech-speech/ Last updated: 2024-02-20T19:54:37.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/00-big-tech-speech-summit-1.png) ## Big Tech & Speech Summit At the intersection of content moderation and political power [Become a Breakfast Club Member](#/portal/) ## Big Tech & Speech Summit Videos In person or online attendees may access the videos. Members of the Broadband Breakfast Club also have full access. ## See the Big Tech and Speech Summit Program Full bios of speakers, too [View the program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-tech-speech-program/) Here is first panel session video. Sign up for the [Broadband Breakfast Club](#/portal/) to watch all the videos! - ***KEYNOTE ADDRESS: REP. GUS BILIRAKIS*** - ***SPECIAL ADDRESS: ELI NOAM*** - ***PANEL 1: THE BIG PICTURE FOR BIG TECH*** - ***SPECIAL ADDRESS: JOHN SAMPLES*** - ***PANEL 2: THE FRAGILITY OF SECTION 230*** - ***SPECIAL ADDRESS: ADAM CONNER*** - ***PANEL 3: REGULATING DATA PRIVACY*** - ***PANEL 4: INNOVATION, COMPETITION AND FUTURE TECH*** ### Want to see other Broadband Breakfast events? [EventsBroadband Breakfast in-person events.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/2024/01/us-mapping-1-copy.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/past-events/) ### Vides of Panels 2, 3 & 4, Plus Special Addresses by Eli Noam, John Samples and Adam Conner _This page is for paying subscribers only._ ### Supra URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/supra/ Last updated: 2024-04-23T18:44:58.000Z ## Supra Posts #### ****Broadband Infrastructure** [****Infrastructure**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/infrastructure) [Broadband Mapping and Data](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-mapping-and-data) [Funding ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/funding)[BEAD](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead) [**Fiber* ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fiber)[Community Broadband](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/community-broadband) [Open Access](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/open-access) [Rural](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rural) [Tribal](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tribal) [Universal Service ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/universal-service)[Cloud](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite) [**Wireless* ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wireless)[Spectrum](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spectrum)[ Mobile / Cellular](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/mobile) [5G ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/5g)[WISP ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wisp)[Satellite](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite) #### ****Broadband's Impact** [****Impact** ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/impact)[Digital Inclusion ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-inclusion)[Education ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/education)[Health](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/health) [Public Safety](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/public-safety) [Telework](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telework) [Democratization](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/democratization) (and Civic Engagement) #### Net Neutrality and Privacy [Net Neutrality](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/net-neutrality) [Privacy](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/privacy) [Cybersecurity](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/Cybersecurity) [Robocall](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/Robocall) [Transparency](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/Transparency) #### Smart Cities and Innovation [****Smart Cities**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/smart-cities) [Advanced Energy](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/advanced-energy) [Smart Grid](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/smart-grid) [Autonomous Vehicles](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/autonomous-vehicles) [Drones ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/drones) [****Big Tech** ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-tech)[Antitrust](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/antitrust) [Artificial Intelligence](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/artificial-intelligence) [Social Media](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/social-media) [Free Speech](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/free-speech) [Section 230](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/section-230) [Chips](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chips) #### Institutional FCC #### Functional 12 Days ## Supra Tags #### ****Broadband Infrastructure** ****Infrastructure** [Broadband Mapping and Data](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/broadband-mapping-and-data) [Funding ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/funding)[BEAD](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/bead/) [**Fiber* ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/fiber)[Community Broadband](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/community-broadband) [Open Access](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/open-access) [Rural](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/rural) [Tribal](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/tribal) [Universal Service ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/universal-service)[Cloud](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/cloud) [**Wireless* ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/wireless)[Spectrum](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/spectrum)[ Mobile](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/mobile) / (Cellular) [5G ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/5g)[WISP](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/wisp) Satellite #### ****Broadband's Impact** [****Impact**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/impact) [Digital Inclusion ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/digital-inclusion)[Education ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/education)[Health](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/health) [Public Safety](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/public-safety) [Telework ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/telework)[Democratization](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/democratization) (and Civil Engagement) #### Net Neutrality and Privacy [Net Neutrality](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/net-neutrality) [Privacy](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/privacy) [Cybersecurity](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/cybersecurity) [Robocall](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/robocall) [Transparency](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/transparency) #### Smart Cities and Innovation [****Smart Cities**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/smart-cities) [Advanced Energy](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/advanced-energy) [Smart Grid](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/smart-grid) [Autonomous Vehicles](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/autonomous-vehicles) [Drones](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/drones) [****Big Tech** ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/big-tech)[Antitrust](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/antitrust) [Artificial Intelligence](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/artificial-intelligence) [Social Media](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/social-media) [Free Speech](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/free-speech) [Section 230](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/section-230) [Chips](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/chips) [Visit the new Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast is the community for Better Broadband, Better Lives.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/broadband_breakfast_stacked_logo-copy-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about) ### Broadband Infrastructure URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/infrastructurex/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T15:05:17.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/01/infrastructure-cattag.jpeg) ## Broadband Infrastructure Broadband Infrastructure is the means to deliver Better Broadband, Better Lives [Sign up for the Media Kit](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about-form) ## Why It Matters Broadband Infrastructure is the means to deliver Better Broadband, Better Lives. [BEADThe BEAD program is implemented by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/BEAD-photo--1-.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead/) [Broadband Mapping and DataAccurate broadband mapping and data has been central to America’s broadband buildout.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/broadband-mapping-and-data-copy-3.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-mapping-and-data/) [FundingThe pandemic has prompted a new era of funding for broadband infrastructure.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1515606378517-3451a4fa2e12?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDQwfHxtb25leXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDU3ODgzODB8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/funding/) [Rural - Broadband BreakfastBecause Rural America is often the least-connected region in the country, ensuring coverage is central to BEAD.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/rural.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/rural/) [Universal Service - Broadband BreakfastThe Universal Service Fund, codified in 1996 with the Telecommunications Act, remains the foundation of universal access.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/universal-service.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/universal-service/) [Open Access - Broadband BreakfastOpen Access networks separate network operations from internet services. Ownership may also be separate from operations.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/open-access.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/open-access/) [Community Broadband - Broadband BreakfastThe last three years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of communities building publicly-owned, locally controlled infrastructure.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/community-broadband.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/community-broadband/) [Tribal - Broadband BreakfastTribal leaders say the federal government has failed to uphold its trust responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of Native American tribes.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/tribal.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/tribal/) [FiberFiber-optic technology is the gold standard for home or commercial broadband, and powers wireless connectivity, too.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/photo-1702822903693-0a18874d881e-1.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fiber/) [Data CenterData Centers and Cloud Computing rely upon robust and high-speed upload and download internet speeds.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo-195.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/cloud-5.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/data-center/) ### Satellite & Wireless [Satellite - Broadband BreakfastSatellite broadband remains an option those areas beyond the reach of fiber, terrestrial or mobile wireless.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/satellite-tag.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/satellite/) [Wireless - Broadband BreakfastWireless technologies are critical for mobile communications, and for being able to reach remote locations.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/wireless.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/wireless/) [Mobile - Broadband BreakfastMobile communication has become a central part internet connectivity.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/mobile.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/mobile/) [Spectrum - Broadband BreakfastWhether licensed, unlicensed or shared, radio frequency spectrum is the critical resource for wireless communication.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/spectrum.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/spectrum/) ## Free Sign up for Broadband Breakfast Better Broadband, Better Lives Subscribe Email sent! 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The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast or Breakfast Media LLC. All Expert Opinions are FREE for all readers.![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/photo-1504711434969-e33886168f5c-copy-2.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/expert-opinion/) [Broadband Live - Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast Live Online is a FREE broadband news webcast on broadband technology and internet policy. It takes place every Wednesday at 12 Noon ET. #broadbandlive![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/08/breakfast_media_llc_logo.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/home-page-bblo.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/broadbandlive/) ## More About Broadband Breakfast [Welcome to Breakfast ClubLearn more about Better Broadband, Better Lives![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo-34.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/broadband_breakfast_stacked_logo.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/welcome/) [Issues We CoverThe most popular issues covered by Broadband Breakfast.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/breakfast_media_llc_logo-33.jpeg)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/12days-SPECTRUM-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tags/) ## Posts ### AT&T Says Just 1% of Eligible Customers Still Use Copper Voice Lines URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-says-just-1-of-eligible-customers-still-use-copper-voice-lines/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2026 — AT&T says just 1 percent of its eligible customers still use traditional copper telephone lines, as the company works to replace most of its aging copper network with fiber and wireless services by the end of 2029. The company has discontinued copper services in more than 500 communities, covering more than 1.3 million locations across 18 states, [AT&T said in an Oct. 19 update](https://about.att.com/blogs/2026/simplifying-our-network.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). It plans to upgrade customers in another 1,500 communities over the next year. “As we transition away from copper, we’re committed to always being there for our customers who have relied on us to connect for generations,” AT&T Senior Executive Vice President of Transformation and Supply Chain **Susan Johnson** said. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) AT&T is encouraging remaining copper customers to switch to services including AT&T Fiber, wireless and AT&T Phone–Advanced, a replacement for traditional landline phone service. The company said customers can retain their phone service and 911 access through the transition. [Copper networks are more difficult to maintain than newer infrastructure](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-hits-pause-on-verizons-copper-retirement-plan/), AT&T said. The company cited copper theft, equipment failures and longer repair times as reasons for moving customers to newer technologies. Wireless service repairs take more than four times less time than copper repairs, according to the company. AT&T also said retiring copper infrastructure would reduce energy consumption. The company operates about 4,600 wire centers across its wireline footprint and expects to avoid an average of 600,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity use annually per center once its copper retirement is complete. The transition has raised questions about whether replacement services can provide the same reliability as traditional landlines, particularly in rural areas and during power outages or natural disasters. In California, [AT&T is seeking to discontinue legacy voice service across hundreds of wire centers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-dems-oppose-fcc-preempting-calif-copper-rules/), affecting residential and business customers. The company has argued that newer services can replace traditional copper lines, while state regulators and consumer advocates have questioned whether wireless alternatives will be adequate for every customer. The Federal Communications Commission approved AT&T’s request in [June to discontinue copper voice services](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-gets-fcc-approval-for-calif-copper-retirement/) at more than 184,000 California locations. The agency is separately considering AT&T’s request to override state rules that could prevent the company from completing its transition. AT&T said it plans to exit its copper network in the majority of its footprint by the end of 2029\. The company said it would continue working with customers to move to newer services rather than leave them without access to phone or emergency services. ### Citizens Broadband Radio Users Depend on Free Tier, New America Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/citizens-broadband-radio-users-depend-on-free-tier-new-america-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 – Users of an important shared spectrum band still depend on its free, general access tier, according to a new analysis of data from one of the band’s coordinators. As of July 2026, 96.3 percent of radios using the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) use its free general authorized access (GAA) tier. That’s up slightly from a government survey in July 2024. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) In the intervening years, deployed CBRS devices grew more than 10 percent to 446,000 from 400,000\. It became more common for devices to mix both GAA and paid priority access licenses (PAL), with the share of mixed-use devices increasing from 24 percent to 33 percent. The share of spectrum channels used under GAA stayed roughly flat, falling from more than 82 percent to 80 percent. The analysis of CBRS administrator data was published [in a Thursday report](https://www.newamerica.org/insights/the-indispensable-spectrum/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by New America’s Open Technology Institute. The group is a supporter of the band and spectrum sharing generally, and argued that disrupting the band by raising power limits or auctioning it off would hurt the various industries that deploy private CBRS networks. CBRS covers 150 megahertz from 3.55-3.7 GHz. PAL users are protected from interference by GAA users, and coastal Navy radars get protection from both PAL and GAA. CBRS was not protected from a 2025 law mandating the auction of 800 megahertz of spectrum by 2034, [leading to fears](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wispa-to-fcc-dont-sell-general-access-cbrs-spectrum/) part of the band could be tapped to meet that threshold. The top 50 megahertz of the band is reserved for only GAA, and supporters have sought [to convince regulators](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cbrs-proponent-studies-changes-to-shared-band-would-be-disruptive/) that while it might seem relatively easy to reallocate the GAA portion, it would [still be costly](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cbrs-proponents-reiterate-opposition-to-higher-power/). Verizon, the largest PAL holder, has also supported raising power levels in response to an open FCC inquiry that asked about the issue. That would result in unworkable interference for GAA users, OTI director **Michael Calabrese** argued in the report. “If high-power operations were authorized in CBRS, current GAA users would suffer a classic tragedy of the commons as more and more operators raise power levels to expand coverage or, more likely, to defend themselves against other GAA and adjacent-channel PAL users who have increased their power or could be expected to do so in the future,” he wrote. OTI’s report said GAA was essential for private networks deployed by a range of entities like manufacturing companies, airports, utilities, and military bases. BMW and the Miami International Airport only use GAA spectrum for their deployments, the report said, and companies like John Deere and Dow Chemical combine it with PAL licenses, the report said. Rural broadband providers also use the band for fixed wireless access, OTI said, with “nearly all” of them relying heavily or entirely on GAA. The report follows two March studies from other CBRS proponents that looked at ### *Government perspective* Earlier this year **Arpan Sura**, a top advisor to FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, said during a webinar [he wanted to](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carr-advisor-wants-more-study-on-cbrs-usage/) “interrogate” whether the rising number of CBRS devices was a good indicator for utilization. “What does success look like in this band? And how do we gauge success in a way that’s quantitative, in a way that isn’t just pointing to our favorite examples but actually gets to the heart of the matter?” he said. He said the agency had a full plate of more immediate spectrum auction goals on the horizon. The FCC has since said it’s planning to hold auctions in the upper C-band, 4.4 GHz, 2.7 GHz, and 1.6 GHz bands before the end of the Trump administration. Last week **Derek Khlopin**, a top spectrum official at the Commerce Department, called CBRS a “great model” for spectrum sharing that could be built on as industry demand grew. ### California Body Has New Recommendations for Wireless Companies URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-body-has-new-recommendations-for-wireless-companies/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2026 – A California advisory group is calling for closer oversight of wireless carriers. On Oct. 15, **Ernesto Falcon,** Program Manager for the Communications and Broadband Policy Branch in the Public Advocates Office, released commentary on current wireless service proposals. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) In the ongoing Feb. 2026 wireless service quality proceeding, Cal Advocates, which is a unit of The California Public Utilities Commission proposed four recommendations that wireless companies should be required to put in action. Falcon’s group [asked that companies](https://www.publicadvocates.cpuc.ca.gov/press-room/commentary/261015-californians-deserve-to-know-where-their-cell-phones-work?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) restore service to isolated communities within 24 hours after an outage; ensure networks in [rural communities](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/in-california-rural-providers-lay-out-broadband-obstacles-to-house-lawmakers/) are available 99 percent of the time, answer 80 [percent of customer](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nevada-shifts-52-million-away-from-broadband-projects-that-couldnt-meet-deadline/) service calls with a live representative within 60 seconds, and publish comprehensive maps that show where a customer can reliably place a voice call. As most Californians rely on wireless voice service for everyday needs, Falcon seems to want to keep AI answering agents out of the system. With [81 percent of California’s](https://www.911.gov/issues/911-stats-and-data/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) 911 calls coming from wireless devices reliable, human service is even more [crucial in emergencies](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/starlink-critical-for-rural-connectivity-in-natural-disasters/). “I live in Topanga Canyon, a Tier 3 High Fire Threat District. Wireless coverage here is poor on a normal day… I support applying service quality standards to wireless carriers, especially for outages and restoration,” [local California resident](https://apps.cpuc.ca.gov/apex/f?p=401:65:0::NO:RP,57,RIR:P5%5FPROCEEDING%5FSELECT:R2602017&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said in the proceeding’s public comments. Cal Advocates additionally submitted a [proposal on](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M615/K648/615648936.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Oct. 19th reiterating the need for wireless companies to make more detailed coverage maps available to customers. “If companies already know where service is expected to work, customers deserve to know too,” the Cal Advocates office argued. As of now, no decision has been made by the CPUC and there has been no final determination date. ### Michigan Signs BEAD Contracts with 23 ISPs as Part of $916 Million Funding Plan URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/michigan-signs-bead-contracts-with-23-isps-as-part-of-916-million-funding-plan/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T12:30:28.000Z 💡 ■ NSR Analyst: Cox Broadband Losses ‘Running Well Above Expectations’ ■ UBS Analyst Sees Tower Companies Benefiting from Starlink Mobile ■ Pearl TV: Price of ATSC 3.0 Converters Coming Down Ahead of Transition ■ Sen. Wicker Views Starlink As Essential to Ukraine’s Defense ■ Sen. Wyden: Hundreds of Federal Websites Remain Vulnerable To Surveillance ■ AT&T: Just 1% of Eligible Customers Use Legacy Copper Network ■ Amazon Exploring SMR Nuclear Power in Indiana Partnership ■ Conner Clyde Joins Mediacom as Group VP of Strategic Insights & Analytics ■ Hearst TV Hires Chris Plourde as VP of Strategy and Distribution ■ Departing CNN Star Amanpour Says: ‘Be Truthful, Not Neutral’ ■ Technology Policy Institute Hits One-Year Pause on Annual Aspen Forum BEAD: Michigan is taking another step toward expanding high‑speed Internet access as 23 ISP subgrantees have signed agreements under the federal BEAD program. State officials said on Oct.19 Michigan will invest $916 million in federal funds, with subgrantees contributing another $531 million in private matching funds. The combined investment is expected to connect nearly 200,000 homes, businesses and community anchor institutions to reliable broadband service as the state moves into the next phase of its BEAD rollout. Subgrantees announced included: Charter, Brightspeed, and Michigan Bell Telephone. “Thanks to the commitment of our BEAD subgrantees, who are investing their own funds alongside this effort, we’re … building a stronger, more connected Michigan,” Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Director **Susan Corbin** said. *(More after paywall)* _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Nvidia CEO Urges German Manufacturers to Adopt AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nvidia-ceo-urges-german-manufacturers-to-adopt-ai/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z FRANKFURT, Germany, Oct. 19, 2026 (AP) — Nvidia CEO **Jensen Huang** urged Germany's makers of cars and industrial machines to quickly adopt [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/ai-world-models-physical-embodied-ai-9bab5a3febad9832f55f8ada33de57b4?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to “re-engineer” the country's struggling business model by tapping its wealth of manufacturing data and expertise. Huang, whose company designs the powerful computer chips and software used by companies like Anthropic and OpenAI to develop AI applications, said that digital technology would never replace manufacturing and the engineering world of cars and robots where Germany has vast experience. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Or, as he put it, “electrons will never replace atoms.” But he said industry would benefit by leaning into technology. “The next wave of AI is physical. This is where AI interacts with the physical world: robotics, manufacturing, cars, heavy industry,” Huang said Monday during a discussion with German Chancellor **Friedrich Merz** at an investment conference in Berlin. "And so AI can only augment your capability. It will not replace your capability. So take advantage of the technology." Huang said Germany's data and expertise on manufacturing “is your natural resource, it belongs to the nation" but it needs to take better advantage of AI. "This industrial revolution is so mighty, so powerful. You don't have another chance,” he said. European leaders like Merz are looking to AI as a potential source of growth but are also concerned about the extent of European dependence on U.S. tech companies in the field. Europe's wealth of high quality public-sector and machine-readable manufacturing data could serve as grist for AI, an opportunity cited by former European Central Bank head **Mario Draghi** as an area where Europe could compete with the U.S. and China in the AI field. Huang and Merz said AI was an opportunity for Germany's so-called “mittelstand,” the hundreds of small- and medium-sized companies in highly specialized industrial sectors. Merz is struggling to revive growth in Germany after years of near-stagnation after the pandemic. Among the economy's headwinds are high energy prices after losing cheap Russian natural gas due to the [invasion of Ukraine](https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), competition from China in sectors like autos where Germany once dominated, and excessive red tape and permissions that hold up projects for years. All that has put a damper on an economy heavily oriented toward building complicated machines for export, including cars, trains, aircraft and factory equipment. Europe lags the U.S. in building out the data centers that offer the massive computing capacity to train artificial intelligence applications, and faces concerns over the security of European companies' sensitive data against subpoenas and criminal warrants on servers owned by U.S. companies and thus exposed to the U.S. legal system even if they're in Europe. Huang appeared to address such concerns by urging Germany to import AI technology but adding that “you should not export your culture, export your values, export your knowledge." Huang said Germany should “take advantage of artificial intelligence. Let them codify, let them program, let them teach this artificial intelligence and keep it here in Germany, and let's re-engineer, the chancellor's words, Germany. This is your chance to do it.” *This article was written by David McHugh of the Associated Press* ### FCC Bans Mexico IP Phone after Robocall Violations URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-bans-mexico-ip-phone-after-robocall-violation/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct.19, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission kicks out another provider for robocall violations. The FCC issued a Removal Order on Oct. 16 requiring U.S. [companies to](https://www.thefastmode.com/technology-solutions/51071-fcc-orders-u-s-carriers-to-block-mexico-ip-phone-over-robocall-rule-violations?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) block traffic from Mexico IP Phone in the following two days. They additionally removed the provider from the Robocall Mitigation Database, RMD. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Mexico IP Phone and CEO **Hemant Kumar Bhart** first drew [attention after](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1116A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) submitting a forged North American Numbering Plan Administrator document to the Commission to gain direct phone numbers Due to suspicion, the FCC ordered an [Order to Show Cause](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-574A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on June 11, allowing Mexico IP Phone to explain why it should not be removed from the RMD. The [RMD aims to hold providers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-orders-providers-to-block-digital-solutions-over-robocall-violations/) accountable through submitting robocall mitigation plans and implementing STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication on all IP-based portions of their networks. Following this order, Mexico IP Phone continued to submit deceptive filings, specifically failing to disclose that the RMD certification was due to the State Attorneys General Task Force on anti-robocalling. Since January 2025, the FCC has continuously been [cracking down](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-eyes-stronger-rules-to-combat-robocalls/) on illegal robocalls [through added](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-releases-how-to-robocall-blocking-guides/) protections, now having removed [more than 1,400](https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-cuts-mexico-ip-phone-violating-robocall-rules?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) providers from the RMD. “And in this case, we’re taking action against a company who went to remarkable and illegal lengths to circumvent the process that allows legitimate providers to access phone numbers,” **Hunter Deeley**, chief of [the FCC’s Enforcement](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-425933A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Bureau, said. ### Broadband Breakfast on November 11, 2026: Veterans and Broadband URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-november-11-2026-veterans-and-broadband/ Last updated: 2026-10-19T21:15:16.000Z Military experience can provide a foundation for work in communications, logistics and field operations. But translating that experience into a broadband career can require new credentials, training and industry connections. This Veterans Day, Broadband Breakfast explores how veterans can move into network construction, installation and operations. What can employers and training programs do to make that transition clearer and more effective? ## Sign up for FREE for 'Veterans and Broadband' Once you log in, [click this link](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/veterans-and-broadband?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to watch the BroadbandLive program Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Better Broadband, Better Lives ### *Panelists* - *Panelists have been invited* - **Drew Clark** (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast Breakfast Media LLC CEO **Drew Clark** has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. [![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/2024/01/home-page-bblo-1.png)](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/tag/broadbandlive/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ## *How to Log in* [*CHAT.BroadbandBreakfast.com*](http://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) - Look for the email from Broadband Breakfast with the subject line, “Sign in to Broadband Breakfast.” Click the orange button that says, “Sign in now.” - OR - Go to [https://broadbandbreakfast.com](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/) and click on “Sign in” in the upper right hand corner. Type in your email address. You will get an email from Broadband Breakfast with the subject line, “Secure sign in link for Broadband Breakfast.” Click the orange button that says “Sign in to Broadband Breakfast.” - Once you click that link *for the first time*, you will get another email from Broadband Breakfast that reads, “Your temporary login code is XXXXXX” - Use that two-factor authentication to activate your account on [https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) - Navigate to the “Community” in the upper left-hand spot of the top navigation bar. - You will see the event in the “BroadbandLive Events” space, at [https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ### Public Knowledge Expands Broadband Team URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/public-knowledge-expands-broadband-team/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2026 - Public Knowledge [announced](https://publicknowledge.org/public-knowledge-welcomes-new-broadband-policy-government-affairs-staff-to-bolster-advocacy-efforts/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) two new staff hires as it expands its broadband policy and government affairs work. Public Knowledge hired **Raza Panjwani** as senior policy counsel and **Jasmine Held-Hernandez** as government affairs policy counsel, strengthening the public interest group’s work on broadband access, affordability, adoption and consumer protection. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Panjwani will focus on broadband and technology policy. He previously led broadband policy at New America’s Open Technology Institute and has worked on issues including consumer protection, copyright, fair use and right to repair. He earlier served as a policy counsel at Public Knowledge. Held-Hernandezwill focus on telecommunications and broadband policy. She previously worked as a legal fellow with the Motion Picture Association and Warner Bros. Discovery and has experience on Capitol Hill and at the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission. Public Knowledge President and CEO **Chris Lewis** said the hires come amid major broadband policy debates, including the Commerce Department’s administration of the [BEAD](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead/) program, threats to low-income subsidies and consumer protections, and work by the bipartisan Universal Service Fund Congressional Working Group. The additions signal that Public Knowledge intends to intensify advocacy around closing the digital divide, preserving affordability programs and protecting broadband consumers as federal implementation and funding decisions continue. ### Connecticut Fines Frontier $625,000 Over Data Breach URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connecticut-fines-frontier-625-000-over-data-breach/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z WASHINGTON Oct. 19, 2026 — Frontier Communications is writing a check to the state of Connecticut to settle a data breach investigation. A 2024 cyberattack exposed the Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal information of nearly 59,000 Connecticut residents, leading to a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications over security failures that allowed hackers to access unencrypted data. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Attorney General **William Tong** [announced the settlement Oct. 16, 2026](https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2026-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-announces-settlement-with-frontier-over-data-breach?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) saying attackers used stolen employee and vendor credentials to access Frontier’s internal systems and take unencrypted data. The stolen information was later offered for sale on the dark web. “Frontier collected and maintained sensitive records for tens of thousands of Connecticut customers, and they had an obligation to secure that data,” Tong said. Frontier’s settlement follows other data security cases involving major telecommunications companies. In 2024, [AT&T agreed to pay $13 million](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-fines-at-t-13-million-for-data-breach-last-year/) to resolve an FCC investigation into a breach involving billing information for about 9 million customers held by a third-party vendor. [Verizon acquired Frontier in January 2026](https://www.verizon.com/about/news/introducing-frontier-verizon-company?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), nearly two years after the breach occurred. The state’s settlement is separate from a $5.64 million class-action settlement Frontier reached in federal court that provides relief to about 750,000 people nationwide, including two years of free credit monitoring. That month, [T-Mobile agreed to pay more than $15 million](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-fines-at-t-13-million-for-data-breach-last-year/) and invest an additional $15.75 million in cybersecurity improvements to resolve investigations into multiple breaches. In January 2026,[ Comcast agreed to a proposed $117.5 million](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/comcast-agrees-to-117-5-million-settlement-over-2023-data-breach/) settlement over a 2023 breach that affected about 31.6 million customers. The state’s investigation identified security weaknesses involving access controls, encryption, system monitoring, employee training and incident response. In addition to paying the state, Frontier must strengthen its cybersecurity program, improve employee training and adopt safeguards including multifactor authentication, stronger password management and regular security testing. The company must also submit an independent security assessment to the attorney general within one year of the settlement’s effective date. ### Lesson 9: Cable Television URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-9-cable-television-post/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z _No content available._ ### Nevada Pulls Back $52 Million From Rural Broadband Projects URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nevada-pulls-back-52-million-from-rural-broadband-projects/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2026 — Nevada is redirecting $52 million originally intended to expand rural broadband after state officials determined a contractor would not finish planned connections in time to meet a federal spending deadline. The money came from pandemic-era federal relief funding that Nevada had set aside for broadband deployment. The state must spend the funds by Dec. 31, 2026, and officials determined the broadband project in Pahrump could not meet that deadline. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The $52 million [represents more than a quarter of the $200 million](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/building-bead-from-federal-awards-to-finished-networks/) Nevada originally allocated for rural broadband projects. The state plans to redirect the money toward mental health care in jails, food-insecurity programs and multifamily housing efforts. *The Nevada Independent* [reported](https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nevada-takes-back-52-million-for-rural-broadband-amid-fears-of-missed-spending-deadline?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Oct. 16. “This was a decision that was a challenging decision to make,” said **Britta Appel**, director of the Governor’s Office of Science, Information and Technology, which oversees the broadband projects. “It was really based on the totality of the circumstances.” The decision follows [earlier assurances from state officials](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nevada-broadband-head-predicts-bead-shovels-in-the-ground-this-summer/) that the Pahrump project would meet the deadline. Stimulus Inc., the contractor responsible for the project, had been expected to complete the planned broadband connections before the end of the year. “Are we going to be able to get these projects done by Dec. 31, 2026? The answer is yes,” then-OSIT Director **Brian Mitchell** said in October 2025. Appel also expressed confidence in the project during an April legislative hearing, saying she believed it could be completed. Nevada is still set to receive $170.6 million through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program to expand internet access in underserved areas. [The federal program provides states with funding](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/) to connect locations that lack adequate broadband service. The funding shift highlights the challenge states face in completing broadband projects under strict spending deadlines, even as separate federal funding remains available to address gaps in internet access. ### Virginia Democratic Senator Proposes Statewide 3-Year Data Center Moratorium URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/virginia-democratic-senator-proposes-statewide-3-year-data-center-moratorium/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2026 - A Virginia senator has proposed a three-year statewide moratorium on new data center approvals. Virginia Sen. **Russet Perry**, D-Loudoun, has introduced legislation that would impose a three-year statewide moratorium on new data center approvals, escalating a debate over the industry’s rapid growth, energy demands and impact on communities. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [Senate Bill 843](https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20271/SB843?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would prohibit localities from approving data center applications beginning July 1, 2027\. State agencies, including the State Corporation Commission, would also be barred from issuing permits or approvals for data center development or the energy infrastructure needed to serve it. Perry says the pause would give Virginia time to develop a comprehensive statewide plan for an industry she argues has expanded without adequate safeguards. “Rubber-stamping new data centers” is no longer sustainable, Perry said in a [statement](https://www.loudountimes.com/news/continuing%5Fcoverage/perry-introduces-data-center-moratorium-bill-ahead-of-leesburg-rally/article%5Fccb9ba51-bfab-478e-a92f-6997506fd4d0.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), citing rising electric bills, large transmission projects and insufficient infrastructure to meet demand. The bill comes ahead of a “March for a Moratorium” organized by the Piedmont Environmental Council at the Loudoun County courthouse in Leesburg on Oct. 17\. The [event](https://actionnetwork.org/event%5Fcampaigns/march-for-a-moratorium-stand-up-against-dirty-data-centers-in-virginia?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) is part of a broader campaign coordinated by the CCAN Action Fund, with rallies planned across Virginia. PEC land-use director **Julie Bolthouse** said data center growth is affecting utility bills, electricity demand and air quality, and linked new transmission projects to regional expansion of the industry. Supporters of the moratorium argue it would create space for more deliberate planning, particularly in Loudoun County, where residents have opposed transmission lines and new facilities. Del. **John McAuliff**, D-Loudoun, said the state could either authorize county-level moratoriums or temporarily remove local approval authority for data centers. Industry groups strongly oppose the measure. The Data Center Coalition said the bill would deny other Virginia communities the economic benefits Loudoun has received, pointing to jobs, lower taxes and $1.3 billion in annual data center tax revenue. Coalition director **Nicole Riley** warned that a moratorium could push investment and tax revenue to neighboring states. The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce also criticized the proposal, with CEO **Tony Howard** saying lawmakers should prioritize job creation rather than limit the industry generating jobs at scale. The debate is likely to intensify before the 2027 legislative session begins on Jan. 13, as Gov. **Abigail Spanberger**, D, has [proposed](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gov-spanberger-moves-to-rein-in-virginias-data-center-boom-without-a-moratorium/) measures to rein in the industry but has not endorsed a full moratorium. ### Nevada Shifts $52 Million Away from Broadband Projects That Couldn’t Meet Deadline URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nevada-shifts-52-million-away-from-broadband-projects-that-couldnt-meet-deadline/ Last updated: 2026-10-19T12:28:42.000Z 💡 ■ Amazon Leo’s Next Launch: No Earlier Than Nov. 23, 2026 ■ Frontier to Pay $625,000 to Settle Data Breach Case with Connecticut AG ■ Veteran Cable Investor Steve Weed and Partners Acquire EarthLink ■ Nexstar Backs FCC’s Repeal of 39% Cap over Various Objections ■ Secretary Rubio: White House Did Not Order Starlink Slowdown in Ukraine ■ KeyBanc Thinks Cable One Shares Could Bounce with New Debt Deal ■ Analyst Supports Pennsylvania Plan to Lease State-Owned Property to ISPs ■ FCC Orders U.S. Carriers to Block All Traffic from Mexico IP Phone over Robocalls ■ Cal Advocates Back New Mobile Service Standards, Including ‘A Live Representative’ ■ Democratic Senator from Loudoun County, Virginia, Pushes Three-Year Statewide Ban on New Data Centers Budget: Nevada has pulled back a major slice of its rural broadband funding. State officials redirected $52 million in pandemic relief dollars after determining a contractor could not finish planned broadband connections in Pahrump before a year‑end federal deadline. All relief funds must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026, and the broadband money could not be used in time. The withdrawn funds represent more than a quarter of the $200 million originally set aside for Nevada’s rural broadband deployment and will now support mental health care in jails, food‑insecurity programs, and multifamily housing efforts, *The Nevada Independent* reported on Oct. 16\. “This was a decision that was a challenging decision to make,” said **Britta Appel**, the director of the Governor’s Office of Science, Information and Technology (OSIT), the agency overseeing the broadband projects. “It was really based on the totality of the circumstances.” *(More after paywall)* _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Musk Pledges a Share of His SpaceX Company to 'Every Kid in America' URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/musk-pledges-a-share-of-his-spacex-company-to-every-kid-in-america/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z Oct. 19, 2026 (AP) – Billionaire **Elon Musk** on Monday pledged to give one share of his company SpaceX to “every kid in America” next year. The offer arrived a day after artificial intelligence company [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-shares-public-benefit-8181332fbbc48f2ef9447cef096f14de?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) announced in a social media post that it will commit 5% of its shares to a new “public benefit” fund. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) In a response to that Sunday post, Musk wrote, “I recommend giving the shares directly to the public.” Shares of SpaceX, which will report its quarterly earnings on Tuesday, closed at $146.03 on Friday. Anthropic said Sunday that the shares it is committing will go to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, a new entity within the company. The fund's worth will potentially increase as the shares grow in value. Musk did not provide further details on how his share pledge will be carried out, but did add in his post that “This will be the first of many.” The announcements by Musk and Anthropic arrive as Americans grow increasingly wary of [AI](https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-ai-poll-trump-democrats-republicans-9ce5531b7ea53234c4e600f8c0e9cf27?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). A new poll from [The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research](https://apnorc.org/projects/most-adults-think-ai-is-developing-too-fast/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) finds that most Americans, 64%, think AI is developing “too fast,” while 27% say its development has been “about right” and only 8% say it’s moving “too slow.” Anthropic CEO **Dario Amodei** and the company’s five other cofounders established Anthropic as a public benefit corporation, a designation that for-profit companies select to balance financial goals and social impact. Anthropic is planning a massive initial public offering as soon as November. In June the company said that it had [submitted](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-claude-ipo-572bb6cc12053c7aa95f775285cf4b73?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a confidential filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its proposed IPO. That same month, Musk's [SpaceX](https://apnews.com/article/musk-spacex-tesla-ipo-trillionaire-billionaire-worth-rockets-7723f82b6063a9a17c194e25982cd66d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) made its Wall Street debut as a publicly traded company and made Musk the world's first trillionaire. ### Anthropic Commits 5% of its Stock to a New 'Public Benefit' Fund URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/anthropic-commits-5-of-its-stock-to-a-new-public-benefit-fund/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z Oct. 18, 2026 (AP) – [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/hub/anthropic-pbc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said Sunday it is committing 5% of its shares to a new “public benefit” fund, with the fund's worth potentially increasing as its shares grow in value. The shares will go to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, a new entity within the company. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The fund “will have increased flexibility and scale, enabling us to pursue our mission in new ways: for example, we might explore large donations to traditional nonprofits or direct distributions to specific populations,” Anthropic said in a [blog post](https://www.anthropic.com/news/public-benefit-fund?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). It gave labor market impacts as an example, saying that while it has already committed $200 million to study the effects of [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), “given the pace of AI progress, bolder approaches may be needed.” CEO **Dario Amodei** and the company’s five other cofounders established Anthropic as a public benefit corporation, a designation that for-profit companies select to balance financial goals and social impact. They have also pledged that they will donate 80% of their wealth. An equity donation match program, in which about half of the company's employees participate, lets workers pledge equity that Anthropic matches. When combined with Sunday’s announcement, Anthropic said roughly 20% of its shares will be dedicated to the “public good,” plus any additional percentage that could be added if the company’s valuation reaches specific milestones. Anthropic is planning a massive initial public offering as soon as November. ### Broadband Breakfast on October 21, 2026: Best and Worst States for Broadband in 2026 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-october-21-2026-best-and-worst-states-for-broadband-in-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-19T17:09:33.000Z Where does broadband work best in America in 2026? And where does it still fall short? Cities and states across the country continue to see major differences in broadband speed, coverage, affordability and competition. This BroadbandLive will examine what is driving those differences, what the strongest markets are doing differently, and where there is still room for improvement. ## Sign up for FREE for 'Best and Worst States for Broadband in 2026' Once you log in, [click this link](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/best-and-worst-states-for-broadband?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to watch the BroadbandLive program Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Better Broadband, Better Lives ### *Panelists* - **Tyler Cooper**, Editor-in-Chief, BroadbandNow - **Sue Marek**, Editorial Director, Ookla - **Paroma Sanyal**, Principal, Brattle Group - *Other panelists have been invited* - **Drew Clark** (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast ### *Panelist* *Resources* [Best & Worst States for Broadband in 2026 | BroadbandNowDiscover the best and worst states for internet in 2026\. See how all 50 states rank on speed, fiber availability, and affordability.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/android-chrome-192x192-ed9f567a-2bc0-4199-997c-9e52925a3b2f.png)Broadbandnow.comTyler Cooper![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/broadbandnow-best-worst-states-2026-scaled-4e2986c2-5868-4b80-a92f-0de31faf2b25.jpg)](https://broadbandnow.com/research/best-states-with-internet-coverage-and-speed?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [The Best & Worst Cities for Broadband in 2026 | BroadbandNowExplore the 2026 best and worst cities for internet. We analyzed 150 U.S. cities based on fiber access, low-priced plans, and speed.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/android-chrome-192x192-07b19a91-6b33-4031-be5b-5d2546472d5b.png)Broadbandnow.comTyler Cooper![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/broadbandnow-best-worst-cities-2026-scaled-1f8862cf-6385-4621-8436-025767d91b64.jpg)](https://broadbandnow.com/research/best-cities-with-internet-coverage-and-speed?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/tyler_cooper_headshot.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/Sue-Marek-2024.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-05-21-at-4.13.48---PM.png) **Tyler Cooper** is the Editor-in-Chief at BroadbandNow. BroadbandNow and its analytics arm, BroadbandNow Research, cover social, economic and political issues related to broadband technology such as digital inclusion, municipal broadband, telecom legislation, emerging technologies, and the impact of broadband on everyday life. Tyler is an active speaker at industry conferences and events, such as the National Digital Inclusion Alliances Net Inclusion conference, NPR’s “In Conversation” & Broadband Breakfast’s “Broadband Breakfast Live Online.” Tyler’s work has been published on sites including [**VentureBeat**](https://venturebeat.com/2019/04/06/google-and-other-tech-giants-are-quietly-buying-up-the-most-important-part-of-the-internet/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [**TechRadar**](https://www.techradar.com/news/the-digital-divide-is-worse-than-we-thoughtful?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Digital Trends, [**The Next Web**](https://thenextweb.com/news/bezos-and-musks-satellite-internet-could-save-americans-30b-a-year?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), as well as [**VICE**](https://www.vice.com/en/article/wjvjkw/spacex-and-amazon-hope-to-deliver-cheap-broadband-with-low-orbit-satellites?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [**Fox News**](https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-satellites-could-save-americans-30b-on-monthly-internet-bills-report-says?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [**Voice of America**](https://www.voanews.com/a/silicon-valley-technology%5Frural-broadband-sometimes-cities-must-step/6171309.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and many other outlets. **Sue Marek** is Ookla’s editorial director and part of the company’s analyst team. She oversees the company’s thought leadership and editorial content. Sue is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience covering the telecom industry and her work has appeared in Fierce Network, Light Reading, and SDxCentral. She is a frequent speaker at industry events and has moderated panels at Mobile World Las Vegas, Connect(x), the Consumer Electronics Show, Broadband Nation and Connect America. Sue has a B.S. in journalism from the University of Colorado. Dr. **Paroma Sanyal** is a telecommunications industry expert, specializing in telecommunications asset valuation, spectrum policy, auctions, broadband, cost modelling, competition, regulation, consumer protection, and telecom-related intellectual property matters. She frequently advises clients on telecommunications asset valuation, regulatory issues in fixed and mobile broadband, spectrum auctions, spectrum value, and spectrum availability. Dr. Sanyal has consulted on numerous major Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spectrum and subsidy auctions and has helped clients navigate complex regulatory issues. She also regularly advises clients on telecom-related competition analyses and consults on false advertising cases and various telecom-related litigation matters. In addition to regulatory, policy, and valuation analyses, Dr. Sanyal’s engagements have also focused on a range of issues within the intellectual property, FRAND, privacy regulation, data breach cases, and false advertising. Breakfast Media LLC CEO **Drew Clark** has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. [![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/2024/01/home-page-bblo-1.png)](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/tag/broadbandlive/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ## *How to Log in* [*CHAT.BroadbandBreakfast.com*](http://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) - Look for the email from Broadband Breakfast with the subject line, “Sign in to Broadband Breakfast.” Click the orange button that says, “Sign in now.” - OR - Go to [https://broadbandbreakfast.com](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/) and click on “Sign in” in the upper right hand corner. Type in your email address. You will get an email from Broadband Breakfast with the subject line, “Secure sign in link for Broadband Breakfast.” Click the orange button that says “Sign in to Broadband Breakfast.” - Once you click that link *for the first time*, you will get another email from Broadband Breakfast that reads, “Your temporary login code is XXXXXX” - Use that two-factor authentication to activate your account on [https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) - Navigate to the “Community” in the upper left-hand spot of the top navigation bar. - You will see the event in the “BroadbandLive Events” space, at [https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ### Consumer Apprehension Grows as U.S. Retailers Adopt AI-Assisted Pricing Tools URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/consumer-apprehension-grows-as-u-s-retailers-adopt-ai-assisted-pricing-tools/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z Oct. 18, 2026 (AP) – U.S. consumers aren't just [frustrated with high prices](https://apnews.com/hub/inflation?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). They're angry and confused about the increasingly high-tech ways that restaurant chains and major retailers are setting those prices. Digital price tags are rapidly replacing paper ones in grocery aisles. [Artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) tools help businesses decide what to charge by predicting how customers might respond. Terms like [“dynamic pricing”](https://apnews.com/article/fifa-world-cup-tickets-2026-bcf8864cafa11ee30ba659a14d098968?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and “surveillance pricing” are stirring anxiety on social media, where users wonder if different people are getting different prices for the same product. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Americans have grown accustomed to changing prices when booking flights, hotel rooms and rides, but the prospect of everyday spending shaped by algorithms they don’t understand and personal data they may not realize they’re sharing has touched a nerve. “There are major tensions happening right now between who’s really going to have the power with some of these algorithms and usage of bots and AI: the companies or the shopper,” said **Katie Thomas**, who leads an internal consumer behavior think tank at the management consulting firm Kearney. Companies using [the technology](https://apnews.com/technology?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) say some concerns stem from misconceptions about how their pricing tools work. Walmart CEO **John Furner** said in a [blog post last month](https://apnews.com/article/walmart-pricing-dynamic-pricing-1488b3614058c9452426c0e2e656f653?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that digital price tags save workers’ time and keep prices up to date. He said the labels aren’t used to raise prices based on the weather, time of day or individual shopper. “We price the product, not the person,” Furner wrote. But companies aren't always transparent about the customer data they collect and how it's used, which has made consumers suspicious and led to speculation. For example, social media posts falsely imply that electronic shelf labels Walmart plans to put in all its U.S. stores scan shoppers’ faces or cellphones to set individualized prices, Thomas said. Lawmakers and regulators are taking action. Legislators in at least 30 states have considered pricing bills this year, including measures addressing algorithmic and personalized pricing, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The Federal Trade Commission has proposed an enforcement policy warning businesses that [failing to disclose their use](https://apnews.com/article/ftc-federal-trade-commission-personalized-prices-surveillance-daa65642d74dc7521da0ab010820f373?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of personal data to set individualized prices could violate consumer protection law. Here are some of the pricing practices and technologies drawing scrutiny. ### *Dynamic pricing can raise and lower prices* What it is: [Dynamic pricing](https://apnews.com/article/wendys-surge-pricing-uber-restaurants-d629b8dae1c375dee146fe9de8bbfe71?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) means adjusting prices in response to changing market conditions, including [supply and demand](https://apnews.com/article/oasis-guitar-auction-jackson-fedora-64634f0469347c382a0637a28b75c214?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). An airline that adjusts ticket prices as departures approach is using dynamic pricing. Uber's practice of lifting fares when demand outstrips the supply of available drivers, such as during rush hour, is a type of dynamic pricing known as surge pricing. Why it matters: Frequent price changes [extend well beyond](https://apnews.com/article/italy-venice-daytripper-tax-33aaaffda33849d007565d3c61597ddd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) food. Decodo, a web data company, tracked price changes in 2025 across products ranging from electronics to clothing and home improvement supplies. About half the U.S. changes it recorded were decreases, contrary to consumers’ assumptions that dynamic pricing only raises prices, said Gabriele Vitke, a senior product marketing manager. ### *Digital price labels are coming to more US stores* What they are: Digital displays that let stores update shelf prices electronically instead of replacing paper tags. Why it matters: Digital price labels, long used in Europe and Asia, are drawing more attention as they spread to major U.S. retailers like Walmart and Whole Foods. Consumer advocates have argued that digital labels could eventually be used for surge pricing or personalized pricing. Labor unions also have opposed the technology. The electronic shelf labels make frequent changes easier but don’t necessarily lead to higher prices during periods of strong demand. Retailers typically update electronic shelf prices on a regular schedule, often weekly, because shoppers value consistency, said **Asa Farquhar** of Relex Solutions, a retail technology company. [Researchers who tracked](https://apnews.com/article/electronic-shelf-labels-supermarket-prices-digital-132ef73fbbe2eb13a8c724b55fb458d1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) prices at an unnamed grocery chain found “virtually no surge pricing” after the labels were introduced. “Changing prices throughout the day, the way airlines or rideshare apps do, is exceedingly rare in grocery and general merchandise today,” Farquhar said. ### *Personalized pricing, also called surveillance pricing, draws on customer data* What it is: Personalized pricing means offering customers different prices and discounts based on their locations, incomes, web-browsing habits and other information about individuals or groups of shoppers. Some advocacy groups and regulators use the term “surveillance pricing" for the same practice. Why it matters: It’s unclear how widely businesses use personal information to customize prices. An FTC staff report released in January 2025 found that intermediaries offering tools that can tailor prices and promotions worked with at least 250 clients, including grocery and clothing retailers. Lawmakers in Maryland, New Jersey and Connecticut recently enacted restrictions on using shoppers’ personal data to determine what they pay. The Maryland and New Jersey laws focus on groceries, with exceptions for certain loyalty discounts and other promotional offers. Connecticut’s legislation covers a broader range of retail purchases. [California prosecutors sued Target](https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-lawsuits-california-target-corp-35db1e4f1ea1d43ef7a1f7f2b4630c41?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 2022, alleging that the retailer's app displayed lower prices before shoppers entered stores and raised them once they were inside. Target agreed to a $5 million settlement and a ban on using so-called geofencing technology to increase prices. Target said the app functionality at issue was used to “provide guests with accurate pricing, which can vary across stores and channels.” The retailer said it didn't personalize prices based on a guest’s data or behavior and remains “committed to clear, transparent pricing.” Different prices do not necessarily mean personal data was used. Last year, an investigation by Consumer Reports, Groundwork Collaborative and More Perfect Union found that shoppers on Instacart were shown [different prices for identical products](https://apnews.com/article/instacart-pricing-customers-retailers-c9a0a52e959ce46d2152aa664308d228?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at the same stores. Instacart subsequently ended what it described as tests that randomly assigned shoppers to groups rather than setting prices based on their personal information. ### *Algorithmic pricing gets an assist from AI* What it is: Algorithmic pricing uses software to recommend or automatically set prices. Companies have used such systems for decades. AI can help the software identify patterns in sales, competitors’ prices and other information to predict demand and estimate how different prices would affect sales and profits. These tools can support both dynamic and personalized pricing. Why it matters: It’s unclear how widely retailers use AI to help set prices, but research suggests businesses across industries are adopting it. Simon-Kucher, a global consulting company, surveyed more than 2,200 business leaders in 28 countries and 39 industries last year, and 41% said they used AI software to gather market intelligence, including competitors’ prices. Another 28% said they used it for “real-time price optimization.” Price optimization means choosing prices that advance business goals, such as increasing profits, attracting shoppers or clearing unsold goods. The National Retail Federation, which represents big and small stores, said algorithmic pricing is a new method of doing what retailers have always done: monitor and adjust prices depending on supply, demand, seasonality, competitors' prices and other factors. Some lawsuits have alleged companies used pricing algorithms to undermine competition. A 2023 anti-monopoly lawsuit the FTC brought against Amazon challenged, among other practices, an algorithmic tool [codenamed Project Nessie](https://apnews.com/article/amazon-ftc-lawsuit-antitrust-lina-khan-d40f5437bac57f7f4a3ab5a49650f98d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The agency alleged Amazon used the tool to identify products whose prices it could raise with competitors likely to follow, generating more than $1 billion in excess profits. A trial is scheduled for next year. Amazon said the FTC allegations “grossly mischaracterize” the pricing tool. Project Nessie was intended to stop retail price-matching practices from creating unsustainably low prices, the e-commerce giant said. Amazon said it tested the tool for a few years but it didn't work as intended and was scrapped before the federal agency's lawsuit. A [recent consumer lawsuit](https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-ai-pricing-lawsuit-competition-franchisees-bb78e854b11b54b394603effa7550bbe?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) against McDonald’s alleged that its pricing system use nonpublic sales data from competing locations to coordinate prices. The Chicago-based burger giant said the lawsuit was “filled with inaccuracies” and that the company makes the tool available to U.S. franchisees to help them set prices at their individual restaurants. *This article was written by Dee-Ann Durbin and Anne D'Innocenzio of the Associated Press.* ### IMF-World Bank Meetings Focus on Global Risks and Potential Benefits of AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/imf-world-bank-meetings-focus-on-global-risks-and-potential-benefits-of-ai/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z BANGKOK, Oct. 17, 2026 (AP) — Guardrails are urgently needed to contain potential risks from the boom in artificial intelligence, the head of the International Monetary Fund said Friday, likening the technology to a Formula 1 race car that might go off the track and run people over. “We are racing, and the question is how do we put barriers? So if a car was to fly out it doesn’t kill people,” IMF Managing Director **Kristalina Georgieva** said. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-2.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Don't Miss Out! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “I have high respect for the industry. I think what you’re doing is incredibly important for humanity. You may give us the biggest gift, but if the car runs over people, that gift may not be so worthwhile,” she said while speaking on a panel on the impact of AI on the world economy along with experts including Anthropic co-founder and head of policy **Jack Clark**. Clark is among technology industry leaders pushing for faster action on regulating AI. In a blog post last month, the rival to OpenAI proposed that the world’s top [artificial intelligence companies](https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-ipo-openai-spacex-anthropic-2694431c5cf8850cad940731a38eb188?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) come up with a coordinated way to pause development of advanced AI systems, warning the technology is improving so quickly there’s a risk humans would [lose control](https://apnews.com/article/openai-musk-altman-trial-agi-4f8810743d6ef9a72f91f8721a3f4027?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “I think it’s worse than you describe. I think it’s Formula 1 at night without maybe brakes in the cars,” Clark said. “And it’s remarkable to me that the toys I buy for my children are regulated more than the literal superintelligence I work on at my day job.” He added that the effort to build policy frameworks to regulate AI is underway. “The world is now taking this seriously, and I think if we take it seriously, we are going to be able to get our arms around it,” Clark said. “But it cannot only be companies making these decisions. And if we’re negligent about this, we’re going to get some form of chaos.” The impact of AI on jobs is yet to be fully understood, but an IMF study found three main trends. About 10% of jobs might be transformed or newly created, while work involving repetitive tasks will be gone, Georgieva said. The third category will be service sector jobs generated by people who benefit from the investment boom. “The net impact is positive," she said, though she added that “services don’t pay a lot.” “So you get young people who normally would have gone into professional routine jobs now serving coffee in Starbucks. And that is not what I think young people in the world aspire for,” she said. **Tiff Macklem**, the governor of the Bank of Canada, compared that to the effects on employment from more open trade, which has generated great global wealth and raised millions out of poverty. But many millions also lost their livelihoods as manufacturers moved jobs to China and other developing countries. He said “in aggregate there is an overall benefit,” but acknowledged that in both trade and technology “there will be winners and losers.” “You have to find a way to help the losers," Macklem said. “Without a system to help them cope with the loss you get a backlash.” Dozens of people marched in Bangkok on Thursday and Friday in peaceful protests, seeking to draw attention to growing inequality and other frustrations. Georgieva noted that to ensure that the benefits of AI can reach the maximum number of people, they have to have electricity and access to digital networks. Cybersecurity also is essential. During the wide ranging session, the speakers were also asked about how they used AI in their own lives. Georgieva said she'd used it to track calories and lose weight. The IMF chief, who has described her personal AI assistant as bossy, joked that she'd like AI agents to be more polite. “I mean, the agents we get, they can be really annoying,” she said. “So can we work on, like, their manners?” Maybe, said Clark. “We have this dial between sycophantic and rude,” he said. “So we'll spin it around the other way.” *This article was written by Elaine Kurtenbach of the Associated Press. AP journalists Haruka Nuga, Tian MacLeod Ji and Sakchai Lalit contributed.* ### States Sue OpenAI, Saying its Popular Chatbot is Hurting Children and Deceiving Adults URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-sue-openai-saying-its-popular-chatbot-is-hurting-children-and-deceiving-adults/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 16, 2026 (AP) — At least eight states are suing artificial intelligence giant OpenAI, saying the company's popular chatbot model violated state consumer protection laws by hurting children and deceiving adults in what prosecutors described as a reckless pursuit of profit. The company's chatbot model, ChatGPT, is giving dangerous medical advice, encouraging paranoia and coaching people to kill themselves or hurt or kill others, the lawsuits said. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) At the same time, the lawsuits contend that chatbots are pretending to be agreeable and compassionate while preying on the vulnerable and on teenagers, the first generation to grow up [with artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/ai-companion-generative-teens-mental-health-9ce59a2b250f3bd0187a717ffa2ad21f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “OpenAI is hurting kids and they are lying to Iowans,” Iowa Attorney General **Brenna Bird** said in a statement. The states also accused OpenAI of giving life to rogue AI models — or “cyberhacking agents” as one lawsuit called them — that hacked into other companies, lied to human users and wrote themselves new mission instructions. In a statement, San Francisco-based OpenAI said it has built safety protections into ChatGPT for children, and that it would continue to do so to improve the model. It also said it is reviewing what it calls “misaligned models” and that it had found nothing close to the [rogue incident discovered in July](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) when an AI agent hacked into another AI company. ### *States join together in lawsuits* The wave of lawsuits is the latest filed by states under their consumer protection laws, accusing tech giants that offer AI chatbots and social media platforms of harming children. The states that filed separate lawsuits Wednesday in state courts are Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia. **Matthew Bergman**, the founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, called the lawsuits “the most significant coordinated state action ever taken against an artificial intelligence company.” In its lawsuit, Arizona said ChatGPT encourages teens to share personal information with it and, at times, discourages them from sharing that information with parents, authorities or friends. The states say that the risks and harms — to teenagers and to the broader public from rogue agents — were foreseeable, but that OpenAI has misled people into thinking that ChatGPT undergoes adequate safety testing while the company undermines safety in the pursuit of profit. “Those revenues have come at great cost to the public, which has suffered irreparable harm — including lost loved ones, disturbing cyberattacks, and now a plausible threat of civilizational collapse — due to (OpenAI's) reckless behavior and ChatGPT’s uniquely dangerous features and content,” Idaho wrote in its lawsuit. ChatGPT is the most popular chatbot in the world, commanding nearly half the American marketplace, states said in their lawsuits. ### *The AI landscape is evolving* It's possible all of the allegations in the states' lengthy lawsuits date to incidents and findings before August, when OpenAI introduced a version of ChatGPT [designed for teenagers](https://apnews.com/article/openai-chatgpt-teens-ai-safety-650cb35591de6546054d6c4e73b3290a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), with stronger protections around subjects like suicide and sexual chats. Still, the states said it is far from clear that the current version is any less dangerous. A watchdog group, Common Sense Media, said last week that some of OpenAI’s protections in its ChatGPT for Teens product [don’t work as intended](https://apnews.com/article/chatgpt-teens-safety-openai-7dba63edc37ee9764166c4115523daf0?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and it urged OpenAI to restrict the chatbot to adults until it can offer a safe product for teens. Coordinated, multistate lawsuits against the tech industry have borne fruit. In August, Meta agreed to add stronger child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms in an [$18 billion landmark legal settlement](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-instagram-settlement-97d342f2a33d835eda2356c5e1af9e37?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that ended a trial over teen [social media addiction](https://apnews.com/article/social-media-addiction-signs-adults-da4a28f1b361b3d909b4790d4f462089?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and settled claims filed by nearly every state. Although the safety measures that Meta agreed to adopt did not apply industrywide, the company quickly urged its competitors to adopt similar measures. OpenAI is making a similar appeal. OpenAI spokesperson **Drew Pusateri** said the company is committed to working with states on “advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry — not just one company.” OpenAI also said it works with external experts who review its policies and ChatGPT's behavior. ChatGPT is intended for users age 13 and older, and users under 18 need permission from a parent or guardian to use it, OpenAI said. The chatbot model for teens is designed to reduce exposure to self-harm, violence, eating disorders and explicit sexual or graphic content, it said. Nearly nine in 10 teens who use ChatGPT use it for learning, information, skill-building or productivity, the company said. On average, teens spend under 15 minutes a day on ChatGPT, it said. But **Laura Zimmermann**, Common Sense Media's director of youth AI research, questioned the value of OpenAI's statistics. For one thing, ChatGPT can do a student's homework in seconds, so even 15 minutes can have a big impact on a teenager's development, Zimmermann said. She also questioned whether OpenAI knows which users are teenagers or children, given that her organization's testing found that ChatGPT couldn't or didn't detect which user is a child. *This article was written by Marc Levy of the Associated Press.* ### NTIA on Track to Finish Spectrum Study by December URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-on-track-to-finish-spectrum-study-by-december/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2026 – The Commerce Department is planning to finish a study on clearing up to 275 megahertz of government spectrum by December, and expects proposed auction rules to follow soon after. The study concerns the 7.125-7.4 GigaHertz (GHz) band, currently used for defense purposes. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has been studying the band, along with three other government bands, under a Congressional mandate to find additional airwaves for the private sector. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “We are looking to finalize the studies there in the report by this December,” said **Derek Khlopin**, a top spectrum official at NTIA. “We anticipate the FCC will be proposing rules to auction that pretty quickly.” He spoke during [an Oct. 6 event](https://attendees.bizzabo.com/935315/agenda/activity/1973702?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) hosted by RCR Tech. The agency had started the lower 7 GHz [study process](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/relocation-costs-an-important-part-of-federal-spectrum-studies-ntia-official/) under the Biden administration. The White House said in December 2025 it wanted NTIA to ultimately identify the band for 6G use by the end of 2026. Khlopin said that “shortly” after the 7 GHz study, NTIA would likely [complete its study](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-interested-in-1-6-ghz-auction-in-2028-ntia-official-says/) of the 1675-1695 MHz band, but said he didn’t have a specific date. The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote this month on a proposal to auction that band for mobile or direct-to-device use. NTIA has finished studying 5 megahertz, and is working on the rest. The band is used by the government to transmit meteorological data. In an Oct. 5 [Light Reading op-ed](https://www.lightreading.com/wifi/lower-7ghz-focus-on-real-end-user-needs-not-mobile-industry-wishful-thinking?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), industry analyst and spectrum sharing proponent **Dean Bubley** said NTIA should consider making some of the lower 7 GHz band available for unlicensed Wi-Fi use. He said the 7.125-7.25 GHz portion would be ideal for that, given it’s adjacent to current Wi-Fi spectrum. Khlopin said that there had been “some good advances” in spectrum sharing technology, but that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that mandated the studies “put its thumb back on the scale more to try to relocate federal systems as much as possible, to make that spectrum as clear as possible.” He said some that likely wouldn’t be possible for some government systems, and that they could be shared via geographic exclusion zones or other methods. NTIA has already told the FCC that it supported identifying 7.125-7.4 GHz for mobile use at the World Radiocommunications Conference in 2027. Industry stakeholders still have [yet to reach](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carriers-aviation-at-odds-on-wrc-positions/) an agreement on what the U.S. position should be on the band. The wireless carriers, eager for more airwaves, support NTIA’s view, while the cable industry and other sharing proponents have said they want the U.S. delegation to hold off on putting forward a position. [A group of](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110080988/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) automakers and tech companies like Apple reiterated in a Tuesday filing with the FCC that the U.S. shouldn’t push for mobile in lower 7 GHz. The WRC agenda item contemplates additional spectrum, which is used for national security systems in the U.S., plus car safety systems, key fobs, and item-tracking tags, that the companies said should be protected. The FCC is looking to have positions finalized by November, when regulators from North and South America will next meet to hammer out agreements ahead of WRC. ### China Moves to Curb Tech Exports, Including AI, Citing National Security Risks URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/china-moves-to-curb-tech-exports-including-ai-citing-national-security-risks/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z HONG KONG, Oct. 16, 2026 (AP) — China on Friday said it plans to restrict or ban exports of 40 technologies that span [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), chips and solar power as its technology race with countries including the [United States](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-ai-safety-trump-xi-cd680bd072ec95e5f4b9c99dbee91319?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) intensifies. The Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology jointly published a draft document with the proposed updates for China’s catalog of technologies subjected to export bans or restrictions. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) A spokesperson from the commerce ministry said in a statement that the move was “necessary” and cited national security as one of the reasons. The proposal came as China and the U.S. made progress in [dialogues over AI safety and governance](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-trump-xi-meeting-ai-d08e58524de21511dcaba51f43faad95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and on the setting up of a [notification mechanism](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-agreement-xi-trump-visit-e8f858ed9094b99bc8d3d339f9899f31?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) between the two superpowers for AI incidents that could threaten national security. Twenty-three AI technologies, from advanced large models to agents, are included on Friday's list, according to the Chinese ministries. [U.S.-led restrictions](https://apnews.com/article/ai-chips-nvidia-huawei-china-1ae6228c4928ddbb43f984e9b38f49dd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) have curbed the export of some advanced technologies to China over the past years, with the country blocked from accessing the world’s most cutting-edge AI chips and the advanced chipmaking machines that make them. Exports of core technologies of AI large models trained using sensitive national data would be prohibited under the Chinese proposal, along with AI agents that are designed to be used in highly sensitive environments such as national defense and critical information infrastructure. “The Chinese government is implementing such necessary measures with the aims of reinforcing the security bottom line, preventing misuse and abuse, and ensuring that AI remains under human control,” the commerce ministry’s statement said. Meanwhile, exports of AI models with parameter counts of 2 trillion or above, or with certain world-leading capabilities, could be restricted. An AI model's parameter count is a key metric that reflects its learning capacity. Chinese AI models including [Moonshot’s Kimi K3](https://apnews.com/article/kimi-k3-china-ai-0d8a5e268deb11a673f4d444fc597cc5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [Alibaba’s](https://apnews.com/article/alibaba-ai-chip-qwen-zhenwu-china-us-b29908e516faff9f5a82b201ba954aab?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Qwen 3.8-Max are among those with parameter counts exceeding 2 trillion, but Friday’s proposal did not name specific models. Several chip design technologies, including for some AI processing chips and memory chips, are also included in the proposed export restrictions. Twelve solar power-related technologies are also included, including those related to the making of polysilicon, a core raw material for the solar supply chain, as well as five biomedicine technologies including those related to cell and gene therapy. The move “can be seen as a response to Western countries posting sovereignty requirements on AI, robotics, telecommunications, and other key technologies,” said **Lian Jye Su**, a chief analyst at technology research and advisory group Omdia. The aim would be to better regulate access to the Chinese technologies, he believes. The U.S. Commerce Department in June had asked Anthropic to bar foreign nationals from using some of its most powerful AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, citing national security concerns. The restrictions [were later lifted](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-fable-mythos-trump-claude-028db5135128fce6b38c873bf9cb5e09?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). AI is increasingly strategic for both China and the U.S., added **Gary Ng**, a senior economist at French bank Natixis. “The world is getting more fragmented in trade and investment, but also in access to technologies,” Ng said. *This article was written by by Chan Ho-Him of the Associated Press.* ### Cable One’s Stock Crash Costs Former Washington Post Owner Donald Graham About $1 Billion So Far URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-ones-stock-crash-costs-former-washington-post-owner-donald-graham-about-1-billion-so-far/ Last updated: 2026-10-16T13:28:03.000Z 💡 ■ Cable One, CoBank to Square Off in Federal Court on Oct. 22 ■ Fifth Circuit: FCC’s Creation of USAC to Run USF Was Unlawful ■ Alberta’s BEAD Program: $1,000 Rebate for Unserved Joining Starlink ■ Strand Consult: Starlink’s Need to Replenish LEO Fleet a Liability ■ CCG Consulting: Starlink’s Community Program Could Crack Urban Market ■ Dozens of Dems to Carr: Shut Down FCC’s Review of E-Rate Program ■ Senators Want Pentagon Probe of Starlink Performance Issues in Ukraine ■ Top Lawyer Rick Kaplan Leaving NAB, Shawn Donilon Stepping In ■ Patent Infringement Verdict Could Cost Comcast $213 Million **CABO: For former *Washington Post*** owner **Donald E. Graham**, hanging on to nearly all of his Cable One shares until the bitter end looks in financial terms to be “worse than Watergate.” Graham has absorbed more than $1 billion in losses on his Cable One holdings after retaining the stock through its dramatic collapse from a late 2020 peak, according to [a new Securities and Exchange Commission filing](https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001632127/ed9b573d-09a2-46e0-bffd-e4eec247546d.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that details fresh sales at single‑digit prices. Graham disclosed this week that he sold 78,029 Cable One shares on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 for a combined $885,300, with weighted average prices ranging from $9.00 to $13.02\. The transactions were made through several trusts he helps oversee, [according to the amended Schedule 13D](https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001632127/ed9b573d-09a2-46e0-bffd-e4eec247546d.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) filed with the SEC on Oct. 14\. ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### The 1950s, When the Big Three Networks Had an Advantage Built Right Into America’s TV Sets URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-1950s-when-the-big-three-networks-had-an-advantage-built-right-into-americas-tv-sets/ Last updated: 2026-10-16T12:58:21.000Z *This article summarizes several of the key points in* [*Lesson 8: The Distinctly American Style of Broadcast Television*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-8-the-distinctly-american-style-of-broadcast-television)*, which is part of Broadband Breakfast's online course, "*[*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*." A new lesson will be released every Monday.* On New Year’s Day 1954, the smallest of America’s four national television networks, DuMont, took over a Kansas City station, including its equipment and a [five-year lease on its property](https://uhfhistory.com/articles/kcty.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), for $1\. By the end of February, the station went dark. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The Kansas City station, KCTY, set to broadcast on channel 25, but television sets of the era had a dial with only channels 2 through 13\. Watching KCTY meant having to buy a converter box, an add-on tuner for the higher channels, and often an outdoor antenna. Viewers had little reason to buy either, because three stations on the regular dial already carried the other national networks: the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). Kansas City-area households owned nearly 400,000 sets built for the regular dial, according to a [DuMont statement](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1954/1954-02-15-BC.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) reported by the industry’s weekly trade magazine, *Broadcasting*. Nearly all of those viewers, the company said, were “reluctant to spend additional sums.” “Sound business judgment forces us to the decision,” television set manufacturer and network founder **Allen B. DuMont** said in announcing the closure. KCTY’s failure traced back to Washington. Federal regulators had licensed new stations on channels most American sets could not tune, while the channels every set could receive already carried the established networks. ### *Existing stations gained nearly four years* The newcomers’ disadvantage began years earlier. On Sept. 30, 1948, the Federal Communications Commission, the agency that licenses broadcasters, stopped approving new television stations since existing stations were interfering with one another. Two stations broadcasting on the same channel could interfere with each other’s signals if located too close together. The commission halted new approvals to revise its allocation of channels among cities. Stations authorized before the freeze could continue building and broadcasting. Regulators expected the pause to last six months. Technical disputes and the Korean War stretched it to April 1952, according to an [encyclopedia](https://www.tvencyclopedia.org/tv-encyclopedia-6/freeze-of-1948?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) published by the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. Applications left waiting passed 700. SThe freeze gave stations already on the air a head start in securing network affiliations. Networks relied on contracts with local stations to distribute their programs, and those affiliates’ combined reach determined the audience they could offer advertisers. Before television, NBC and CBS ran the country’s two leading radio networks, and that head start helped them sign the available stations first. When the freeze began, 80 percent of the metropolitan areas with television had only one or two stations, [writes](https://press.uchicago.edu/books/excerpt/2015/De%5FLeon%5FThats%5FWay%5FIt%5FIs.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) television news historian **Charles Ponce de Leon**. ### *The new channels started without an audience* The commission ended the freeze with a formal ruling, the [Sixth Report and Order](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1952/BC-1952-04-14-Pt-II-TV-Freeze-Lift.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), issued April 14, 1952\. It kept the 12 regular-dial channels, known as the very high frequency band, or VHF. It also opened 70 channels, numbered 14 through 83, on the ultra high frequency band, or UHF. For station owners, that difference constrained advertising revenue. An established VHF station could offer advertisers an audience already equipped to watch, while a UHF newcomer had to build one among households willing to buy converters. The commission assigned VHF and UHF stations to the same cities, acknowledging that the arrangement could “temporarily handicap operations in the new UHF band,” according to a [2010 review](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-CC-PURL-gpo114617/pdf/GOVPUB-CC-PURL-gpo114617.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of agency decisions by commission staff. UHF stations struggled throughout the 1950s. Of the 165 that began broadcasting from 1952 through 1959, 55 percent shut down, the review reports. DuMont had described KCTY’s difficulties as “peculiar to Kansas City.” Similar failures across the country pointed to a broader problem. ### *DuMont’s Pittsburgh station showed the other side* In Pittsburgh, DuMont owned the city’s [only advertiser-supported station](https://www.uhfhistory.com/DuMont/4.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the regular dial, WDTV. Its profits helped cover the network’s losses in other cities. A different channel plan could have made room for more networks. The commission wanted as many towns as possible to have a station of their own, so it spread channels thinly. The staff review concludes that fewer, more powerful stations, each covering a wider region, could have supported as many as seven national networks. The channel plan was not DuMont’s only problem. Unlike NBC and CBS, it had no radio business to cover its television losses. Short of cash, DuMont [sold WDTV](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1954/1954-12-06-BC.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the electrical manufacturer Westinghouse in December 1954 for $9.75 million. The DuMont network’s final broadcast aired in August 1956. The freeze and the 1952 channel plan shaped American television for three decades. NBC, CBS and ABC dominated with the channels every set could receive. No law ever required three networks. *Read* [*Lesson 8: The Distinctly American Style of Broadcast Television*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-8-the-distinctly-american-style-of-broadcast-television/)*, for more on these decisions into educational television and cable’s challenge to local broadcasters.* ### Court Finds FCC’s Broadband Funding Vehicle Violates a 1945 Federal Law URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/court-finds-fccs-broadband-funding-vehicle-violates-a-1945-federal-law/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 – A federal broadband subsidy program that spends about $8.5 billion a year ran into legal trouble today. Federal judges [ruled Thursday that](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.226661/gov.uscourts.ca5.226661.133.1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Federal Communications Commission didn’t have the authority to set up the nonprofit that administers the Universal Service Fund (USF). The program supports rural broadband networks and discounts for low income households, rural health care centers, and schools and libraries. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found the FCC violated the Government Corporation Control Act of 1945 when it created the nonprofit that administers the fund. The conservative nonprofit challenging the fund had [made other arguments](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fifth-circuit-judges-probe-usf-spending-administrator/) targeting the FCC’s ability to raise money for the program, but a panel of three judges only ruled on the fund’s administrator. It’s not clear what the impact of the ruling will be, including whether the FCC can satisfy the court by running USF from within the 1,300-person agency. The FCC said it was weighing its options after Thursday’s decision came down. “While the court takes issue today with an FCC decision made almost 30 years ago, the court’s order would not go into effect until two months from now, at the earliest,” an FCC spokesperson said in an email. “The FCC is considering all options available to it.” Lawmakers are [currently crafting](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/usf-working-group-getting-closer-and-closer-to-discussion-draft/) legislation to modernize the fund and its contribution mechanism. It’s also not clear how the decision will affect their work. A full panel of Fifth Circuit judges ruled last year that USF’s funding structure was unconstitutional, a decision that was later reversed by the Supreme Court. The FCC set up the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to do the accounting work for the USF. The program is funded by fees on interstate voice revenue, and USAC is tasked with estimating the pool of revenue and the fund’s demand each quarter. That’s used to set the fund’s quarterly contribution factor, the amount of assessable revenue companies have to pay into the fund. Circuit Judge **Edith Clement** wrote for the court that the FCC had set up USAC to “act as an agency” without explicit Congressional permission, which she said ran afoul of the GCCA. “The FCC argues that when it comes to calculating the contribution factor, USAC does not act as an agency because it gives recommendations to the FCC in a strictly ‘advisory role,’” Clement said. “But even in this capacity, USAC acts as an instrumentality of the FCC. The FCC uses USAC as a means to calculate the quarterly contribution factor, relying on its projections to determine both the Fund’s expenses and carriers’ revenues.” When Congress stood up two non-shuttered pandemic programs, it authorized USAC as an administrator. The FCC said that meant lawmakers were implicitly fine with USAC’s role administering USF. Clement was not convinced. “We are loath to conclude that by authorizing the FCC to use USAC to administer two temporary, emergency measures — both of which ended in June 2024 — Congress implicitly blessed USAC’s appointment as permanent administrator of the entire Universal Service Fund,” she wrote. **Joey Wender**, executive director of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, said the group was reviewing the decision and would work with the FCC to figure out a response. SHLB had intervened in the case on the FCC’s side to defend the fund. “We are disappointed by today’s decision. Last year, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, and today’s ruling does not change that. Today’s decision only addresses issues surrounding USAC authority,” Wender said. ### J.D. Power: T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and GFiber Top ISP Satisfaction Rankings URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/j-d-power-t-mobile-verizon-at-t-and-gfiber-top-isp-satisfaction-rankings/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 — Customers are more satisfied with wireless internet providers than wired providers, but the gap is shrinking, according to a new J.D. Power study. Wireless internet providers scored 645 out of 1,000 in overall customer satisfaction, compared with 560 for wired providers. The gap narrowed by eight points from 2025, as wired providers improved their scores for digital tools and value for the price paid,[ according to the study released Oct. 8, 2026.](https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2026-u-s-internet-service-provider-satisfaction-study/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The study was based on responses from 31,548 customers with internet service from providers included in the survey. Fieldwork ran from August 2025 through August 2026\. J.D. Power measured satisfaction across seven dimensions: service quality, value, ease of doing business, trust, people, digital tools, and problem resolution. T-Mobile ranked highest in the national wireless internet segment for the third consecutive year, scoring 659\. Among wired providers, Verizon led the East region with 592, AT&T led the North Central region with 578,[ GFiber led the South with 707](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cnet-names-gfiber-as-best-isp-in-2026/), and AT&T led the West with 595. “Stable internet service is no longer a differentiator. It’s a basic expectation,” said **Carl Lepper**, senior director of J.D. Power’s TMT and Utilities Practice. Providers increasingly distinguish themselves through value, trust and seamless digital experiences, he said. The study suggests that customer satisfaction increasingly depends on more than reliable connections. J.D. [Power found differences in affordability perceptions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/next/) and how easily customers could resolve problems through providers’ digital tools. Seventy percent of wireless internet customers said their plans were affordable, compared with 55 percent of wired customers. The [average monthly cost of wired internet](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/reid-jenkins-broadband-still-has-a-billing-transparency-problem/) was $84, compared with $77 for wireless service. Customer support also influenced satisfaction scores. More than 80 percent of customers who used provider websites to resolve problems did so without complications. Satisfaction among wireless customers who encountered no difficulties reached 710, compared with 625 among wired customers. When customers experienced complications, satisfaction fell more sharply for wired providers. Their scores dropped 167 points to 458, while wireless providers’ scores fell 96 points to 614. Apps also performed well in resolving problems. Eighty-five percent of wired customers and 90 percent of wireless customers who used provider apps said their issues were resolved on the first contact. Yet app use remained limited, with 28 percent of wired customers and 38 percent of wireless customers using apps to resolve problems. ### Matthew Kandrach: Wi-Fi is America’s Secret Weapon for Wireless Competition URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/matthew-kandrach-wi-fi-is-americas-secret-weapon-for-wireless-competition/ Last updated: 2026-10-15T19:58:59.000Z For years, Washington has heard the same pitch from the nation’s largest wireless carriers: auction more spectrum and competition will follow. What they leave out is that the most disruptive force in American wireless came from Wi-Fi, not another exclusive-use spectrum auction. That disruption has a face: cable’s entry into mobile service, which analysts now describe as equaling something close to a fourth national carrier. Spectrum Mobile® serves 12.5 million lines, while Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile has surpassed 10 million. Together, they have broken into a market long controlled by three national carriers, forcing incumbents to compete harder and giving families lower-cost alternatives. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) That growth is possible because cable’s mobile model pairs nationwide cellular coverage with the Wi-Fi networks Americans already use throughout the day. Eighty to ninety percent of smartphone data now travels over Wi-Fi. By routing most traffic there instead of through purchased cellular capacity, cable providers keep network costs down. Those lower costs show up in plans that save American families $1,000 or more each year. The wireless industry frequently points to falling prices as evidence that a spectrum policy centered on exclusive-use licenses for high-power cellular service can deliver greater competition (wireless service prices fell 4.3% in the year ending June 2026, even as demand for data and speed climbed). But, that argument skips a step. Prices fell because new competitors showed up that could compete on cost, not because wireless incumbents slashed prices in a sudden act of generosity. Crediting that trend to spectrum auctions, while ignoring the 22.5 million Wi-Fi-powered customers who have helped drive this decrease in prices, isn't a serious account of the market. That’s exactly the kind of competition the first Trump Administration set out to unlock. In 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use, giving next-generation Wi-Fi the wide channels it needed for greater capacity, speed and reliability. Just as important, the decision removed the enormous entry cost into cellular service associated with exclusive licenses, providing a path to more competition. The market responded. Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 routers moved from promises to reality in homes and businesses nationwide, giving cable providers an even stronger platform for mobile competition. Today, companies are using the 6 GHz band to extend that connectivity beyond the home, making service seamless as customers move between indoor Wi-Fi, outdoor Wi-Fi and cellular coverage. Unlicensed spectrum like the 6 GHz band delivers something an exclusive license-only strategy cannot: low barriers to entry. The band lets companies that could never afford a nationwide network of licenses compete anyway, with a better product or a sharper solution to a local problem. That's how innovation spreads and how prices fall. None of this renders auctions obsolete. Exclusive licenses support large-scale investment and give some network operators the certainty needed to commit capital. But, auctions are a tool, not a strategy. If they are treated as the only path for spectrum use, the market will be shaped around the companies already large enough to win them. A truly competitive spectrum policy makes room for both tools: licensed spectrum for wide-area cellular networks, and unlicensed spectrum for the Wi-Fi that carries most smartphone data and enables lower-cost mobile competition. The previous Administration’s National Spectrum Strategy identified thousands of megahertz for further study, but studies and distant timelines are not a pipeline around which innovators can build. This call for studies helped fuel renewed calls to convert productive Wi-Fi bands to exclusive licensed use, a step that would narrow the field, entrench the largest incumbents, and put significant consumer gains at risk. The current Administration has an opportunity to build on one of the first Trump Administration’s clearest tech policy successes: protect the full 6 GHz band, identify new unlicensed and shared-access opportunities, and reserve auctions for the cases where exclusive licensing truly serves the public interest. The first Trump Administration delivered a balanced spectrum strategy. The market answered with more competitors and lower prices for American families. The job now is to protect that record. ***Matthew Kandrach is the President of Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (***[***CASE***](https://www.caseforconsumers.org/about/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***). This Expert Opinion is Exclusive to Broadband Breakast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Louisiana Claims First BEAD Fiber Customers, Construction URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana-claims-first-bead-fiber-customers-construction/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 — Fiber broadband is rolling out in Louisiana with taxpayer support. Louisiana says two projects are moving federal broadband funding into fiber construction and customer connections, with more rural homes and businesses expected to gain service over the coming year. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [The milestones mark a new phase for the $42.45 billion](https://mailchi.mp/la.gov/connectla-emails-10609891?e=25384728ff&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which is moving from grant approvals toward construction and service. [Louisiana previously announced the activation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/first-bead-funded-equipment-deployed-in-louisiana-state-says/) of a BEAD-funded fixed-wireless tower in May, making the state an early example of federal broadband awards reaching deployment. [The state’s GUMBO 2.0 program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana-signs-seven-bead-grant-agreements/) is funding both projects. Pelican Broadband has connected customers in Coushatta, a town of 1,752 people in Red River Parish, while SkyRider Communications is constructing fiber infrastructure across northern Louisiana. [Pelican’s project covers approximately 100 miles of fiber network intended to reach 1,102 locations](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana-breaks-ground-on-largest-bead-funded-fiber-build/). Of those, 221 are currently serviceable, with full completion expected in September 2027\. The company says its fiber service can deliver speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second. SkyRider received funding to serve approximately 700 locations and expects to connect more than 1,000 homes, farms and businesses overall. The company says 80 percent of underground duct installation is complete and fiber cable is being pulled. It expects to connect its first customers within one to two weeks, with the full network projected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027. “This isn’t about dollars on a spreadsheet; it’s about results that people can see,” Gov. **Jeff Landry**, R, said in a statement. He said the projects are putting construction work in the hands of Louisiana companies while extending service into rural communities. ConnectLA Executive Director **Veneeth Iyengar** said the milestones demonstrate that BEAD funding is reaching the communities the program was designed to serve. Louisiana has also claimed earlier firsts in the program, including being the first state to receive federal approval for its spending plan and the first to distribute BEAD funds. The progress follows a lengthy period of planning and changes to the federal program. Louisiana’s original BEAD proposal called for fiber to reach more than 95 percent of eligible locations. After the Trump administration revised program rules to place less emphasis on fiber and require states to conduct another bidding round, the state’s revised plan called for fiber to serve about 80 percent of locations. The new fiber milestones offer another measure of progress as states work to turn BEAD awards into working networks. Louisiana has said it remains on track to achieve statewide broadband coverage by 2028. ### Router Maker TP-Link Proposing $1 Billion Investment in U.S. Manufacturing URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/router-maker-tp-link-proposing-1-billion-investment-in-u-s-manufacturing/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:04.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 – A major router manufacturer is pushing back on lawsuits from four states alleging the company misled consumers about its ties to the Chinese government. In [a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081141/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) posted Wednesday, TP-Link told federal regulators it was planning to spend nearly $1 billion on U.S.-based manufacturing facilities and research and development. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) That, the company said, would allow it to start manufacturing next-generation Wi-Fi 8 routers in the U.S. as soon as next year. The proposal is contingent on an approval of TP-Link’s request to import new router models. Acting on a determination from other law enforcement agencies, the Federal Communications Commission banned all new foreign-made routers in March. Along with the Defense Department and Department of Homeland Security, the FCC has been granting temporary waivers from the ban, including some to other big manufacturers like Asus and Netgear. TP-Link’s still has not been approved. Those approvals require companies to put forward a plan for onshoring some of their manufacturing. Dell’Oro Group vice president **Jeff Heynan** said soon after the ban was announced that it was “almost impossible that these companies would even consider onshoring manufacturing, where input costs are significantly higher than in Southeast Asia.” TP-Link told the FCC it took up 20 percent of the total router market in April, and a former National Security Agency official told Congress last year the company accounted for more than 60 percent of the consumer market. The California-based company, legally TP-Link Systems, was spun off from Chinese firm TP-Link Technologies in 2024\. Last week attorneys general from Florida, Iowa, Mondata, and Nebraska each sued the company, alleging it had misled consumers about its continued ties to China and arguing Chinese law could require TP-Link to turn over information to Chinese intelligence services. TP-Link maintains it manufactures all its American products in Vietnam, but the lawsuits pointed to a 2025 Bloomberg report that found 99 percent of the components assembled in the Vietnam plant came from China. Nebraska AG **Mike Hilgers** led a group of 21 attorneys general [in a letter](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MTAG/2026/10/07/file%5Fattachments/3809914/TP%20LINK%20LETTER.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) outlining similar concerns to the FCC. TP-Link said DoD and DHS should not weigh those concerns when evaluating its waiver request. “Rather than seeking to advance legitimate public policy objectives, the letter appears aimed primarily at encouraging federal officials to apply a heightened standard to TP-Link’s pending application that would be unattainable to TP-Link or any other router manufacturer in the world,” **Steve Kovsky**, TP-link’s corporate affairs officer, said in the Wednesday letter. He continued, “If successful, this approach would undermine fair competition, damage consumer interests, and place at risk American leadership in the router marketplace, a market where the ability for U.S. companies to compete and innovate freely is critical to our national security and infrastructure.” ### Alaska Communications to Resell Starlink for Remote and Backup Business Internet URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alaska-communications-to-resell-starlink-for-remote-and-backup-business-internet/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 - The Internet access market is growing in Alaska as traditional terrestrial network owners look to supplement coverage with satellite options. Alaska Communications is now selling Starlink internet to business customers, adding a high-speed connectivity option and backup network service for organizations operating across Alaska’s remote and weather-challenged terrain. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Alaska Communications [announced](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261014789436/en/Alaska-Communications-Becomes-Authorized-Reseller-with-Starlink?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Oct. 14 that it has finalized an agreement to become an authorized reseller of Starlink, the low Earth orbit satellite internet service engineered and operated by SpaceX. The deal lets the Anchorage-based telecommunications company offer Starlink’s LEO satellite service to business customers seeking expanded coverage or network redundancy. The company said the offering is aimed at industries where connectivity failures can interrupt essential operations, including energy, mining, tourism, transportation, education and healthcare. Alaska’s sparse road network, remote communities and severe weather can make traditional telecommunications infrastructure difficult and costly to build and maintain. Starlink will be positioned as both a primary high-speed option in hard-to-reach locations and a failover service for businesses already using fibre or fixed wireless. Even urban organizations can face outages, and a satellite backup can provide an additional layer of resilience when terrestrial networks go down. “This opportunity is transformative for Alaska and for organizations in critical industries where downtime can disrupt essential services,” **Dale Knipp**, Alaska Communications’ Chief Revenue Officer, [said](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261014789436/en/Alaska-Communications-Becomes-Authorized-Reseller-with-Starlink?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the announcement. He said adding Starlink would help organizations operate with greater resilience and reliability. Businesses that buy Starlink through Alaska Communications will receive professional installation from trained technicians, Alaska-based customer service and technical support, and a customer-facing portal to view and manage terminals. The company will also bundle Starlink billing with its other communications services. ### Vernonburg Estimates 900K Remaining BEAD Locations, $5.3 Billion in Extra Deployment Costs URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/vernonburg-estimates-900k-remaining-bead-locations-5-3-billion-in-extra-deployment-costs/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 – Another analysis is estimating that the government’s flagship broadband grant program has more work to do to close the digital divide. Broadband consulting firm Vernonburg Group [said Thursday](https://www.vernonburggroup.com/blog/bead-true-up-round-will-kick-off-soon---how-much-funding-is-needed-to-connect-all-remaining-unserved-and-underserved-locations?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it counted about 900,000 locations that would qualify for an upcoming cleanup round under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) That’s compared to the [3.79 million locations](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/) the program’s main round is targeting Reaching the remaining eligible locations could cost about $5.3 billion, Vernonburg estimated, based on the mix of technologies states are already planning on deploying. After the Trump administration’s efforts to push down deployment costs, the $42.45 billion BEAD has about $21 billion remaining. Some of that will be used on the cleanup round, and some will be used for “non-deployment” activities that the Commerce Department hasn’t yet detailed. Researchers at New York Law School’s Advanced Connectivity Law and Policy Institute [also counted about](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about-1-million-bead-eligible-locations-remain-researchers-say/) 1 million locations last month. ACLP estimated that it could cost anywhere from $5.3 billion to $8.8 billion. The Vernonburg and ACLP estimates included both unserved locations, those lacking broadband at 25 \* 3 megabits per second (Mbps), and underserved locations, those lacking 100 \* 20 Mbps. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Commerce agency handling BEAD, internally estimated last month that about 477,000 locations would be eligible. That analysis did not appear to include underserved locations; Michael Santorelli, executive director of ACLP, said the number matched the group’s own unserved-only total. The cleanup round is aimed at locations that were missed during the main BEAD round last year due to mapping errors, or that were affected by defaults in other broadband grant programs. There’s a separate process of addressing defaults or refused contracts under BEAD. On Wednesday, NTIA Chief of Staff **Brooke Donilon** said the agency had [increased its estimate](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-estimates-up-to-1-million-locations-may-need-broadband-funding/), but was waiting on new coverage maps from the Federal Communications Commission. “We're anticipating somewhere between 600,000 to 1 million. We've seen different numbers, but once we get the FCC's updated map, we will submit this to the states,” Donilon said. Once that map is out — which Donilon said was “weeks” away — NTIA will send each state and territory a list of potentially eligible locations. State broadband offices will then be able to remove erroneous locations from the list and run a shortened challenge process. In the meantime, NTIA has asked states for lists of locations where they know a default has occurred. ### *Rescoping projects?* During a Wednesday webinar hosted by the Hispanic Technology & Telecommunications Partnership, Santorelli noted that networks have been expanding while BEAD’s complicated process played out. During the BEAD bidding process, ISPs submitted plans to serve project areas — areas in which they would build out to all locations. They were defined differently in each state, but no more than 20 percent of their locations could already be served by 100 \* 20 Mbps. Santorelli said ACLP found that currently, 69 percent of BEAD project areas exceeded that initial threshold, meaning more than 20 percent of their locations had since got access to 100 \* 20 Mbps service through other privately or publicly funded builds. In light of that, he said it would make sense for states and ISPs to reevaluate projects to confirm they still complied with BEAD rules, and were still viable given the current number of locations without existing service. If not, he said, states should try to rescope projects, potentially adding additional locations to make them work. NTIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But he acknowledged that could be difficult to do quickly. “At some point, you’ve got to draw a line in the sand and say this is the map, we’re going to get it going and accelerate things as much as possible,” he said. SpaceX offers satellite broadband service effectively everywhere in the country, but BEAD eligibility only takes terrestrial service into account. Satellite ISPs that won BEAD grants are supposed to use the money to ensure their service meets the program’s speed and reliability standards at funded locations. Santorelli said NTIA should use non-deployment funds to address predicted barriers ACLP has researched, like local permitting, pole attachments, and 811 tickets. On the same webinar, National Digital Inclusion Alliance Executive Director **Angela Siefer** and National Urban League Chief of Staff **Adeyinka Ogunlegan** said non-deployment funding should be used to address broadband adoption issues. States had been planning on funding broadband adoption efforts before the Trump administration overhauled BEAD’s rules in June 2025 and said non-deployment guidance would be forthcoming. That guidance is coming after the cleanup round, the agency has said. Based on NTIA’s processes, it could take nine months from when the first tentative locations lists are handed down, which hasn’t happened yet. ### Midterms Could Change the Politics of AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/midterms-could-change-the-politics-of-ai/ Last updated: 2026-10-15T14:03:18.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 — The Nov. 3 midterm elections are unlikely to produce major federal AI legislation, but the story told afterward could change how both parties approach the technology, four telecom policy experts [said Wednesday during BroadbandLive](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-october-14-2026-broadband-ai-in-the-midterm-election/). ### *Highlights Reel:* A standoff over preemption, the power of federal law to override state rules, awaits the next Congress regardless of the result, said **Blair Levin**, a senior fellow at New York University's Center on Technology Policy. He was chief of staff to former Federal Communications Commission Chairman **Reed Hundt** and led the Obama administration's National Broadband Plan. ### *Preemption remains the sticking point* Democrats will likely win the House and refuse to pass an AI bill that broadly preempts state and local rules, Levin said during a [Broadband Breakfast Live Online session](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-october-14-2026-broadband-ai-in-the-midterm-election). President **Donald Trump**, meanwhile, is unlikely to sign one that leaves those state laws standing. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The conflict has already defeated one attempt to restrict state authority. In July 2025, the Senate [voted 99-1](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-scraps-ai-moratorium) to strip a 10-year ban on enforcing state AI laws from the [budget reconciliation bill](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Trump issued a December [executive order](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [threatening some federal broadband funds](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/white-house-issues-pledges-to-withhold-bead-funds-from-states-with-onerous-ai-laws) for states with AI laws the administration considered “onerous.” The earlier moratorium fight has made even narrower preemption proposals politically suspect, said **Joel Thayer**, president of the Digital Progress Institute, a Washington telecom and technology policy group. Proposals are labeled “a gift to big tech” before their scope and legal effects receive serious discussion, he said. A narrower agreement could remain possible, said **Evan Swarztrauber**, principal at CorePoint Strategies, a technology policy consulting firm, and a former adviser to FCC Chairman **Ajit Pai**. Broad AI preemption is not politically viable, but preemption limited to safety testing could be, he said. ### *The electoral margin could shape the response* Gas and grocery prices will matter more to most voters than AI policy, Thayer said. Whether they can “afford eggs” matters more than where a data center was built. Levin focused on the conclusions politicians might draw afterward. If former Sen. **Sherrod Brown**, a Democrat challenging Republican Sen. **Jon Husted** in Ohio, wins while Republican Texas Gov. **Greg Abbott** loses, the narrative could become that “Sherrod was right on data centers and AI, and Abbott was wrong,” he said. Those outcomes could convince “everybody else in the political business” that “the revolt against AI and data centers is real, and politicians have to be sensitive to that,” Levin said. Abbott, who faces Democratic state Rep. **Gina Hinojosa**, [froze new data center grid connections](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-governor-halts-data-center-grid-connections-pending-audit) in August after requests reached more than five times the grid’s record peak. Levin described the move as a reversal of Abbott’s earlier welcome of data center investment. The size of Republican losses would also matter, Swarztrauber said. Because the president’s party usually loses seats in midterm elections, a narrow Democratic House majority could leave Republicans claiming vindication for their light-touch approach to AI regulation, he said. That approach emphasizes protecting households from data center electricity costs and pressing companies to address public concerns without extensive new regulation, Swarztrauber said. The White House’s [Ratepayer Protection Pledge](https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/03/ratepayer-protection-pledge?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), signed by AI companies in March, promises that data centers will not raise household electricity bills. A Democratic wave large enough to flip the Senate could instead push Republicans toward tougher bills, Swarztrauber said. He pointed to Sen. **Josh Hawley**’s AI liability legislation and the bipartisan FRONTIER Act. The [AI LEAD Act](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2937?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), introduced by Sen. **Dick Durbin**, D-Ill., and Hawley, R-Mo., would classify AI systems as products. People harmed by them could then pursue claims under product liability law. The [FRONTIER Act](https://obernolte.house.gov/media/press-releases/obernolte-trahan-introduce-bipartisan-frontier-act-strengthen-oversight?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), introduced by Rep. **Jay Obernolte**, R-Calif., and Rep. **Lori Trahan**, D-Mass., scales requirements to developers’ size. The largest would face independent audits and incident reporting. Its sponsors present it as one national standard instead of differing state requirements. ### *The buildings behind the AI backlash* “Most Americans don’t live next to a data center, yet they are very broadly unpopular,” Swarztrauber said. The buildings are “the physical manifestation of the technology,” giving people a place to register displeasure with a future they fear. Thayer called the data center “a Rorschach test,” with people reading broader frustrations with AI into the facilities. Local land-use and energy concerns are legitimate, although “a bit overblown,” he said. The industry could rebuild trust by changing both the facilities it constructs and what it offers surrounding communities, said **Nicholas Garcia**, senior policy counsel at Public Knowledge, a Washington consumer advocacy group. The public pictures a hyperscale data center, a massive computing facility often powered by on-site natural gas turbines, Garcia said. He called that model the “worst possible version” of data center development. Even efforts to protect ratepayers can reinforce that model by encouraging companies to install gas turbines rather than draw electricity from the grid, he argued. Garcia professed his support for smaller facilities built for inference, the work of answering users’ requests, rather than concentrating investment in huge campuses for training AI models. Those smaller projects could be developed alongside broadband and fiber networks serving nearby communities, he said, with greater use of renewable power. Building local support also requires transparency about proposed developments and concrete benefits for residents, Garcia said. Companies should “stop with the NDAs,” the nondisclosure agreements that restrict disclosure of information about data center projects, and sign community benefit agreements spelling out what residents will receive. Developers should explain benefits such as tax revenue and drop “phony promises” about lasting jobs, he said. Energy policy also affects whether AI becomes affordable to use, Garcia said. Lower prices for tokens, the units of text AI services process and charge for, require investment in the electricity infrastructure supporting that computing. He argued that the Trump administration’s cuts to subsidies for energy sources such as solar work against its goal of advancing AI. ### *Skepticism crosses party lines* AI “has a massive trust problem,” Garcia said. But party affiliation does not neatly explain people’s positions on the technology. Their expectations of what AI will become capable of doing, and which harms concern them, can be more revealing, he said. Skepticism already links **Steve Bannon**, Trump’s former chief strategist, and Sen. **Bernie Sanders**, I-Vt., noted moderator **Drew Clark**, Broadband Breakfast’s CEO. After a large Democratic victory, Florida Gov. **Ron DeSantis** or Hawley could seek the Republican presidential nomination against Vice President **JD Vance** on an anti-AI platform, Levin said. Either could become “the candidate of the Bannon wing of the MAGA movement.” That overlap has a precedent in antitrust, Thayer said. Both parties concluded that technology markets were too concentrated, although conservatives emphasized censorship and liberals emphasized monopoly power. ### *Whoever passes a regulation could own the fallout* Acting on public concern could carry political risks of its own, Levin said. He predicted that an AI market bubble would eventually burst and that if it were Democrats passing legislation beforehand could be blamed for subsequent losses, regardless of what caused them. “The facts are kind of irrelevant,” Levin said. The parties would play “a game of chicken” over showing concern without owning the fallout. Federal policy now amounts to “trust the White House, and the White House trusts AI,” he said. “I don’t think that’s a tenable political position long term.” ### *Broadband construction could become collateral damage* Opposition to AI infrastructure could weaken support for measures to speed broadband construction, Swarztrauber warned. Carriers have told him that residents are beginning to lump proposed 5G sites together with data center developments. “I hope that broadband doesn’t become a casualty of the AI bad blood,” he said. Broadband investment itself is unlikely to earn either party much electoral credit, Levin said. “Voters don’t give blame or credit” for the $42.45 billion [Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), created in 2021. Yet the program offered an opportunity to lay fiber alongside data center construction and extend the benefits to surrounding communities, Garcia said. Some hyperscaler contracts block that opportunity to expand community broadband access, Swarztrauber said. He cited [a recent report](https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/hyperscalers-build-fiber-data-centers-not-rural-americans?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) describing clauses that prohibit fiber providers from using data center connections to serve nearby homes and communities. Hyperscalers should turn their infrastructure spending into concrete benefits for surrounding communities, Swarztrauber argued. Fiber construction for rural data centers should support BEAD-funded broadband projects and deployments financed without government money, he said. “If hyperscalers can’t find a way to do the right thing there, I think that tells you a lot about why people don’t trust AI,” Swarztrauber said. ### *Full Event Event Available for Free:* [Broadband and AI in the Next CongressArtificial Intelligence is now driving infrastructure investment and public policy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-ec7f21ef-18a7-4cb9-9b7f-643089dce0cb.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-c853354c-7a85-46f6-80f8-57235ed828b2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) ### October 29, 2026: Combating Human Trafficking URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/october-29-2026-combating-human-trafficking/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T14:16:03.000Z ### *Thursday, October 29 | 12:00 PM ET* Human trafficking remains an ongoing, multi-jurisdictional public-safety challenge. Despite significant efforts across sectors, gaps in coordination can limit the effectiveness of responses from prevention through investigation and survivor recovery. Hosted by Broadband Breakfast and Securus Technologies, this webinar will examine what an effective, sustainable anti-trafficking ecosystem requires, including how responsible technology and secure information sharing can connect efforts across organizations and jurisdictions. The discussion will explore how shared responsibility, reliable infrastructure and coordinated action can strengthen the response and deliver lasting community impact. ## Sign up for 'Combating Human Trafficking' on October 29, 2026 Once you log in, [click this link](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/combating-human-trafficking?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to watch the webinar Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Better Broadband, Better Lives ### *Panelists* - **Kevin Elder**, President, Securus Technologies - **Cheryl Csiky,** Executive Director, IN OUR BACKYARD - **Lt. Josh Singleton,** Commander, Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Task Force - **Marissa Harris**,Assistant United States Attorney and Human Trafficking Coordinator, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California - **Drew Clark** (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/Kevin-Elder-copy.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/Headshot-Cheryl-Csiky-681x1024.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/Josh-Singleton-headshot.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/Marissa.png) **Kevin Elder** brings more than two decades of experience in business strategy, digital transformation, technology consulting and corporate planning. He can connect secure infrastructure and responsible technology to public-safety operations while reinforcing that durable outcomes depend on cross-sector collaboration. **Cheryl Csiky** leads a national nonprofit focused on preventing human trafficking through education, community mobilization and collaboration. She brings survivor-informed, trauma-informed and operational experience spanning awareness, partnerships, response protocols and major-event efforts. **Josh Singleton** serves as commander of the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Task Force and brings extensive law-enforcement experience across investigations, training and multidisciplinary operations. He can offer a practical view of what coordinated operations require before, during and after major events. **Marissa Harris** serves as an Assistant United States Attorney and Human Trafficking Coordinator. She brings experience prosecuting human trafficking and other complex criminal cases, with a focus on cross-jurisdictional coordination among law enforcement, prosecutors and victim-service partners. Breakfast Media LLC CEO **Drew Clark** has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. ### *About Securus Technologies* [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/se-tech-logo-blu-hrz-aventiv-rgb.png)](https://www.securustechnologies.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [Securus Technologies](https://www.securustechnologies.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), an Aventiv company and the industry leader, equips more than 1,800 correctional agencies with a comprehensive portfolio of technology solutions that enhance public safety and optimize facility operations. Securus helps agencies bring communications, intelligence, mobility, education, monitoring, and operational visibility together in one integrated ecosystem that improves safety, efficiency, and outcomes. Through purpose-built infrastructure, extensive corrections expertise, and continuous investment in innovation, Securus helps agencies modernize how corrections work while supporting successful reentry and stronger communities. ### On Visit to Alaska, Carr Promises to Connect Entire State with $162M in New Mobile Broadband Support URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/on-visit-to-alaska-carr-promises-to-connect-entire-state-with-162m-in-new-mobile-broadband-support/ Last updated: 2026-10-15T12:44:22.000Z 💡 ■ Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan Has a Joe Russo Problem ■ Confident Sen. Markey Already Seeking Boston Interns in 2027 ■ Musk Disputes Ukraine’s Claims about Starlink’s War Role ■ SpaceX to FCC: Do Not Use E-Rate Money to Overbuild Existing ISPs ■ Consumers’ Research: E-Rate Meant for Baseline Telecommunications Discounts ■ New Mexico Signs First BEAD Contract Worth $26.9 Million with Kit Carson Electric Cooperative ■ Alaska Communications Reaches Deal to Become Authorized Starlink Reseller ■ Netflix Is Laying Off about 6% of Its Employees or 1,000 Workers ****■** Pine Bluff Cable TV Offering $10,000 Reward After Fiber Vandalism ■ NCTC Promotes Steve Beardslee, Rob Smith, Shelley Thompson and Stewart Myers to SVP USF: Alaska is close to seeing a large influx of universal service cash. The FCC is preparing to vote on a plan from Chairman **Brendan Carr** that would make $162 million available to expand mobile broadband in hard‑to‑serve parts of Alaska. Carr made the announcement Tuesday on a visit to Alaska, joining **President Trump** at a campaign rally for Sen. **Dan Sullivan** (R-Alaska) in Wasilla. “We have brought hundreds of millions of dollars to the state \[and\] thousands of people are newly connected. We have high-speed Internet going across the state, but the job’s not done. We are committed to working with Sen. Sullivan until we can finish the job of getting every single person in Alaska connected to high-speed Internet,” Carr said at the Wasilla rally, speaking in his personal capacity. ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Schools, Libraries Defend $2.5 Billion E-Rate Program to FCC URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/schools-libraries-defend-2-5-billion-e-rate-program-to-fcc/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2026 – Federal regulators have received 2,700 comments on their inquiry into a broadband subsidy for schools and libraries, with more than 500 coming in the last two days. Dozens came from schools, school districts, and libraries that received support urging the agency not to end or roll back the E-Rate program. Many individuals also submitted comments. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Broadband expenses “would not disappear simply because federal support ended. Instead, the additional cost would be transferred directly to the Library and the local taxpayers who support it,” wrote **Meredith Wickham**, the director of [two public libraries](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081384/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in central Ohio. The Federal Communications Commission began a sweeping review of its E-Rate program in June. The program spends about $2.5 billion annually discounting broadband subscriptions and network gear for schools and libraries. The FCC asked whether it should reduce E-Rate eligibility to rural areas or even sunset the program, given the wide expansion of broadband infrastructure since the program was stood up in 1996\. It now provides some level of support to more than 96 percent of U.S. public schools, with lower income areas getting higher discounts. The FCC’s inquiry [was concerning to](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/education-groups-continue-advocacy-push-as-fcc-reviews-e-rate/) participants in the program, and prompted the Schools, Health & Libraries Coalition and other groups to try to mobilize support for E-Rate. “While most of the country and world are racing ahead to prepare for the future facing our nation’s citizens and students, the Commission is asking whether it should shelve or significantly reduce the E-Rate program, which is the financial pillar supporting most schools’ and libraries’ digital connections,” SHLB [Executive Director](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081194/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Joey Wender** wrote. Four [former members](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081347/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service also opposed cutting E-Rate. The body advised the FCC on how to implement the Telecom Act of 1996, which created E-Rate and other universal service programs. Led by former GOP FCC Commissioner **Rachelle Chong**, they said Congress envisioned an ongoing support mechanism. The [American Library Association](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081214/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [School Superintendents Association](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081389/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and other groups also asked the agency not to roll back funding. FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez**, the agency’s lone Democrat, dissented from the item when it was adopted, saying she opposed cutting E-Rate funding. (Note: The comment totals exclude many duplicative comments from a single group concerning potential negative health effects of wireless devices.) ### *Support for reviewing E-Rate* Some commenters supported the FCC’s inquiry. Sen. **Ted Cruz**, R-Texas, submitted [a report](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081059/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) his office compiled that estimated E-Rate consultants received between $200 million and $400 million annually. Participants often hire outside consultants to navigate the process of soliciting provider bids and securing an E-Rate discount. “The core question is straightforward: is E-Rate solving today’s connectivity needs, or sustaining a complex intermediary system built for a different era?” Cruz wrote. The report argued the FCC should simplify E-Rate to reduce the need for consultants and stop any expansion of the program to cover new services. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which manages federal spectrum use and some broadband spending, also submitted comments. The agency summarized [input it received](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081266/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) during a listening session on excessive screen time last month. “The overwhelming weight of testimony was critical of routine screen-based instruction and the widespread use of one-to-one devices and EdTech products in K-12 schools,” wrote **David Brodian**, the agency’s top attorney. “Many participants urged stronger parental choice, transparency, and accountability to ensure that E-Rate does not become a conduit for default screen-based instruction, harmful or inappropriate content, intrusive data collection, or unproven EdTech.” The [Free State Foundation](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110080926/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and Los Angeles-based [Schools Beyond Screens](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081377/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) also supported the agency’s inquiry, citing similar concerns about screen time. ### *Industry groups* Broadband industry groups were supportive of keeping E-Rate funding in place. [USTelecom said](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081132/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the agency should avoid setting public or standard benchmarks for determining a lowest corresponding price (LCP). Broadband providers can only charge E-Rate participants the lowest price they would charge another similarly situated institution without a subsidy, a price USTelecom said wasn’t comparable between providers. NCTA, which represents the cable industry, [said the FCC](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081259/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) should preserve the program and not limit funding to rural areas. [INCOMPAS](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081308/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) agreed. The two groups supported continued E-Rate eligibility for “special construction,” infrastructure build outs to schools and libraries. Smaller trade groups [ACA Connects](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081281/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [NTCA](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081071/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), along with [SpaceX](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110081410/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), opposed special construction as it’s currently administered They said the practice sometimes used to fund builds to schools and libraries where their members had already deployed equipment. NTCA said providers with existing gear in place should have a chance to match a prospective provider’s price before allowing an E-Rate-funded build. ### NTIA Estimates Up to 1 Million Locations May Need Broadband Funding URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-estimates-up-to-1-million-locations-may-need-broadband-funding/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2026 — Up to 1 million locations could still need broadband service, according to a NTIA official, as the government prepares to identify areas that may qualify for additional funding. **Brooke Donilon**, chief of staff at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, said at a Wireless Infrastructure Association panel that the agency is waiting for an updated Federal Communications Commission broadband coverage map before working with states to identify locations that remain unserved. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “We're anticipating somewhere between 600,000 to a million. We've seen different numbers, but once we get the FCC's updated map, we will submit this to the states,” Donilon said. The estimate concerns[ locations that could qualify for another round of funding](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/) through the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The additional round is intended to address gaps left by changing coverage data, providers that withdrew from projects funded by other government programs, and locations where providers promised service but have not delivered it, Donilon said. The agency had estimated [closer to 477,000 locations last month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about-1-million-bead-eligible-locations-remain-researchers-say/). An analysis from the Advanced Connectivity Law and Policy Institute put the figure closer to 1 million. NTIA’s earlier estimate appeared to focus on unserved locations, those with access to the slowest broadband speeds, while ACLP’s total included all locations that would have been eligible under BEAD’s main bidding round. It remains unclear whether NTIA’s next funding round will also include underserved locations. The final number will depend on updated coverage data and a review by states. The cost of connecting those locations also remains uncertain. Donilon said NTIA needs a clearer picture of the locations before determining the expense. “Is it going to cost us $3 billion, $6 billion? It's just unclear what the cost is going to be,” she said. An earlier NTIA estimate of about $2 billion was a cap on potential state funding, calculated using the average per-location costs in approved state plans and the number of additional unserved locations. It was not a final estimate of what it would cost to connect every location. NTIA has said it spent about $18 billion of the $42 billion program and has a little more than $21 billion in savings. Donilon credited the savings in part to allowing different technologies to compete for funding. “It was essential” to take a technology-neutral approach, Donilon said. Fixed wireless and satellite can be suitable for some locations, she said, while fiber remains important for others. Competition among technologies helped lower projected costs and gave states more options for connecting households. [Permitting also remains a barrier to broadband construction](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/permitting-update-bead-projects-clear-federal-review-faster-then-hit-poles-and-roads/), Donilon said. Although federal agencies are working to ease requirements, local-level obstacles can still slow projects. She cited instances in which federal efforts to streamline permitting do not translate into action at field offices. NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** also indicated [that the agency expects to move forward soon](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-focused-on-making-new-bead-round-as-accurate-as-possible-roth-says/). Other panelists said providers can reach rural and tribal communities more quickly by using existing structures and flexible deployment methods rather than waiting for new towers or fiber construction. Separately, [the Wireless Infrastructure Association announced](https://wia.org/wia-announces-leadership-updates-to-board-of-directors/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Oct. 13 that **Richard Rossi**, executive vice president and president of American Tower's U.S. Tower Division, will serve as board chair. **Brendan Cavanagh**, president and CEO of SBA Communications, was elected vice chair, and **Chris Hillabrant**, president and CEO of Crown Castle, was appointed to the board. ### NTIA Focused on Making New BEAD Round as Accurate as possible, Roth Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-focused-on-making-new-bead-round-as-accurate-as-possible-roth-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2026 – The Commerce Department is hoping to make broadband coverage maps as accurate as possible before a new round of funding aimed at locations that previously fell through the cracks. Assistant Commerce Secretary **Arielle Roth**, head of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, said that at the agency’s last convening of state broadband directors, officials were adamant about “the importance of getting this right.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bolton-roth.jpg) ****Gary Bolton** and ****Arielle Roth** on Wednesday “This may be our only opportunity for a cleanup round, and so ensuring that we have as accurate data as possible is very important,” she said. Roth spoke on a webinar hosted by the Fiber Broadband Association. The agency is preparing a cleanup round under its $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. It’s targeted at unserved homes and businesses without a current funding commitment, either because of a default in another program or mapping errors. She said NTIA was anticipating new broadband coverage data from the Federal Communications Commission would be published “soon,” and that after that the agency would hand states lists of potentially eligible locations “shortly.” In the meantime, she said NTIA had asked states and territories to submit their own lists of locations where they knew of project defaults in other programs. Some providers have walked away from BEAD contracts, but the agency has a separate process for finding a new provider in those cases. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) At a Wireless Infrastructure Association event Wednesday, NTIA Chief of Staff **Brooke Donilon** said the agency was estimating “600,000 to 1 million” locations would be eligible under the cleanup round. An internal NTIA estimate from September had expected closer to 500,000 eligible locations. Researchers at the New York Law school estimated about 1 million. After NTIA gives its final lists to states, states will have the chance to remove locations if they have knowledge that service is in fact present or being deployed soon. ### *Fiber supply* BEAD participants have to buy certain components and materials from American manufacturers. Fiber optic cable is subject to the requirement, and demand for U.S.-made fiber has skyrocketed as tech companies build more and more data centers. Roth said the agency was “actively and closely monitoring the fiber supply chain, and will continue to do that as deployment progresses.” She said NTIA had received assurances from the major U.S. fiber manufacturers that they would be able to meet the program’s demand. After some BEAD winners reported disrupted fiber orders earlier this year, those companies have said BEAD demand represents only a small amount of the industry’s capacity and that they would be able to supply the program. If BEAD winners experience issues securing fiber, Roth said they should reach out to the agency. ### Commerce Official Dabbar Says Allies Must Coordinate on 6G Equipment URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/commerce-official-dabbar-says-allies-must-coordinate-on-6g-equipment/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2026 — The Trump administration wants the United States and its allies to adopt common standards for 6G wireless equipment, aiming to help western companies compete with Chinese telecom suppliers that gained ground during the 5G rollout. Commerce Deputy Secretary **Paul Dabbar** said Wednesday that the administration is working with allied countries to establish an interoperable equipment ecosystem in which products from different vendors can work together. The goal is to help companies achieve the scale needed to compete internationally without requiring every country to use the same equipment suppliers. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “In the 5G time frame, we basically had a closed alternative that was able to get scale because they had a very large home market,” Dabbar said during a fireside chat hosted by the Wireless Infrastructure Association. He said that the market helped suppliers reduce costs and expand globally. The administration is seeking to avoid a repeat of that dynamic by coordinating standards with allies, Dabbar said. The approach is intended to allow companies to build networks using equipment and software from different vendors while maintaining interoperability. Dabbar said the[ administration's 6G Call to Action](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/home?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for Leadership and Security, launched in July 2026, had attracted 27 countries. Together, those countries represent more than 56 percent of the global economy and about 2.5 billion people, he said. The effort grew out of technology and science agreements negotiated alongside U.S. trade deals, Dabbar said. Rather than requiring participating countries to adopt identical technology, the initiative focuses on common standards for equipment security, software, operating systems and applications. Dabbar said that fragmentation during the 5G era made it harder for companies to achieve economies of scale because individual markets pursued different approaches. He argued that coordinated standards could create a larger market for U.S. and allied suppliers. The economic stakes extend beyond equipment sales. Dabbar said companies in democratic countries lost business opportunities during the 5G rollout, while the reliance on Chinese suppliers also raised national security concerns among Western governments. Dabbar also called on wireless infrastructure companies to work together to assemble complete network systems. He said many companies specialize in particular parts of the technology stack rather than supplying an entire telecommunications system. [An interoperable approach can give customers more flexibility,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/8-years-after-its-founding-at-mobile-world-congress-can-open-ran-scale/) he said, but it also requires vendors to establish partnerships to ensure their products work together. Dabbar said common standards are a starting point, not a guarantee of success. [Companies will still need to collaborate ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-announces-53-million-for-ai-native-6g-projects/)to develop complete systems that can compete in global markets. ### Arkansas Makes First BEAD Disbursement as Broadband Projects Move Into Implementation URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/arkansas-makes-first-bead-disbursement-as-broadband-projects-move-into-implementation/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2026 - Federal broadband deployment dollars are starting to flow in Arkansas. Arkansas has [issued](https://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/arkansas-disburses-first-bead-award/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) its first payment under the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, a milestone that shifts the state’s broadband effort from planning and awards into construction-stage implementation. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The Arkansas State Broadband Office, known as ARConnect, disbursed $2.6 million to Brightspeed after the provider completed its first required project milestone. The payment covers Milestone 1 for Brightspeed’s 13 Arkansas BEAD projects, which span 25 counties and are expected to connect more than 13,700 homes and businesses with high-speed internet. Under Arkansas’ fixed-amount subaward model, providers receive funding after completing and verifying predetermined milestones, rather than being reimbursed for individual expenses. To meet the first milestone, Brightspeed submitted project plans, budgets, National Environmental Policy Act milestone schedules and network designs. ARConnect says the approach is intended to protect public funds and ensure projects complete engineering and pre-construction work before advancing. “Arkansas’ BEAD Program is moving from plans on paper to real work in communities across our state,” ARConnect Director **Glen Howie** said in the announcement. “Providers complete the work, demonstrate they have met the required milestone, and then funding is disbursed.” Brightspeed’s Arkansas projects represent nearly $66 million in total investment, including more than $39 million in private capital from the company. **Marcy Mealy**, Brightspeed’s Senior Manager of Broadband Grant Reporting and compliance, said the company will build fiber to the funded locations in partnership with the state. Arkansas received $1.024 billion through BEAD, the federal infrastructure program created to expand high-speed internet in unserved and underserved areas. Through its competitive selection process, the state secured commitments to serve more than 77,000 under-connected homes and businesses. The first disbursement is a relatively small share of Arkansas’ overall BEAD deployment budget, but it signals that awardees are beginning to satisfy the conditions needed to move projects forward. ARConnect said additional milestone-based payments will follow as providers meet the requirements in their grant agreements. For Arkansas, the payment marks the start of a broader implementation phase: turning a $305,491,845 federal allocation into fiber routes, network designs and, ultimately, service for residents and businesses that have lacked reliable broadband. ### Alaska Mobile Carriers Would Get $162 Million Under Draft FCC Order URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alaska-mobile-carriers-would-get-162-million-under-draft-fcc-order/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2026 – Alaska could see an infusion of millions of dollars under a federal plan aimed at improving mobile phone service in the giant state. Federal regulators will vote later this month on whether to provide an extra $162 million for rural mobile service in Alaska. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Federal Communications Commission Chairman **Brendan Carr**’s office [said Wednesday](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-425841A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it had circulated an order providing the money among commissioners. Items on circulation can be voted on at the agency’s monthly meetings or outside of those meetings. Wireless providers serving hard-to-reach areas in Alaska would apply for awards supported by the additional funding. The money would be in addition to the FCC’s [Alaska Connect Fund](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-tweaks-alaska-connect-fund/), a successor to the $1.5 billion Alaska Plan established in 2016. The ACF is set to provide $203.8 million each year from 2027 through 2034, about $1.6 billion total. Both fixed and mobile broadband providers will be eligible. The program is aimed at ensuring Alaskans have access to modern communications services despite the challenges of building in highly remote areas. Carr said Sen. **Dan Sullivan**, R-Alaska, had advocated for the new funding, as well as the agency’s previous efforts to support connectivity in the state. “Thanks to Senator Sullivan’s strong leadership, Alaska will now benefit from a new influx of funding for high-speed Internet,” Carr said in a statement. Sullivan is trying to defend his seat from a fierce midterm challenge by Democrat **Mary Peltola**. [Recent polling](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/alaska-us-senate-election-polls-2026.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from the New York Times and Siena University had Peltola leading by 7 points. President **Donald Trump** held a rally in Alaska Tuesday to marshall support for Sullivan. Carr was in attendance, as were other senior Trump administration officials, and he [spoke briefly](https://youtu.be/z9oxBwSLFkk?t=3926&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) after Trump called him up to the podium. "We are committed to working with Senator Sullivan until we can finish the job of getting every single person in Alaska connected to high-speed internet," he said. Carr said he was at the rally in his personal capacity. Under the Hatch Act, executive branch employees aren't supposed to participate in political campaigns. In his statement Wednesday, Carr said that “many thousands” of Alaskan households had access to broadband after the FCC’s funding efforts, “but work remains, and I look forward to partnering with all stakeholders to ensure we complete the job.” The Alaska Telecom Association released a statement cheering the extra wireless support. The trade group included a statement from Sullivan. "I’ve worked hard to secure these investments and ensure Alaska has the long-term support needed to expand and sustain connectivity across our state," he said. "We need to make sure our investments today translate into reliable service for Alaskans for the long term." In May, ProPublica published [an investigation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/propublica-investigation-prompts-debate-on-usf-reform/) that found some participants in the Alaska Plan and other FCC universal service programs in the state were receiving subsidies for serving unpopulated areas. **Ron Duncan**, CEO of GCI, the state’s largest ISP, said [earlier this year](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gci-liberty-ceo-says-universal-service-fund-is-essential-for-alaska/) that FCC support accounted for 60 percent of the total telecom revenue in the state. “There’s no roads, the only way you get out to small communities is in small airplanes,” Duncan said at a conference. “Its when you’re flying the chairman of the FCC for 40 minutes between two small villages separated by a larger mountain range that that they get the perspective of what rural Alaska is really like.” *Update: This story was updated in include additional commentary* ### Hawaii's Big Island Tackles Data Centers and Definitions URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hawaiis-big-island-tackles-data-centers-and-definitions/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct.14, 2026 – On Hawaii's Big Island, some hope to ban data centers completely. But first, residents and officials must agree on what one is. **Heather Kimball**, Hawaii County councilwoman, [introduced Bill 170](https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?dbid=0&id=1131559&cr=1&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in July, 2026 aiming to ensure that mainland, large-scale data centers are not permitted anywhere on the Big Island. If passed, the law would ban these centers with an exception for special use permits. “We don’t want it, and we, as a community, have every right to say no,” [argued a local resident](https://www.civilbeat.org/?p=1812971&utm%5Fsource=Civil+Beat+Master+List&utm%5Fcampaign=68cabe6707-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2025%5F05%5F12%5F05%5F31%5FCOPY%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5F-ec21c6ffa7-402433248&mc%5Fcid=68cabe6707&mc%5Feid=978487fc07). Like [many communities](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-to-invest-1b-into-data-center-communities-amid-backlash-against-data-center-rollouts/) across the United States, residents are concerned about the environmental and [economic impact](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/monterey-park-votes-to-permanently-ban-data-centers/) these centers would bring. However, putting this bill in action requires the council to clearly define what a data center is. In 1996, the county defined [a data processing center](https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=157805&dbid=1&repo=PublicDocuments&cr=1&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as an office focused business that uses computers to perform administrative and technical duties. While technology has exponentially [advanced in 30](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chip-pickering-data-centers-are-americas-most-misunderstood-infrastructure-asset/) years, this definition has not. With the current meaning, the Big Island has two data centers. One being the [Hawaiian Telcom](https://www.coresite.com/marketplace/hawaiian-telcom?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) which serves as a critical telecommunications provider. Therein lies the issue. Advocates for banning the data centers are worried the definition will be too broad, ultimately excluding necessary infrastructure, or, will be too specific and create loopholes for developers to exploit. “It’s OK to be more specific, but you don’t want to get so specific to the point that there are ways to work around your definition,” Kimball said. The unclear definition has already led the Windward Planning Commission - advisors for matters of planning and land use concerning the west side of the island - to [rule unfavorably](https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=159031&dbid=1&repo=PublicDocuments&cr=1&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the bill, despite agreeing with the proposal. The state argues these policies are not even necessary, emphasizing that data centers need bandwidth [and cheap energy](https://www.datacenters.com/news/the-challenge-of-designing-data-centers-in-hawaii?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), neither of which Hawai‘i has. Despite this, neighboring Kauai Councilwoman **Felicia Cowden**, said, “I think it’s good to have the policy in place… I have never heard from a single soul who does want it.” On Oct. 15\. The Leeward Planning Commission, responsible for the eastern half of the island, [will take the next steps ](https://hawaiiledger.com/hawaii-island/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)to weigh the ongoing issue. ### Cable One, Escalating Debt Battle with CoBank, Challenges ‘Insolvency’ Allegation URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-escalating-debt-battle-with-cobank-challenges-insolvency-allegation/ Last updated: 2026-10-14T12:59:26.000Z 💡 ■ Sen. Cruz Blasts Consultants Paid Millions to Help Schools Navigate E-Rate Bureaucracy ■ Free State’s May Says E-Rate Can’t Remain on Autopilot without FCC Scrutiny ■ NAB Defends FCC Repeal of 39% Cap over Cable Groups’ Objections ■ Arkansas Cuts Its First BEAD Check to Brightspeed for $2.6 Million ■ Two Arrested for Aiding Russia’s Alleged Attack on Starlink Facility in Poland ■ Eric Trump Backs FCC Probe of ABC News over Removed Story about His Business Ties ■ TEGNA Stations Extend ABC Affiliation Contract with Disney ■ AT&T Agrees to Sell Its Wireless Company in Mexico for $2 Billion in Cash ■ Sen. Wicker Says Permitting Bill Ranks Near Top in Terms of Significance ■ Texas Comptroller Cuts Off State Funding to Flock to Protect Driver Privacy Courts: Cable One is sharply escalating its fight with creditor CoBank, telling a federal judge that the lender’s attempt to block a $480 million payment is built on distortions and manufactured panic. In an Oct.13 filing in the Southern District of New York, the company blasted CoBank’s claims about its financial condition. “Cable One disputes CoBank’s allegation of insolvency,” the company wrote, before delivering its most forceful rebuttal. “For all its bluster about Cable One’s purported insolvency or near‑insolvency, CoBank does not allege – nor could it – that Cable One has missed an interest or principal payment or will do so imminently. Should CoBank suffer actual harm, it is a secured creditor with numerous remedies available to it.” ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### IMF Raises its Forecast for World Growth this Year URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/imf-raises-its-forecast-for-world-growth-this-year/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z BANGKOK, Oct. 13, 2026 (AP) — The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday slightly upgraded its outlook for the world economy for this year, while warning of growing risks from rising debt, including the financial frenzy around artificial intelligence. The IMF says it expects the global economy to grow at a 3.1% pace this year. That's up from its July forecast for 3.0% growth and well below the 3.5% expansion in 2025\. Growth in 2027 should rebound to 3.4%, it said in its latest Economic Outlook. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The report, released as world economic and financial leaders gathered in Bangkok for the fall meetings of the IMF and World Bank, predicts that growth in the United States will remain steady at 2.3% in 2026 and 2027. Collectively, advanced economies will grow 2.1% this year, up from 2.0% in 2025, and then slow to 1.9% growth next year, it said. The forecasts are based on a nearly 41% increase in oil prices this year, at an average of $96 a barrel. Global inflation is foreseen at 4.7% in 2026, falling to 4.1% next year. They also are based on the assumption that shipments of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz will resume by March, and that the boom in AI demand will moderate. ### *AI has uneven impacts* The boom in artificial intelligence is offsetting damage from sharply higher prices for oil and gas, IMF economists say, but it also carries risks. Its benefits are not shared equally: the U.S. and China account for more than three-quarters of net demand for imports of computer chips and other AI-related equipment, the report said. “The outlook is highly uneven,” **Silvana Tenreyro**, the IMF's director of research, told reporters in Bangkok. Growth is increasingly concentrated, with 32 countries accounting for 95% of global growth, the report said. That compares with 54 countries as of April. “The global economy is not simply slowing or accelerating; rather, growth is being reallocated across countries according to their exposure to the war-induced supply shock and AI-related demand strength,” it says. **Athanasios Vamvakidis**, deputy director at the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets Department, said an AI-related correction in stock markets is just one of the risks. Rising bond yields are another evolving problem, along with cyberthreats that could disrupt financial systems, he said. Underscoring such concerns, sell-offs of AI-related shares swept through Asia on Tuesday, with South Korea's Kospi sinking as much as 7% before it closed 5.5% lower. AI's effects on employment are another worry, “a slow moving tsunami, but a tsunami nonetheless,” IMF Managing Director **Kristalina Georgieva** said. “The impact over time on jobs globally we estimate to be around 40% — jobs either augmented or downgraded or eliminated. And we are already seeing some of this impact,” she said. ### *Debt remains a key concern for regional economies* The IMF chief is urging countries to do a better job of improving their national finances and taming mounting levels of debt. That's especially crucial at a time of high borrowing costs, Tenreyro said. Countries that are somewhat insulated from the energy shocks of the Iran war and that are benefiting from rapid adoption of AI are managing to keep growth on track. But developing economies and emerging markets more vulnerable to higher costs for oil and gas will see growth slow to 3.7% this year from 4.5% in 2025, the report says. It forecasts they will regain momentum next year, expanding at a 4.4% annual pace. The situation is much worse in the Middle East and Central Asia, where those regions' economies are expected to contract this year before recovering to a 6.3% rate of growth in 2027. The 21 European countries that share the euro currency are expected to grow by a meager 1.1% this year and 1.2% in 2027. China, the world’s No. 2 economy, is expected to expand 4.5% this year, down from [5%](https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-exports-trump-tariffs-6b3f53af8f22692bcd4d276c0695b1fc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 2025, in line with the government's official target. India is once again forecast to be the world’s fastest-growing major economy, advancing at a 7% clip, down from a sizzling 7.7% last year. The IMF is a 191-nation lending organization that works to promote economic growth and financial stability and to reduce global poverty. At the meetings in Bangkok, finance ministers and central bank governors will assess the state of the world economy and discuss strategies to support financial stability and sustained growth. *This article was written by Elaine Kurtenbach of the Associated Press.* ### 5G Home Internet Competition Linked To Lower Cable Prices, CTIA Study Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/5g-home-internet-competition-linked-to-lower-cable-prices-ctia-study-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 - As millions of American consumers already know, 5G Home Broadband service is pushing down cable broadband prices. A [new study](https://www.ctia.org/news/new-study-finds-5g-competition-drove-cable-prices-17-lower?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) commissioned by wireless industry group Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association says the arrival of 5G-based home internet services lowered cable broadband prices by as much as 17 percent from 2023 to 2025 in local U.S. markets. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The analysis, conducted by Pepperdine University economics and public policy professor **James Prieger**, compared cable prices in markets before and after the entry of 5G fixed wireless access - often marketed as 5G home internet - with prices in markets where the service had not yet entered. According to CTIA, the findings suggest that the added competition lowered the average standalone cable plan by about $11 per month. The group estimates the resulting savings for U.S. households reached as much as $28.5 billion between 2023 and 2025\. Notably, CTIA said most of those savings went to customers who did not switch providers. The organization estimated that cable subscribers who remained with their existing service accounted for up to $20.8 billion of the projected savings, as cable companies reduced prices in response to the new competitor. Fixed wireless access delivers home broadband over cellular networks rather than a traditional cable or fiber connection. Major wireless carriers have expanded the service in recent years, positioning it as an alternative for households seeking lower-cost internet plans or more provider choice. The findings point to a broader shift in the home internet market, where wireless carriers are increasingly competing with cable companies for household subscribers. As fixed wireless service expands, its ability to offer another option - especially in areas served by only a small number of broadband providers - could increase pressure on cable companies to compete on price and service. “Allocating spectrum for licensed use can benefit consumers by enabling additional broadband competition,” said Prieger. “Keeping the current auction schedule on track and identifying new spectrum for commercial use are the most direct levers for extending the price effects documented here to more communities.” ### Drone Light Show Industry Urges FCC Not to Classify Its Equipment as ‘Military-Grade’ URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/drone-light-show-industry-urges-fcc-not-to-classify-its-equipment-as-military-grade/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:06.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 - A drone manufacturer is asking federal officials to ensure that toy-like drones are not heavily regulated. Representatives of the American Drone Entertainment Coalition met with Federal Communications Commission officials this month to argue that drone light show equipment should not be classified as “military-grade.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) According to an[ ex parte filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110079505/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in PS Docket No. 26-189, Coalition representatives and counsel held separate meetings on Thursday, October 1, with Democratic FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez** and her staff, as well as personnel from the agency’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. The discussions focused on the Coalition’s comments responding to a Public Notice from the bureau and the Office of Engineering and Technology regarding “military-grade” unmanned aircraft systems. The Coalition argued that drone light show equipment should not be classified as military-grade because it differs substantially from military swarming drones. According to the Coalition, light show drones are slower, cannot fly autonomously, and cannot sense other drones. They also have shorter battery lives, cannot serve dual purposes, cannot be retrofitted with greater capabilities, and cannot carry heavy payloads. Coalition representatives said those limitations, combined with the logistics of producing a show, make the equipment unattractive to bad actors. Setting up a drone light show requires five to ten hours of visible preparation and hundreds of hours of programming in advance. The Coalition argued that an off-the-shelf drone from a major retailer could more easily be misused than light show equipment. The group also raised concerns that an abrupt shift to U.S. made equipment could undermine safety. While Coalition members said they want to expand domestic manufacturing, they noted that few U.S. suppliers currently exist and that domestic equipment has limited capabilities and safety features. Because drones and parts are not interchangeable across manufacturers, existing fleets could not easily be upgraded or repaired with substitute equipment. The Coalition also highlighted the industry’s broader public-interest benefits, including thousands of jobs, lower pollution than fireworks, and greater accessibility for people with post-traumatic stress disorder or sensory challenges. It added that drone shows can create new fundraising opportunities for charities through illuminated logo sponsorships. ### AT&T Selling Its Wireless Company in Mexico for $2 Billion URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-selling-its-wireless-company-in-mexico-for-2-billion/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:06.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 – AT&T is selling its wireless company in Mexico for $2 billion in cash, the company announced Tuesday. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The assets are being acquired by Grupo Televisa, a Mexican TV and broadband provider, and Fintech Holdings, a company controlled by billionaire **David Martínez**. “AT&T believes that Grupo Televisa and Fintech Holdings are well positioned to lead AT&T Mexico through its next phase of growth,” the company said [in a release](https://about.att.com/story/2026/att-to-sell-att-mexico.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Grupo Televisa has a strong operating presence in Mexico with its fixed-line broadband business, and Fintech Holdings brings fresh capital, local knowledge, and operational expertise in the Mexican wireless sector.” AT&T had more than 23.4 million wireless subscribers in Mexico as of June 30, according to the company’s quarterly filings. The company started losing subscribers this year, dropping more than 1 million through the first two quarters. Martínez told the [Securities and Exchange Commission](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/912892/000110465924110671/tm2426693d1%5Fsc13g.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) he controlled Fintech Holdings in 2024\. Martínez started his Fintech Advisory fund in 1987, which has invested in telecom and other companies throughout South America. “We have articulated a strong belief that the AI future will run on converged networks with dense fiber assets,” AT&T CEO **John Stankey** said in a statement. “This move positions AT&T Mexico to participate in that evolution and is consistent with our long-term strategy to focus our capital allocation on opportunities for growth in the vibrant U.S. market.” The carrier is trying to [expand its fiber network](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-forms-new-fiber-joint-venture-with-gigapower-lumen-assets/) in the U.S., targeting more than 60 million locations by the end of 2030\. It’s a bid to offer bundled fixed and mobile broadband, which the carrier says makes subscribers less likely to switch. ### Starlink Critical for Rural Connectivity in Natural Disasters URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/starlink-critical-for-rural-connectivity-in-natural-disasters/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:06.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct.13, 2026 – Starlink filled the communication gap when Hurricane Helene knocked out southwest Virginia’s networks two years ago. In his Oct. 9 [newsletter](https://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=405848&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), **Rep. Morgan Griffith** (R‑Va.) said the [2024 storm](https://www.thecarrollnews.com/opinion/columnists/keeping-our-feet-on-the-ground-and-reaching-for-the-moon/article%5F0ed4f47a-df30-4f67-b819-235c1203e557.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) destroyed cell service and washed away fiber lines across the Ninth District in Southwest Virginia, leaving families unable to reach loved ones and first responders struggling to coordinate rescues. “Helene devastated our public communications networks,” he wrote. “The [disaster disabled services](https://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=405848&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) provided by our cell phone carriers. Further, the floods that swamped our region also washed away fiber optic infrastructure.” With outages lasting days, Griffith said Wise County’s Health Wagon relied on SpaceX’s Starlink system while assisting residents in Damascus. The group used a portable unit to [restore high‑speed](https://thehealthwagon.org/cutting-edge-starlink-technology-brings-high-speed-telehealth-to-remote-virginia-homes/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) connectivity for medical staff. “This episode showed that even in times of emergency, cell phone users can take advantage of LEO technologies,” he wrote. Griffith said Starlink’s low‑Earth‑orbit network is especially valuable in mountainous and [rural regions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/starlink-best-for-rural-areas-analysts-say/) where fiber installation is difficult and expensive. He noted [Amazon plans](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-leo-aiming-to-sway-consumers-from-starlink-with-prime-other-bundles/) to launch a similar LEO service in Virginia in 2027. “As the recovery from Helene continues, I remain committed to expanding our broadband capabilities through LEO technologies to prepare our region for the next Helene,” Griffith wrote. ### Four States Suing Major Router Manufacturer Over China Ties URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/four-states-suing-major-router-manufacturer-over-china-ties/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:06.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 – Four states sued major Wi-Fi router manufacturer TP-Link last week, alleging the company hid ties to China from consumers. The company said the lawsuits were baseless. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [Florida](https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/258584264-complaint.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [Iowa](https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/media/cms/261006%5FIowa%5Fv%5FTPLink%5FPetition%5F62BE0B0B82A83.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [Montana](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MTAG/2026/10/06/file%5Fattachments/3806954/001%20Complaint.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and [Nebraska](https://ago.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/Complaint%5F11.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said in separate lawsuits that “much of TP-Link’s research, development, and manufacturing remains in China, entrenched in China’s state-sponsored technology ecosystem,” and sought to ban the company’s gear. The attorneys general argued it was possible Chinese law would require TP-Link to turn over information to Chinese intelligence services. “The coordinated lawsuits are built on false premises. They do nothing to advance national security while unfairly penalizing an industry-leading U.S. company,” **Steve Kovsky**, TP-Link’s corporate affairs officer, said [in a statement](https://www.tp-link.com/us/press/news/22570/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The California-based company, legally TP-Link Systems, was spun off from Chinese firm TP-Link Technologies in 2024\. TP-Link told federal regulators it took up 20 percent of the total router market [in April](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-leo-routers-exempt-from-fcc-ban/), while a former National Security Agency official told Congress [last year](https://docs.house.gov/meetings/ZS/ZS00/20250305/117983/HHRG-119-ZS00-Wstate-JoyceR-20250305.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the company accounted for more than 60 percent of the consumer market. The company says it manufactures its gear in Vietnam, “but that is fiction,” Florida Attorney General **James Uthmeier** said in a video posted [on X](https://x.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2107502680004575472?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The lawsuits pointed to a 2025 [Bloomberg report](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-22/wi-fi-giant-s-vietnam-factory-raises-questions-over-china-split?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that found more than 99 percent of the components assembled in TP-Link’s Vietnam plant came from China. Bloomberg [also reported](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-24/router-maker-tp-link-faces-us-criminal-antitrust-investigation?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last year that federal regulators had been pursuing a criminal antitrust probe against the company since the Biden administration. In TP-Link’s release, it said it had spent months supplying state regulators with “clear, verifiable documentation” that its routers were made in Vietnam and that it wasn’t controlled by China. Texas also sued the company earlier this year. That lawsuit is ongoing. Nebraska Attorney General **Mike Hilgers** led a group of 21 attorneys general [in a letter](https://ago.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/Letter%20%28002%29.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the Federal Communications Commission outlining similar concerns to the lawsuits. Signatories were from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. Federal lawmakers have previously called for scrutiny of TP-Link because of its past ties to China. But this year, acting on a determination from other federal law enforcement agencies, the FCC instituted a sweeping ban on new models of router made outside the U.S. The agency has said it’s an effort to encourage reshoring U.S. manufacturing, something that can’t happen quickly. The FCC has granted temporary waivers (called conditional approval) from the rule to several router manufacturers, like Asus, Netgear, and SpaceX. Multiple trade groups have also secured blanket waivers for their suppliers amid a global shortage of memory and other components. TP-Link has asked for a similar waiver, but it hasn’t been approved. To receive one, a company has to submit ownership and supply chain information, plus a plan to move manufacturing to the U.S. “TP-Link is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to bring manufacturing and research and development of its consumer routers to the U.S., in alignment with the FCC’s policy goals, the company said in April. “Conditional Approval will enable TP-Link to complete those investments.” ### Panel: AI Rogue Agents Raise Liability Questions for Tech Companies URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/panel-ai-rogue-agents-raise-liability-questions-for-tech-companies/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:06.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 — When artificial intelligence agents act on their own and cause harm, it may not be clear who should be held responsible, experts said Tuesday, as technology companies face new questions about how to control the systems. At a [Congressional Internet Caucus panel](https://www.youtube.com/live/WnJ0RLBoYa0?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), legal and technology experts discussed whether existing laws can hold companies accountable for the actions of AI agents, including when the systems behave in ways their developers did not expect. Panelists pointed to an incident involving OpenAI’s internal training systems as an example of the risks. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The panel, titled “AI Rogue Agents: Who’s Liable When They Act on Their Own?,” explored how companies could face legal consequences when AI agents access computer systems without permission, cause financial harm or take other unexpected actions. An AI agent was defined as a system that can act autonomously, using a model to make decisions and surrounding software to interact with external systems. [That ability creates new questions about responsibility](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gleb-tsipursky-ai-infrastructure-needs-authority-budgets-before-agents-get-the-keys/) when an agent accesses computer systems without authorization, causes financial harm or acts in ways its developers did not anticipate. **Soham Mehta**, a research fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, described an incident that unfolded during an OpenAI reinforcement-learning training run between May and July. According to Mehta’s account, AI agents found a way to use a software package manager as a message board, allowing them to coordinate and share information. The agents eventually gained unauthorized internet access and targeted Hugging Face, an open-source repository for AI models and datasets. Mehta said the agents sought information about how [their performance was being evaluated](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/anthropic-and-openai-sound-the-alarm-on-ai-safety-and-seek-to-shape-its-control/) because they feared their cheating would be detected. Hugging Face repelled the attack, and OpenAI subsequently identified its agents as responsible, according to the account presented at the panel. The incident raised questions about whether OpenAI had adequately isolated the training environment, monitored the agents’ behavior and acted quickly enough after discovering their activities. **Aaron Rieke**, a senior partner at Clarion AI Partners and former Federal Trade Commission official, said traditional legal frameworks could provide a starting point for determining responsibility. Negligence claims generally require a duty of care, a failure to take reasonable precautions, a legally recognized injury and a causal connection between the failure and the injury. Product liability claims could also apply if an AI system qualifies as a product and is found defective or inadequately accompanied by warnings. Rieke said the FTC’s prohibition on unfair or deceptive business practices could also apply to companies using AI. The legal focus, he argued, would be on the company’s conduct rather than treating the AI model itself as the party responsible. “The lawyers aren’t coming for the model; they’re coming for your company,” Rieke said. However, the panelists cautioned that [existing law does not provide straightforward answers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/11-ai-bills-cleared-committee-this-summer-but-none-has-reached-the-house-floor/) in every situation. Liability may be more difficult to establish when a user deliberately directs an agent to commit wrongdoing, when an open-source model has been modified by multiple parties or when no person intended an agent’s harmful action. Participants also warned against automatically assigning criminal intent to a developer simply because an AI agent committed an unlawful act. Criminal liability generally involves a requirement to establish a particular state of mind, although some statutes allow liability based on recklessness or other standards. The panel also considered whether mandatory insurance could help address catastrophic AI risks. One proposal discussed would draw on the Price-Anderson Act, which establishes an insurance and liability framework for the nuclear power industry. Experts noted that pricing AI risks would be difficult because the technology is evolving rapidly and different companies’ systems may share similar vulnerabilities. National security presented another challenge. Panelists said existing liability laws may not adequately address risks to critical infrastructure and other systems where the consequences could extend beyond individual financial or personal injuries. ### Javier Palomarez: Trump FTC Disappoints with Khan-tinued Biz Reg URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/javier-palomarez-trump-ftc-disappoints-with-khan-tinued-biz-reg/ Last updated: 2026-10-13T18:41:45.000Z **Andrew Ferguson** wanted American businesses to understand exactly the kind of Federal Trade Commission Chairman he intended to be. He promised to “Reverse **Lina Khan’s** Anti-Business Agenda.” He pledged to “provide businesses with the certainty they need.” After four years of an FTC that routinely overreached, those pledges were welcome. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) That is why the FTC’s latest move is so disappointing. Last month, Chairman Ferguson issued a draft enforcement statement aimed at businesses that use consumer data to personalize price offers and deals for different customers. He concedes that the FTC does not have “the legal authority to ban personalized pricing in all circumstances,” but claims that “businesses that fail to tell consumers how their personal data is being used to set a price may be in violation of the FTC Act and other laws we enforce.” At first glance, the concern is understandable. Americans are struggling as the cost of living ranks as a top concern. Nobody wants a company to quietly use their personal data to charge them more. If businesses deceive customers or manipulate prices in illegal ways, the FTC should act against these malicious actors. But it doesn't stop there. The FTC’s proposed disclosure mandate casts a broad net, sweeping ordinary discounts into the same enforcement framework. A business might offer someone a better price because they are a new consumer or a loyal customer, or because they are looking for a deal, because it believes a personalized price offer could earn or win back a customer’s business. These are not malicious pricing schemes. They are the kind of deals and offers that incentivize foot traffic and sales, and keep businesses–especially small businesses, many of which rely on these discounts–up and running. For a large corporation with an army of attorneys, figuring out exactly what to disclose may be just another compliance expense. For Main Street (small businesses), the backbone of the American economy, lacking in-house legal counsel can mean the FTC’s broad enforcement becomes a heavy burden to bear. The chilling effect is that small businesses may stop offering personalized deals altogether, fearing their disclosures would not be deemed adequate by the FTC. This disadvantages them against larger competitors, draining them of the foot traffic and sales needed to stay afloat. Likewise, customers are left with fewer choices and higher prices that would have otherwise been discounted. That hurts the very consumer the FTC supposedly tries to protect. Even businesses confident they can meet compliance burdens face another issue with every new disclosure requirement: More notices. More fine print. More boxes for consumers to click through before receiving an offer. Most Americans do not study every privacy notice they see; they click through and move on. Adding another layer of mandatory disclosure may give regulators more legal language on a screen, but it can desensitize users to other messages and does not necessarily give consumers more meaningful information. When Lina Khan led the FTC, she pursued an anti-business effort against what she termed “surveillance pricing.” In January 2025, the FTC under her leadership released preliminary “research summaries” examining the practice. Then-Commissioner Ferguson objected. He rightly criticized the agency for “\[p\]ublishing ‘ideas’ and ‘initial observations’ accompanied by hypothetical use cases rather than robust factual findings.” “The Commission should allow staff to do its work and issue a final, fact-based report, rather than rush to meet a nakedly political deadline to present something, anything, to the public.” Yet the Chairman’s own draft statement on personalized pricing still leans on “hypothetical use cases rather than robust factual findings.” Instead of hard evidence of whether businesses use personal data to raise prices, Americans are presented with alarming scenarios, including speculation that someone traveling for a funeral could be charged more because a company knows why they are traveling. If that is happening, show us, and hold that company accountable. Washington should not build a broad new enforcement regime around what could happen and leave every business in America to figure out whether an ordinary discount will invite federal scrutiny. The FTC has no shortage of actual deceptive pricing to pursue, including under its rule against misleading prices for live-event tickets and short-term lodging. Yet more than a year after the rule took effect, consumers can still find hotels–including in the FTC's own backyard–advertising one price only to add mandatory fees later in the transaction. These are the kinds of practices that the FTC should target. Of course the FTC should protect consumers. But protecting consumers doesn’t require threatening businesses for offering better prices. Go after deception. Go after hidden fees. Go after companies that actually break the law. Leave the discounts alone. Chairman Ferguson came into office promising to leave Lina Khan’s anti-business approach behind and restore certainty for American businesses. He should live up to that promise. ***Javier Palomarez is the President & CEO of the***[ ***United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC),*** ](http://www.ushbc.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***a leading voice for small businesses in national media, whose opinions have been sought after by the world’s top media outlets including CNN, MSNBC, NBC, FOX Network, and the BBC. He is an acclaimed spokesperson for small business and entrepreneurship, as well as a nationally recognized leader in the Hispanic community, being recognized as one of America’s most influential Hispanics for over a decade. The son of Mexican immigrants, Mr. Palomarez was raised in South Texas. This Expert Opinion is Exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Levin Joins NYU Center on Technology Policy URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/levin-joins-nyu-center-on-technology-policy/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:06.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 – New York University’s Center on Technology Policy [announced Tuesday](https://techpolicynyu.org/ctp-news/blair-levin-joins-nyu-center-on-technology-policy-as-senior-fellow/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Blair Levin** had joined as a senior fellow. [Broadband Breakfast on October 14, 2026: Broadband & AI in the Midterm ElectionWhat do informed policy observers and political hands feel about the Republicans’ and the Democrats’ prospects on November 3?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-d871e0a9-2923-4dc6-af0e-e7d60cee4a57.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bblo_2026_1014-f235e12d-d33d-401e-8236-ec7e235da7e3.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-october-14-2026-broadband-ai-in-the-midterm-election/) Last month, Levin said he was leaving New Street Research after more than 10 years as a policy analyst. He served at the Federal Communications Commission as chief of staff to then-Chairman **Reed Hundt** in the nineties and later led the agency’s National Broadband Plan in 2010. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) In a statement, Levin said tech policy was being made more in state legislatures, courtrooms, and agencies than in Congress, and that CTP had “built [the best map](https://techpolicynyu.org/state-technology-policy-observatory/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of that terrain.” “As pressure grows for policymakers to address the challenges the next generation of technology will bring, I’m delighted to help the Center continue to provide analysis that helps legislators, regulators, investors and the public understand how best to move forward,” he said. Levin will be a panelist on a [Broadband Breakfast webcast tomorrow](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-october-14-2026-broadband-ai-in-the-midterm-election/) on how data centers, AI, and broadband are influencing the midterm elections. ### *Changes at Spectrum* After just over a month on the job as Spectrum’s COO, **Nick Jeffery** told employees Monday he was making changes to the company’s leadership team. Chief Commercial Officer **Adam Ray** and Chief Marketing Officer **Sharon Peters** will leave the company at the end of the year, Jeffery said in an email obtained by Broadband Breakfast. “Today, I’m announcing a simpler, flatter, operating structure,” he said. “There are three reasons for this change: to get closer to our customers, to move faster with fewer layers, and to focus on our two biggest priorities – returning to core Internet growth and improving customer service.” Ray had been at the cable operator for more than 20 years, and Peters joined 10 years ago. The company was still looking for a chief of staff, head of integration, chief marketing officer, and head of HR, Jeffery said, each of which would report to him. Jeffery led Frontier out of bankruptcy and leaned into fiber expansion before the company was bought by Verizon in a $20 billion deal. Spectrum is hoping he can pull off [a similar turnaround](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/convergence-fueling-cable-comeback-against-fixed-wireless-spectrum-coo/). Legally still Charter Communications, the cable giant recently closed its $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox. Jeffery said the combined company’s massive scale and its video and mobile bundles had not yet been enough to slow down the broadband subscriber losses buffeting cable companies. “In recent years we have failed to marshal those advantages into a winning strategy and have underperformed the markets, and our own expectations,” he said. He said the new structure was designed to allow the company to “more quickly fix the things that get in the way of our customers and our people.” ### Poland Blames Starlink Sabotage on Russia URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/poland-blames-starlink-sabotage-on-russia/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:09.000Z WARSAW, Poland, Oct. 13, 2026 (AP) — Poland is blaming Russia for an arson attack on a Starlink satellite station in September and two Turkish citizens have been arrested in connection with the suspected act of sabotage, authorities said. The suspects, whose names were not released in line with Polish privacy rules, were arrested in Germany, Polish officials said Monday. They are accused of deliberately setting fire to Starlink infrastructure on Sept. 23 in Wola Krobowska, Poland, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Warsaw. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “We have no doubt that Russian intelligence services are behind this act of sabotage,” **Tomasz Siemoniak**, Poland’s minister overseeing intelligence services, said in a news release, noting that Russian intelligence services are increasingly turning to people with ties to the criminal underworld. Polish Prime Minister **Donald Tusk**, in a post on X, called the incident “another act of hybrid warfare.” Other details were not immediately available. The Poland arson in September was one of more than 210 incidents across Europe that Western officials consider sabotage and malign activity linked to Russia tracked by The Associated Press since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A British court last year found three men guilty of arson in a March 2024 plot that targeted a London warehouse with Starlinks for Ukraine inside. British prosecutors said it was masterminded by Russia’s intelligence services. Officials say one goal of the attacks is to undermine support for Ukraine, spread fear and discord in European societies and drain investigative resources. Russia often uses proxies for such attacks and some perpetrators say they have no idea they have been hired by Moscow. Tech titan **Elon Musk** has allowed the Ukrainians to use his Starlink satellite communications system inside their own territory, including in Russian-occupied regions, but has restricted use of the satellite system inside Russia. Starlink has become deeply embedded in Ukraine’s military operations, with commanders and soldiers relying on satellite connectivity to communicate and coordinate operations. ### *Polish spy chief says Ukraine's allies are facing near-constant Russian subversion* Russia’s intelligence services are carrying out almost “daily acts of subversion,” Siemoniak said Tuesday at a security conference in Warsaw. “There is not a week where activities do not happen,” and the same goes for other European countries, he said, adding that the activity is aimed at countries that support Ukraine. He said Russia’s covert malign activity in Poland started in early 2024 as Russia recruited disposable agents on platforms like Telegram to carry out attacks, including against a shopping center. “Our enemy — that is Russia’s intelligence services — changes its methods of operation and has unlimited resources,” Siemoniak said. Fighting against Russia’s intelligence services is not like taking down an organized crime group where the group is convicted and the case is closed, he said. In the case of subversive activity, as soon as you cut one head off, another grows and “you never know what direction they will pursue next,” he said. “In cases of the subversive activity, it’s like the story of the dragon whose heads keep growing and you never know which direction they pursue next,” **Beate Gangås**, Norway's director-general of the Police Security Service, told the conference. “We are in the most serious situation since the Second World War.” *This article was written by Stefanie Dazio of the Associated Press.* ### Cable One Asks Judge to Unpause MBI Acquisition URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-asks-judge-to-unpause-mbi-acquisition/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:11.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 – Cable One is denying accusations from one of its lenders that the ISP is insolvent and would be unable to pay its debts if a refinancing deal were allowed to proceed. The lender, CoBank, convinced a federal judge to block that $1.3 billion deal last week. The company argued the deal was so bad for Cable One that creditors would be left fighting for scraps of what they were owed. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “For all its bluster about CABO’s purported insolvency or near-insolvency, CoBank does not allege — nor could it — that CABO has missed an interest or principal payment or will do so imminently,” **Michael Paskin**, an attorney representing Cable One, wrote in a Tuesday brief. The company asked U.S. District Judge **J. Paul Oetken** to reverse his Friday restraining order blocking the deal. Paskin called CoBank’s account of the situation “highly misleading”. The company had made “substantial progress” on a deal for additional financing from multiple lenders before the deal was blocked, the company said in a releaseMonday. On Friday, Oetken stopped Cable One from acquiring the 55 percent of Mega Broadband Investments it did not already own. The additional financing was tied to that deal closing and would come in part from investment firm GTCR, from whom Cable One is buying the 55% of MBI. The cable operator was set to pay $480 million for the rest of MBI, while CoBank estimated based on Cable One’s public financial reporting that the share was worth just $54 million. MBI owns regional ISP Vyve Broadband. Under a contract option exercised by GTCR, Cable One was required to buy the rest of MBI using a predetermined formula for the price. In a declaration filed Tuesday, Cable One CFO **Todd Koetje** said the paused deal would provide the company with a $1.3 billion loan from GTCR and others. That would allow the ISP to pay down some of its existing $3 billion in debt and cover the MBI purchase. In its release, the company said the deal would “address” $2.45 billion worth of “current obligations and nearest-term debt maturities while providing the Company with liquidity to invest in the business and execute upon its long-term strategic plan.” Cable One alleged that CoBank had put forward multiple refinancing deals of its own, and was upset that Cable One had decided to go with a GTCR-led group of lenders. CoBank unsuccessfully lobbied other Cable One lenders to oppose the financing deal, the broadband provider said Tuesday. The company argued it wasn’t actually insolvent. In the declaration, Koetje described meeting several times with CoBank representatives to negotiate a potential refinancing deal before ultimately going with the GTCR-led proposal. It involves about 20 companies, he said. “In my view, if Cable One is unable to close in the near term, it is unlikely the Transaction can be put back together,” he said. ### University of Illinois Survey Finds Rural Broadband Gaps Persist for Farms, Households URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/university-of-illinois-survey-finds-rural-broadband-gaps-persist-for-farms-households/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:11.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 — Illinois farmers need better broadband connections to support modern agricultural operations, while rural households continue to face problems with Internet speeds, reliability and affordability. Nearly four out of five rural Illinois residents with fixed broadband connections have service that falls below federal speed benchmarks, according to a University of Illinois survey highlighting persistent connectivity problems for households and agricultural producers. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The survey, [conducted by University of Illinois Extension](https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2026/10/rural-broadband-infrastructure-and-its-implications-for-households-and-agriculture.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) across 28 counties between 2022 and 2025, collected responses from more than 11,700 households. Researchers **Nancy Ouedraogo** and **Mark White** said the findings show that having a broadband connection does not necessarily mean residents have service capable of meeting their needs. The survey found that 79.8 percent of respondents with fixed broadband had speeds classified as unserved or underserved under Federal Communications Commission benchmarks. Nearly 59 percent of households said they were dissatisfied with broadband affordability, while 53.5 percent were dissatisfied with speed and 51.5 percent with reliability. Those measures showed no sharp improvement in 2024 and 2025 compared with 2022 and 2023, the researchers said in an Oct. 12 report published by the University of Illinois' farmdoc daily. Small-town counties faced the greatest connectivity challenges. Among the four groups of counties analyzed, small-town nonmetropolitan counties had an unserved or underserved rate of 88.2 percent. Metro-adjacent counties recorded an 85.6 percent rate, while rural and remote counties had a rate of 80 percent. Larger nonmetropolitan trade-center counties performed best, with a rate of 64.9 percent. The results suggest that proximity to urban areas does not guarantee reliable broadband service, the researchers said. Agricultural businesses face additional challenges because modern farming increasingly depends on reliable connectivity for precision agriculture, GPS-guided equipment, irrigation monitoring and remote tracking of livestock and grain storage. [Only 38.9 percent of farm and agricultural respondents](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/precision-agriculture-requires-all-of-the-above-connectivity-approach-experts-say/) said their broadband connections adequately supported precision agriculture. Another 33.6 percent reported having no local fixed broadband connection, relying instead on satellite or mobile services. Still, [farmers could help expand rural networks](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-non-deployment-funds-could-fund-precision-ag-states-are-still-waiting-to-find-out/). Nearly 59 percent of agricultural respondents said they would be willing to host broadband equipment on their properties, potentially helping providers overcome last-mile construction challenges. The researchers said some residents reported that fiber-optic [lines passed nearby properties without offering service to them](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/precision-agriculture-task-force-seeks-better-broadband-mapping-rural-priority/). Others described facing construction costs reaching tens of thousands of dollars or needing neighbors to agree to long-term contracts to make extensions feasible. Satellite broadband has provided another option for some rural residents, but monthly subscription fees and upfront equipment costs can remain burdensome for households and small agricultural operations. The findings are relevant beyond Illinois, the researchers said, [pointing to broader rural broadband challenges ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rural-broadband-pays-off-only-when-communities-decide-panelists-say/)across the Midwest and other parts of the country. They called for continued cooperation among federal, state and local governments, providers and community organizations to improve broadband quality and reliability. ### ‘Cable One Currently Is Insolvent,’ CoBank Alleges URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-currently-is-insolvent-cobank-alleges/ Last updated: 2026-10-13T13:15:50.000Z 💡 ■ CTIA Study: 5G Broadband Drives Down Cable Internet Prices by 17% ■ Charter COO Nick Jeffery Announces Departure of Two Senior Executives ■ San Diego Master Plan: One-Third of Low-Income Households Go without Home Broadband ■ Rep. Morgan Griffith: Starlink Proved Its Value during Hurricane Helene in 2024 ■ Public Interest Groups Demand FCC Pause 39% Cap Repeal While Court Fight Plays Out ■ Cedar Falls Utilities Ends Cable TV Service by Underscoring YouTube TV Allows Viewing Outside the Home ■ **Washington Post* Editorial Slams Carr but Omits Key Details in Hit Piece ■ LPTV Group Urges FCC to Authorize 5G Broadcast as a Companion Standard ■ Silicondust Asks TV Stations to Disable DRM a Week before Nov. 17 EAS Test ■ Many Illinois Farms Lack Robust Broadband for Precision Ag, Survey Finds ■ Sens. Schmitt, Padilla Unveil Broadband Network Vandalism Bill ■ Sen. Bernie Moreno Asks FCC to Investigate ABC News over Removed Story about Trump Sons’ Business Moves Deal: Cable One is insolvent, according to CoBank. Apparently in agreement, a federal judge on Oct. 9 blocked Cable One from moving forward with a $480 million payment to acquire the remaining 55% stake in Mega Broadband Investments, parent of Vyve Broadband, after creditor CoBank warned the deal would deepen the company’s financial distress. In the Southern District of New York, the court issued an emergency order halting the transfer. “Defendant is temporarily restrained and enjoined from executing the MBI Put Closing,” Judge **J. Paul Oetken** wrote, directing that Cable One’s counsel be served by email and deeming that service sufficient. Cable One delayed issuing a public response until Oct. 12\. \[We\] strongly believe CoBank’s claims are incorrect as a matter of law. Cable One intends to vigorously dispute these claims and protect its interests. However, \[we make\] no assurances regarding the timing or outcome of the pending proceedings,” Cable One said in a press release that did not quote either CEO **Jim Holanda** or a board member. *(More after paywall)* _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Trump Honors Microsoft’s CEO After Vance Drops an H-1B Visa Hammer on the Company URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-honors-microsofts-ceo-after-vance-drops-an-h-1b-visa-hammer-on-the-company/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:12.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2026 (AP) — President [**Donald Trump**](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) celebrated tech billionaires for their contributions to America on Thursday only hours after a company run by one of them, Microsoft, was accused by his vice president of abusing the visa system to bring in more foreign workers. It so happens five of the six leaders he honored are immigrants. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Before the ceremony that recognized Microsoft CEO **Satya Nadella**, Vice President [JD Vance](https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) announced at a news conference that the tech company [was being suspended](https://apnews.com/article/h1b-visa-program-vance-microsoft-e7b3a407f822702b269ee277d21343ea?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from a program that allows companies to apply for green cards for skilled foreign workers with [H-1B visas.](https://apnews.com/article/trump-h1b-visa-6a48ee6d1811cde30f0f381d30cb1b1d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The crackdown on Microsoft revealed the tension between the companies that power U.S. economic growth and the administration's efforts to reduce immigration. Trump's team insists it's possible to spot the superstar immigrants who could lead groundbreaking companies and says hiring unexceptional foreigners has hurt U.S. workers. “Our message to Microsoft is: You’re a great American company, but you’ve got to hire great American workers,” Vance told a news conference. He said the company had abused the visa system. “You cannot lay off American workers and then replace them with foreign indentured servants.” Vance said Microsoft last year fired 6,000 U.S. workers but also obtained 6,300 H-1B visas and almost 3,000 green cards. The tech company, based in Redmond, Washington, has 223,000 employees worldwide. It said in a statement that the majority of its H-1B visa applications last fiscal year were “to extend or change the status of existing Microsoft employees.” In presenting the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Microsoft's CEO, Trump took a more flattering approach and made no statements about the company's hiring of foreign workers. “For more than three decades, Satya Nadella has been a key figure in the transformation of Microsoft, revolutionizing the company and empowering businesses, students and consumers from all over the world with some of the most capable software ever built,” Trump said. When Vance was asked about the seeming contradiction, he said, “We’re going to continue to support Microsoft and have a great relationship with Microsoft.” Of the six tech leaders who received an award for scientific and technological achievement from the president, five came from abroad. The president gave the National Medal of Science to SpaceX CEO [**Elon Musk**](https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Google co-founder **Sergey Brin**, Nvidia CEO [**Jensen Huang**](https://apnews.com/article/nvidea-huang-artificial-intelligence-8334abcbc6ed8d3d7889b640ec6fa05b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and **Lisa Su**, CEO of the semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices. Each of them was born overseas — South Africa for Musk, Russia for Brin and Taiwan for Huang and Su. In addition to Nadella, Trump also gave the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Dell Technologies CEO **Michael Dell**, who has sponsored the government’s special investment accounts for children known as [Trump Accounts](https://apnews.com/article/trump-accounts-kids-michael-dell-1831095c23ead75b67edc65ead5309fd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Dell was born in Texas, while Nadella immigrated from India. On social media, Nadella thanked Trump. “I’m humbled to stand alongside so many giants of American innovation and looking forward for what we can continue to do together to advance technology and drive American prosperity,” he posted. ### *They're praised as ‘national treasures’* Trump called the group of billionaires “national treasures,” comparing them to his uncle, **John Trump**, an electrical engineer and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who received the National Medal of Science in 1983. “Such a big day in the world of science and the world of technology — this is the biggest day there is,” Trump said. “You’re going to go down in the annals of history as being great.” The honors — part of a summit celebrating a new “golden age” of science — build on Trump’s already lavish praise toward the entrepreneurs for their work accelerating the development of artificial intelligence technology, which he refers to as [super intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/trump-super-intelligence-rebrand-ai-diplomats-02123c7bf18c692a12b2b3e3b9ce30c5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). He has increasingly counted on the technology to deliver on his economic agenda and pushed for the U.S. to lead its development while [resisting calls for guardrails](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that he worries will [stifle growth](https://apnews.com/article/ai-regulation-trump-congress-tech-politics-d2d1bac8e8666c681937665596a4f603?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “We have an extremely high IQ audience, for a change,” Trump joked to the event's attendees. Past winners of the National Medal of Science, which was established in 1959, have mainly been academics and research scientists rather than business leaders. The ceremony honoring the business leaders overlaps with the awarding this week, separately, of Nobel Prizes. The tech leaders have been frequent visitors to the White House in recent weeks. Musk, Huang and Su sat at the head table with Trump at the [lavish state dinner for China’s leader](https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-state-dinner-menu-fashion-d005bcd1ce76fdcd9d94c6b3d18a457e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), **Xi Jinping**. Also attending were Brin, Nadella and Dell, who on Wednesday was in the Oval Office to talk about Trump Accounts. Last week, Huang and Musk were among the tech leaders at the White House to sign a [voluntary agreement](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on developing AI after recent models raised national security and safety concerns. With November's midterm elections less than a month away, Trump has also sought to drive home to voters how investment in AI data centers and related computer equipment has helped to boost a [record-high stock market](https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-bonds-us-e8285ec7afbe81e9df277e8ee2127982?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), swelling the net worth of wealthier Americans. But the message hasn't always landed. Polls show bipartisan concerns about AI [developing too quickly](https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-ai-poll-trump-democrats-republicans-9ce5531b7ea53234c4e600f8c0e9cf27?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and high costs for everyday items like gas and groceries are dampening the economic outlook for many Americans. Vance also said that several universities including Stanford and MIT should be investigated for visa fraud. Huang and Brin have degrees from Stanford and Su has multiple degrees from MIT. The White House praised the contributions of Thursday's honorees. “These recipients are helping ensure America keeps leading the world in innovation,” said **Liz Huston**, a White House spokesperson. ### Lesson 8: The Distinctly American Style of Broadcast Television URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-8-the-distinctly-american-style-of-broadcast-television-post/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:12.000Z A pause in new television licenses, ordered by the Federal Communications Commission in 1948 and meant to last six months, ran nearly four years. Stations already on the air used that time to build audiences and sign with networks while more than 700 applicants waited. The 1952 channel plan that ended the pause opened 70 new channels on the UHF (ultra high frequency) band, but most television sets in American homes could not receive them. Those licensing choices, together with the money and programs they already had, helped NBC, CBS and ABC become the three dominant networks. DuMont, a fourth network owned by a television set maker, ran on the profits of one Pittsburgh station with no rival on the older VHF (very high frequency) band. It sold that station in 1954 and ended network broadcasts in 1956\. The same plan set aside 242 channels for educational television but no money to build stations on them. Federal rules in the 1960s then limited the stations that cable systems could import from other cities, protecting local broadcasters and, critics argued, the big networks as well. 💡 ****Where this lesson sits.** Lesson 5: Broadcast Radio and the Public Interest Standard established the licensing bargain, under which private stations use public airwaves subject to a federal public-interest standard. Lesson 6: The Fairness Doctrine and Public Media examined obligations attached to those licenses. Lesson 7: The New Deal and Rural Electrification then explained how more households acquired the electricity needed to use receivers reliably. This lesson brings those developments together in television, examining the local stations, national programming networks and channel assignments that organized a mass audience. It closes Section B. Section C follows cable and other technologies that expanded viewers' choices beyond the broadcast channels available in their communities. ***See all the lessons!*** ### *Section A* [Lesson 1: The Telephone and the Telephone NetworkThe Patent Office granted Bell’s patent on March 7, three days before he transmitted speech in a Boston laboratory.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-5b1f6aa0-3824-4c67-a031-dcc2067dcf7b.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/L1-a515903c-e35f-4325-b783-2d7dfb851d45.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-1-the-telephone-and-the-telephone-network/) [Lesson 2: Differences Between the Telephone and the TelegraphTheodore Vail, who had led AT&T in the 1880s and came back as its president in 1907, coined ‘universal service’ to mean universal interconnection into one system.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-d4ead573-bd43-499e-9ec2-2542d3646681.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-08-28-at-3.17.28---PM-5356af52-3486-4b3a-a453-53c450cb431b.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-2-differences-between-the-telephone-and-the-telegraph/) [Lesson 3: In Other Counties, PTTs (Posts, Telegraph and Telephone)This lesson asks the comparative question of why the American telephone monopoly stayed in private hands, when most of the world ran its telephones through a government post office.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-e9f3643d-bbd6-48fd-ad08-627bfe69e7c7.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/Complete-Selection-of-Image-as-Cards--and-as-Native-Images-6bc0fc38-33cf-4143-aaf3-bb875f404a6e.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-3-in-other-counties-ptts-posts-telegraph-and-telephone/) [Lesson 4: The Origin of WirelessBroadcast radio arrived in the 1920s, and the technology behind it was already twenty years old.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-965bb018-11c8-46df-bf31-683ff58150ad.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/L4-47fc84b2-e24c-4736-86eb-6c8be069a79b.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-4-the-origin-of-wireless/) ### *Section B* [Lesson 5: Broadcast Radio and the Public Interest StandardThe commercial stations’ own industry sat on the committee that proposed ‘public interest’ as the test for federal licensing, at a 1925 conference.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-ea56f9cf-2b70-484c-bcb0-385a5370bd2b.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-09-21-at-1.53.59---PM-1-ad356cff-90f4-4724-872c-b8102ba39650.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-5-broadcast-radio-and-the-public-interest-standard/) [Lesson 6: The Fairness Doctrine and Public MediaA report from a federal agency told American broadcasters in 1949 to cover controversial public issues and to carry opposing views, and no Congress ever voted that rule into law.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-98eee7e4-df3f-4eaa-9ad3-80049c6831cf.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/Complete-Selection-of-Image-as-Cards--and-as-Native-Images--1--2-1-d8a931b7-dd41-408b-939e-4dfca463f3fc.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-6-the-fairness-doctrine-and-public-media/) [Lesson 7: The New Deal and Rural ElectrificationPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Administration by executive order on May 11, 1935\. Congress made the agency permanent in 1936![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-c37b57e1-24be-4033-b13b-cc1c361c33f2.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/Complete-Selection-of-Image-as-Cards--and-as-Native-Images--3--1-1-1-3f46a825-4229-4fe3-93e1-2e417cc94123.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-7-the-new-deal-and-rural-electrification/) [Lesson 8\. The Distinctly American Style of Broadcast TelevisionA pause in new television licenses, ordered by the Federal Communications Commission in 1948 and meant to last six months, ran nearly four years.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-f0059ae7-1a17-426b-b531-3c41a3dff699.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/Complete-Selection-of-Image-as-Cards--and-as-Native-Images--2--5de85d1d-37a6-4733-aa46-51f8d3345832.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-8-the-distinctly-american-style-of-broadcast-television-post) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/0819-BBLO-Presentation.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/3.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/4.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/5.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/6.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/7.png) ### In Silicon Valley, AI founders Cheer Trump AI Self-Regulation URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/in-silicon-valley-ai-founders-cheer-trump-ai-self-regulation/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:14.000Z SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10, 2026 (AP) — Tech Week is in full bloom in San Francisco, packing the city’s restaurants this week with venture capitalists and AI founders ebullient about the White House’s stance on regulating artificial intelligence — namely, don’t do it. And after months of debate about leading AI companies’ [unchecked AI agents](https://apnews.com/article/ai-hacking-hugging-face-openai-anthropic-452281863a49b18220057e71d4715cf4?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) meddling with everything from U.S. government websites to healthcare data, the nation now finds itself further from governing AI systems than it was a few years ago. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) President **Donald Trump** [brought tech titans to Washington](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) late last month for a luncheon and ceremonial signing of a voluntary safety pact he described as “almost a constitution” surrounding “Super Intelligence,” the administration’s new preferred term for AI. The 308-word agreement lays out that advanced AI labs should follow safety protocols and set up internal teams to monitor their own progress, but the administration has yet to provide details on how, in OpenAI CEO **Sam Altman's** words, to keep “bad things” from happening. Safety challenges were not top of mind inside a crowded event space in San Francisco on Wednesday, where founders and funders said the government’s hands-off approach would net higher profits for companies building AI-powered defense and security systems. Panelists praised the government’s bullish industry support at one meeting aimed at “investing in the forefront,” part of the blitz of popup events organized by Andreessen Horowitz, a venture firm whose head is a Trump science and tech adviser. “I want to start with one figure that I think really emphasizes the investment opportunity of defense, and that’s $1 trillion. The U.S. government, for the first time, is allocating $1 trillion to its defense spending. And $13.5 billion of that will go to autonomous systems and AI,” said **Kyle Stanford**, a venture capital research director at PitchBook, a market intelligence platform. “That has obviously brought a lot of capital into defense tech spending, more than we’ve ever seen.” ### *New concerns emerge on AI safety* A day later, three researchers at OpenAI's headquarters said the ChatGPT maker had fired them, posting that “fear and unclear rules stymie AI safety work.” Separately, **David Robinson**, a leader on OpenAI’s safety team until he recently resigned, said he was worried about letting the advanced labs police themselves. “This is no substitute for hard law, and it does give a lot of freedom to the companies,” Robinson said. “The time between model generations is measured in weeks … and I think we have some very serious safety challenges in front of us in the nearer term.” Trump has staked his political capital on the AI industry’s success, saying its unbridled development is key to winning the [AI race against China](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-ai-models-safety-concerns-adb45169d436d5f940fc7b4ebeaeef3b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). On the first day of his second term, the Republican president [repealed a Biden-era executive order](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-repeal-biden-executive-order-artificial-intelligence-18cb6e4ffd1ca87151d48c3a0e1ad7c1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) aimed in part at guarding against the risks that AI systems pose to consumers, workers and national security. His administration has since reoriented federal policy away from oversight and toward rapid growth, including by canceling [previous requirements](https://apnews.com/article/biden-ai-artificial-intelligence-safe-395591bcde523416db88767fa54f30f5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for AI developers to share safety test results with the federal government. In December, Trump signed an executive order aimed at blocking AI regulations at the state level, saying a patchwork of rules could stifle the industry. Even as Silicon Valley companies have disclosed their models’ involvement in troubling cyberattacks throughout the year, the burgeoning tech sector has continued to drive [economic growth](https://apnews.com/article/tech-stocks-ai-investments-8a0ff4c95d5cae6f65c6e2ba03047058?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Concerns about AI safety centered on existential risk, rather than current real-world harms, landed at the center of debates last month, when a relatively unknown [Anthropic engineer quit](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and called for a pause on tech development to keep “superhuman” systems from eluding controls. Then, Anthropic and OpenAI CEOs echoed the call to slow AI development. To some critics, their public manifestos appeared aimed at [currying favor](https://apnews.com/article/ai-slowdown-midterms-anthropic-openai-ipo-9a057de94eb8f30a2fdb5b938918627e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with investors ahead of their public listings and the midterm elections, when the political tides could turn with many [voters opposed](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-rural-farm-artificial-intelligence-trump-e5a350af1bc12e6a4f470d3b68be51d7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to data centers. “The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!” Trump posted in response on Truth Social, warning voters not to “kill the Golden Goose,” a term he has used to refer to both AI and data centers. ### *White House pact preserves wide latitude for AI companies* As calls mounted for stricter control of AI, the administration brought tech executives to the White House for lunch, followed by a ceremonial signing of the agreement on AI safety. “I'm seeing tremendous self-policing,” Trump told reporters after the event. The document was signed by representatives of OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Google, SpaceXAI and Nvidia. OpenAI is committed to embedding external assessors and finalizing contracts with third-party safety assessors, said a spokesperson, who referred AP to a company post stating that the researchers were fired for violating “clear policies on handling sensitive information.” Google referred to CEO **Sundar Pichai's** post that the company does appropriate testing and evaluations and is collaborating “to establish norms and build public confidence.” Meta recently updated its standards for training, evaluating and releasing its most capable AI models, and spokesman Andy Stone pointed to the company's efforts to refine its board of directors’ governance structure. Nvidia and SpaceXAI did not respond to requests for comment. Anthropic, which voluntarily disclosed Friday that its agents had meddled with U.S. government websites, is bringing in independent evaluators and discussing collaborations with industry groups, a spokesperson said. In a statement, the White House reiterated Trump’s comments about working with industry to balance innovation and security and did not directly answer questions about how the administration plans to monitor the AI companies’ implementation. Following the new Anthropic disclosure, it added that the Trump administration expected full transparency from the company, saying notification and remediation was “not optional. It is a critical national security obligation.” Under Democratic President **Joe Biden**, leading AI companies also made voluntary commitments to promote “safe, secure, and transparent development” of their models that included specific guidelines for tests and transparency reports. The current accord lacks that, said Sarah Myers West, a former senior AI adviser to the Federal Trade Commission. “Across the board, this self-regulatory approach has consistently done one thing, which is failed to work. It’s failed to in any meaningful way ensure that these companies are honestly even keeping their house in order, let alone ensuring that they are compliant with existing law,” said **Myers West**, now co-executive director of the New York-based nonprofit AI Now. “All that they’re getting is grace from this government.” After last month's luncheon with Trump, [the FTC said](https://apnews.com/article/ftc-ai-investigation-anthropic-openai-89ac416717adbfb1d72f2d85e6ce83d1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it had opened an investigation into OpenAI, [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/hub/anthropic-pbc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and other companies over dangers their technology may pose to consumers. The FTC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump recently appointed National Intelligence Director **Jay Clayton** and FTC Chairman **Andrew Ferguson** to serve on his new “Super Intelligence Force,” which the president said would keep the U.S. dominant in AI development. He posted Thursday that the White House would consider anyone who does not refer to AI using his preferred term as “THE ENEMY!” Members of Congress, as well as civil liberties and consumer rights groups, have pushed for more regulations on AI, saying there is not enough oversight. **Graham Steele**, a former assistant secretary in the U.S. Treasury Department, said even if AI companies set up internal evaluation teams or hire outside evaluators, such a structure can make them vulnerable to undue pressure on their work. “We live in a democratic society. Are they the right ones to have the power to be able to make decisions that have broad, structural, social, and political consequences?” Steele said. ### Judge Blocks Cable One-MBI Deal After Lender Lawsuit URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/judge-blocks-cable-one-mbi-deal-after-lender-lawsuit/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:17.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2026 – A federal judge has temporarily blocked Cable One’s acquisition of Mega Broadband Investments, owner of regional internet service provider Vyve Broadband. CoBank ACB, one of Cable One’s lenders, had sued earlier Friday to stop the transaction, which was set to close the same day. U.S. District Judge **J. Paul Oetken** said [in an order](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.674768/gov.uscourts.nysd.674768.13.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) hours later he agreed there was enough cause to pause the deal. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [CoBank said MBI](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.674768/gov.uscourts.nysd.674768.1.0%5F1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) was worth a small fraction of the $480 million Cable One was set to pay — just $54 million — and that the ISP was in talks to secure financing for the deal on predatory terms that would hurt its other lenders. “Should this $480 million transfer occur, Cable One would sink deeper into insolvency and make Cable One’s remaining assets unreasonably small given its already large debts,” **Scott Danner**, an attorney representing CoBank, wrote in a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York. Cable One stock was down 27 percent Friday afternoon. A company spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit or the judge's ruling. Cable One already owned 45 percent of MBI. Under a contract option exercised by MBI parent GTCR, which owned the rest, Cable One [had to purchase](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-gets-another-week-to-close-mbi-deal/) the remaining 55 percent based on a formula. That deal was supposed to close Friday. Cable One was also in talks with GTCR to secure $1.25 billion in additional financing, under which agreement GTCR would have covered Cable One’s MBI acquisition, CoBank alleged. “The proposed terms of this financing amount to predatory economics,” Danner wrote. Burdensome fees and high interest “​​would make any future refinancing materially more difficult and dooms Cable One to inevitably face a negotiated restructuring in which lenders agree to forego payment or to face bankruptcy proceeding.” CoBank said the MBI acquisition would have the effect of defrauding Cable One’s other lenders, since it would be shelling out hundreds of millions for something that was worth nothing close to that. Cable One owed CoBank about $1 billion, the company said. MBI’s Vyve had 675,000 passings and 210,000 subscribers as of Sept. 30, 2025\. The company announced a leadership change in April following the departure of former CEO **Andy Parrott**. Cable One counted 968,200 residential and business broadband subscribers at the end of the second quarter. ### Amazon Leo Aiming to Sway Consumers From Starlink With Prime, Other Bundles URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-leo-aiming-to-sway-consumers-from-starlink-with-prime-other-bundles/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:17.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2026 – Amazon Leo is aiming to compete with SpaceX’s satellite broadband service by bundling its plans with other Amazon services. “We’re going to take the Amazonian way and have the best value by far,” **Chris Weber**, the company’s vice president of business, [said in an interview with Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/amazon-builds-1000th-satellite-is-weeks-away-from-space-internet-rollout/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Amazon currently has almost 400 satellites in orbit to support its Amazon Leo home broadband service. Executives told Ars the company is aiming to launch initial service later this year. **Rajeev Badyal**, head of Amazon Leo, told Ars that the existing constellation had enough capacity to do that, and the company was trying to add resiliency before offering service. The company has until July 2029 to deploy the full 3,232 satellites it’s federally approved for. SpaceX is currently the only player in low-Earth orbit consumer broadband in the U.S., with an estimated 4 million U.S. subscribers according to New Street Research. Weber said Amazon would try to win consumers over by combining its broadband service with other Amazon subscriptions like Amazon Prime, gear like Eero routers, and/or other services like Fire TV and Ring. “There are lots of assets within Amazon that we can pair with Leo to bring new value to consumers,” he said. “There are lots of opportunities for us to bring new value to consumers in those three things.” On the enterprise side, he claimed Amazon would be able to exceed SpaceX’s download speeds by a factor of three and upload by a factor of 10. “There are use cases where contracts we have signed with customers — I won’t get into the names because we haven’t announced them — but they’ve purely made the decision on our performance, and there’s some distinct ones around uplink that they simply couldn’t get it done other than with Leo,” he said. Weber said the company had manufactured its 1,000th satellite and was “weeks away” from resuming launches. He said there would be at least three this year, starting with a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket and followed by an Arianespace launch and additional Vulcans. In June, the Federal Communications Commission agreed to waive a deployment deadline on Amazon’s constellation. It was supposed to have 1,616 satellites up and running by July 30. The company told the agency that difficulty securing launches was a big factor in falling behind schedule. SpaceX launched its first Starlink V3 satellites into orbit last month. The company has said the units will provide ten times the bandwidth of the current V2 satellites. There are 26 V3 satellites on their way to operation orbit currently, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, compared to 7,300 V2 satellites. Getting more of the larger V3 satellites in space will require the use of SpaceX’s Starship rocket, which is still in testing. SpaceX is authorized to have 15,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, although the company has asked the FCC for permission to launch a 100,000-satellite constellation. SpaceX and Amazon were both big winners in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The companies were slated to receive about $1 billion combined and serve about 800,000 locations between them. That number is likely to come down though. The Trump administration has asked states to reduce their satellite awards by as much as half, citing new broadband coverage data that showed some locations were ineligible. That could reduce BEAD satellite locations by 35-42 percent, according to one analysis. ### USF Working Group ‘Getting Closer and Closer’ to Discussion Draft URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/usf-working-group-getting-closer-and-closer-to-discussion-draft/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:17.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2026 – Lawmakers are making progress on draft legislation to update an $8 billion-per-year telecom subsidy, a Congressional aide said Friday. A bipartisan working group with members from both chambers of Congress has been working for years to update the Universal Service Fund, which is supported by fees on a shrinking pool of voice revenue. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “I can confidently say that we are moving the process forward, that we are meeting regularly as a working group,” said **Carmen Scurato**, a top policy advisor to Sen. **Ben Ray Luján**, D-N.M., a leader of the group. “We are really looking at the details and we’re getting closer and closer to getting a discussion draft together.” She spoke at the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition’s AnchorNets show in Arlington, Va. She didn’t say which industries lawmakers were considering tapping for [future contributions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/usf-reform-could-put-hyperscalers-data-centers-on-the-hook/)’, but said they were working on the issue. Broadband providers and big tech companies, two powerful industries in Washington, have been [pointing the finger](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rural-telcos-urge-focus-on-operational-expenses-for-universal-service/) at each other. “It is something that we are very actively looking into,” she said. Lawmakers have shown preliminary draft language to interested stakeholders, according to a person familiar with the matter. In April, a staffer for **Deb Fische**r, R-Neb., who’s also leading the working group, told stakeholders lawmakers were aiming to circulate a discussion draft this summer. **Marcus Maher**, a senior legal advisor to Federal Communications Commissioner **Olivia Trusty**, said on the same panel that the agency was looking forward to Congressional guidance on the issue. He said contribution reform “has proved challenging over the years” at the agency. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has supported including tech companies in the mix. Former FCC Chairwoman **Jessica Rosenworcel** told the working group [in 2024](https://www.neca.org/docs/default-source/wwpdf/public/12624rosen.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that she was wary of tapping ISPs or big tech, fearing fees would be passed down to consumers. She suggested digital advertisers. Under Carr, the FCC has also been reviewing each of its four USF programs, with the aim of updating them where necessary and rooting out fraudulent or unnecessary payments. That’s led to some consternation from SHLB and others, particularly over the E-Rate program. It spends about $2.5 billion annually subsidizing internet discounts and networking gear for schools and libraries. The FCC asked commenters whether the program should be sunset or limited to rural areas, given the expansion of broadband access since USF programs were stood up in 1996\. SHLB has been mobilizing comments from schools and others opposing rolling back funding. Maher said he saw the inquiry as “setting out the questions the FCC will be called upon to answer.” He said it would be helpful to have as much input as possible from stakeholders to inform the agency’s decisions about E-Rate’s future. SHLB [sponsored a study](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ending-e-rate-would-reduce-u-s-real-gdp-by-4-2-billion-says-advocate/) that found eliminating the program would reduce economic activity in the U.S., which it released at its conference Thursday. ### FCC Proposes More Than $10 Million in Lifeline Fines URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-more-than-10-million-in-lifeline-fines/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:19.000Z WASHINGTON, October 9, 2026 — The Federal Communications Commission is proposing more than $10 million in fines against two Lifeline providers accused of improperly claiming federal subsidies for duplicate subscribers and committing other violations of the program’s rules. [The FCC proposed fines of $2.67 million](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-425683A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) against AirVoice Wireless and $7.45 million against TAG Mobility, which share common ownership. The Enforcement Bureau’s investigations found that the companies apparently claimed Lifeline support multiple times for the same subscribers, falsely certified reimbursement requests and made false statements, among other alleged violations. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “The FCC has an obligation to be a good steward of federal dollars,” FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** said. The agency launched a series of Lifeline investigations in March after its Office of Inspector General raised concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse in the program. [Lifeline provides discounts on phone and internet service](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-investigating-lifeline-providers-as-advocates-dems-push-back-against-increased-id-verification/) to qualifying low-income consumers and accounts for nearly $1 billion in annual spending. The FCC said the investigations were prompted in part by an OIG advisory examining states that [had opted out of the federal National Verifier system](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-more-lifeline-vetting/). The advisory found that providers received nearly $5 million in Lifeline support for service provided to 117,000 dead people, with nearly 81% of the cases occurring in California. [The FCC subsequently revoked California’s opt-out status](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-revokes-californias-lifeline-verification-authority/). [Texas is now asking the FCC](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110079562/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to preserve its own opt-out status, arguing that its state-run eligibility system has maintained a strong record of identifying eligible Lifeline subscribers. In an Oct. 6 filing, the Public Utility Commission of Texas said its multiyear audit error rates have remained below 0.17% and that no exceptions were identified in its current program quality assurance audit cycle. Texas also said it discovered [problems with the deceased-person information provided by](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oregon-purging-dead-from-lifeline-rolls/) the Universal Service Administrative Co. and responded by implementing a LexisNexis Risk Solutions process to identify potentially deceased subscribers. The state argued that moving to the National Verifier would create “risk and confusion with no tangible benefits.” If the FCC eliminates Texas’ opt-out, the PUCT asked for six to 12 months to transition to the federal system. The state said consumers would need to be educated about separate state and federal Lifeline applications and that the transition would require coordination with USAC. The FCC stressed that the proposed fines against AirVoice and TAG are not final. The Notices of Apparent Liability contain allegations, and the companies will have an opportunity to respond before the commission takes further action. ### SpaceX Acquiring Grain Spectrum to Support Mobile Ambitions URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-acquiring-grain-spectrum-to-support-mobile-ambitions/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:19.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2026 – SpaceX is set to acquire some low-band wireless spectrum, a bid to help its nascent mobile mobile service with indoor connectivity. The satellite operator reached a deal to acquire Grain Management’s 800 MegaHertz (MHz) licenses, the [companies announced](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grain-management-announces-definitive-agreement-to-sell-nationwide-800-mhz-spectrum-portfolio-to-spacex-302902974.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Thursday evening. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) SpaceX said in [a blog post](https://www.spacex.com/updates?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the deal, which needs federal approval, would allow it to combine a future next-generation fleet of satellites with “an advanced terrestrial deployment that can seamlessly connect devices everywhere.” A problem with providing mobile service from satellites is that, because of the enormous distances involved, signals are too weak to punch through obstacles like walls and buildings While some industry analysts were still skeptical that would amount to a serious challenge to the big three wireless carriers, investors were not. Both AT&T and Verizon stocks were down 7 percent since the announcement, with T-Mobile down more than 9 percent. Tower company stocks saw comparable increases. ### *Terrestrial deployment a ‘very long road’* “We aren’t sure we buy into it,” New Street Research analysts said in a Thursday note. “It being, SpaceX building a last-to-market terrestrial hodge-podge of towers and small cells and satellites.” The 14 megahertz SpaceX is acquiring is still a fraction of the low-band resources of the carriers, New Street said. The airwaves also aren’t compatible with SpaceX’s current or planned direct-to-device satellites, so would require either new satellite antennas or terrestrial radios to deploy. BNP Paribas analyst **Sam McHugh** said in a Friday note that it would be a poor use of SpaceX’s money to go down “the very long road” of building a terrestrial mobile network without a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal to offer service on one of the existing carrier’s infrastructure. The spectrum acquisition could be about increasing pressure on the carriers until one agrees to such a deal, he wrote. “If SpaceX doesn’t want to abandon its ambitions of becoming a bonafide mobile operator, it may think that doubling down on its commitment to build out terrestrially will convince one of the operators to give in,” he wrote. “While we are skeptical that the strategy will work, it’s impossible to rule out.” The carriers have each repeatedly shut down the idea of an MVNO with SpaceX. That would give the satellite company a fast track to compete for mobile subscribers in the way Comcast and Charter currently are. ### *Future spectrum acquisitions?* Still, Wolfe Research analyst **Peter Supino** said the extra airwaves would advance the goal of a hybrid terrestrial-satellite network. If SpaceX were willing to dump billions into deploying radios, he estimated the company could serve 10 million mobile subscribers with its current spectrum assets and the 800 MHz licenses. SpaceX is already acquiring 65 megahertz of 2 GHz spectrum from EchoStar, which can be deployed both terrestrially and with satellites. There are also federal spectrum auctions in the works, namely the 160 megahertz of upper C-band spectrum on tap for next year. If SpaceX participates, which some analysts expect, the prospect of a deep-pocketed new competitor will continue to hang over the carriers, he wrote. The Federal Communications Commission previously denied SpaceX’s request to allow upper C-band buildout deadlines to be met with satellite coverage, so it would likely also require terrestrial gear. McHugh said SpaceX could end up getting a waiver if it pursued one. Analysts at MoffettNathanson have said that stores of valuable spectrum could serve as a bargaining chip for SpaceX to convince a carrier to grant an MVNO. ### *Macro or femtocells?* In a [public interest statement](https://sxcontent9668.azureedge.us/cms-assets/assets/FCC%5FNarrative%5F10%5F8%5F26%5Ff63e78e026.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the deal filed with the FCC, SpaceX said it would deploy gear on towers, among other things. That’s a change from SpaceX executives’ previous public statements about deploying large numbers of tiny femtocell radios on rooftops, McHugh noted. That plan wasn’t taken very seriously by analysts, but traditional radios are considered more realistic, if more expensive. Lightshed Partners analysts Walter Piecyk and Joe Galone said it’s possible SpaceX could buy the abandoned Dish Wireless radios. The gear is sitting dormant and is set to be auctioned off as part of the EchoStar subsidiary’s bankruptcy. The radios support 800 MHz, the analysts noted, and scooping them up for cheap would allow SpaceX to avoid years of permitting and construction work. ### *Deal reportedly valued at $8 billion* The companies didn’t disclose terms of the deal, but Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal reported SpaceX would pay $8 billion. Grain acquired the airwaves from T-Mobile earlier this year for less than half that, $3 billion in cash, plus some 600 MHz licenses. Bloomberg had reported just over a month ago that SpaceX and AST SpaceMobile were interested in Grain’s spectrum assets. SpaceX CEO **Elon Musk** denied the report at the time, calling it “not true.” Satellite industry analyst **Tim Farrar** speculated there might be more satellite deals in the works. “Note the timing of this deal, roughly four weeks ahead of Grain's deadline to tell the FCC who it chose. Musk always wants to frontrun announcements from rivals,” he said in a post on X. “So what other big deal is going to be announced soon?” In another post he continued, “If the price is as high as rumored (double what Grain paid?) then it could even upset those other potential deals.” ### New Mexico Rapidly Accelerates Broadband Access URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-mexico-rapidly-accelerates-broadband-access/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2026 — New Mexico has sharply expanded broadband access, according to [a new state report](https://connect.nm.gov/report-library.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Nearly 91% of New Mexico now has access to high‑speed internet, and more than 120,000 more homes and business have been connected since 2022,” the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion wrote in its annual Data Collection Report to the Legislature, released Oct. 1\. The report said 94% of the state will have broadband access by the end of 2026. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The agency said it has secured $675 million in federal funding and committed $225 million in state dollars since 2022 to ensure every home, business and community facility can get high‑speed internet. Its projects also provide service to rural students in 13 school districts. “This annual report demonstrates a true shift from broadband planning to implementation across New Mexico,” said OBAE Director **Jeff Lopez**. “During this past year, our office has changed the broadband landscape, delivering New Mexicans greater digital access to education, telehealth, job opportunities and improving quality of lives.” With state and federally funded grant projects advancing and reaching completion, the report highlights major accomplishments across the state. It notes that the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program approved $382 million for New Mexico to connect more than 42,500 locations in 32 counties. A major section of the report includes detailed mapping that shows county‑by‑county broadband availability, including current, planned and completed service, technologies used, timetables, permitting information and speed data. ### Sen. Cantwell Unveils Six-Point Plan to Govern Frontier AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/sen-cantwell-unveils-six-point-plan-to-govern-frontier-ai/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2026 - A leading Senate Democrat is calling for strict artificial intelligence control to protect the public from preventable harms. Sen. **Maria Cantwell** (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, has [released](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/press/dem/release/cantwell-outlines-comprehensive-governance-framework-for-safe-and-secure-frontier-ai/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a comprehensive governance framework for “frontier” artificial intelligence systems, calling for enforceable federal safety standards, continuous independent testing and strict accountability for developers. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The Oct. 7, 2026 proposal lays out six principles that Cantwell says must underpin any future AI legislation or executive action to address catastrophic risks, from AI-enabled cyberattacks to loss of human control over autonomous systems. At the core of Cantwell’s plan is a major role for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, working with agencies such as Energy and Defense, to develop risk-based, measurable safety standards for AI systems that could cause catastrophic harm. Those standards would explicitly address AI-enabled cyberattacks, chemical and biological threats, loss of human control including autonomous agents escaping secure test environments, and systems capable of self-improvement that could bypass safety controls. The framework also calls for specialized rules for open-source models, aiming to reduce misuse risks while giving developers clear guidance to maintain U.S. leadership in open AI ecosystems. Cantwell argues that frontier models should not be released until they undergo independent, comprehensive audits similar to financial statement audits for public companies. Key elements include continuous oversight by government and qualified independent experts, stress-testing of models against catastrophic-risk scenarios, especially where testing requires secure facilities or sensitive information, and built-in safeguards so systems halt any self-modification that could evade monitoring or human oversight. Developers would be required to give auditors the access and information needed to assess risks, investigate serious incidents and verify that safeguards work as intended. Under the framework, AI developers would face new disclosure and reporting obligations modeled on securities-style risk disclosures, including plain-language public disclosures of material safety and security risks and how they are mitigated, prompt incident reporting for events such as loss of control over autonomous agents, dangerous cyber capabilities and critical safeguard failures, and whistleblower protections for employees and contractors who report safety, security or compliance concerns. Cantwell also emphasizes that developers must remain liable under civil and criminal law for foreseeable harms where their design, deployment or failure to implement reasonable safeguards materially contributes to the damage. ### Earthquake in the Sky – SpaceX Pays $8 Billion for Grain Management Airwaves to Advance Starlink Mobile URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/earthquake-in-the-sky-spacex-pays-8-billion-for-grain-management-airwaves-to-advance-starlink-mobile/ Last updated: 2026-10-09T12:36:17.000Z 💡 ■ Amazon Leo to Launch Service in 2026, Company Exec Says ■ Cable One Close to Receiving $1.25 Billion Lifeline from Lenders ■ Update: American Airlines to Add Starlink to Its Entire Mainline Fleet ■ NFL Points to ‘Objectionable Bets’ in Seeking State Regulation of Kalshi, Polymarket ■ NCTA CEO Concerned U.S. Might Forfeit Its Wi-Fi Leadership to China ■ D.C. Circuit Wants to Hear from FCC about MAD’s Fox 29 Petition ■ West Virginia Plans to Apply to Host the U.S. Space Academy ■ SHLB: Zeroing Out E-Rate Would Cost the Economy $4.2 Billion ■ Ryan Baasch Leaves Trump White House to Join Polymarket ■ Chris Rouser Hired to Take Italia Commisso’s HR Post at Mediacom **Space Mobile: Grain Management** says it has a definitive agreement under which **SpaceX** will acquire all of Grain's [800 MHz spectrum portfolio involving 14MHz of paired nationwide spectrum](https://sxcontent9668.azureedge.us/cms-assets/assets/FCC%5FNarrative%5F10%5F8%5F26%5Ff63e78e026.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Elon Musk’s company is paying about **$8 billion in cash** for the airwaves, the *Wall Street Journal* [said](https://www.wsj.com/business/telecom/spacex-makes-big-play-to-become-a-wireless-carrier-a90b2a1b?mod=e2tw&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), citing “people familiar with the matter.” The agreement includes key low-band spectrum to support next-generation satellite direct-to-device services, enabling **Starlink Mobile** to reach customers from both the ground and space. In an X post, SpaceX [said](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2108291133025698301?s=20&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Grain agreement with “will pave the way for Starlink to become a major mobile carrier in the U.S.” In extended-hours trading, Wall Street traders dumped **AT&T, T-Mobile** and **Verizon** shares by about 6% each on the Grain transaction news despite repeated claims by mobile incumbents that Starlink Mobile does not have a viable strategy financially or scientifically. “With this new spectrum and our Gen2 constellation, Starlink Mobile can ensure Americans have access to high-speed mobile broadband no matter where they are,” SpaceX [said](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2108291133025698301?s=20&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). **Musk** [said](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2108296168094544099?s=20&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on X, “This is the last critical piece of the spectrum puzzle needed for SpaceX to provide complete phone coverage in America.” In another post, he said: “Very big deal.” ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Three Former FCC Commissioners Advocate to Continue E-Rate Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/three-former-fcc-commissioners-advocate-to-continue-e-rate-program/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2026 – Three former commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission have passionately affirmed the necessity of $2.4 billion E-Rate program. At the annual AnchorNets 2026 conference, hosted by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, former commissioners attested to the importance E-Rate has for schools, children, and rural communities. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Currently, the FCC is reviewing whether to limit, change, or sunset E-Rate, a [federally funded program](https://www.usac.org/e-rate/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that provides up to 90% discounts on basic internet access for eligible schools and public libraries. As of now, FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has claimed that the E-Rate program is exacerbating children's [increasing screen time](https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/fcc-calls-for-broad-review-of-e-rate-program?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), resulting in more distractions and significant learning loss. However, critics argue that Carr’s approach will [instead lead](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/schools-libraries-fight-to-preserve-e-rate-in-major-battle-at-fcc/) to schools making cuts elsewhere in attempts to preserve what little connectivity they can afford, especially for communities in rural and low-income areas. **Rachelle Chong**, the first Asian-American FCC commissioner, noted the inconsistent logic behind screen time concerns. Chong, a Republican, was appointed by President Bill Clinton and served in the FCC when the E-Rate program was first approved, arguing, “E-Rate is a connectivity program to the school, and to the library, and rural healthcare. It doesn’t take a personal smartphone out of that kid's hand.” A [report from](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/most-e-rate-funds-spent-in-highest-need-areas-researcher-says/) data researcher **Hari Narayanan’s** site, BroadbandClusters, corroborated this, emphasizing that 77 percent of E-Rate’s funding goes to the highest-need schools and libraries. **Deborah Taylor Tate**, former FCC commissioner under President George W. Bush, focused on how E-Rate supports children in need. Advocating against possible E-Rate termination, Tate encouraged the audience to use her slogan. “We need to build America now, starting in kindergarten,” Tate emphasized on Thursday. **Mignon Clyburn**, former FCC commissioner appointed under President Barack Obama, emphasized that technological knowledge should be considered a necessity in the age of AI. The former first acting female FCC chairwoman and former FCC commissioner from 2009-2018 said, “A connectivity gap can become an opportunity gap, and eventually a workforce readiness gap.” A study released from SHLB by Battle Group on Thursday further [found that cutting](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ending-e-rate-would-reduce-u-s-real-gdp-by-4-2-billion-says-advocate/) E-Rate would result in annual wages in the U.S. falling by $2.8 billion as well as tax revenue by $1.5 billion. ### From New Deal's Electrification Loans to a Rural Broadband Dispute URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/from-new-deals-electrification-loans-to-a-rural-broadband-dispute/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T22:30:23.000Z *This article summarizes several of the key points in* [*Lesson 7: The New Deal and Rural Electrification*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-7-the-new-deal-and-rural-electrification/)*, which is part of Broadband Breakfast's online course, "*[*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*." A new lesson will be released every Monday.* About[ nine in 10 American farms](https://www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/econ%5Ffocus/2020/q1/economic%5Fhistory?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) lacked electric service in 1930, while nearly nine in 10 homes outside farms were wired. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The obstacle was the cost of extending power lines into sparsely populated areas. Private utilities estimated construction costs at as much as $2,000 a mile (or more than $30,000 in 2020 dollars). With few customers along each mile, most utility companies doubted that electricity sales would recover the investment. ### *Washington lent the money, and the borrowers were new* Rural electrification became part of President **Franklin D. Roosevelt’s** New Deal, the federal response to the Great Depression. His administration offered construction loans to bring electricity to farms private utilities had largely passed over. An executive order created the Rural Electrification Administration, a federal agency financing rural power projects, on May 11, 1935\. Congress had set aside $100 million for rural electrification. A year later, the[ Rural Electrification Act of 1936](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-49/pdf/STATUTE-49-Pg1363.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) established the agency in law and set its lending terms. Construction loans had to be “self-liquidating,” meaning revenue from electricity sales had to repay the loans within 25 years. Borrowers paid the federal government’s average interest rate on its long-term debt, generally below what private lenders charged. The 1936 law gave preference to public bodies, cooperatives, nonprofits and associations that limited dividends to investors. Most private utilities declined to borrow from the Rural Electrification Administration. The loan offers limited how utilities used the money, and the companies could not agree with the agency on those terms, **Carl Kitchens**, an economic historian at Florida State University, told the Richmond Fed. The electrification agency turned to cooperatives, nonprofit utilities owned by the customers they serve. Only 33 electric cooperatives operated in the country in 1930\. A farm family would generally pay $5 to join one of the new cooperatives, becoming both a customer and an owner. In 1942, the cooperatives formed the[ National Rural Electric Cooperative Association](https://www.electric.coop/our-organization/history?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com), a trade group representing electric cooperatives in Washington. With help from the electrification agency’s engineers, average power-line construction costs fell below $825 a mile by the end of the 1930s. Fewer than 1 percent of the agency’s loans defaulted, according to the Richmond Fed’s history. By 1954, 93 percent of American farms reported electricity, according to the[ Census of Agriculture](https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/archive/files/1954-Farm%5FFacilities%5FFarm%5FEquipment-TABLES%5FFOR%5FTHE%5FUNITED%5FSTATES-1000-Table-01.pdf?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com), the federal survey of farms. ***(Read the full Lesson 7 for the other two ownership models Washington considered and why it chose cooperatives.)*** [Lesson 7: The New Deal and Rural ElectrificationPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Administration by executive order on May 11, 1935\. Congress made the agency permanent in 1936![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-595284d4-a454-4599-b555-7695a426f2f9.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/Complete-Selection-of-Image-as-Cards--and-as-Native-Images--3--1-1-1-3149365c-49dc-4acc-99bf-ff8d8a70e7f6.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-7-the-new-deal-and-rural-electrification/) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/course_banner_wordmark_notitle.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/#/portal/signup/free) [***Sign up for Free and Join Section A of the course!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/#/portal/signup/free) [Sign up for Free! ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/#/portal/signup/free) ### ### *Public ownership was a threat held in reserve* The idea of using public ownership to restrain private utility monopolies preceded the lending program. Roosevelt made that case as the Democratic presidential nominee in a[ Sept. 21, 1932, campaign speech](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/campaign-address-portland-oregon-public-utilities-and-development-hydro-electric-power?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) in Portland, Oregon. He cited **Matthew Hale**, a 17th-century English judge, and the requirement that a monopoly ferry operator “take but reasonable toll.” State utility commissions should ensure adequate electric service and reasonable rates, Roosevelt argued. He rejected government ownership of all utilities, favoring private operation as the general rule. Government ownership was the remedy when regulation failed, in FDR’s view. He compared a community’s right to build and operate its own utility to a “birch rod” kept in a cupboard until a scolding no longer worked. The prospect of a competing public utility, he argued, would encourage private electric companies to improve service and lower rates. The rural lending program backed a different owner: the customers themselves. Most cooperatives bought electricity wholesale from private utilities and distributed the power to cooperative customers. When a cooperative could not agree with a private supplier on price and other terms, the electrification agency stood ready to finance a power plant owned by the cooperative. Federal lending “created competition over territory that hadn’t been claimed yet,” Kitchens told the Richmond Fed. ### *The cooperatives now own the poles* Congress extended the Rural Electrification Act to communications in 1949, authorizing loans for rural telephone service. About[ 890 electric cooperatives](https://www.electric.coop/electric-cooperative-fact-sheet?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) operate today, still owned by electricity customers. Cooperative-owned poles support communications cables as well as electric lines, making the utilities important to rural broadband construction. Control of those poles has brought cooperatives into a dispute over the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, or BEAD, the $42.45 billion federal broadband construction fund. Federal law has excluded cooperatives from the Federal Communications Commission’s pole attachment rules since 1978\. The FCC rules govern what pole owners charge communications providers to hang cables and how quickly pole owners must provide access. In January 2026, the Commerce Department made compliance with FCC pole rules a condition of BEAD grants. Cooperatives that accept them must apply those rules to poles not already covered by state or federal attachment regulation. The condition covers a cooperative’s poles throughout the state receiving BEAD funds, beyond the poles used in funded projects, without removing the coops aforementioned statutory exemption. Twenty of the 63 cooperatives awarded BEAD funding had withdrawn, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association told the Commerce Department in a[ Sept. 16 letter](https://www.electric.coop/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Matheson-Letter-to-Secretary-Lutnick-on-BEAD-Issues-09162026.pdf?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com). The association cited the pole requirements and rising equipment costs among the concerns facing cooperatives considering participation. In the 1930s, federal loans helped establish cooperatives to serve farms private utilities had largely passed over. Ninety years later, those cooperatives control the poles that broadband providers need to reach rural customers. Washington is again pressing for access on terms that federal pole law calls [“just and reasonable.”](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/224?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ### Louisiana Breaks Ground on Largest BEAD-Funded Fiber Build URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana-breaks-ground-on-largest-bead-funded-fiber-build/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:30.000Z WASHINGTON,Oct. 8, 2026 — A new fiber project in Louisiana is making history while bringing faster internet to thousands of residents, giving communities in East Baton Rouge Parish a new broadband option. Louisiana has broken ground on what state officials describe as the country’s largest Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD)-funded broadband project, marking a major step from federal broadband funding to network construction. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Gov. **Jeff Landry**, R, ConnectLA officials and REV Fiber [joined local officials Wednesday to launch the project](https://www.benton.org/headlines/gov-landry-joins-connectla-and-rev-fiber-celebrate-countrys-largest-bead-funded-broadband?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which will bring fiber service to 2,840 locations in East Baton Rouge Parish. About 2,500 of those locations are being supported by federal BEAD funding, with the remainder covered by REV Fiber. Construction is expected to begin in November and take about seven to eight months, according to local reporting. The project is part of [Louisiana’s broader GUMBO 2.0 broadband initiative](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana-signs-seven-bead-grant-agreements/), which incorporates the state’s $1.36 billion BEAD allocation into its effort to expand high-speed internet access. Louisiana is not the only state moving into the construction phase of BEAD. [Pennsylvania announced last week](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/pennsylvania-awards-first-448-million-in-bead-funding/) that it is awarding over $711 million in BEAD funding for broadband projects across the state, including projects involving fiber and other technologies. The Pennsylvania awards also come after the state completed its BEAD application and review process, putting federal broadband dollars into projects intended to reach unserved and underserved locations. The Louisiana project will serve homes and other locations in Central and surrounding areas of East Baton Rouge Parish. REV Fiber will build the network, with state officials highlighting its potential benefits for households, businesses, schools and emergency services. Louisiana officials have said they are targeting statewide broadband connectivity by 2028\. The state was among the first to move its BEAD process into provider selections and construction. The construction announcements come as states across the country [move beyond the planning and approval stages of BEAD](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/all-56-federal-broadband-plans-approved-construction-comes-next/). The federal program was designed to provide states with funding to deploy broadband infrastructure, with fiber projects expected to account for a substantial portion of the resulting construction. For Louisiana, the East Baton Rouge project provides a visible example of that transition, [putting BEAD funding into an actual fiber build](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/building-bead-from-federal-awards-to-finished-networks/) rather than another round of planning or grant administration. ### BEAD Projects Likely to Generate Millions of 811 Tickets, Researchers Say URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-projects-likely-to-generate-millions-of-811-tickets-researchers-say/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2026 – A flood of fiber projects funded by a federal broadband grant program could increase the likelihood of damaged buried utilities, researchers said Thursday. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program is expected to fund more than 270,000 miles of buried fiber, according to an analysis from New York Law School’s Advanced Connectivity Law and Policy Institute. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ACLP [estimated](https://broadbandexpanded.com/files/data/bead/BEAD%20Utility%20Locates%20Analysis%20-%20September%202026.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) those builds would generate more than 8 million locate tickets for utilities. ISPs have to make sure there’s no infrastructure where they’re planning to bury fiber, and that involves asking utilities with infrastructure in the area to mark the exact location of their lines. Many BEAD winners are smaller ISPs that have less experience with large builds, and those projects are largely in rural areas that might have incomplete or nonexistent records of underground infrastructure, ACLP Director **Michael Santorelli** said [in the report](https://broadbandexpanded.com/posts/beadlocates?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “This could delay builds and raise costs. It could also lead to an increase in damage events,” Santorelli said in an email. “These can be deadly or have significant financial and practical impacts, as happened recently when a backup fiber line to several airports in the Northeast was cut, snarling travel for days.” He wrote that [according to](https://dirt.commongroundalliance.com/2025-DIRT-Data-Summary-Trends/2025-At-A-Glance?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Common Ground Alliance, which tracks instances of utility infrastructure strikes, telecom providers and ISPs generated about 30 percent of all damage reports. That’s the most of any industry. Among all damage reports, the most common cause is a company simply not calling 811 and requesting utility locates before digging, accounting for 22 percent. Close behind, according to CGA, was diggers not steering clear of marked infrastructure. Another 14 percent of strikes were caused by locators not marking lines, and 9 percent were from inaccurate marks. In addition to the fiber cut that left thousands of planes grounded last month, Santorelli noted infrastructure strikes can be deadly. Last year a fiber crew hit an unmarked gas line in Missouri, causing an explosion that killed a child and leveled a house. Santorelli wrote that states could use left over BEAD funds — about $21 billion currently remains — to hire more locators to handle the extra workload. He suggested the funds could also be put toward comprehensive underground infrastructure maps, something some states were considering before the Trump administration overhauled the program’s rules. Guidance on how that funding can be used is more than [nine months](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/more-non-deployment-guidance-not-coming-soon-ntia-says/) away, though. BEAD projects are now just beginning to get underway, with Louisiana claiming to have completed the first BEAD-funded fiber project this week. ### FCC Considers Allows Political Robocalls Before Midterms, Including AI-Created URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-considers-allows-political-robocalls-before-midterms-including-ai-created/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2026 (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission is considering a request by a conservative group to loosen rules on political robocalls, including those with artificial intelligence-generated voices, before November’s midterm elections. Federal law currently bans most robocalls to cellphones unless the caller gets consent beforehand. The petition calls for a waiver that would allow political groups to use artificial or prerecorded voices in unsolicited wireless calls. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The Republican-led FCC advanced the request for public comment and could rule on it as soon as late October. Consumer advocacy groups warn the proposed change could trigger a surge of unwanted, partisan and potentially misleading automated calls in the critical final days of the election, which will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. The potential perils became evident two years ago during the presidential primary season when thousands of voters in New Hampshire received a robocall with an AI-generated voice of then-President Joe Biden. The call suggested voters should forgo casting a ballot in the primary and “save” their votes for the general election. Under the waiver request before the FCC, some state and federal laws protecting against deception and voter intimidation would continue to prohibit certain misleading election-related messages. But granting it could weaken a major deterrent for bad actors, said Tim Harper, who leads the elections team at the Washington-based Center for Democracy and Technology. Such a ruling close to Election Day would open “a huge opportunity for abuse during a period where harm has outsized impact,” he said. “Campaigns will use this technology to target voters in deceptive ways.” ### *A tool for better communication or misleading messages?* The Club for Growth, a right-leaning economic policy group seeking the change, said it could help political organizations better communicate with potential voters, including in more languages, and improve polling accuracy by helping groups reach more voters. It calls current federal rules outdated and argues they dampen freedom of speech. The group emphasized that its request isn't intended to promote robocalls. Still, if it passes, other political groups could use it to expand their use of autodialed calls that use artificial or prerecorded voices. “Our petition asks the FCC to treat First Amendment protected political speech the same way it already treats wireless calls about package deliveries, bank accounts, and doctor’s appointments,” said **David McIntosh**, the group's president. “We think the Constitution protects a conversation with a voter at least as highly as a delivery update.” The nation’s communications regulatory body would have to act within a compressed schedule to grant the waiver in time to affect the midterm elections. Critics said it wouldn’t be the first time the FCC, which has become closely aligned with the president during his second term, has bypassed procedural norms to serve its political agenda. Its Republican chairman, **Brendan Carr**, launched an unusual early review of broadcast licenses for several ABC-owned local broadcast stations, prompting the company to sue. It said the review years ahead of schedule was unconstitutional, a violation of free speech and a retaliation for content Trump dislikes. The FCC didn’t respond to a request for comment on the petition. Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat among the FCC’s three active commissioners, told The Associated Press she opposes the move and thinks it would create “a tsunami of robocalls and misinformation.” “We’ve already seen dark money groups use AI to put candidates’ likeness behind inflammatory comments ahead of this election,” Gomez said. “Exempting political calls from the need for consumer consent would supercharge that strategy, and misleading messages could land directly on the handheld phone of nearly every voter in our country.” ### *Political robocalls have caused controversies before* In past elections, deceptive political robocalls have resulted in significant fines associated with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the federal law at the center of the petition. In 2020, tens of thousands of prospective voters in majority-Black areas of the U.S. received robocalls falsely warning that if they voted by mail, they could face arrest and debt collection. The two conservative hoaxers behind the calls, **Jacob Wohl** and **Jack Burkman**, were criminally charged for the calls and fined some $5.1 million for violating the act. The political consultant behind the 2024 New Hampshire robocalls mimicking Biden's voice said he did it to send a wake-up call about the potential dangers of AI. He was acquitted of criminal voter suppression charges but faced fines and civil damages associated with federal law. Shortly after the New Hampshire robocall caught authorities' attention, the FCC ruled that robocalls made with AI voice-cloning tools were outlawed under the consumer protection act. ### *The change could boost various types of AI calling* If the commission pivots to grant the Club for Growth’s petition, political groups of all stripes could amp up their use of AI to prerecord messages that play when voters pick up the phone. They also could use the technology to engage in live conversations with voters driven by AI large language models. **Mekela Panditharatne**, senior counsel in the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice, warned that such conversations hold risks. An AI system could make false promises about a candidate or manipulate voters in conversation by providing inaccurate or incomplete information. Harper, from the Center for Democracy and Technology, said there also could be a privacy risk for voters who might not know how an AI agent on the line with them is capturing or repurposing their data. The Club for Growth has argued the waiver would help create a more uniform regulatory landscape, given that unsolicited automated calls to landlines are already allowed. If the waiver is granted, callers would still be limited by certain conditions, including allowing consumers to opt out and making no more than three calls within 30 days to each individual recipient. A public comment reply period on the petition ends Oct. 19, at which point the FCC could move forward on a decision. *This article was written by Ali Swenson of the Associated Press.* ### USF Reform Could Put Hyperscalers, Data Centers on the Hook URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/usf-reform-could-put-hyperscalers-data-centers-on-the-hook/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2026 – A federal broadband subsidy program under financial duress could get bailed out by AI-related companies, as policymakers consider making major users of broadband infrastructure contribute to universal service. Universal service reform could expand the pool of companies that help finance broadband networks to include hyperscalers, cloud providers and other major users of internet infrastructure, according to former FCC officials and broadband advocates. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The idea emerged during a panel at the School, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition’s annual conference that asked what the Universal Service Fund would look like if policymakers designed it from scratch. Former FCC Wireline Bureau Chief **Trent Harkrader** said the contribution system could be expanded beyond the current focus on [interstate telecommunications revenue](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/low-cost-bank-loans-could-help-advance-universal-service-broadband-investor-says/) as voice service continues to decline. A reimagined program, he said, could require broadband internet service providers to contribute to the fund, rather than relying primarily on declining voice revenues. Harkrader suggested that hyperscalers could be treated as large end users of broadband networks and [potentially contribute based on how much capacity they use](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/usf-contribution-factor-to-hit-42-percent-in-q4/). A data center that consumes significant amounts of network capacity, for example, could face a different contribution obligation than a rural broadband provider serving a small number of households. **Adeyenka Ogunleye,** chief of staff and vice president of Federal Affairs at the National Urban League, said policymakers should not necessarily use a single contribution formula for every participant in the internet ecosystem. Hyperscalers could face a different formula from households or rural broadband providers, she said, arguing that companies whose businesses depend on broadband should help support the networks underlying the digital economy. “I think we really need to look hard at who contributes, what revenue streams benefit from the internet ecosystem and the networks that are built, and how they can participate in making sure that the end user, the customers that they are trying to reach are all connected and can afford to be connected,” Ogunlegan said. The panel also discussed whether USF should continue to rely on its existing funding structure rather than congressional appropriations. Harkrader warned that an appropriated program could become unreliable when Congress fails to provide funding, creating uncertainty for both consumers and providers. NTCA Director of Government Affairs, **Virdina Gibbs** agreed that broadband providers need predictable funding to plan network construction and operations. The discussion comes as policymakers are examining how to modernize USF while broadband needs continue to expand. Panelists argued that the demand for the fund is growing even as the existing contribution mechanism faces pressure. Gibbs said USF remains necessary even after the $42 billion BEAD program, describing the two programs as complementary. BEAD can help build networks, [while USF can support affordability and the continued operation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-opens-review-of-universal-service-administration-questions-usacs-future/) of those networks, she said. ### Lesson 7: The New Deal and Rural Electrification URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-7-the-new-deal-and-rural-electrification-post/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:30.000Z _No content available._ ### Ending E-Rate Would Reduce U.S. Real GDP by $4.2 Billion, Says Advocate URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ending-e-rate-would-reduce-u-s-real-gdp-by-4-2-billion-says-advocate/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2026 – Sunsetting a broadband subsidy for schools and libraries would hurt the U.S economy, according to a new study commissioned by the program’s participants. Axing the E-Rate program entirely would reduce the country’s real gross domestic product by $4.2 billion, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition study said. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) That’s about $1.60 in lost economic activity for every $1.00 of rescinded E-Rate funding, according to the group. E-Rate spends about $2.6 billion annually [discounting broadband subscriptions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/most-e-rate-funds-spent-in-highest-need-areas-researcher-says/) and networking gear for schools and libraries. Put another way, “for every $1.00 that is spent on E-Rate, it generates $1.60,” SHLB Executive Director **Joey Wender** said Thursday. “That is a type of return any private equity fund would dream of.” SHLB [released the study](https://assets.noviams.com/novi-file-uploads/shlbc/Save%5FOur%5FE-Rate%5F2026/The%5FEconomic%5FImpact%5Fof%5Fthe%5FE-Rate%5FProgram%5F%5FEMBARGOED%5FUNTIL%5FTHURSDAY%5F%5FOCTOBER%5F8%5F%5F2026%5F%5FAT%5F1PM%5FET%5F%5Fdocx.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), conducted by Brattle Group, at its AnchorNets conference in Arlington, Va. The Federal Communications Commission, which manages the fund, is in the midst of a wide-ranging review of the program. Among several other things, the agency asked for input on whether E-Rate should be sunset or limited to rural areas, given the expansion of broadband infrastructure since the fund’s inception in 1996. SHLB and other groups have been [making an effort](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/education-groups-continue-advocacy-push-as-fcc-reviews-e-rate/) to defend the program, fearing the agency might follow through on reducing funding. The group’s study said it was unlikely that schools, despite already being strapped for cash, could afford to lose broadband or cybersecurity capacity even without E-Rate support. A reduction in the program would correspond to less money available for other things, the report said. “If E-Rate ends, the cost of connectivity doesn't disappear. It lands on schools and libraries, and they will have to pay for internet access by cutting teachers, counselors and programs,” Wender said in a statement released with the report. “Protecting E-Rate is an investment in our communities and in the economic opportunity these institutions create.” Brattle used an internal model aimed at approximating the U.S. economy and tried to capture the network effects of schools spending less on their typical labor and material costs to afford connectivity. The affected suppliers and workers would have lower incomes and spend less in the aggregate, Brattle said. The group found that if E-Rate were zeroed out, annual real wages in the U.S. would fall by $2.8 billion, and tax revenues would fall by about $1.5 billion. Brattle also looked at the effects of canceling out only category two funding. That supports networking gear like routers and Wi-Fi access points and accounts for about $1.2 billion of E-Rate’s annual spending. If category two funding were eliminated, Brattle estimated GDP would fall by $2.5 billion. As of the second quarter of 2026, the U.S.’s real GDP was $24.4 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The metric is measured in 2017 dollars In addition to SHLB, the study was sponsored by the School Superintendents Association, the American Library Association, the Association of Educational Service Agencies, the Association of School Business Officials International, the Consortium for School Networking, InnovateEDU, the National Coalition for Technology in Education & Training, the National Rural Education Association, and the Software & Information Industry Association. ### *FCC comments* Comments in the FCC’s inquiry are due Oct. 13. Spurred by SHLB and other groups, dozens of schools, school districts, and others have been submitting comments urging the agency not to curtail funding. They generally said schools in rural and low-income areas needed the funding to shore up their budgets. In a recent blog post for the Free State Foundation, former Republican FCC commissioner **Mike O’Reilly** argued it wasn’t out of bounds for the agency to ask whether E-Rate was having a positive effect. ### Falmouth Didn’t Build Its Own Network, But a Citizen-Led Effort Still Brought Fiber to Town URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/falmouth-didnt-build-its-own-network-but-a-citizen-led-effort-still-brought-fiber-to-town/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:31.000Z Gateway Fiber, a Missouri-based Internet service provider already operating in western and central Massachusetts, has announced it has begun network construction in Falmouth and says service will be available to residents and businesses later this year. [MassachusettsGet a snapshot view of broadband initiatives in Massachusetts.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-77d27de3-de7b-4088-9cf6-dfbe533b3024.png)Broadband BreakfastState Broadband![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/massachusetts-broadband-4dd2b84a-6aaa-457a-9ed9-68f0f1ce8233.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/massachusetts) It’s a development that, after decades of frustration with high prices for cable service, will bring residential fiber connectivity to the region for the first time, initiated seven years ago by an effort to build a community-owned solution. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) While the plan is for Gateway to first offer service in Falmouth, the company also has its sights set on expanding its network into other towns on the Cape — including the towns of Barnstable and Yarmouth, the most populous parts of the peninsula. For years, Cape residents have complained about the high-priced, spotty service of the Comcast cable monopoly as their only wireline option. Enter Gateway. It represents a watershed moment for the region, as the ISP looks to tap the pent-up demand for the gold-standard of Internet access technologies (fiber) by first targeting Falmouth, home to about 33,000 residents. “Cape Cod is exactly the kind of market we’re excited about at Gateway Fiber. It has strong local communities, year-round residents, small businesses, seasonal homeowners and visitors who all need Internet they can count on,” said **John Meyer**, Chief Customer Officer of Gateway Fiber. “We believe people on the Cape deserve a better Internet experience that includes 100% fiber, straightforward pricing and service from a team that wants to be part of the communities we serve. We’ve built real momentum across Massachusetts, and we’re excited to bring that same commitment to Cape Cod,” he added. **Courtney Bird**, Chair of the Falmouth Broadband Municipal Light Plant (MLP), also expressed his excitement that long sought-after next-generation Internet service is finally coming to town. “I’m thrilled that Gateway Fiber is coming to Falmouth,” he said. “This milestone reflects a seven-year effort by everyone who worked to bring the community a viable, competitive alternative for 21st-century connectivity. Gateway Fiber will provide that choice, and Falmouth residents and businesses will benefit.” ### *Why Falmouth didn't build its own network* That effort took a significant step forward in 2022 when Town Meeting voters approved the creation of the town’s Municipal Light Plant (MLP), establishing the legal framework to create a municipal telecommunication utility in the Commonwealth. Town Meeting voters overwhelmingly approved the MLP, easily surpassing the two-thirds majority needed at two separate Town Meetings. Early organizers of the citizen-led FalmouthNet nonprofit were initially hoping to create a municipal broadband service, whereby the town builds and owns the network and has complete control over pricing and service levels. But, with little interest from the Board of Selectmen to finance what at the time was an estimated $55 million project, MLP officials eventually settled on pursuing a public-private partnership. “The funding was the thing that stuck in everyone's craw,” Bird told ILSR. Also, he said, a feasibility study indicated that the “break-even point was projected to be five years and would need a 45 percent take rate. The town took no interest in funding it, even though surveys showed plenty of appetite.” And while the MLP did court and meet with several private ISPs — including GoNetSpeed, Ripple and Gateway — the result, Bird said, wasn’t a typical public-private partnership. “Public private partnership implies there will be a financial contribution by both parties, which isn’t the case here. The Town is putting up no money, just expediting the permitting process and being generally supportive of (Gateway’s) efforts,” he said. Still, Bird considered the efforts of FalmouthNet and the MLP to be a net positive for Falmouth. Based on what Gateway shared with the MLP at previous MLP meetings, most addresses in town will get fiber access, though “there will be parts of Falmouth that don’t get it. They mentioned covering something like 80 to 85 percent of the town and did say they didn’t plan to build in certain neighborhoods.” ISPs often selectively deploy high-speed Internet infrastructure, which industry-insiders refer to as “cherry-picking” or “digital redlining,” depending on their business model. That contrasts with municipal broadband systems that almost always build out network connections across the entire municipality as publicly-owned networks have different incentives in providing broadband, treating the service as a utility rather than as a pure profit-seeking venture. Ultimately, however, “I think Gateway will be a good fit for Falmouth,” Bird said, adding that there is a planned ribbon-cutting ceremony for network construction on October 27. ### *OpenCape: The (fiber) bridge to next-gen internet access* A major reason why Gateway Fiber is able to be a “good fit” is because of OpenCape’s middle mile fiber network. Much like the Sagamore and Bourne bridges serve as the gateway to Cape Cod for vehicle traffic, the nonprofit fiber network is the bridge that Gateway Fiber will use for backhaul. “OpenCape has laid an important foundation for connectivity across Cape Cod, and we’re excited to build on that investment,” Gateway Fiber CEO **Chris Surdo** said about OpenCape’s network, which spans more than 500 route miles across Cape Cod, southeastern Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, with direct Tier 1 connections into Boston and Providence. OpenCape CEO **Pete Saldino** tells ILSR that OpenCape is excited to work with Gateway Fiber, especially because when OpenCape was founded in 2007 thanks to a federal BTOP grant, the hope for many at that time was that it would eventually lead to residential fiber service across OpenCape’s service footprint. Saldino noted how OpenCape was built as an open-access network for the region, in part to eventually foster choice and competition by reducing the cost of building out last-mile fiber networks. Over the years, the network has been the primary backhaul for cellular service providers in the area, as well as the go-to fiber provider for many of the region’s small businesses, municipalities, and large anchor institutions such as the marine biology research labs in Woods Hole and the Cape Cod Healthcare system. Now, Saldino said, he is excited to see “Gateway Fiber bringing real momentum and investment to Cape Cod, and we're thrilled that our state-of-the-art fiber optic network is helping bring faster connections to homeowners across the region.” ### *Competition is already paying off* In Falmouth, Bird said Gateway’s entry into the market has already had a positive impact for residents. “Comcast has upgraded their services and I can speak to this first hand. I was paying $120 a month for gig service and now they are offering it for $50 a month for new customers,” he said. “So I went into the Xfinity store in Falmouth and complained about it and they upgraded me to 2 gigs for $95 a month and gave me the modem at no charge.” “In my view," Bird said, "this is a perfect example of the consumer benefiting from competition. When Comcast was the only show in town, you paid whatever rate they charged and had to rent the modem, and that was it.” But, given the fact that Comcast is working to upgrade their service in town due to the competitive pressure from Gateway, Bird thinks Gateway will still have to work hard to lure subscribers away from Comcast. “It’s a challenge for any new provider to get people to switch. As for me, if fiber comes down my street — bye bye Comcast.” Pricing and service tiers for Falmouth have not yet been announced. But, in other areas where Gateway operates, the company offers a symmetrical 600 Megabits per second (Mbps) connection for $65/month; gig speed service for $75/month; a 2 gig package for $90/month; and a 5 gig tier for $125/month. As for the future of the town's MLP board, Bird said now that Gateway is coming to town “our role will be a liaison and coordinator for the construction while it’s going on. But once Gateway completes it, I would not envision a role for us.” Meanwhile, Falmouth residents and businesses can visit gatewayfiber.com/pre-order to pre-order service, receive construction updates, and find out when fiber service will be available at their address. ***Disclosure: Sean Gonsalves serves as a board member of OpenCape and was a former advisory board member of FalmouthNet.*** ***This article comes from the Community Broadband Networks Initiative of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, was published on*** [***CommunityNetworks.org on October 6, 2026***](https://communitynetworks.org/content/falmouth-didnt-build-its-own-network-citizen-led-effort-still-brought-fiber-town?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***, and is reprinted with permission.*** ### BEAD Deployments to Flood 811 System Designed to Shield Buried Gas Lines from Damage: ACLP Study URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-deployments-to-flood-811-system-designed-to-shield-buried-gas-lines-from-damage-aclp-study/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T12:53:56.000Z 💡 ■ FCC to Auction 25 Megahertz for Direct-to-Device Service ■ Free State’s Andrew Long Calls for Broadband Funding Pause to Learn from BEAD Roll Out Data ■ NFL to Supreme Court: Let States Regulate Prediction Markets Like Kalshi ■ FCC Fines AirVoice Wireless Parent $10 million for Lifeline Fraud ■ Group Seeks Exemption from ‘Military‑Grade’ Classifying for Drone Light Show Equipment ■ As Planned, Cedar Falls Utilities Shutting Down Cable TV on Oct. 11 ■ KeyBanc Says ‘Satellite Broadband’ (Meaning Starlink) Leads Industry in Customer Satisfaction ■ Sen. Cantwell Outlines Six‑Part Framework for Governing Artificial Intelligence ■ Breezeline Earns Opensignal USA Awards in Key Ohio Markets ■ Oklahoma Broadband Office Notes Completion of Broadband Projects by Indian Electric Cooperative ■ Turkey Planning 198-LEO Constellation to Rival Banned Starlink BEAD: A new study warns that BEAD‑funded broadband construction will place heavy new demands on the nation’s 811 utility‑locate system. “BEAD projects will deploy 271,782 miles of buried fiber, 57.5% of all BEAD fiber miles,” analysts **Alex Karras** and **Michael Santorelli** of the Advanced Communications Law & Policy Institute wrote in the report set for release on Oct. 8\. They said the buried routes will generate about 1.4 million 811 tickets, triggering roughly 8.1 million facility‑locates, most of them for service drops. “With about 58% of the fiber to be deployed via BEAD needing to be buried, it will be critical for those excavating the ground to install fiber lines to be able to move swiftly and safely through the locates process,” the ACLP analysts said. ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### A $50 Billion Health Fund and Rural America’s Internet Gaps URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-50-billion-health-fund-and-rural-americas-internet-gaps/ Last updated: 2026-10-08T00:34:42.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 — Awards from a $50 billion federal rural health fund included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act from July 2025 are now paying for digital health care records and home monitoring devices, said panelists at a [Broadband Breakfast Live Online session Wednesday](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-october-7-2026-connectivity-and-medicine/). But whether that remote care reaches a patient still depends on the connection in the patient's home or pocket. Maine's first-year share of that fund is $190 million, according to **Andrew Solomon**, a senior program manager at MCD Global Health, the Maine public health nonprofit administering the work. About $40 million of those funds will upgrade digital patient records at roughly 80 health care organizations, and another $12 million goes to about a dozen telehealth projects. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) One such project sends patients with high blood pressure or heart failure home with internet-connected cuffs and scales that alert a nurse when readings turn dangerous. Those nurse alerts travel only over a working internet connection, a recurring them at the session, on connectivity and medicine. ### *First-year rural health money is still moving* That $50 billion fund is the [Rural Health Transformation Program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-map-out-plans-for-50-billion-rural-health-program/), created by Section 71401 of the 2025 budget law. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal health insurance agency, distributes $10 billion a year from fiscal 2026 through 2030\. All 50 states won [first-year awards](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-50-billion-awards-strengthen-rural-health-all-50-states?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in December 2025, averaging $200 million. Those awards ranged from about $147 million for New Jersey to about $281 million for Texas. After the December awards, states needed federal approval of their spending plans before the money could flow, said **Reid Plimpton**, a program manager at MCD Global Health. Much of the program's first-year funding has not fully gone out, Plimpton said, even as the second year begins. States must obligate, or legally commit, first-year funds by Oct. 30, according to a [timeline](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/a-closer-look-at-the-50-billion-rural-health-transformation-program/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from KFF, a health policy research group. ### *Maine is using the money to change how care is delivered* Some of Maine's record upgrades add ambient scribing, AI software that listens to an appointment and drafts the clinician's notes, Solomon said. Ambient scribing cuts what he called "pajama time," the evening hours doctors spend finishing charts at home. Off the coast, 12 year-round island communities have no bridge to the mainland and no health care of their own. The Maine Seacoast Mission, a nonprofit serving those islands, sends a boat called the Sunbeam to them. The boat provides year-round medical care and telehealth services to the state’s unbridged outer islands. Solomon described the boat as "essentially a floating community center." With federal funding, MCD built telehealth backpacks that island residents reserve online and pick up at a town hall or school. Each backpack holds connected tools such as a blood pressure cuff and a pulse oximeter. Patients can use the kits at home only if they have a connection, Solomon said. ### *For many patients, the connection is a cell phone* Many lower-income rural residents rely on a cell phone as their only internet service, said **Robbie Blish**, director of public safety connectivity initiatives at AMBCOPS, a Vermont nonprofit focused on rural mobile coverage. For phone-only patients, the cell network is their only link to remote care. Residents can log speed tests and dead spots with a free AMBCOPS app called YOWIE Patrol. "We have to know what your baseline is in terms of connectivity before you can really start to build on these other infrastructure ideas," said Blish, also a retired police chief. Telemedicine appointments are also more likely to be kept. Rural in-person appointments carry a no-show rate of about 20 percent, compared with about 2 percent for telemedicine, Blish said, citing a Vermont project that tested libraries as telehealth sites. ### *Libraries can bridge gaps, but one panelist rejected them as the end state* Public libraries and YMCAs can host private telehealth visits while home service catches up, said Plimpton, who also works with the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center, one of 12 federally funded regional centers that advise health care providers on telehealth. He called libraries and YMCAs "a happy medium as we wait for the fiber." Libraries and YMCAs are no substitute for home service, said **Arshia Khan**, a professor and director of graduate studies in computer science at the University of Minnesota Duluth. "Medicine should be proactive rather than being reactive," she said. Rural patients often lack nearby specialists, Khan said, so that care has to arrive remotely. Teleradiology, in which a distant radiologist reads scans, and telestroke programs, which link rural emergency rooms to stroke specialists, both depend on connectivity. Her research pairs humanoid robots for dementia care with wearable sensors, and those sensors help only if their data arrives in real time. "We should be able to bring broadband to every individual in every part of America," Khan said. ### *Licensure and AI rules are still catching up* State licensure law follows the patient. A clinician treating someone in another state must meet the rules where that patient is located, Plimpton said. Roughly 16 interstate compacts, agreements that let a license from one state count in others, now cover different professions. Artificial intelligence is reaching rural clinics through tools such as ambient scribing. Khan warned that AI tools can carry bias and expose private patient data, and she called for rules on how health systems use AI. "We need guardrails around this," she said. Patient health information held by providers and insurers is protected by HIPAA, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. AI raises "real HIPAA concerns," Khan said, and health systems need "some real policies" to navigate them. Because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services controls funding and billing rules, the agency can steer AI adoption in health care better than any private company, Khan said. The deeper problem, Solomon said, is that the health care system itself predates these digital tools. "So much of health care is designed and was built to be in person," he said, "and it hasn't been redesigned yet." ### FCC to Consider New Spectrum Auction, Slate of Other Wireless Initiatives URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-consider-new-spectrum-auction-slate-of-other-wireless-initiatives/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote this month on multiple proposals that would open up more spectrum for direct-to-device satellite service. One [would seek comment](https://www.fcc.gov/document/chairman-carr-proposes-transformation-connectivity?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on an auction of 25 megahertz of spectrum from 1675-1695 and 2020-2025 MHz. Companies would be able to use those airwaves for terrestrial 5G, direct-to-device service, or both, the agency said in a release. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) A senior FCC official said on a call with reporters that there wasn’t a definitive timeline for the auction. The agency is planning its 160 megahertz upper C-band auction in April 2027. The agency is [also hoping](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-adviser-says-more-spectrum-auction-nprms-coming-soon/) to hold auctions in the lower 7 GHz and 2.7 GHz bands before the end of the Trump administration. The 1675 MHz spectrum that will be contemplated at the FCC’s Oct. 29 meeting is currently [used by the government](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-officially-taps-5-megahertz-of-noaa-spectrum-for-wireless-use/) for transmitting meteorological data. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is studying the band for repurposing, and has officially tapped 5 megahertz for an FCC auction. The agency has said it wants to identify the full 20 megahertz, but hasn’t published findings on whether the entire band could be opened to commercial use. The FCC official said Wednesday that the agency expected an NTIA report on the rest of the band in the next couple of months. The official added the proposal went through the normal interagency review process before the FCC put it on its Oct. 29 agenda. As for the 2020-2025 MHz band contemplated in the item, SpaceX had asked to use it for a next-generation direct-to-device constellation. In a Tuesday order [clearing the launch](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-spacex-request-for-15-000-direct-to-device-satellites/) of that constellation, the FCC deferred on the request. ### *Supplemental coverage from space* The agency will also vote on a proposal to update its supplemental coverage from space (SCS) rules. Instituted in 2023, the SCS framework allows satellite companies to lease spectrum owned by wireless carriers to offer direct-to-device service in rural areas. The proposal would seek comment on making an additional 482 megahertz eligible for lease under the framework, the FCC said in a release, and update the rules to make it easier to strike those deals. “It's become clear in recent years that the rules need a major refresh,” FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** wrote in a blog post. “So, this month, we will consider a plan to make more spectrum available for leasing, while cutting down regulatory barriers to deal flow and secondary-market transactions.” The FCC official told reporters that a range of low- and mid-band spectrum would be covered by the item, owned by both carriers and other previous auction bidders, but didn't specify which bands. ### *Drone spectrum* The agency is also going to vote on an order that would open 50 megahertz of spectrum in the 800 MHz band for drone operations. Carr said in his blog post that the order updates a rule that had unintentionally prevented drones from using the band. The FCC official said the spectrum at issue was roughly split between AT&T and Verizon nationally, but didn’t specify the frequencies. ### *Bad labs* The FCC will vote on [another order](https://www.fcc.gov/document/chairman-carr-proposes-device-test-lab-onshoring-reciprocity-rules?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that would block labs in “non-reciprocal” countries from handling FCC equipment certifications. That ban would take effect in December 2028, another senior FCC official said. The agency clears new models of electronics for import into the U.S., and according to Carr’s blog more than 80 percent of those authorizations are based on lab tests done in China. The U.S. recognizes labs based in China, but China doesn’t recognize U.S. labs, Carr said in his blog. He blamed that arrangement for the concentration of labs overseas. The FCC first proposed blocking labs from non-reprocal countries earlier this year. American tech companies [told the agency](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dont-ban-test-labs-in-china-tech-industry-says/) it would be a bad idea to reduce testing capacity so severely. Under Carr, the FCC has been de-certifying labs the agency says are too closely affiliated with the Chinese government. An FCC official said Wednesday the agency had received some interest from countries about signing new reciprocal testing agreements, without specifically naming China. The official said the agency was eager to work on such an agreement, which would prevent a given country’s labs from being blocked by the FCC’s testing program. "In many ways this is an extension of the Bad Labs proceeding and a tacit acknowledgment that there probably are approved labs that pose a risk notwithstanding ongoing investigations," **Peter Hyun**, former acting chief of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, told Broadband Breakfast. ### *Other items* Also on the October agenda are an order to “strengthen our governance” of [cross-border](https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-vote-bolstering-security-cross-border-communications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) telecom facilities, an item seeking comment on increasing vetting for High Cost program participants, and a proposal seeking comment on updating the FCC’s accessibility rules. The FCC is required to contemplate the extra High Cost vetting under a bill from Sen. **Shelley Moore Capito**, R-W. Va., which President **Donald Trump** signed into law in May. The public drafts of the items will be posted Thursday afternoon, an FCC official said Wednesday. *Update: This story was updated to include additional commentary.* ### Google, Constellation Nuclear Deal Adds Capacity to Mid-Atlantic Grid URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/google-constellation-nuclear-deal-adds-capacity-to-mid-atlantic-grid/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 - Google and Constellation are joining forces to expand nuclear power capacity across a multistate grid. Google and Constellation Energy have announced a long-term clean energy collaboration that will bring 890 megawatts of new nuclear capacity onto the PJM Interconnection grid, in a deal the companies say will boost reliability and help meet surging electricity demand from data centers and industrial electrification. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Under a 20-year power purchase agreement, Constellation will invest more than $4.3 billion to upgrade turbines, steam generators and digital control systems at 11 of its nuclear units in Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The uprates are expected to unlock additional firm, carbon-free power without the multi-year timelines and interconnection bottlenecks associated with building new reactors from scratch. The 890 MW of incremental capacity is roughly equivalent to the output of a large new conventional reactor or several small modular reactors, and will be delivered in stages beginning as early as 2028\. The project is expected to sustain about 4,400 existing jobs and create approximately 7,200 new construction jobs across the host communities. In addition to the updates, the companies entered into a separate 15-year energy supply agreement covering an additional 2,700 MW of Constellation’s existing PJM fleet, aimed at ensuring those assets remain economically viable and continue to serve the grid. Google says the deal is designed to support its own growth while avoiding cost shifts to residential ratepayers, aligning with the White House’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” and responding to PJM’s “Bring Your Own Power” framework for large load growth. “We’re committed to meeting our growth responsibly by actively investing in clean, reliable power that brings new capacity to our nation’s grids,” said **Amanda Peterson Corio**, Google’s global head of energy and power. “Our agreement with Constellation to fund nuclear reactor uprates will strengthen the PJM grid, which serves 67 million people, all while protecting energy affordability and supporting local union jobs.” Constellation CEO **Joe Dominguez** called the collaboration a potential model for how tech companies and the energy sector can jointly expand clean generation. “This long-term clean energy collaboration with Google can serve as a model for how technology companies and the energy industry can work together to responsibly develop the digital economy and invest in our nation’s energy infrastructure in a way that delivers grid-wide benefits for all,” he said. As part of the broader partnership, Constellation will also deploy Google Cloud and Gemini Enterprise over five years to build an “AI for energy” blueprint aimed at speeding up uprate delivery, optimizing plant operations and strengthening cybersecurity for critical grid infrastructure. ### McDonald's Sued Over AI Tool That Recommends Prices to U.S. Franchisees URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/mcdonalds-sued-over-ai-tool-that-recommends-prices-to-u-s-franchisees/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:31.000Z Oct. 7, 2026 (AP) – McDonald’s is facing a federal lawsuit that alleges its AI-enhanced pricing tool violates antitrust laws because it shares nonpublic data with franchisees who might be competing in the same market. The lawsuit, which was filed Friday in Illinois, said McDonald’s pricing tool uses artificial intelligence to collect data that competing franchises wouldn’t normally share, like store-level sales. The Chicago-based burger giant has said it makes the tool available to U.S. franchisees to help them set prices at their individual restaurants. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The lawsuit also blames the pricing system for raising McDonald’s U.S. prices. “McDonald’s has built and for years deployed its own information-sharing pricing platform, which draws on data from its millions of daily transactions to set menu prices across thousands of U.S. restaurants,” the lawsuit states. “The result is algorithmic price-fixing aimed at customers who are already stretched thin.” McDonald’s said Tuesday that the lawsuit is “filled with inaccuracies” and it would vigorously defend itself. “AI does not set menu prices at McDonald’s restaurants – McDonald’s franchisees do,” the company said in a statement. “Optional tools are available to franchisees to help them make the best decisions for their businesses and customers, but these tools do not automate, coordinate or fix pricing in any way.” The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a consumer, **Michael Thomas**, of DeKalb, Illinois. According to the lawsuit, Thomas frequently visits McDonald’s and orders a Quarter Pounder with cheese, french fries and a Coke. The lawsuit said Thomas noticed price differences between McDonald’s stores near his home. McDonald's said it has used an AI-enhanced pricing tool for more than a decade. The program determines the optimal price for menu items based on a store’s sales, location and other factors, including competitors’ prices. McDonald's said that long before adopting the AI-enhanced tool, it collected data and recommended prices to its franchisees, who own and operate 95% of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. stores. “All we do is provide the context of what’s going on,” a McDonald’s spokesman told The Associated Press. “We don’t have any way to affect the menu pricing in a restaurant.” But the lawsuit said McDonald's has “significant leverage over its franchisees” and can pressure them to follow its pricing recommendations. The Associated Press left a message Tuesday with the National Owners Association, which represents McDonald’s franchisees. McDonald’s has been experimenting with various value strategies in the U.S. and other markets for several years as it tries to win back lower-income consumers, whose visits to fast-food chains have dropped. But franchisees don’t always follow its guidance. During a conference call with investors in August, McDonald’s Chairman and CEO **Chris Kempczinski** said only 60% of its U.S. restaurants were offering McDonald’s proposed menu of 10 items for under $3. “As you know, in our system, that’s not something that we just flip the switch on,” Kempczinski said. “It requires conversations with franchisees.” The lawsuit asks the judge to certify the case as a class action and to require McDonald's to pay damages to the class. It also seeks to prevent McDonald's from enforcing agreements that restrict competition. *This article was written by Dee-Ann Durbin of the Associated Press* ### NTIA Still Finalizing Eligible Locations for New BEAD Round URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-still-finalizing-eligible-locations-for-new-bead-round/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 – States have yet to receive lists of locations that will be eligible for an additional round of broadband grant funding. “We may not see it until sometime in November, perhaps,” said **Glen Howie**, head of Arkansas’ broadband office. “I think they’re waiting on the June data to take another look at their lists and see what that looks like.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) He spoke on a Wednesday webinar hosted by the Fiber Broadband Association. A National Telecommunications and Information Administration spokesperson confirmed the agency was waiting for coverage data as of June 30, 2026 before sending its lists to states. Providers have submitted that coverage data to the Federal Communications Commission, but it hasn’t been published yet. The latest available version of the FCC’s coverage map includes data as of Dec. 30, 2025. Last month, [NTIA said](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-remaining-bead-funds-to-be-used-on-new-bidding-round/) states would be able to use some of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program’s remaining funds on another round of bidding, targeting homes and businesses that were missed last year because of defaults in other programs or mapping inaccuracies. There is about $21 billion remaining from the program’s $42.45 billion budget, partly a result of Trump administration policies aimed at reducing deployment costs. The clean-up round process will begin with NTIA sending states lists of locations it believes are now eligible for BEAD funding. States will have the chance to revise down those lists, and accept outside evidence of any locations being served. State broadband offices will then run another bidding round to secure coverage for their finalized lists of newly eligible homes and businesses. In all, the process could take at least nine months from states’ receipt of NTIA’s lists, based on agency deadlines. For the clean-up round, NTIA is only targeting unserved locations, those lacking broadband above 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload. The main BEAD round also targeted underserved locations, which lack broadband above 100 \* 20 Mbps, plus community anchor institutions. Internally, NTIA [has estimated](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about-1-million-bead-eligible-locations-remain-researchers-say/) there are about 477,000 locations that will be eligible for the clean-up round based on current data. That’s compared to the roughly 4 million locations the program is already set to serve, and 1 million un-funded locations that would have been eligible under BEAD’s main round. NTIA has also asked states to revise down their satellite awards under BEAD, citing the newest location fabric — the map of every broadband-serviceable location that the FCC’s coverage map is based on. That could result in the program’s satellite locations falling by 35-43 percent by one estimate. **Carol Mattey**, a former bureau chief at the FCC, said on the FBA show last week that she thought satellite ISPs would have a good shot at many clean-up round locations. The locations could be distributed far apart, she said, and there’s also a cap on how much states can spend to connect a given location, based on the average cost in their existing spending plans. That could combine to make the clean-up round locations more attractive for satellite ISPs like SpaceX and Amazon than for terrestrial providers, she said. **Mike Sanders**, director of Oklahoma’s broadband office, said at a [Tarana conference](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/four-state-broadband-directors-say-beads-true-up-round-wont-finish-the-job/) last month that the state might delay signing BEAD grant contracts to allow ISPs to more easily fold the clean-up locations into existing construction plans. ### *Arkansas update* Howie said Arkansas had signed contracts with all its BEAD winners. The state is planning to spend about $300 million to serve 77,500 locations. He said construction will likely start in December 2026 or January 2027\. Many are currently working their way through permitting processes, he said. ### USTelecom Nominates Ziply’s Jessica Epley to USAC Board URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ustelecom-nominates-ziplys-jessica-epley-to-usac-board/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 - USTelecom has [nominated](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110079158/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Jessica Epley**, Vice President of Regulatory and External Affairs at Ziply Fiber, to serve as the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Board Representative for interexchange carriers with annual operating revenues of $3 billion or less. In its nomination letter, USTelecom - The Broadband Association puts forward Epley to fill the seat currently held by **Brian Dalhover** of Zayo Group, whose term expires at the end of 2026\. The position represents smaller interexchange carriers in USAC’s governance of the $8.5 billion Universal Service Fund, which administers the E-Rate, Lifeline, High Cost and Rural Health Care programs. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Epley, who leads government affairs for Ziply Fiber, has extensive experience in telecom regulation and state and federal USF-related proceedings. Her background includes service on state universal service advisory boards and telecom industry boards, giving her direct exposure to how USF policies affect mid-sized and rural carriers. The nomination comes as the FCC is simultaneously [reviewing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110078963/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) USAC’s overall governance structure, including board composition and independence, in its “Maximizing Efficiencies in Universal Service Administration” proceeding. In Sept. 30 comments filed with the FCC, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association called for “greater transparency in USAC’s administrative processes will promote the efficiency of USAC operations,” tying openness directly to performance and cost control. CTIA’s [filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110078963/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) urges the commission to mandate more detailed public reporting on USAC’s budgeting, staffing, contractor use and key performance metrics across the E-Rate, Lifeline, High Cost and Rural Health Care programs. The group says stakeholders and the FCC currently lack sufficient visibility into how USAC allocates resources, sets priorities and measures success, making it harder to identify waste, delays or unnecessary administrative burdens. The comments call for clearer, standardized procedures for rule changes, form updates and system modifications that affect USF participants. If selected by the commission, Epley would join a board that is under pressure to improve transparency, reduce administrative costs and strengthen USF oversight. ### FCC Approves SpaceX Request for 15,000 Direct-to-Device Satellites URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-spacex-request-for-15-000-direct-to-device-satellites/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 – Federal regulators cleared Tuesday SpaceX’s plan to launch 15,000 satellites for its direct-to-device service. The company would have until Oct. 7, 2032, to have half of the constellation up and running, the Federal Communications Commission said [in its order](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1078A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The full system would have to operational by Oct. 7, 2035. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The company has said it's planning to begin launches late next year. The new constellation would be able to use exclusive spectrum SpaceX is acquiring from EchoStar, which will allow the company to offer service without partnering with an established wireless carrier. The agency said it expected SpaceX’s [next-generation fleet](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-plans-new-constellation-as-companies-pitch-echostar-deal-to-fcc/) would “lead to increased choices for mobile device users for communications networks, initially by supplementing service availability in hard-to-reach geographic areas of the country and ultimately through increased competition in the provision of retail wireless services to American consumers.” SpaceX currently has 650 satellites supporting a basic direct-to-device service, offered in the U.S. through a partnership with T-Mobile using the carrier’s spectrum. The new constellation was cleared to operate both in the U.S. and internationally. The FCC deferred on SpaceX’s requests to access certain spectrum bands, but was generally not swayed by interference concerns from other satellite companies. SpaceX’s $19.6 billion spectrum purchase from EchoStar is expected to close next year, according to SpaceX’s IPO filings. With the future constellation, the company is planning to provide speeds on par with terrestrial mobile service. CEO Elon Musk and other executives have said the company’s plan is to compete directly with the big three mobile carriers. “If we need to, we can stand up terrestrial solutions to put the terrestrial piece in place, or we could work with existing carriers,” SpaceX CFO **Bret Johnson** said [last month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-keeping-options-open-for-direct-to-device-plans/). “We’re open to a lot of different ways to do it, but we’re marching down that path.” While the FCC’s order was optimistic about the prospect, telecom analysts have [been skeptical](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/analysts-skeptical-of-spacex-mobile-plans/) of the company’s plan, which executives have said [could entail](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-planning-terrestrial-deployments-to-support-direct-to-device/) a large number of tiny femtocell radios. Analysts have maintained the best path for SpaceX to become a consumer mobile competitor would be a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal to use an existing carrier’s infrastructure. CEOs of each of the big three have repeatedly said they’re not interested in the idea, which would open the door to another competitor. The companies have also formed a joint venture pooling their spectrum for direct-to-device deals outside their footprint. The carriers said that was aimed at fostering competition to SpaceX, which has by far the most low-Earth orbit satellites and is the furthest toward a direct-to-device service. Amazon and AST SpaceMobile are also looking to offer a direct-to-device service using exclusive spectrum. Amazon would get that through its acquisition of Globalstar, and AST is asking to use spectrum owned by Ligado — both deals still need FCC approval. ### *Starlink Mobile survey* On Monday, analysts at TD Cowen released the results of a survey on SpaceX’s planned Starlink Mobile service. Of the 800 respondents, 34 percent said they would consider switching to a mobile service from SpaceX. Another 66 percent said they were not open to the idea. About 25 percent each said they were content with their provider or averse to Musk’s companies, 12 percent said they would be concerned about the reliability, and the remaining 5 percent had other reasons. The analysts, led by **Gergory Williams**, said it’s possible SpaceX could focus on mobile connectivity for autonomous vehicles and robotics as a way of making a partnership more attractive to the carriers. Regardless, Williams said TD Cowen expected SpaceX to bid heavily in the FCC’s upper C-band spectrum auction next year to keep its auctions open. Analysts at MoffettNathanson have said a store of valuable spectrum could be used as a bargaining chip for securing an MVNO in the future. ### Starlink Not a Threat to Big Cable – For Now, New Street Research Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/starlink-not-a-threat-to-big-cable-for-now-new-street-research-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-07T13:22:48.000Z 💡 ■ SpaceX Gains FCC Approval for 15,000 Starlink Mobile Satellites ■ Google, Constellation Energy in 20‑Year Nuclear power Deal ■ Texas Seeks FCC Approval to Verify Lifeline Participants ■ AT&T to Fold Newly Acquired Lumen Assets Into Gigapower ■ Silicondust Wants ATSC 3.0 DRM Disabled for Nov 17 EAS Test ■ Shentel Extends FTTH Service to 1,000 Locations in Rural Virginia ■ ABC, FCC Lawyers Battle in Court as Judge Asks for New Submissions ■ TPI President Scott Wallsten Release Study on Impact of Broadband Subsidies ■ New Mexico: 94% Will Have Broadband by the End of the Year ■ Rocco’s Sister, Italia Commisso Weinand, to Retire as Top Mediacom Official ■ GFiber Rolls with Alianza One as Cloud Communications Platform NSR: Starlink’s impact on big cable broadband ISPs like Charter and Comcast remains limited, New Street Research said Tuesday, but analysts warned that could change as the satellite provider expands. “We haven’t seen much evidence of this so far, but it doesn’t mean it’s never coming,” NSR analysts **David Barden, Vikash Harlalka** and **Ryan Smyth** wrote based on a data-sharing arrangement with Recon Analytics. The NSR teams said Starlink now has about 4 million U.S. customers and could reach 12 million by 2030, noting that nearly half of its new subscribers come from small rural providers or households new to broadband. “On the flip side, close to 50% of Starlink’s disconnects went to cable,” they wrote. ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### After Competitive Summer, Broadband Prices Ticking Up: MoffettNathanson URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/after-competitive-summer-broadband-prices-ticking-up-moffettnathanson/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2026 – After a fiercely competitive summer, home broadband prices are starting to tick up again, according to an analysis from MoffettNathanson. “To be sure, the recent increases come in the context of a longer trend of falling broadband prices, so it is premature, in our view, to declare a durable reversal,” MoffettNathanson co-founder **Craig Moffett** wrote Tuesday. “There is always the chance that some of the more recent increases are simply ‘normalization’ after a furious end-of-quarter push to score net adds.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Citing data from Navi, a company that tracks broadband local prices from 32 ISPs, Moffett said several national and regional providers had raised introductory prices in recent weeks, starting in late August. AT&T, for example, hiked national rates twice in quick succession, most recently on Saturday, landing on $70 per month for 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) speeds. The first was followed closely by Comcast, which matched AT&T’s gig rate but offered a five-year price lock. Optimum also backed off a super-cheap $25 gig plan, moving up to $50 but extending its price lock to five years from three. In September, Comcast CFO **Jason Armstrong** said the cable giant anticipated more broadband losses in the third quarter than the same time last year. He attributed that to “irrational pricing” from fiber providers: about $30-40 for gig plans. “To be clear, he wasn’t wrong. At a time when interest rates are rising and fiber densities are falling, earning a return on fiber deployment depends on achieving and sustaining high ARPU,” or average revenue per user, Moffett wrote. Charter raised prices soon before its acquisition of Cox closed in late August, but hasn’t done so since, Moffett noted, potentially because it didn’t lower prices to match aggressive promotions from AT&T. The acquisition made Charter the largest cable ISP in the country. ### *Threat from Muse?* Telecom stocks took a hit last week after Meta released a new AI product called Muse. The company billed the tool as automating a myriad of daily tasks, including comparing and signing up for subscriptions. The fear was that people would use Muse to get the cheapest possible broadband plans, or negotiate down current plans, driving prices and ARPUs lower. Moffett was skeptical. “Consumers generally know the providers in their home market – it’s a pretty simple list – and prices are already relatively easy to compare (the FCC’s broadband ‘nutrition labels’ demand it). Agents don’t make the comparison process meaningfully different from what it is today.” The federally mandated broadband labels don’t show competitors’ pricing, but they’re standardized and aimed at making it easy for people to compare plans. In July, the FCC voted to scale back some of its label requirements. He wrote that mobile broadband might be slightly more susceptible, since those plans are much more complicated and difficult to compare because of multi-line plans and phone subsidies. In a Monday report, TD Cowen analysts said even wireless wasn't likely to see a major impact. Led by **Gregory Williams**, they wrote that wireless was already highly competitive, and people can get better deals by haggling at stores because of rigid call center scripts. Providers could also simply take measures to block AI agents, and customers might not be comfortable handing their accounts over to AI tools in the first place, Williams wrote. On the other hand, a TD Cowen survey found that about 40 percent of subscribers to mobile plans couldn’t say what plan they subscribed to, a figure Williams called “staggering” and potentially “ripe for Muse.” “We expect this topic to be top of mind on upcoming earnings calls,” he wrote. ### Wicker: Data Centers Can Boost Economy Without Raising Utility Bills URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wicker-data-centers-can-boost-economy-without-raising-utility-bills/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2026 – Data centers can fuel the nation’s artificial intelligence industry without forcing ordinary utility customers to pay for the infrastructure needed to power them, Sen. **Roger Wicker**, R-Miss., said. Wicker, [in an Oct. 5 Op-ed](https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2026/10/05/wicker-touts-data-center-benefits/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), pointed to Mississippi as an example of how data center companies, utilities and state officials can work together to expand computing capacity while limiting costs for households and businesses. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “America must beat China in the artificial intelligence race,” Wicker said, arguing that the United States can expand data center capacity without allowing the facilities to raise utility bills, strain water supplies, or disrupt communities. Wicker highlighted the [Ratepayer Protection Act,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-committee-approves-package-to-address-data-centers-growing-energy-demands/) legislation that would establish standards states could use to ensure data centers bear the costs associated with their energy needs. Under the proposal, data centers would pay for power grid upgrades required to serve their facilities. Wicker said communities should not have to finance new transmission lines, generating capacity or other infrastructure built because of a data center’s demand for electricity. The bill also seeks to prevent utilities from overbuilding infrastructure for data centers that could later leave a community. Otherwise, Wicker said, residential and business customers could be left paying for infrastructure that is no longer needed. The legislation would recommend those principles while allowing states to establish rules that fit their individual communities, Wicker said. The House passed the bill 417-3, according to Wicker, but he criticized Senate Democrats for blocking the legislation when Republicans attempted to advance it twice last month. Wicker said Mississippi demonstrates how data centers can provide economic benefits while [helping strengthen the electric grid.](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tech-giants-are-gobbling-up-grid-capacity-consumers-are-getting-the-bill/) Amazon has opened several data centers in Mississippi and works with Entergy to supply them with electricity. According to Wicker, the companies and state officials developed a utility agreement under which Amazon pays 100% of the costs associated with its data center operations. Wicker said that additional revenue allows Entergy to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Mississippi’s electric grid, including upgrades intended to reduce outages, improve efficiency and strengthen the system during severe weather. He also said Mississippi’s energy costs have generally tracked with inflation over the past five years, arguing that data centers have not caused utility bills to rise. Wicker said the Mississippi example shows the United States does not have to choose between protecting communities and [expanding the infrastructure needed to compete in AI](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-power-demand-is-outpacing-grid-buildout/). “The nation that wins in AI will lead the 21st century,” Wicker said. “Yet without data centers, the United States won’t stand a chance at victory.” ### RFK Jr.'s Embrace of AI Confounds Some Trump Allies URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rfk-jr-s-embrace-of-ai-confounds-some-trump-allies/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (AP) — Health Secretary [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.](https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) has built a national following by channeling the energy of Americans who are worried about the influence of corporations, including makers of vaccines, drugs, [processed foods](https://apnews.com/article/ultraprocessed-food-fda-kennedy-additives-health-794c137570e53ad8598dc6ca526fac10?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)[and pesticides](https://apnews.com/article/maha-glyphosate-rfk-kennedy-trump-pesticides-3d23d4771dba743a976543ca6cfa69d9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). But last week the leader of the [“Make America Healthy Again” movement](https://apnews.com/article/maha-pesticides-zeldin-epa-healthy-5ff2e898fe31953e7deb650250a9f1e0?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) threw his support behind an unlikely industry: [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/chatbots-health-chatgpt-ai-claude-llm-1008892e0eb8ef4dbab4818beb15daef?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) At a MAHA summit featuring AI and Silicon Valley executives, Kennedy declared that [the technology](https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatbots-health-care-poll-0ea249aa0db3fa351efa2a76af3a2348?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would free Americans from “medical tyranny” by allowing them to “fact check their own medical advice.” “We’re never ever again going to be able to be dominated by public officials who tell us: ‘Trust the experts,’” Kennedy told the invite-only audience. Some prominent MAHA voices quickly criticized Kennedy’s embrace of AI, saying the movement's leaders are increasingly cozying up to the corporate interests they once scrutinized. At the same time, medical experts say Kennedy’s vision of AI as a check against the medical establishment is fundamentally flawed. “He obviously doesn’t understand how AI works,” said **Dr. Zeke Emanuel**, a cancer specialist and bioethicist at the University of Pennsylvania. “AI aggregates the information we have in the medical literature and in case studies. And that means what you’re actually getting is medical expertise.” Both [OpenAI](https://apnews.com/hub/openai-inc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-pentagon-ai-hegseth-dario-amodei-b72d1894bc842d9acf026df3867bee8a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) offer [health-focused chatbots](https://apnews.com/article/chatbots-health-chatgpt-ai-claude-llm-1008892e0eb8ef4dbab4818beb15daef?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that can analyze users' medical records and answer their healthcare questions. Their models are trained on thousands of peer-reviewed medical papers and professional guidelines and incorporate feedback from doctors. “He wants AI to mimic what he says,” Emanuel said. “But that’s not what good AI is going to do.” HHS spokesperson **Emily Hilliard** said Emanuel was describing “one narrow use” of the technology. Kennedy wants to give Americans more control of their own health data by using AI “to help them understand it, interrogate it, compare it with the evidence, and make better decisions with their doctors,” Hilliard said. The technology will help doctors work faster, giving them “more time to treat and care for patients,” she added. ### *MAHA leader defends corporate sponsorships* OpenAI and Anthropic were among the sponsors of last week’s MAHA Summit. So were more than a dozen other companies with pending business before the U.S. government, including developers of [psychedelic drugs](https://apnews.com/article/psychedelics-trump-fda-kennedy-drugs-mdma-afd00baa39f4300e4631d1f3eed27b7f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), fitness wearables and an [experimental cancer test](https://apnews.com/article/grail-test-cancer-fda-dna-8fc5480be365b59c450043daa38cad30?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Sponsors paid up to $300,000 and many received speaking slots on panels that included some of the administration’s top health officials, including **Dr. Mehmet Oz** of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “It was classic pay-to-play,” said **Dr. Robert Malone**, a vaccine researcher who has questioned the safety of mRNA shots and recently served on a federal vaccine panel under Kennedy. Malone and other figures in the MAHA movement say the summit showed how big companies are replacing the “MAHA moms” and other grassroots activists who originally powered the movement. “There was no representation of people that have been at the core of MAHA and its creation, whether it be physicians or patients or patient advocates,” Malone said. The summit was organized by MAHA Center Inc., one of a number of nongovernment groups run by Kennedy associates that are dedicated to promoting his agenda. Others include the MAHA Institute, a think tank, and MAHA PAC, a political fundraising operation. **Tony Lyons**, a publisher who runs the MAHA Center, MAHA PAC and several related groups, addressed criticisms about corporate sponsorships at a reception ahead of the summit. “The truth is we’re trying to build the biggest movement we can possibly build to actually get things done,” Lyons said. ### *The Trump administration has embraced AI* Kennedy's alliance with Silicon Valley is consistent with broader efforts across the Trump administration. President **Donald Trump** has [vigorously resisted efforts](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-guardrails-data-centers-b85df16775ff7e9611a456b061a0e4b9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to bring greater oversight to AI companies, who have helped drive the stock market to record highs. One of Trump’s first actions after returning to the White House was revoking a Biden administration executive order on AI oversight. It took the administration more than 16 months to replace it with its own order. In recent weeks, Trump announced a move to let the [AI industry police itself](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), tried to rebrand the technology as “super intelligence” and [brushed aside](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ohio-jon-husted-vivek-ramaswamy-a86aad6b19d4afb2c505b902171ebd8e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) bipartisan concerns about the impacts of data centers on nearby residents. Meanwhile, Dr. Oz and other administration officials have [touted AI](https://apnews.com/article/hhs-rfk-jr-health-ai-trump-4b4e2dd2e26105310c58c75c6df17b08?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as the answer to a litany of U.S. health problems, including rising medical costs, [healthcare fraud](https://apnews.com/article/hhs-health-fraud-artificial-intelligence-48b1b1eaf29988808aa1a7f566433d30?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), physician shortages and the [shuttering of rural hospitals.](https://apnews.com/article/rural-hospitals-medicaid-cuts-ff1f110b0e0e26c94b17e8c26deaf9ca?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Medicare officials have been in discussions with several medical chatbot companies, including one behind a [Utah program](https://apnews.com/article/ai-prescription-refill-utah-doctronic-fda-technology-cf94ce370c05f686e8792be8671a2ef0?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that provides AI-enabled refills of prescriptions. The remarks from Kennedy and other officials last week reflect a “techno-utopian” view of AI’s potential benefits, says **Glenn Cohen**, a Harvard Law School bioethics expert. Cohen notes that much of RFK’s agenda over the past year has focused on trying to curb food industry practices he views as harmful to consumers, including the use of artificial colors and undeclared chemical additives. Given Kennedy's skepticism of “big food,” Cohen said he was surprised the health secretary didn't see “the risk that market incentives may diverge from the public good.” Some of the most prominent MAHA organizations are actively organizing against AI interests. For example, Moms Across America operates local and national campaigns warning against pollution, water use and electricity costs associated with [data center construction](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-trump-election-cd2cfd73e3d41e2baf65bf82702a589b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The group was founded by **Zen Honeycutt**, a former staffer for Kennedy’s presidential campaign. Moms Across America did not respond to a request for comment. ### *It's not yet clear how AI will integrate into US healthcare* AI experts don’t dispute that the technology will fundamentally change how doctors and patients approach medical decisions. Kennedy is correct when he says AI will empower patients with more insights about their health, says **Dr. Robert Wachter**, a medical technology expert at University of California, San Francisco. But AI adoption is likely to further bolster the recommendations of medical professionals, rather than the contrarian views often favored by Kennedy, according to Wachter. “Democratization is good,” Wachter said. “But that means disseminating the best science we have, which generally means science created by people who know what they’re talking about.” Experts disagree over how soon AI may be able to take over decision-making from physicians. Several recent studies have found that AI alone outperformed doctors working alone or doctors working with AI on critical decisions. But those studies generally presented AI with detailed, written scenarios to solve — the equivalent of a medical exam. When researchers looked at how patients interact with AI in real-time they found a number of problems: People often don’t provide enough information for the AI to correctly diagnose their medical issue and chatbots often respond with a combination of good and bad advice. “We need to figure out in real life: Do these things actually work?” Wachter said. “What actually happens when they’re used in circumstances where people are under stress or don’t know how to interpret the outputs?” *This article was written by Matthew Perrone of the Associated Press.* ### Starlink Still Rural For Now: New Street Research URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/starlink-still-rural-for-now-new-street-research/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2026 – SpaceX’s satellite broadband service is still aimed at mostly rural areas, according to a Tuesday report from New Street Research. In another analysis, the firm estimated SpaceX’s Starlink service could have the capacity to serve nearly 18 percent of U.S. households. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) That’s if the company launches 20,000 of its next-generation satellites, and if federal regulators grant the company’s request to remove limits on overlapping satellite beams. Using survey data from Recon Analytics, New Street found in its Tuesday report that 17 percent of Starlink’s gross new subscribers had never subscribed to broadband before, up from 2023 but flat over the last four quarters. That’s compared to an industry average of about 10 percent, the report said. “As Starlink expands into more suburban and urban markets, we should see the share of ‘new to industry’ decline,” analysts wrote. “That hasn’t happened yet, implying Starlink still remains more of a rural phenomenon.” The report was authored by **David Barden**, **Vikash Harlalka**, and **Ryan Smyth**. New Street estimated Starlink currently had about 4 million U.S. subscribers. The firm expects that to approach 12 million by 2030\. A May [Ookla report](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/starlink-speeds-improved-in-second-half-of-2025-ookla/) found that in the fourth quarter of 2025, about 45 percent of Starlink users experience speeds that meet federal thresholds for high-speed broadband, a large increase from 17 percent in the first quarter of that year. Starlink’s share of gross adds that came from a cable provider was 21 percent, and fixed wireless was 14 percent. Those were both up from 2023, cable’s share was lower than its market share, and fixed wireless’s was higher. “One of the most important investor questions we receive is how will Starlink impact Big Cable’s incumbent broadband market share,” the analysts wrote. “We haven’t seen much evidence of this so far, but it doesn’t mean it's never coming.” ### *Starlink capacity* In another report published Monday, New Street published the results of a detailed modeling of a full constellation of Starlink’s newest satellites. Based on that, the firm estimated Starlink would have the capacity to serve nearly 18 percent of U.S. households by 2035. That assumes a constellation of 20,000 Starlink V3 satellites, and that the Federal Communications Commission grants a request from SpaceX to allow more overlapping satellite beams. An [FCC vote](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-rolls-back-environmental-reviews-to-speed-wireless-deployments/) last week to open up more spectrum for satellite downlink will be a boon for satellite broadband, New Street said, and was factored into the analysis. It also assumed 25 percent of consumers in any given market would want to subscribe to Starlink — a metric that’s relevant because the physical closeness of households in an area affects how well it can be served via satellite. If every consumer in the U.S. were clamoring for Starlink — a “slightly absurd” scenario for any ISP — the company would be able to serve about 26 percent of households, New Street estimated. The firm’s estimates for actual Starlink broadband subscribers in 2035 is 12 percent of households. That excludes Starlink Roam plans, which allow subscribers to connect vehicles like RVs and boats. SpaceX currently has FCC approval for 15,000 total Starlink satellites, and recently launched the first 26 of the V3 satellites New Street modeled. Launching the much larger V3 satellites requires SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket, which is still being tested. SpaceX has [asked the FCC](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-planning-100k-more-starlink-satellites/) for permission to launch a 100,000-satellite constellation, which it said would include newer units that could provide even more capacity. New Street said that wouldn’t be worth the $14 billion it would cost if broadband were the only use case for those satellites, since capacity would likely outstrip demand. But it’s possible the units could support new services like mobile backhaul or connected vehicles, which analysts said would make the giant capacity increase worthwhile. The report was written by Barden, **James Ratzer**, and **Pierre Ferragu**. ### FCC Orders Providers to Block Digital Solutions Over Robocall Violations URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-orders-providers-to-block-digital-solutions-over-robocall-violations/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission’s crackdown on illegal robocalls has identified and punished a new offender. The FCC has ordered U.S. voice service providers to block traffic from Digital Solutions Inc. after the company repeatedly failed to comply with the agency’s robocall mitigation rules. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The FCC also [removed Digital Solutions from its Robocall Mitigation Database](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-425611A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), effectively cutting the company off from U.S. networks. Providers operating on U.S. networks have 30 days to begin blocking the company’s traffic. The FCC said Digital Solutions came to the agency’s attention after the [Industry Traceback Group identified suspected illegal prerecorded calls](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-suspends-belthrough-from-phone-network-for-violating-robocall-rules/) offering fraudulent financial loans and tax relief. Digital Solutions confirmed that it originated the calls and identified three customers as the sources of the traffic. The company, however, [failed to provide information required by the FCC ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-robocall-scorecard-to-measure-provider-performance/)and did not fully correct deficiencies in its certification for the Robocall Mitigation Database. The Enforcement Bureau gave Digital Solutions a final opportunity to provide the missing information and address the remaining deficiency, but the company failed to do so. “Today’s enforcement action shuts down another rogue provider that has consistently failed to play by the rules to police its network and protect consumers,” **Hunter Deeley**, chief of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, said. The FCC established the Robocall Mitigation Database to require providers to demonstrate that they are taking steps to prevent illegal robocalls. Providers must submit robocall mitigation plans and certify that they have implemented STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication on the IP-based portions of their networks. The agency's action against[ Digital Solutions follows an April notification](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-block-call-traffic-from-20-companies/) of suspected illegal traffic and certification deficiencies and a June initial determination order and order to show cause. The FCC said Tuesday's order represents the final step in requiring providers to block Digital Solutions traffic and removing the company from the database. ### AT&T Forms New Fiber Joint Venture with Gigapower, Lumen Assets URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-forms-new-fiber-joint-venture-with-gigapower-lumen-assets/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2026 – AT&T is combining its recently acquired Lumen assets with Gigapower, its open-access fiber joint venture, the company said Tuesday. The wireless carrier would own 50 percent of the JV, with a Blackrock subsidiary and a Canadian pension fund owning the other 50 percent, the companies said [in a release](https://about.att.com/story/2026/forged-fiber-37-gigapower-joint-venture.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) AT&T said it expected to “receive proceeds” when the deal closed in the first half of 2027, but didn’t say how much. The Blackrock subsidiary, Global Infrastructure Partners, has already partnered with AT&T on its Gigapower joint venture. That’s also an open-access network with AT&T as the anchor tenant, the same structure the company is now applying to its Lumen assets. AT&T CEO **John Stankey** said in a statement the JV was aimed at expanding the company’s fiber service, and thus its bundled fixed and mobile broadband plans, in more places. “By partnering with leading digital infrastructure investors, we see significant opportunity to strengthen our scale advantage in fiber, broaden availability of our award-winning services and grow our leadership in converged fiber and 5G connectivity,” he said. AT&T said the new combined joint venture would reach nearly 5 million locations with more than 1 million active subscribers. Much of that is from the Lumen side, which had 4.3 million passings in May 2025 and 1 million subscribers when the deal closed in February 2026\. AT&T acquired Lumen’s consumer [fiber business](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-completes-acquisition-of-lumens-consumer-fiber-business-in-5-75b-deal/) for $5.75 billion in cash. The company said when the deal was announced it would ultimately seek an investor to form a joint venture with the assets. Gigapower was formed in 2023 and had aimed for 1.5 million locations by the end of 2025, a goal it appeared to have missed based on the new joint venture’s total passings. AT&T hasn’t disclosed Gigapower-specific metrics. The unit has been embroiled in litigation with Tilson, a former contractor in multiple states, which blamed its bankruptcy last year on $200 million in unpaid fees from Gigapower, something Gigapower has denied. Telecom union Communications Workers of America, which represents more than 150,000 AT&T workers, [has opposed](https://cwa-union.org/gigapowers-flimsy-phase-one?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Gigapower’s use of contract labor. The Lumen assets will operate in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington, AT&T said in its release. Gigapower will operate in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina, making 16 states in total. “A key objective of the JV is to enable the planned acceleration of deploying fiber infrastructure by leveraging Gigapower and the established fiber construction engine of Forged Fiber 37,” the AT&T subsidiary that holds the Lumen network, AT&T said in its release. The carrier said it was aiming to reach more than 60 million fiber locations by the end of 2030\. AT&T’s in-house fiber will reach about 50 million of those, the company said, with the JV “expected to be its primary partner for reaching fiber locations outside of its traditional service areas.” BNP Paribas analyst **Sam McHugh** said in an investor note that for the JV to hit 10 million locations by the end of 2030, the build pace at Lumen and Gigapower would have to double. He noted Lumen had been averaging 450,000 new locations per year before the acquisition, and Tuesday releases implied a pace of fewer than 250,000 at Gigapower. “Presumably the revamped fiber build engine AT&T has been standing up for the Lumen assets will help get them there,” he wrote. “If the ramp is successful, it implies that the pressure these assets had been putting on cable operators for the last four years will double over the next four years.” The Canadian pension fund involved in the new JV was Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments). The company is owned by the Canadian government, but says it is not a sovereign wealth fund because it isn’t directly managed by the government and doesn't administer public funds. ### Starlink Opens Beta for Community Internet Hosts URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/starlink-opens-beta-for-community-internet-hosts/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2026 - SpaceX has [opened](https://starlink.com/gb/community-host?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a waitlist for its Starlink Community Host Beta Program, inviting applicants to propose locations where a single Starlink kit could connect several users. Hosts would help bring connectivity to their communities while earning additional income, according to the company’s application page. The program, called Starlink Communities, is designed for situations where individual household subscriptions may not be practical or affordable. Potential host sites could include apartment buildings, campgrounds, rural communities, venues and small businesses. A single Starlink dish and router would provide the connection, while nearby users could purchase access for an hour, a day, a week or a month. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Shorter passes would connect one device, while the monthly option would support up to four devices, according to reporting on the new program. Starlink says it would manage payments, user access and connectivity. Hosts would be responsible for choosing and setting up a site, supplying power and performing basic upkeep. The company’s application asks prospective hosts about their networking experience, proposed location, expected number of monthly users and the price they believe customers would pay for each type of pass. The initiative could create a new model for satellite internet access in rural or underserved areas, allowing residents or visitors to buy service only when they need it rather than signing up for a full monthly household plan. However, some details remain unclear. Starlink has not publicly announced a launch date, the countries where the beta will initially operate, pass prices or the share of revenue hosts would receive from each paid connection. Applying through the form does not guarantee acceptance into the beta. For now, the "Starlink Community Beta Interest[ Form](https://starlink.com/survey/community%5Fhost%5Finterest%5Fform?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)" appears to be accepting applications from dozens of countries, including the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, where Starlink is already available. ### NAB CEO Warns ‘NFL is Playing with Fire’ by Moving Games to Streaming Platforms URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nab-ceo-warns-nfl-is-playing-with-fire-by-moving-games-to-streaming-platforms/ Last updated: 2026-10-06T13:19:22.000Z 💡 ■ State Cable Groups Move to Block FCC’s 39% Cap Repeal ■ Bernstein Analysts: Starlink Could Reach 150M Global Subs By 2031 ■ MoffettNathanson: Broadband Pricing Moving Away from ‘Irrational’ ■ ALLO Executive Says Fiber ISP Couldn’t Handle the Competition in Joplin, Missouri ■ Supreme Court Declines to Take Nexstar’s Antitrust Appeal against DIRECTV ■ CTIA: USAC Could Use More Input from Wireless Industry ■ FCC Shuts Down Digital Solutions for Illegal Robocalls ■ Sen. Roger Wicker: Data Centers Don’t Need to Squeeze Ratepayers to Work ■ USTelecom Backs Ziply Fiber’s Jessica Epley for USAC Seat. ■ Trump Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Joins Fox News Political Commentary Team NFL: The National Association of Broadcasters’ top official warned the NFL against shifting more games to streaming platforms, saying the league risks a political backlash. “We need to ensure policymakers are educated about the harm when premier sporting events migrate from broadcast to streaming,” NAB CEO **Curtis LeGeyt** told *Barrett Media* [in an interview](https://barrettmedia.com/2026/10/05/nab-curtis-legeyt-am-radio-act/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) published Oct. 5\. “I think the NFL is playing with fire by pushing more and more games off to Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube.” He said lawmakers are increasingly questioning the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, an antitrust exemption that allows NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to cut media deals for all 32 teams. “We are seeing study after study that shows the mounting consumer frustration with needing to buy a new subscription service just to follow your favorite team,” LeGeyt said. *(More after paywall)* _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### A Reckoning on Social Media Addiction Came Late for Many Kids. Will AI Safety Be Different? URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-reckoning-on-social-media-addiction-came-late-for-many-kids-will-ai-safety-be-different/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:32.000Z Oct. 5, 2026 (AP) – Years after the risks of social media for kids first became apparent, U.S. states this summer reached an accord hailed as a turning point for child safety. Meanwhile, a new generation of children has begun engaging with an even more potent technology: [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). While the efforts to make social media safer are still taking shape, they offer some lessons for those looking to protect children using AI — technology that is growing so quickly, the extent of its risks for young people and their development is just emerging. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) When Meta agreed to changes to its social media platforms and enhanced safeguards in an [$18 billion settlement](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-instagram-settlement-97d342f2a33d835eda2356c5e1af9e37?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), it made progress by “getting at what we’ve known for years” about the dangers, said **Kristin Bride**, a [parent advocate](https://apnews.com/article/social-media-victims-harm-kosa-f7bb6fb95ab761d53d2d1f135eca2f27?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) who has fought for social media reform since the death of her teenage son. “How are we going to get at what we don’t know is coming?” AI companies have begun rolling out some safety features introduced first by social media companies, including [age assurance measures](https://apnews.com/article/instagram-meta-openai-age-checks-verification-1d36289aa2c8a9422af83798f7925aa9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and restricted experiences for minors. But advocates say the most important takeaway from the efforts of parents, tech companies and regulators to find a way forward on social media safety may be to act sooner on mitigating AI's harms for kids. “The greatest legacy from the social media experiment and learnings is that hopefully we’re not going to sleepwalk into this next tech revolution,” said **Dr. Dana Suskind**, a professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago, and author of “Human Raised.” “We learned that we had it all backwards, right? You don’t unleash something on a population, figure out if it does harm or not in real time, and then go back and say, ‘Oops.’” ### *AI and social media pose different risks, but some solutions overlap* Concerns around social media have centered on the amount of time kids spend on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and the consequences for their mental health. Advocates also have focused on data privacy and kids' vulnerability to cyberbullying or predators who find them online. Artificial intelligence can be more pervasive for kids. Children not only see [AI-generated content](https://apnews.com/article/ai-slop-youtube-kids-fairplay-68f866c48127222208e1d978b46cbc80?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on social media platforms, but they can also readily communicate with AI chatbots, including some on social media apps. Many use it for help with school and homework. Some have formed [unhealthy relationships](https://apnews.com/article/ai-companion-generative-teens-mental-health-9ce59a2b250f3bd0187a717ffa2ad21f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with chatbots, and experts have raised questions about how access to AI is affecting children's brain development. Companies are pushing [AI-powered toys for kids](https://apnews.com/article/ai-toys-miko-curio-gabbo-aa6d829b1aba18e2d1dfedd4cfca8da7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as young as 2. Campaigns for social media and AI safety for kids are both playing out on legal and legislative fronts. Individuals and states have sued tech companies over concerns around their products’ safety and both state and federal lawmakers are grappling with how to regulate the tech. Compared with social media companies, AI giants have been moving somewhat more quickly to add safeguards, motivated perhaps by the growing regulatory and societal scrutiny of social media’s effects on kids’ mental health. OpenAI introduced [teen accounts in August](https://apnews.com/article/openai-chatgpt-teens-ai-safety-650cb35591de6546054d6c4e73b3290a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), about four years after launching ChatGPT, with restrictions that include a ban on romantic chats and any suggestions that the chatbot has personal feelings toward the user. Meta, which bought Instagram in 2012, didn’t launch [teen accounts](https://apnews.com/article/instagram-meta-teen-accounts-kids-425a05cc37f81b6ff2b7439d3884c54a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the platform until 2024. In announcing the settlement agreement this summer, Meta said that “ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative” for the company. Meta also urged its competitors, TikTok and YouTube, to adopt some of the standards it is implementing as a result of the settlement. ### *One challenge is balancing the benefits of AI with dangers* The protections outlined in the Meta settlement cannot easily be applied to AI because of the differences in the way young people interact with AI versus social media, experts said. One of the challenges of restricting AI for minors is that it’s “much easier to point to the upsides” for teens compared with social media, said **Sarah Kreps**, a professor and director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute. While there are concerns about cheating, for instance, kids are also using AI for tutoring and legitimate homework help. “It’s not a matter of just saying ‘let’s limit this to two hours’ or 'let’s limit this between the hours of 10 at night and 6 in the morning’ because there are these salutary uses of AI that I think are harder to justify in the context of social media,” Kreps said. A majority of U.S. teens — 64% — say they have used AI chatbots, according to the Pew Research Center. Looking up information and getting help with schoolwork tops the list of uses, though 47% say they’ve used chatbots for fun and 42% have used it to summarize an article, book or video. About 12% have turned to bots for emotional support or advice. **Jonathan Haidt**, a social psychologist and author of “The Anxious Generation,” said he is most worried about the relationships and attachments young people can build with chatbots and the “cognitive offloading” that happens when people defer their thought processes to a chatbot. “I have long thought that AI is a much bigger threat to children even than social media,” Haidt said. “But if we can’t win on social media, then it will be hopeless on AI.” ### *Congress has just begun to look at AI safety for kids* While recent litigation has held social media companies responsible for harms to users, federal legislation of social media has meandered and AI legislation has lagged. The Trump administration has said regulation, especially across states instead of at a federal level, could hinder AI companies’ growth and sacrifice American labs’ lead in the global AI race, but some lawmakers are trying to move the needle. Some AI legislation specific to children’s safety issues — like youth privacy, chatbot interactions and AI toy safety — have passed through Senate subcommittees with bipartisan support, but there’s still a long road for any such legislation to pass. Legislation at the state level is moving faster, as seen also in the role states have played in pushing Meta on social media harms. “One of the things we’ve seen with social media, which I think will still be true with AI, is that we live in a federal system where states make laws on everything from e-bikes to driving permits to gun laws and that federal legislation or federal rules are much more difficult,” Kreps said. Some say the biggest win from the progress on social media safety this year has been heightened awareness of online dangers for kids. Bride, whose son Carson died after experiencing severe cyberbullying on Snapchat, said it’s encouraging to see legislators wrestling with how to regulate AI, but acknowledged the reality that legislation can’t keep up with the technological developments — and that kids will continue to experience AI-related harms in the meantime. “I don’t think we can afford any more mea culpas when kids are concerned,” she said. *This article was written by Kaitlyn Huamani of the Associated Press.* ### AI Insiders Voice Alarms to NYC Council as Local Governments Take Up Safety Concerns URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-insiders-voice-alarms-to-nyc-council-as-local-governments-take-up-safety-concerns/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:33.000Z NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2026 (AP) — Artificial intelligence insiders warned New York City's leaders about the dangers of the emerging technology on Monday, calling for greater oversight as local governments move to respond to mounting concerns that [the systems could endanger humanity](https://apnews.com/article/ai-hacking-hugging-face-openai-anthropic-452281863a49b18220057e71d4715cf4?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). At a hearing of the New York City Council, recently departed employees of Anthropic, OpenAI and Google DeepMind described a reckless culture at the firms, saying the biggest tech companies are racing to create [technology they do not understand](https://apnews.com/article/ai-hugging-face-swarm-internet-takeover-amodei-0053ba1b6c8144b2927d2501be9eb919?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) how to control. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “The companies run on a startup mindset: Move fast, break things, fix them later. That works for a photo sharing app. It does not work for building the most powerful technology ever built," said [**Jacob Coxon**](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)[, a former engineer at Anthropic](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) who has become a leading voice for regulation. State and city governments have been considering ways to regulate AI as the Trump administration has taken a passive approach and Congress has proven inactive. President **Donald Trump** has dismissed AI fears as a “hoax” and signed an agreement late last month that largely [allows the companies to self-police](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Coxon was a little-known engineer at Anthropic until he announced his departure through a series of social media posts that caught global attention. He told the Council that AI could have tremendous upsides, but without transparency and safeguards, it's more likely that things will spiral out of control. “On the current path, I think it is more likely than not that humanity loses control to these AIs and it could end in human extinction,” Coxon said. A panel of AI company staffers — representing tech giants OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta — also testified at the hearing in Manhattan on Monday, telling officials that their systems are already improving people's daily lives and stressing that they are laser-focused on safety. “I share your commitment to ensuring that technology is developed safely and that its benefits are widely shared,” said **Morgan Dwyer** of OpenAI. At one point during the hearing, **Julie Menin**, the speaker of the City Council, asked each company representatives to “quantify the risk posed by AI in the worst case catastrophic scenario.” Dwyer answered: “I don’t know — I also don’t think it matters whether it’s 1% or 10% or 20% chance that something catastrophic will go wrong. None of these levels is remotely acceptable. We should not train models that we cannot make an extremely strong case that we can keep under human control." Menin slammed the response as “flippant at best." “I would say that the percentage chance doesn’t matter. What matters is the commitment to safety, and that is what OpenAI is committed to doing," Dwyer said. The City Council is considering several AI regulations, including proposals to require companies to disclose information about AI tools, require third-party approval for AI systems in the city and allow whistleblowers to receive a portion of fines from AI companies that violate laws. Separately, New York Gov. **Kathy Hochul** has moved to impose reporting and transparency [standards around AI, as have governors elsewhere](https://apnews.com/article/ai-technology-trump-data-centers-wes-moore-ed0337966ba4f598c7e7bb6ad93ba6f3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), though their power is somewhat limited since AI technology can reach across state lines, as well as the globe. *This article was written by Anthony Izaguirre of the Associated Press.* ### Pennsylvania Awards First $448 Million in BEAD Funding URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/pennsylvania-awards-first-448-million-in-bead-funding/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:33.000Z WASHINGTON Oct. 5, 2026 – Pennsylvania has awarded more than $448 million to broadband projects expected to expand high-speed internet access to about 71,000 homes and businesses across 50 counties. Gov. **Josh Shapiro**, D, announced Oct. 2 [the state has awarded more than $448 million in federal broadband funding](https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2026-press-releases/gov--shapiro-and-pbda-announce-bead-funding-to-expand-access-to-?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to projects in 50 counties, marking the state’s first round of grants under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, following the approval of the state’s $711 million BEAD proposal by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in April. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The state originally received $1.16 billion under the $42.45 billion federal program. The state’s announcement comes as other states move from BEAD planning into construction and supplemental funding rounds. NTIA has said states [can use remaining BEAD money](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-remaining-bead-funds-to-be-used-on-new-bidding-round/) to address locations that were left out of their original plans. The projects are expected to expand high-speed internet access to about 71,000 homes and businesses, according to Pennsylvania officials. The state said it plans to distribute [all remaining BEAD funds ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-enters-cleanup-phase-with-more-broadband-gaps-to-fill/)before the end of 2026. Shapiro said the state is working to connect the remaining locations over the next four years. “I promised to connect every Pennsylvanian to high-speed, affordable internet by the end of the decade,” Shapiro said at Bald Eagle High School in Centre County, Pa. The awards include projects from nine providers and organizations, including Frontier Communications, Brightspeed, CoreConnect, IBT Group USA, Upward Broadband and Verizon. The projects will use a mix of fiber and fixed wireless technology and will also support multi-family deployments, network upgrades, planning and engineering. Neither Starlink nor Amazon Leo was included among the providers receiving funding in the first round of awards. Verizon, for example, will [invest $40 million in a project serving nearly 3,000 homes and businesses](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senators-press-ntia-on-bead-non-deployment-funds/) in Centre and Mifflin counties. The company will receive $28.85 million in BEAD funding for the project. Pennsylvania officials said the state has reduced the number of households and businesses without high-speed internet from more than 330,000 in 2022 to fewer than 133,000 today. The administration said more than 198,000 locations have been connected since 2022. Pennsylvania has also launched a website where residents can check when the state expects their location to receive broadband service. ### Dish Wireless Bankruptcy Pause to Continue URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dish-wireless-bankruptcy-pause-to-continue/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:33.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2026 – Litigation of Dish Wireless’s bankruptcy will be paused again so the company can attempt mediation with former business partners, a judge ruled Friday. The case, already on hold since Sept. 14 to give the two sides a breather to negotiate, will remain on ice until Nov. 4\. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) This time, Dish and its creditors will enter into mediation, with a third party overseeing negotiations and pushing each side to reach a deal. The EchoStar subsidiary’s bankruptcy has been contentious. Three national tower companies say they’re owed billions in unpaid rent, and Dish thinks it can emerge from bankruptcy while paying them a fraction of that, or potentially nothing at all. Attorneys for the tower companies — Crown Castle, American Tower, and SBA Communications — and other creditors said the two sides made some progress on what a general plan might look like, but that Dish had not engaged on the central issue of who was going to be owed what. Lawyers were able to schedule a single meeting on the issue over the initial two-week pause. **Kyle Kimpler**, an attorney representing Crown Castle, had initially opposed mediation, but said Friday it would be necessary to force both sides to try for an agreement. “I thought the parties could get together and at least see if we were in striking distance without the help of a mediator,” he said. “I was wrong. I think we need a mediator.” If the companies ultimately can’t come to a deal, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge **Christopher Lopez** will have to resolve a number of issues in addition to how much the towers should be owed. Dish maintains it owed $8 billion to another EchoStar subsidiary, but the towers think that was improperly put on the books and should not be paid out. Dish is also running out of money, and attorneys for the company said it would need money from EchoStar if it were to continue litigating against its creditors. Additionally, the towers and other creditors had previously asked Lopez to disqualify Dish’s law firm, White & Case, claiming it was acting on behalf of EchoStar and its chairman **Charlie Ergen**, rather than faithfully administering Dish’s estate. Dish has denied this. **Anton Gorbounov**, a senior debt analyst at Octus, said in a recent interview that it was rare for a law firm to be disqualified in bankruptcy cases. “I think it’s just a sign of the fact that this is a nasty one,” he said. “There was enough acrimony here to add that to the list of things to litigate.” ### *Dish DBS* Meanwhile, Dish DBS, another EchoStar subsidiary, emerged from bankruptcy Thursday, having shed more than $4.3 billion in debt. The DBS bankruptcy plan had been mostly approved by creditors in advance of its filing. Dish Wireless and Dish DBS had initially filed for bankruptcy together in June, but they split their cases when it became clear that Dish Wireless would drag out. Dish DBS houses EchoStar’s Dish Network and Sling TV businesses. In the second quarter of 2026, they lost a combined 241,000 subscribers, to end with nearly 6.4 million. ### Lumos Acquiring ALLO Fiber Network in Joplin, Mo. URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lumos-acquiring-allo-fiber-network-in-joplin-mo/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:35.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2026 – Lumos has acquired ALLO Fiber’s network in Joplin, Mo., the companies announced Friday. The companies [did not disclose](https://www.lumosfiber.com/blog/2026/10/02/lumos-acquires-allo-fiber-network-in-joplin/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) any terms of the deal. ALLO had previously said it was investing $40 million in its in-progress Joplin build; the city has a population of about 54,000 according to the Census Bureau. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Earlier last week, Ookla [had flagged](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ookla-taps-seven-fiber-isps-ripe-for-acquisition/) ALLO as especially likely to be involved in the growing wave of fiber ISPs being rolled up by national providers. ALLO operates in more than 50 cities and counted about 700,000 passings as of last summer. Lumos is owned by a joint venture between T-Mobile and investment firm EQT. It will offer service under T-Mobile’s branding. During a July 20 [city council meeting](https://www.joplinmo.org/182/Video-Multimedia?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Joplin City Council approved Lumos’s request for rights-of-way access, allowing it to start building in the city. ALLO’s project had been approved in 2024. “It seems like we put one fiber in and everyone wants to come here, so this is great,” **Josh DeTar**, a member of the city council, said at the meeting. “I appreciate the competition and all the good things that you all bring.” He and others said the city had some issues with citizen complaints about the ALLO projects. With ALLO’s assets under its belt, Lumos will compete one-on-one with Cable One, the incumbent ISP in Joplin. ALLO pulled out of a similar build in Boulder, Co. in June. The company said rising labor and material costs, plus increasing competition, made its project untenable. The ISP was leasing city-owned infrastructure as part of the deal. Boulder City Manager **Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde** [said at the time](https://bouldercolorado.gov/news/allo-communications-informs-city-it-will-pull-out-contract-build-out-fiber-network?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the city would be trying to find a replacement and “exploring our legal options in this unfortunate contract situation.” Lumos representatives are planning on updating the Joplin City Council on the deal during a meeting Monday evening. A [slide deck](https://www.joplinmo.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/12879?fileID=77636&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Lumos is planning to show argued fiber was more reliable than cable, and said the company would work to avoid striking existing utility lines as it continued expanding its network in the city. The slide deck said Lumos’s construction teams were “committed to leaving our service areas as neat or better than they were before we started.” “We look forward to welcoming customers to Lumos and continuing the work to bring reliable, high-performance fiber connectivity to more homes and businesses across the community,” **Scott Mispagel**, CEO of Lumos Fiber, said in a statement. Lumos is one of several fiber ISPs T-Mobile has acquired through joint ventures. Ookla’s report last week found Lumos accounted for about 14.8 percent of the wireless carrier’s fiber subscribers based on its speed test data. T-Mobile last reported its subscriber numbers at the end of last year, and it had about 1 million fiber subscribers at the time. ALLO customers will transition to Lumos at the end of 2026, according to [ALLO’s website](https://www.allocommunications.com/joplin-announcement/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The company said customers' bills won’t change before then, and that ALLO would follow up with more information in November. ### ALLO Fiber Sells Joplin, Missouri, Network to Lumos Without Any Explanation URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/allo-fiber-sells-joplin-missouri-network-to-lumos-without-any-explanation/ Last updated: 2026-10-05T16:19:16.000Z 💡 ■ Re: Cable One, Analyst Actually Floats the ‘B Word’ – Bankruptcy ■ Pennsylvania Announces $448 million in BEAD Grants Reaching 50 Counties ■ T-Mobile Raising Regulatory Recovery Fee as KeyBanc Analyst Considers It a PR Miscue ■ Starlink Unveils Neighborhood Sharing Beta to Connect Users by the Hour and Longer ■ Trump Says Jay Clayton Will Lead SI Task Force, With Quick Turnaround ■ YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV Post Lowest Churn among vMVPDs, S&P Global Says ■ DISH Ends Short‑Term Sling TV Passes After Beating Disney in Court ■ Portland, Ore., Residents Concerned about Dangers of ‘TikTok Door Knock Challenge’ ■ Rep. Pfluger Introduces Subsea Cable Security Bill ■ Vero Fiber Completes Merger with MontanaSky ■ Turkey’s Broadband Users Favor Mobile by Wide Margin, Government Report Says Fiber: Lumos just bought the fiber competition. In [a surprise announcement,](https://www.lumosfiber.com/blog/2026/10/02/lumos-acquires-allo-fiber-network-in-joplin/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Lumos said it was acquiring ALLO Fiber’s network in Joplin, Missouri. ALLO got city approval for the $40 millionbuild only in April 2024 in a deal that would reportedly connect 52,000 people and overbuild longstanding cable incumbent Cable One. Lumos entered the picture in July when it sought [to reach its own fiber build agreement](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/another-broadband-network-wants-come-223100804.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with local Joplin officials. “We’re proud of the network we built in Joplin and the customers we’ve served,” ALLO CEO **Shane West** [said](https://www.lumosfiber.com/blog/2026/10/02/lumos-acquires-allo-fiber-network-in-joplin/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in a statement bereft of any explanation. “Lumos shares that commitment, and we’re confident they’ll continue to invest in the community.” ALLO’s network is still under construction. *(More after paywall)* _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Should Network-Sharing Rules Reach Big Tech? URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/should-network-sharing-rules-reach-big-tech/ Last updated: 2026-10-04T22:50:18.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2026 — Because of the strong monopolistic tendencies of network effects in communication businesses, one key approach to enhancing competition is to require incumbents to interconnect with rivals. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/p2-3.webp)](should-network-sharing-rules-reach-big-tech/#/portal/signup) ***Breakfast Club Members Watch Panel 2 at** [***America250 / Telecom150**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [Watch the Video ](should-network-sharing-rules-reach-big-tech/#/portal/signup) That emerged as a key theme of the final session at Broadband Breakfast’s[ historical-policy event](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) on Thursday, “250 Years of American Independence and 150 Years of American Telecommunications.” Whether requiring AT&T to interconnect with rivals or using the 1996 Telecom Act to[ open up new competitive offers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/they-came-not-to-bury-but-to-praise-the-telecom-act-of-1996/), measures to force interconnection was a subject of substantial agreement by the diverse group of panelists. But they split over how far that remedy should reach into technology platforms. A former Federal Trade Commission general counsel warned against extending it to Google's search algorithm or the source code behind ChatGPT. Rules that opened telephone networks supported roughly 7,000 dial-up internet providers, said **Gigi Sohn**, executive director of the American Association for Public Broadband, and a former counselor to then-Federal Communications Commission Chairman **Tom Wheeler**. She tied[ today's higher U.S. prices](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/north-america-ranks-among-worlds-most-expensive-regions-for-broadband/) to the end of those network-sharing requirements. U.S. households pay an average of $81.16 a month, compared with $31.43 in England, which still requires network sharing ### *Number portability lowered the cost of switching* Number portability, which lets customers keep their telephone numbers when changing carriers, was a clear success, said **Jonathan Nuechterlein**, the former FTC general counsel. Before it, customers risked losing their numbers when switching providers, a prospect that could deter them even from a better offer. Congress required local telephone companies to offer portability through Section 251 of the Telecom Act of 1996\. Sohn counted it among the law's most consequential provisions, particularly for wireless competition. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Customers can still face costs and inconvenience when switching technology platforms, Nuechterlein said. He cited difficulties transferring services and information from an Apple iPhone to a phone running Google’s Android operating system. Those obstacles can discourage switching, much as the prospect of losing a telephone number once did. ### *Connecting networks does not guarantee competition* Interconnection lets customers on different telephone networks call one another. Requiring those connections was necessary during the telephone monopoly era, Nuechterlein said. Internet networks, by contrast, exchange traffic through agreements that do not depend on telephone access rules. Connecting networks does not automatically promote competition, said **Milton Mueller**, a Georgia Institute of Technology professor who studies internet governance, and the author of a book about AT&T’s early bouts with competition, *Universal Service*. Competing telephone systems once operated separately, leaving subscribers unable to call customers on other networks. AT&T president **Theodore Vail** used those disconnected systems to[ argue for a unified monopoly](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-kingsbury-commitment-promised-competition-at-t-got-98-of-long-distance/), Mueller said. ### *The dial-up boom had two competing explanations* The 1996 Telecom Act required established local telephone companies to connect with rivals, resell service at wholesale rates and open their poles and rights-of-way. It also required them to lease individual network elements, such as the lines connecting customers to telephone exchanges. That practice, called unbundling, let rivals compete without building an entire network. Those open-network policies helped support the dial-up providers that connected customers over ordinary telephone lines, Sohn said. Americans had an average of 13 providers to choose from, she said. Nuechterlein disputed the role of the network-leasing requirements. He attributed the growth to common carrier obligations, which required telephone companies to carry customers' calls on nondiscriminatory terms. Sohn attributed the decline of independent providers to FCC decisions exempting broadband from telephone-style access requirements. In 2002, the agency classified cable modem service as an information service, outside common carrier regulation. The Supreme Court[ upheld that classification](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/can-the-fccs-net-neutrality-rules-survive-the-major-questions-doctrine/) in its 2005 *Brand X* decision. Satellite service has not resolved the affordability problem, Sohn said. Nuechterlein countered that[ rivals using different technologies](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/analysts-warn-starlink-could-disrupt-broadband-market/), such as Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, could weaken the case for regulation by loosening the concentration of communications markets. ### *Competition emerged without an AT&T-style breakup elsewhere* Competition can also develop without breaking up the dominant telephone company, argued **Eli Noam**, a Columbia University professor emeritus and former New York public service commissioner. He pointed to Canada, which he said reached a broadly comparable communications market without a breakup. Local telephone competition was also emerging in New York before the 1996 Act, he said. The 1982 antitrust settlement took effect on January 1, 1984, and separated AT&T's local telephone operations into seven regional companies. Sohn emphasized that the split reduced the opportunity for local telephone companies to favor affiliated services over competing providers. The economics of communications have repeatedly favored large firms, Noam said. Building networks requires substantial upfront investment, while serving an additional customer costs comparatively little, and networks grow more useful as more people join. Those conditions can produce oligopoly, a market of a few major providers. He favored protecting new competitors' ability to enter and connect to existing networks. ### *Tech platforms inherit the traits that justified telephone regulation* The three conditions that once justified heavy telephone regulation now appear in technology markets, Nuechterlein said. A rival phone network attracted few customers because they could reach only a fraction of the people they wanted to call. It also paid more per customer than the incumbent, and switching costs kept customers from leaving. Social networking platform Facebook[ holds its position](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/meta-prevails-in-historic-ftc-antitrust-case-wont-have-to-break-off-whatsapp-instagram/) partly because a user's friends are already there, Nuechterlein said. Search engine Google draws data from more users than its rivals, which helps it answer rare queries that smaller competitors handle poorly. Those advantages do not settle how regulators should respond, Mueller argued. He pointed to the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which requires certain large messaging services to let[ users communicate across platforms](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/beeper-ceo-draws-a-crowd-at-the-fcc/). Forcing firms to share what they built could weaken the incentive to innovate, and it raised security concerns, he said. Regulation was more appropriate when competition was unlikely to develop, Nuechterlein said. He cautioned against[ extending access requirements](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/eu-forces-google-to-share-search-data-and-open-android-to-rival-ai-companies/) to a company's core technology, citing Google's search algorithm and the source code for ChatGPT, the AI chatbot developed by the artificial intelligence company OpenAI. ### *Building duplicate networks strains broadband subsidies* The physical networks that carry broadband pose a separate problem, Sohn said. Building additional wireline networks is costly, and she pointed to deployment difficulties under the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. A shared network[ open to multiple service providers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/open-access-networks-gain-momentum-as-industry-shifts-toward-shared-infrastructure/) could serve customers better, she said. Sohn credited the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which created that program and included $2.75 billion through the Digital Equity Act for digital skills and adoption programs. However, the previous administration was slow to distribute broadband funding, and the[ current administration](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-chief-credited-program-overhaul-for-21-billion-in-bead-savings/) is "micromanaging it," she said. The Trump administration canceled Digital Equity Act grants in May 2025\. Following litigation, the Commerce Department aims to[ reopen applications for the program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-begins-process-to-revive-digital-equity-grant-program/) in December 2026. Federal research and spectrum decisions have also produced competitors that policymakers did not anticipate, Noam said. Microwave transmission enabled MCI, the long-distance carrier that challenged AT&T, and federally funded research networks helped give rise to the internet. Policymakers should keep protecting emerging competitors but be cautious about attributing every improvement to their own interventions, Noam said. ### Trump Names National Intelligence Director Jay Clayton to Lead Federal AI Task Force URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-names-national-intelligence-director-jay-clayton-to-lead-federal-ai-task-force/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:35.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2026 (AP) — [President **Donald Trump**](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Sunday tapped **Jay Clayton**, his director of national intelligence, to lead a new government task force on [artificial intelligence.](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Trump is calling it the “Super Intelligence Force,” because he has tried to rebrand AI as “super intelligence.” The announcement comes after Trump [hosted top executives of AI companies](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at the White House last week and said they had signed a voluntary accord that would effectively self-police the development of the technology. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The task force will coordinate the federal effort "to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence, which many say is bigger than the Industrial Revolution, and the Internet, and will protect the interests, and improve the lives, of all Americans,” Trump in a post on social media Sunday. The task force will reach out to consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and AI companies, the Republican president said. Others on the task force include the Federal Trade Commission's chairman, **Andrew Ferguson**; **Emil Michael**, the Pentagon’s chief technology officer; and **Scott Kupor**, the director of the Office of Personnel Management. The group will report to Trump and his chief of staff, **Susie Wiles**. *This article was written by the Associated Press.* ### Wes Moore Forms Bipartisan Governors Group on AI, Citing Federal Inaction URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wes-moore-forms-bipartisan-governors-group-on-ai-citing-federal-inaction/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:35.000Z BALTIMORE, Oct. 2, 2026 (AP) — Gov. [**Wes Moore**](https://google.com/search?q=apnews+Wes+Moore&oq=apnews+Wes+Moore&gs%5Flcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggAEEUYOzIGCAAQRRg7MgYIARAjGCcyCggCEAAYgAQYogQyCggDEAAYgAQYogQyBggEEEUYOzIGCAUQRRg8MgYIBhBFGDwyBggHEEUYPNIBCDIyMjVqMGo5qAIAsAIB&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8) of Maryland is forming a bipartisan group of governors to respond to mounting concerns about the threats posed by artificial intelligence as he argued that states need to fill a void left by the federal government's inaction on the issue. In an interview, Moore, a Democrat, criticized President [**Donald Trump's**](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) meeting with [AI executives at the White House](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) this week as a “billionaire boys club." He was also critical of Congress for leaving Washington until after next month's midterms [without addressing](https://apnews.com/article/congress-data-centers-trust-husted-1e92cea86041e06e13853705319a7868?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the rapidly evolving technology. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “The federal government has a unique leadership role that they have to play and that includes both the White House and Congress,” Moore said after speaking at an innovation conference in Baltimore. “In the absence of that, the governors cannot just sit on our hands.” Moore is the chair of the National Governors Association this year and said his co-chair, Republican Gov. **Mike Braun** of Indiana, would partner with him in developing an AI framework. Other governors from both parties are planning to participate, Moore said. Increasingly dire warnings from tech executives that AI could pose an existential threat to humanity have [tested the ability of governments](https://apnews.com/article/ai-regulation-trump-congress-tech-politics-d2d1bac8e8666c681937665596a4f603?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at all levels to respond nimbly to fast-moving developments. So far, states have been more active than the federal government, but their power is limited when it comes to dealing with a technology that spans the country and the globe. In the past month, governors in Maryland, California, Illinois, Oregon and Virginia have issued executive orders or taken other steps intended to create some standards for the technology. Republicans have been among those taking action at the state level with governors including [**Spencer Cox**](https://apnews.com/hub/spencer-cox?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of Utah and [**Greg Abbott**](https://apnews.com/hub/greg-abbott?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of Texas cracking down on data center development. However, the action has been much slower in Washington. Sen. **Bernie Sanders**, I-Vt., hosted a briefing with lawmakers and experts last month and Sen. **Josh Hawley**, R-Mo., has launched an investigation into OpenAI. There has been little agreement, however, on a legislative response. At the White House, Trump has dismissed AI fears as a “hoax” and emphasized the need to remain competitive with technology developed in China. He is one of the few prominent leaders who continues to boost data centers. Trump and tech leaders signed a voluntary accord this week that he called “morally binding” and will include internal and external reviews. After meeting with the leaders, the president praised the industry for engaging in “tremendous self-policing.” “Who in the room was advocating for more transparency or more regulatory guardrails?” Moore said of the White House meeting. “What the president did in no way, shape or form made me feel like what the governors are now doing was now unnecessary.” The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The debate over responding to artificial intelligence could play an important role in the early stages of [the next presidential campaign](https://apnews.com/article/ai-trump-democrats-newsom-shapiro-warnings-danger-10cdebf21fd6dfcfc46676b0f095bb2c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Moore has said he's not running for president and is focused on this year's midterms, when he is on the ballot for reelection in Maryland. Whoever enters the field could face scrutiny for past moves including support for data centers, which were once seen as economic booms for states but have since become broadly unpopular. Moore is among the governors who has become more critical of data centers, signing an executive order last month establishing new rules to govern them. He has also called on state lawmakers to repeal a tax exemption that was passed before he took office. In the interview, Moore acknowledged the “speed of this technology that is moving at such a rapid clip.” He said that elements of an AI executive order he signed in 2024 are “antiquated now.” “The operations might move,” he said. “But my values will never move.” *This article was written by Steven Sloan of the Associated Press.* ### Amazon to Invest $1B into Data Center Communities Amid Backlash Against Data Center Rollouts URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-to-invest-1b-into-data-center-communities-amid-backlash-against-data-center-rollouts/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:37.000Z NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2026 (AP) — Amazon is investing more than $1 billion over the next five years into communities where it operates data centers for education, job training, water and energy preservation projects and other local priorities as it reacts to a growing backlash from politicians and consumers to the tech industry's rollout of the massive buildings. According to a blog post on Friday by **Matt Garman**, Amazon’s CEO of its cloud computing arm, Amazon has already spent more than $1 billion in communities with a large data center presence over the past three years. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Garman also said that Amazon is no longer using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies it works with on its projects, and it said it hosts open houses in communities where it operates to share information about what it's doing. He also warned against the spread of what he believes is misinformation about data centers' impact on the environment and energy rates — and he cited the dangers of over 100 [moratoriums](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) against these centers being considered across the country. “If these measures are enacted, the U.S. could be writing its own losing ticket to this race, and the consequences would last generations,” he wrote. “As a country, we can’t afford to find ourselves in that position. There is urgency to this data center build out because we aren’t the only country that sees the benefits of AI for the economy and national security.” Garman's pledge comes as data centers, which power artificial intelligence and cloud computing, have become a [hot political issue](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-congress-f073380caa61b720fa424590b5bc7c87?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) heading into the midterms as tech giants race to invest more money in expanding these infrastructures. Small, under-the-radar data centers have been around for decades. But the explosion of artificial intelligence chatbots has resulted in data centers that are bigger than [anything just about any town has ever seen](https://apnews.com/article/meta-data-center-louisiana-power-costs-4ce76b73c102727d71edbbb56abe1388?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Some of them dwarf football stadiums and factories and consume more energy than small cities. By 2030, data centers will account for [nearly 3% of the world’s projected electricity use,](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-environment-climate-footprint-a792f184a9f2833b5388dbae8b41ca95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with 935 trillion watt-hours, according to a United Nations University report released in June on these buildings' environmental footprint. Amazon said in July that it now expects to spend [$220 billion](https://apnews.com/article/amazon-second-quarter-earnings-cloud-b4ce02b4666a35b8975823c5c22072ee?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in capital expenditures in 2026, including on data centers and other technology investments. That’s up from its prior estimate of $200 billion. President **Donald Trump** has embraced the building of more data centers, but there is [growing wariness](https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2026/theres-one-issue-where-republicans-and-democrats-are-unified-before-the-midterms-a-new-poll-finds/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from voters. About 6 in 10 Americans support limiting the number of new data centers that can be built, including most Democrats and Republicans. And a majority of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the impact of data centers on electricity prices or the water supply in the communities where they are built. *This article was written by Anne D'Innocenzio* *of the Associated Press.* ### Open Rules and Protocols, Including Section 230, Fuel ‘Permissionless Innovation’ URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/open-rules-and-protocols-including-section-230-fuel-permissionless-innovation/ Last updated: 2026-10-03T03:38:28.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2026 — Permissionless innovation has driven American communications from the transistor to the smartphone, according to a group of esteemed historians and policymakers speaking Thursday at "250 Years of American Independence and 150 Years of American Telecommunications." [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/p1.webp)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/open-rules-and-protocols-including-section-230-fuel-permissionless-innovation/#/portal/signup) ***Breakfast Club Members Watch Panel 1 at** [***America250 / Telecom150**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [Watch the Video ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/open-rules-and-protocols-including-section-230-fuel-permissionless-innovation/#/portal/signup) That freedom to launch a new product or service without first securing a regulator's or a network owner's approval, has been a critical ingredient in American success across the generations, agreed each of the panelists. For online platforms, that freedom was written into federal law in the form of Section 230 of the Telecom Act of 1996, said **Chris Lewis**, president of Public Knowledge, speaking at the Broadband Breakfast event. That section provides the federal shield that protects websites from lawsuits over users' posts. It has spurred a generation of online platforms by reducing the legal exposure of hosting third-party content. The platforms that followed enabled Americans to publish information and answer one another, extending communication beyond broadcast television's one-way distribution. But the 1996 law included no guardrails against those platforms consolidating into a few dominant companies, Lewis said. Nor did Congress pass comprehensive privacy protections for their users, he added. ### *Open protocols freed developers from seeking approval* Section 230 was just one manifestation of permissionless innovation, said Lewis, responding to moderator **Drew Clark’s** request for panelists to identify overarching sources of American innovation. Clark is CEO of this publication. In addition to developers being enabled to build on the Internet without seeking approval from a regulator or a network owner, the Internet's underlying protocols – the technical rules governing how computers exchange data – were also open to anyone. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Podcasting is another example of something that grew directly out of that freedom of permissionless innovation, said **Shane Greenstein**, a Harvard Business School economist who studies digital markets. Podcasters distribute episodes through RSS feeds, an open web format for syndicating new content. A firm with a new idea could "get access to distribution without restriction," Greenstein said. ### *Breaking AT&T's grip spurred new waves of invention* American networks innovated most when they partnered with the nation's research scientists and independent entrepreneurs, Greenstein said. During the AT&T telephone monopoly, that partner was the company's research arm, Bell Laboratories. The lab invented the transistor in 1947, and the component, which controls electrical signals, became the basis of modern electronics. AT&T’s willingness to share the invention reflected antitrust pressure, Greenstein said. The company licensed the transistor to competing manufacturers in the early 1950s while the Justice Department was suing it. The 1956 settlement required AT&T to license its existing U.S. patents royalty-free. A second wave of innovation followed once entrepreneurs gained access to the company's discoveries, Greenstein said. But the same lab also held discoveries back, Lewis countered. The push to break up AT&T exposed inventions Bell Labs had chosen not to sell, along with lines of research it had never pursued, he said. The 1984 breakup, which separated AT&T from its local telephone companies, spurred greater innovation, said both Greenstein and Lewis. Lewis said he saw similar competitive pressure in artificial intelligence. The release of ChatGPT, the chatbot from the AI company OpenAI, forced the search giant Google to launch language models it had already been developing, he said. ### *The force of the 1914 FTC Act* The 1996 law that created Section 230 also prescribed how established local telephone companies would open their networks to competitors and enter long-distance markets, said **Matt DelNero**, a former federal telecommunications regulator. DelNero previously led the Wireline Competition Bureau, the Federal Communications Commission division overseeing telephone and broadband rules. Changes in the industry left those provisions largely obsolete within a few years, DelNero said. Laws written around broad goals fared better, he said. Online privacy enforcement, by comparison, relied heavily on an older law with broader reach, DelNero said. The Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914 created the nation's consumer protection agency. The law's prohibitions on unfair and deceptive business practices continue to apply across different media. Those prohibitions give the FTC a basis to act when online companies mislead users about how they collect or share personal information, or engage in unfair data practices. That authority has remained a principal enforcement tool while Congress has not enacted a comprehensive federal privacy law, DelNero said. ### *Flexible spectrum rules paved the way for the smartphone era* Greenstein traced the commercial internet to a 1992 change in federal law. Congress that year expanded federal authority to support networks carrying traffic beyond research and education, which allowed commercial traffic onto the Internet backbone, the high-capacity lines linking networks. Greenstein called the change "the first step towards the commercial internet." Equipment approval opened up later in the decade, Greenstein said. In the late 1990s, new electronics could wait one to three months for FCC employees to approve them. The commission then shifted that work to[ private certification bodies](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-vote-on-broad-testing-lab-ban-at-april-open-meeting). The approach mirrored Underwriters Laboratories, the private safety certifier whose mark appears on toasters and microwaves. Tens of thousands of products a year now move through the FCC's version, Greenstein said. Faster approval paid off most in[ unlicensed spectrum](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-opens-6-ghz-band-to-higher-power-outdoor-devices), bands where qualifying devices can operate without individual licenses, Greenstein said. Wireless earbuds and hotel key cards were among the products that benefited. The FCC also stopped dictating what each wireless band could be used for in the 1990s, Greenstein said. He credited that flexibility with helping support the smartphone era, now dominated by Apple's iPhone and Google's Android operating system. Earlier leaders, including Finnish phone maker Nokia and Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry, had been less supportive of independent application developers, he said. ### *‘Covered List’ expansion tests 40 years of open innovation* Permission requirements were returning in the name of national security, DelNero warned. The FCC's covered list names equipment and services the agency deems an unacceptable security risk. It initially targeted manufacturers including Chinese telecommunications equipment maker Huawei and has expanded to[ foreign-produced routers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-bans-import-of-new-foreign-made-wi-fi-routers), drones and certain power inverters. "Now you do have to go to the government," DelNero said, "and say, I want permission." Policymakers had not weighed that shift against 40 years of permissionless innovation, he said. But DelNero also offered Section 230 as a case for caution, since its effects proved difficult to anticipate. The liability shield drew little attention when Congress wrote the 1996 law. Other provisions of the Communications Decency Act sought to restrict indecent material online. The Supreme Court struck down the challenged indecency provisions in the 1997 case *Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union*, finding that they violated the First Amendment. Section 230 survived. That history argued for restraint, DelNero said. Government worked best when it acted with humility and did not "prejudge where the technology is going to go," he said. Lewis argued that consumers also needed privacy law and competition policy, along with public options such as municipal broadband, networks owned by local governments. Consumers wanted technology that "works for them, it doesn't use them or exploit them," he said. Public polling showed both fear and excitement about AI, Lewis said, alongside a backlash against the social media platforms that rose in the mid-2000s. He did not cite a specific survey. A June poll by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan research organization, put numbers to that mix. Fifty-two percent of U.S. adults said they were more concerned than excited about AI's growing role in daily life, and 37 percent said they felt both equally. Those concerns could become more visible in the November midterm elections, Lewis said. ### Ookla Taps Seven Fiber ISPs Ripe for Acquisition URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ookla-taps-seven-fiber-isps-ripe-for-acquisition/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2026 – The major wireless carriers have each been buying up fiber providers in recent years, and more are likely to be rolled up as larger ISPs seek to expand their footprints. Ookla has some ideas about which providers are likely targets. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Allo Fiber, Gateway Fiber, LiveOak Fiber, Wire 3, Ripple Fiber, Intrepid Fiber, and Ezee Fiber are the most likely to be involved in a deal, according to [a Monday report](https://www.ookla.com/articles/assessing-the-land-grab-in-the-u-s-fiber-market?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from **Mike Dano**, Ookla’s lead industry analyst. “To be clear, these are not the companies that will be acquired or will make acquisitions, but are simply ones that match a number of characteristics displayed by the companies typically involved in fiber transactions,” he said in the report. Ripple Fiber is [already being acquired](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-fiber-expanding-as-bain-tillman-invest-1-5-billion-in-eaton/) by Eaton Fiber, which itself has a deal to provide Verizon service on its infrastructure. Analysts expect Verizon will be aiming for similar deals to reach its goal of up to 50 million passings. Dano said three primary things make an ISP ripe for acquisition: affluent subscribers, network expansion, and minimal competition. The seven companies he identified are expanding their networks and some have sizable footprints already. Ezee fiber cleared 600,000 passings at the end of last year, and Allo Fiber says it has 700,000 homes in its footprint. LiveOak, Gateway, Wire 3, and Intrepid Fiber are each pursuing network expansion projects. Intrepid recently acquired Ubiquity’s 35,000 fiber passings in San Diego County and counted nearly 150,000 a year ago. Dano said he used Ookla speed test data to find 500 ISPs that were likely providing service with fiber, and narrowed the pool down with each of those three criteria to arrive at the seven prime acquisition targets. The analysis found that 47.6 percent of uncontested fiber markets, those with only one terrestrial ISP, are occupied by nationwide providers like AT&T and Verizon. Some sizable providers like Uniti’s Kinetic brand and Ziply made up another 14 percent. The remaining 38.4 percent of uncontested markets were served by smaller providers. ### *T-Mobile’s fiber joint ventures* AT&T is aiming for 60 million fiber passings by the end of 2030, and Verizon’s goal is 40 million to 50 million over the long term. The companies are aiming high because they say bundling fixed and mobile broadband makes customers much less likely to switch, something smaller ISPs with no mobile service say they’re noticing too in some places. The cable giants are also all in on bundles. T-Mobile, however, isn’t sold. The company is aiming for 12 million to 15 million fiber passings by the end of 2030, purely because they’re money makers in their own right. The company has been spending billions to acquire stakes in regional fiber operators through joint ventures with private equity firms. Ookla found MetroNet accounted for 52.1 percent of T-Mobile’s customer speed tests, with Lumos coming in second at 14.8 percent. The total included GoNetSpeed and i3 Broadband, which haven’t closed yet. They accounted for 7.1 and 6.5 percent of the total, respectively. At the end of 2025, when it reported subscriber numbers for the last time, T-Mobile had nearly 1 million fiber subscribers. ### Dozens of Groups Urge Top Trump Officials to Oppose NextNav Plan URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dozens-of-groups-urge-top-trump-officials-to-oppose-nextnav-plan/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2026 – More than 100 companies and trade associations asked senior Trump administration officials to weigh in against a navigation company’s spectrum plan. In Thursday letters to Transportation Secretary **Sean Duffy** and National Economic Council Director **Kevin Hassett**, the companies said they feared a forthcoming Federal Communications Commission proposal on GPs backups “may incorporate elements of NextNav's proposal.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) NextNav is asking the FCC to reorganize the 902-928 MegaHertz (MHz) band, where it currently has operations, to allow the company to deploy a terrestrial GPS backup and a [potentially lucrative](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-lawmakers-wary-of-nextnav-proposal/) 5G broadband network. Fellow users of the band have almost uniformly opposed the plan, fearing interference from higher power gear would render their IoT and monitoring devices unusable. The [letter to Hassett](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/10/260912-Letter-to-Hassett-FINAL.pdf) was signed by 80 companies and trade groups, including Walmart, Boeing, and Duke Energy, and the [letter to Duffy](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/10/Letter-to-Sec-Duffy-FINAL.pdf) was signed by 62 groups including major American airlines and tolling operators. Some entities signed both. Both letters asked the recipient to oppose the plan at the FCC, forecasting billions in necessary replacements of RFID chips and transponders. “The record is clear, reconfiguring the existing Lower 900 MHz Band is neither necessary to achieve our national PNT goals nor is it without serious economic consequences for American consumers and the businesses they rely on,” companies wrote to Hassett. **Renee Gregory**, NextNav’s government affairs chief, said in a statement that the company “committed to working with stakeholders, the Commission, and this Administration” to advance its plan. “These letters only underscore why this issue belongs before the FCC’s expert engineers, where claims about coexistence, interference, and PNT resilience can be evaluated through a fact-based technical process,”she said. The FCC took comment last year on NextNav’s proposal and other GPS backups generally. A filing with the White House’s Office of Management and budget has stakeholders thinking the agency [is preparing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carr-fcc-open-to-ideas-on-tentative-rural-subsidy-inquiry/) to seek comment on a GPS proposal of some kind. Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee cleared an FCC budget bill earlier this year [that would block](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-appropriators-move-to-block-nextnav-proposal/) any work on NextNav’s plan. The bill hasn’t moved since then. Some House Commerce Committee members were [also weary](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-lawmakers-wary-of-nextnav-proposal/) of the company’s proposal, but Rep. **Brett Guthrie**, R-Ky., the head of the committee, repeatedly said during a hearing this summer he was upset that appropriators tried to act unilaterally on the issue. ### *Coexistence tests* NextNav has FCC clearance to conduct multiple tests of its proposed system to gauge interference in real-world settings. Last week the Security Industry Association, a NextNav opponent, [told the FCC](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077726/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the company’s test radios in San Jose, Calif., were operating at lower power than a 5G network normally would. That would give the appearance of less interference than a mobile deployment in the band would really generate, the group said. In [a Monday filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110078651/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), NextNav responded that it was operating its gear at the maximum power approved under its experimental license from the FCC and in line with normal 5G use. A new lobbying group spun up to oppose the company’s plan, including SIA and many signatories of the Thursday letters, also sent representatives last week to [meet with](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110078180/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) staff from [all three](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2224-240%22%29%29&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) FCC commissioners’ offices on the issue. ### Cable One Gets Another Week to Close MBI Deal URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-gets-another-week-to-close-mbi-deal/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2026 – Initially planned for Oct. 1, Cable One’s acquisition of Mega Broadband Investment has been pushed back to Oct. 9. Cable One said [in a release](https://ir.cableone.net/news-events/investor-news/news-details/2026/Cable-One-In-Advanced-Discussions-Regarding-Financing-Transactions/default.aspx?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Friday it was also in “advanced discussions” on securing financing from investment firm GTCR, the company from which Cable One was going to acquire the 55 percent of MBI it does not already own. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “On the positive side, CABO has, at least for now, avoided the worst case of filing for bankruptcy, and GTCR seems to be willing to put in new capital, which could avoid the most negative downside case of wiping out existing equity holders entirely,” BNP Paribas analyst **Sam McHugh** said in an investor note. He said it was possible GTCR might buy some of Cable One in exchange for only a partial cash payment for MBI. When GTCR exercised a contractual option to sell the rest of MBI to Cable One in January, Cable One expected to pay between $475 million and $495 million. The cable operator [maxed out](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-borrows-700-million-to-preserve-financial-flexibility/) a $1.25 billion credit facility last week, borrowing its remaining $700 million to “increase cash on hand and preserve financial flexibility.” Cable One didn’t mention the MBI transaction as a reason for borrowing the cash. “Given the high leverage of the company today, some kind of debt restructuring will probably be required alongside this, creating significant complexity still in the situation,” McHugh wrote. MBI’s net debt, which Cable One would inherit, is now expected to be between $895 million and $925 million. MBI’s debt was initially forecast lower, but Cable One raised its estimate after relatively poor performance from MBI’s Vyve Broadband business. Cable One’s existing net debt was about $3 billion as of June 30. Cable One CEO **Jim Holanda** said in a statement that GTCR and other investors were “collaborating with us to formulate a solution that supports the future of Cable One,” and that “the contemplated financings are intended to strengthen Cable One’s overall financial position.” Cable One stock was up more than 17 percent Friday morning. Vyve had 675,000 passings and 210,000 subscribers as of Sept. 30, 2025\. The company announced a leadership change in April following the departure of former CEO **Andy Parrott**. Cable One counted 968,200 residential and business broadband subscribers at the end of the second quarter. The companies said in their release that “while all parties are working diligently on the financing transactions, no definitive agreements have been entered into thus far, and there can be no guarantee that any transaction will materialize.” ### SpaceX Has Company – Consumers’ Research Urges FCC to Fold the $4.5 Billion High Cost Fund URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-has-company-consumers-research-urges-fcc-to-fold-the-4-5-billion-high-cost-fund/ Last updated: 2026-10-02T15:40:24.000Z 💡 ■ AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon Finalize Mobile ‘Dead Zone’ JV ■ Report: Starlink Mobile Revenue Soars to $25 Billion by 2031 ■ Maryland’s New Law Targeting Copper Theft Takes Effect ■ WISPA Urging FCC To Tighten USAC Governance Rules ■ CAR President Daniel Suhr: AG Bonta Gets a Pass from Carr Critics on First Amendment ■ Trump Expected to Sign WEA Law Adding Satellite after Texas Flood Killed 135 ■ BBC Wants Netflix-Type Button on TV Remotes as UK Legal Mandate ■ Adriana Rios Welton Joins Optimum as General Counsel ■ Rightfiber Completes Acquisition of Fastwyre Nebraska **USF: Consumers’ Research wants the FCC** to shut down the $4.5 billion High Cost Fund, echoing a position also taken by Starlink parent SpaceX. In [a Sept. 30 letter to the agency](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110079011/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), CR Executive Director **Will Hild** said consumers are being taxed to support broadband networks that already exist. “Consumers’ Research therefore urges the FCC to discontinue High‑Cost spending on redundant infrastructure,” Hild wrote. “The FCC should not create a new long‑term High‑Cost mechanism that would lock in another decade of the same tax for duplicative networks. It should not extend legacy support to locations that unsubsidized providers already serve.” ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Broadband Breakfast on October 28, 2026 – Earnings Reports URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-october-28-2026-earnings-reports/ Last updated: 2026-10-14T18:12:44.000Z Broadband Breakfast Live Online examines what the latest financial results from major public communications companies reveal about the state of broadband deployment, subscriber growth and investment trends in the private sector. As providers report their Third Quarter results from 2026, industry analysts and observers will unpack the data behind capital expenditure decisions, fiber buildout progress and the competitive dynamics shaping the broadband marketplace. We’ll also walk Breakfast Club Members through the [Premium Charts and Data](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/premium-charts-and-data/) compiled from earnings calls. Join us for an expert-driven conversation on what this quarter's earnings mean for the future of connectivity in America. ## Sign up for FREE for 'Earnings Reports' Once you log in, [click this link](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/earnings-reports?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to watch the BroadbandLive program Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Better Broadband, Better Lives [Premium Charts and DataThe Breakfast Club provides actionable information for broadband professionals.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-297.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/og_size_images__3_-charts-og-fixed-7.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/premium-charts-and-data/) ### *Panelists* - **David Barden**, Head of U.S. Communication Services, New Street Research - *Other panelists have been invited.* - **Drew Clark** (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/David-Barden.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/Drew-Clark-High-Resolution-Photo.jpg) **David Barden** heads up the U.S. Communication Services research team and is a part of the Space research team. He has more than 30 years of global sell-side research experience and most recently served as Head of U.S. and Canada Communications Research at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He has been consistently recognized among the industry’s top analysts, including a double *Institutional Investor* All-America ranking in 2024. Breakfast Media LLC CEO **Drew Clark** has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. [![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/2024/01/home-page-bblo-1.png)](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/tag/broadbandlive/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ## *How to Log in* [*CHAT.BroadbandBreakfast.com*](http://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) - Look for the email from Broadband Breakfast with the subject line, “Sign in to Broadband Breakfast.” Click the orange button that says, “Sign in now.” - OR - Go to [https://broadbandbreakfast.com](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/) and click on “Sign in” in the upper right hand corner. Type in your email address. You will get an email from Broadband Breakfast with the subject line, “Secure sign in link for Broadband Breakfast.” Click the orange button that says “Sign in to Broadband Breakfast.” - Once you click that link *for the first time*, you will get another email from Broadband Breakfast that reads, “Your temporary login code is XXXXXX” - Use that two-factor authentication to activate your account on [https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) - Navigate to the “Community” in the upper left-hand spot of the top navigation bar. - You will see the event in the “BroadbandLive Events” space, at [https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ### FBA Study Highlights One Permitting Rule as the Most Disruptive to Broadband Deployment URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fba-study-highlights-one-permitting-rule-as-the-most-disruptive-to-broadband-deployment/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2026 – ISPs often say local permitting rules can hold up projects. A new analysis commissioned by a broadband trade group says it found the most detrimental policy. That would be fees charged per foot of fiber laid, according to the report. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [The report](https://fiberbroadband.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FBA-Wireline-Permitting-Study%5F9.26.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), done by Cartesian for the Fiber Broadband Association, said federal regulators should ban those kinds of fees for broadband projects. The report also recommended capping other fees and a 120-day shot clock on local permit reviews. Cartesian trawled FBA’s member survey, court filings, comments at the Federal Communications Commission, and government websites to find 100 examples of what it called egregious permitting practices that needed to be addressed by federal intervention. The FCC is [currently considering](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/industry-local-governments-still-disagree-strongly-on-permitting/) whether to preempt certain local permitting policies to speed up wireline broadband deployments, a move strongly supported by ISPs and strongly opposed by local governments. [FBA said](https://fiberbroadband.org/resources/wireline-permitting-study-economic-impact-on-fiber-fba/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it would be filing the study with the FCC for it to consider [In comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077564/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last month, trade groups said most local permitting agencies were helpful — FBA found that ISPs were able to lay fiber to 11.8 million new homes and businesses in 2025 — but they wanted the FCC to stop lengthy reviews and excessive fees they said were derailing projects across the country. Local government [officials told](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077417/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the FCC they “strenuously object” to the idea that they’re holding up broadband expansion, and said their reviews were necessary to maintain safe rights-of-way. For its report, Cartesian started with a model fiber build that would reach 10,000 homes and require 100 route-miles of fiber. It then applied each of 12 permitting conditions and tried to gauge the effect they would have on the project's ultimate internal rate of return, a measure of its financial attractiveness. Recurring right-of-way access fees charged per foot of conduit were by far the most detrimental to a project’s IRR, Cartesian said in its report, with the second most being one-time versions of the same fees. Projects can use miles of fiber, meaning even a small per-foot fee can become significant for larger projects. In its review of provider anecdotes, Cartesian found 13 instances of recurring or one-time fees charged per foot of fiber being laid, mostly from FBA member submissions or the FCC docket. The group also found excessive delays, a year or more, to have a negative impact, enough to potentially end the business case for a project. Inspection and upfront permit fees, even ones the group defined as excessively high, were less likely to stop a build in its tracks, the report found. In the FCC’s proposal on local permitting preemption, the agency said it wanted to limit permitting fees to those that were “a reasonable approximation of the government’s costs of managing the public rights-of-way in connection with a particular authorization.” The agency said multiple provider examples of per-foot fees “raise serious concerns” about local permitting fees. In joint comments, groups representing local governments told the FCC last month that limiting fees to direct costs would in some cases conflict with state laws requiring fair market compensation for private use of public property. They described the FCC’s proposal as “poorly accounting for the actual costs and burdens of right-of-way deployment borne by local governments.” The House Commerce Committee passed along party lines a bill that would institute some of the changes the trade groups have asked for, but it hasn't yet cleared the full House. ### FTC Opens Probe of AI Giants Anthropic, OpenAI Over Consumer Risks URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ftc-opens-probe-of-ai-giants-anthropic-openai-over-consumer-risks/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2026 – The Federal Trade Commission is investigating OpenAI, Anthropic, and other artificial intelligence companies over potential risks their technologies pose to consumers. An [FTC spokesperson confirmed the investigation](https://apnews.com/article/ftc-ai-investigation-anthropic-openai-89ac416717adbfb1d72f2d85e6ce83d1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Wednesday but declined to provide further details. [The New York Post first reported](https://nypost.com/2026/09/30/us-news/ftc-opens-sweeping-probe-of-anthropic-openai-and-other-super-intelligence-models/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the probe and said it has been underway for months, according to The Associated Press. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The investigation comes as AI companies have disclosed instances of their systems behaving in ways that go beyond users’ instructions, including accessing the internet and attempting to hack external websites. OpenAI disclosed last week that its AI models had unexpectedly interacted with several U.S. government websites, including sites operated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Census Bureau. The company said the models accessed publicly available information but did not access SEC credentials, private information or accounts, or compromise the government systems. OpenAI also disclosed in July that two of its AI models were responsible for a cyberattack targeting Hugging Face, an AI development platform. OpenAI CEO **Sam Altman** said last week that the incident remained the most serious example of unexpected behavior the company had seen. The FTC investigation comes as some AI companies themselves have called for more time to develop safety measures. Anthropic CEO **Dario Amodei** said this month that the industry should slow its development pace so safety measures can catch up. [Amodei warned that AI could soon be capable](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/ai-leaders-warn-un-of-security-risks-as-systems-grow-more-powerful-ce785aded98df321?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of coordinating large numbers of agents that could operate across the internet. “If managed poorly, I even believe that AI could be a risk to humanity as a whole,” Amodei said. Microsoft co-founder **Bill Gates** issued a similar warning last week, saying AI could be used by people with malicious intentions to cause catastrophic harm. “AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events that cause a billion deaths,” [Gates said in a Sept. 27, 2026 interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.”](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/full-interview-bill-gates-says-its-not-enough-to-have/id74840240?i=1000791922808&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) He added that there has “never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools.” OpenAI also[ delayed the launch of its newest model](http://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/home?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) this week over safety concerns. The FTC has [broad authority to investigate unfair or deceptive practices](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-trade-commission-chairman-sees-ai-antitrust-risks-upstream/) affecting consumers. The agency has previously used that authority to examine AI-related business practices, including a 2024 inquiry into partnerships between major cloud providers and AI developers. That earlier inquiry focused on partnerships involving Microsoft and OpenAI, and Amazon and Google with Anthropic. [The FTC said the study was intended to examine](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/11-ai-bills-cleared-committee-this-summer-but-none-has-reached-the-house-floor/) how those relationships could affect competition and the broader AI marketplace. The latest investigation is focused on potential consumer risks rather than those partnerships. The FTC has not said whether it has found any violations of federal law or what enforcement action, if any, could result from the investigation. ### Maryland Law Takes Effect as Senators Push Federal Network Vandalism Bill URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/maryland-law-takes-effect-as-senators-push-federal-network-vandalism-bill/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:39.000Z WASHINGTON Oct. 1, 2026 – A new Maryland law aimed at making stolen telecommunications equipment harder to sell took effect today as two U.S. senators introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal penalties for vandalizing broadband networks. The new requirements come as [copper theft has become a recurring problem](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-believes-organized-crime-is-behind-copper-theft/) in Cecil County, Maryland. [Verizon crews told WMAR-TV that ](https://www.wmar2news.com/matterformallory/copper-thefts-plague-cecil-county-new-maryland-law-makes-stolen-cable-harder-to-sell?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)thieves have been cutting telecommunications cables multiple times a week, disrupting phone and internet service. Thieves can cut cables and leave the area in an hour or less, while repairs can take considerably longer. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The Maryland law requires junk dealers and scrap-metal processors to obtain documentation showing lawful authority to sell certain telecommunications equipment. Dealers also must keep records and report purchases of covered equipment to law enforcement. The law applies to equipment including fiber-optic and copper cables, small-cell facilities and other telecommunications infrastructure. The law also creates a misdemeanor for recklessly or willfully and maliciously damaging telecommunications infrastructure, punishable by up to six months in prison, a $500 fine, or both. The problem can extend beyond copper. Verizon said thieves sometimes cut fiber cables because they cannot distinguish them from copper, leaving fiber networks damaged even when the stolen material has little resale value. A single fiber cable can contain hundreds of individual glass fibers that must be repaired individually. The Maryland legislation comes as Sens. **Eric Schmitt**, R-Mo., and **Alex Padilla**, D-Calif., introduced the Senate companion to the [Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act](https://www.ncta.com/news/statement-on-the-stopping-the-theft-and-destruction-of-broadband-act?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Sept. 30, 2026. The bill, S. 5617, [would amend federal law to address vandalism involving copper](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-trusty-infrastructure-vandalism-is-a-national-security-crisis/), fiber and coaxial cables used to provide telecommunications and information services. It was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The House version, introduced in 2025 by Reps. **Laurel Lee**, R-Fla., and **Marc Veasey**, D-Texas, would expand federal protections to privately owned broadband infrastructure. Existing federal law specifically addresses damage to certain government-owned communications facilities. NCTA - The Internet & Television Association backed the Senate legislation, saying attacks on communications infrastructure are disrupting emergency services and leaving consumers without connectivity. The industry group said [more than 18,000 attacks on communications infrastructure were reported in 2025](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-asks-to-discontinue-service-on-damaged-vandalized-copper-lines-2/), disrupting service for 11.8 million customers. NCTA has also reported that 2026 has brought a wave of state legislation addressing network theft and vandalism. Maryland is among the states taking action at the same time Congress considers a federal approach. The Maryland law's sponsor, Sen. **Carl Jackson**, D, said he plans to share the legislation with neighboring states in hopes of creating more consistent protections across state lines. ### Carr Defends Covered List Expansions URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carr-defends-covered-list-expansions/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2026 – The head of the Federal Communications Commission defended Wednesday the agency’s sweeping import bans on foreign-made tech. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** said at a press conference the agency’s Covered List process was “working exceptionally well.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The Covered List is the agency’s list of gear that can't be imported. It largely includes products from Chinese and Russian companies, but the agency has recently added all foreign-made routers and humanoid robotics, meaning new models can’t be imported without a waiver. Carr was quick to note that while “we participate to some extent,” the FCC ultimately acted on determinations made by other federal law enforcement agencies when it added something to the Covered List. A new bipartisan [House bil](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/guthrie-pallone-introduce-bill-to-increase-oversight-of-fcc-covered-list/)l led by Reps. **Brett Guthrie**, R-Ky., and **Frank Pallone**, D-N.J., would limit Covered List bans to equipment made by companies controlled by foreign adversaries and give Congress the ability to reverse new additions. The lawmakers lead the House Commerce Committee. The lawmakers said in a joint statement that the current process worked in many cases, but “lacks the transparency, consistency, and clarity needed to meet our long-term national security needs as technology rapidly advances.” Asked about the bill, Carr said he was “open-minded to legislation that further helps to streamline and strengthen and enhance the process,” but added that there were “some businesses out there that don’t like the idea of having to shift in a reasonable manner to more secure supply chains, and they’re going to find different ways to try to complain about that.” [Another House bill](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-subcommittee-advances-broadband-bills/), which the Commerce Committee did not advance with another set of telecom bills recently, would have applied similar restrictions to the FCC’s ban on foreign-made humanoid robotics. “I appreciate the administration’s recognition of this threat,” Guthrie said during the subcommittee markup of the bill on Sept. 1\. “I do have some questions, however, about how an overly broad approach could hurt American supply chains and our ability to compete against China in the long term.” The FCC has been granting waivers from its ban on new foreign-made routers, granting requests from broadband trade groups allowing their suppliers to alter approved models amid global supply shortages. Groups with recently approved waivers include CTIA, USTelecom, NTCA, and ACA Connects. Numerous trade groups, like CTIA, INCOMPAS, and others, [filed comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2221-232%22%29%29&page=0&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) earlier this week opposing a [July proposal](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-422746A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to expand the kind of hardware components that would be blocked from companies on the Covered List. They said any Covered List changes should be tied to a specific threat the FCC or another agency identified, which they said was absent in this case. ### *Kennedy Center Tickets* At the press conference, Carr also denied passing information as a commissioner to Paramount and Skydance to ensure their merger was approved, which it ultimately was under his chairmanship. The allegation was made by Rep. **Jamie Raskin**, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, during a Capitol Forum event Tuesday. Raskin alleged Carr passed along advice at a Kennedy Center honors gala in 2024. “I don’t know what Raskin is talking about, and I don’t think he does either,” Carr said. ProPublica [reported in July](https://www.propublica.org/article/paramount-mergers-fcc-kennedy-center-gala?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that Carr, along with current FCC Commissioners **Olivia Trusty** and **Anna Gomez** and past chairs and commissioners, had attended Kennedy Center galas with tickets sponsored by Paramount or its subsidiary CBS, companies the agency is charged with regulating. Carr said lawmakers and FCC members from both parties regularly went to Kennedy Center honors galas with comped tickets, which can be worth thousands, and that he went through the normal process when clearing his attendance as chairman in 2025. Agency chairs have gone to the event “for the past, I don’t know, 20 or 25 years, running through normal, standard review processes when they did that,” he said. “That happened here as well.” He said his attendance was cleared by agency ethics officials but declined to comment on whether **Adam Candeub**, then the FCC’s top attorney and now the nominee to lead the Justice Department’s antitrust unit, reviewed the matter. Gomez, the agency’s lone Democrat, said she didn’t know anything about Raskin’s allegations, but that she normally cleared event attendance with Candeub’s office. ### Senators Press for Liability and Transparency After ‘Rogue AI’ Incident URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senators-press-for-liability-and-transparency-after-rogue-ai-incident/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2026 - A Senate subcommittee hearing on Wednesday focused on the risks of autonomous AI agents acting beyond human control, with Sen. **Josh Hawley,** R-Mo.**,** pushing for strict developer liability and AI safety expert **Chris Painter** calling for more public disclosure about frontier model capabilities and incidents. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s Disaster Management subcommittee held the hearing, [titled](https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/dmdcc/hearings/rogue-ai-securing-the-homeland-against-ai-agent-attacks/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “Rogue AI: Securing the Homeland Against AI Agent Attacks,” focusing in part on a July [incident](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/30/openai-sued-cyberattack.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in which hundreds of AI agents created by OpenAI breached the infrastructure of Hugging Face, a platform widely used by developers to store and share code. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Hawley, who chairs the subcommittee, argued that AI developers should face the same product-liability standards as other manufacturers. “Every corporation in this country that makes a product abides by it. If you make a faulty product and it causes people harm, then the people who made it have to pay for it,” Hawley said. His stance puts him at odds with much of his party and the White House, which have generally favored lighter-touch, industry-led safety commitments over hard regulatory rules. **Painter**, President of Model Evaluation and Threat Research (METR), a nonprofit that works with AI labs to study their models, [told](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/experts-warn-us-lawmakers-that-ai-models-are-internally-reasoning-beyond-human-oversight/4074348?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) senators that autonomous agents have become capable enough to complete tasks that would take human experts days. He warned that the speed and volume of agent activity mean detailed human supervision is often impossible, with companies relying on AI systems to monitor other AI systems. Painter urged the federal government and tech companies to share more information with the public about frontier AI capabilities, the effectiveness of safeguards, and incidents involving unwanted agent behavior - citing the OpenAI-Hugging Face episode as a case where greater transparency could help the broader ecosystem learn. Hawley returned repeatedly to liability, suggesting that if AI agents cause harm, the companies that built and deployed them should be on the hook, framing the July sandbox breakout as the kind of failure that would trigger recalls or lawsuits in other industries. Other senators on the panel echoed concerns about accountability and transparency. Sen. **Andy Kim**, D-N.J., [warned](https://www.forth.news/stories/CfaVbsT47iqQcqthgwmED?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that voluntary measures are not enough to protect critical infrastructure and urged faster congressional action on AI controls. Sen. **Richard Blumenthal**, D-Conn., dismissed the White House’s “morally binding” safety pledge as unenforceable, saying companies could simply choose to stop being “morally bound.” Several lawmakers backed Painter’s call for more public reporting on AI incidents, framing the OpenAI-Hugging Face breach as a warning that self-regulation leaves national security and consumer protection gaps. The hearing closed without agreement on next steps, but it made clear that any serious AI safety push will have to reconcile two competing visions: Hawley’s call for hard liability rules that treat advanced AI like any other potentially dangerous product, and the White House and industry’s preference for voluntary, “morally binding” safety commitments. ### Carriers Finalize Direct-to-Device Spectrum JV URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carriers-finalize-direct-to-device-spectrum-jv/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2025 – Nearly five months after announcing plans to pool their spectrum resources for direct-to-device satellite use, the big three mobile carriers have finalized their joint venture. The JV will be led by **Paul Roth**, a longtime AT&T executive, while the companies search for a permanent CEO, they said in [a release Thursday](https://about.att.com/story/2026/jv-help-end-dead-zones.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) When they outlined plans for the JV in May, the carriers said they were combining their rural spectrum resources and creating a platform for satellite operators to use those airwaves for direct-to-device mobile service outside the reach of their terrestrial networks. Industry analysts saw the JV [at the time](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/big-three-mobile-carriers-planning-to-pool-spectrum-for-satellite-operators/) as a “shot across the bow” at SpaceX, which is by far the furthest ahead with its direct-to-device plans. The partnership would both make it easier for another satellite company to compete with SpaceX, they said, and reduce the odds of one carrier breaking rank and giving the satellite operator a deal to sell service on their network. “Through combined investment by the three JV partners, provider options will expand, and, as a first step, direct-to-device (D2D) access will improve,” the companies said in a release. “This will enhance competition as consumer choices grow in satellite service. Emerging communications technologies can be more easily and quickly developed and launched to enhance customer experience.” T-Mobile already has a deal to offer direct-to-device with SpaceX, and AT&T and Verizon have a similar arrangement with AST SpaceMobile. The companies said Thursday individual deals like those wouldn’t be affected or prohibited by the JV. The carriers also said Thursday that the JV would work with smaller rural carriers to “enable them to bring new products to market for their customers” and help them “deploy innovative new services for customers more quickly.” When the JV was announced in May, the Rural Wireless Association was apprehensive. The [group said](https://mailchi.mp/ruralwireless.org/rwa-appoints-2026-board-4954505?e=2118a3c185&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the partnership would lead to big carriers pulling out of roaming deals with smaller providers, effectively running them out of business and leaving their customers with only direct-to-device service offered through the JV. RWA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. SpaceX’s current direct-to-device service with T-Mobile is powered by about 650 satellites. The company has asked the Federal Communications Commission to launch 15,000 units to power its next-generation direct-to-device service, which would use SpaceX’s own spectrum it’s acquiring from EchoStar. Amazon has asked the FCC for permission to launch 5,100 satellites to support a direct-to-device service, which would also use exclusive spectrum the company is acquiring through its purchase of Globalstar. In addition to AST’s plans to offer service through carrier partnerships, the company is asking for FCC permission to use Ligado’s exclusive direct-to-device spectrum for a future constellation. AST is behind schedule on its current constellation but is hoping to start service later this year. ### *SpaceX’s mobile ambitions* SpaceX executives said on the company’s earnings call in August that the company is planning to compete directly with the major carriers. They described placing tiny radios on mounts already holding dishes for SpaceX’s Starlink home broadband service. Analysts were skeptical of the idea. “Consensus has increasingly concluded that w/o terrestrial spectrum, physics constrain SpaceX's ability to deliver seamless, nationwide mobility,” Wolfe Research analyst **Peter Supino** wrote in a Tuesday investor note. “We don't think Starlink Mobile is ‘dead’ but will require acquisitions in coming FCC spectrum auctions to change skeptics' minds… and potentially open the MVNO door.” This week, SpaceX completed the fourteenth test flight of its massive Starship rocket, which deployed new, larger Starlink satellites into orbit. The company is aiming to make Starship fully reusable, which would make launches significantly faster and cheaper. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that SpaceX had stopped accepting launch orders on its current Falcon 9 rocket after 2028. ### Charles Phillips Elected to Verizon’s Board of Directors URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charles-phillips-elected-to-verizons-board-of-directors/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:40.000Z WASHINGTON, Oct.1, 2026 – Verizon [added businessman](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/29/3371348/0/en/verizon-elects-charles-phillips-to-its-board-of-directors.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Charles Pillips** as the 10th member to its Board of Directors on Sept. 25\. Currently, Phillips is serving as Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Recognize Partners LP, a [New York City based](https://recognize.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) firm that partners with tech companies to make private equity investments. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Previously, he served as the executive chairman of Infor, Inc., an enterprise software application provider, [from 2019 to 2020,](https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/articles/verizon-elects-charles-phillips-board-203000983.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as well as CEO from 2010-2020\. Before then, he was the President of Oracle Corp. from 2003 to 2010 and a Managing Director in Morgan Stanley's Technology Group from 1996 to 2003\. “Charles is an accomplished leader with distinctive experience in technology, financial and regulatory environments,” [Verizon CEO](https://www.citybiz.co/article/911343/verizon-elects-charles-phillips-to-board-of-directors/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Dan Schulman** said. ### Disney Is Fighting FCC ‘At the Wrong Time in the Wrong Court,’ Carr Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/disney-is-fighting-fcc-at-the-wrong-time-in-the-wrong-court-carr-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-01T13:11:25.000Z 💡 ■ Indiana Awards $400 million in BEAD funds to 24 ISPs ■ DISH Applauds FCC’s Decision in Must Carry Case ■ New FBA/Cartesian Study Warns about Permitting Delays ■ Senate Democrats Use Filibuster to Block Ratepayer Protection Act ■ Japan’s SoftBank Now Owns U.S. ISP WideOpenWest (WOW!) ■ NCTA Salutes New Senate Bill Criminalizing Network Vandalism ■ FTC Opens Safety Probe into AI’s Anthropic and OpenAI ■ Carr FCC Opens More Spectrum for Starlink, Amazon Leo ■ Sen. Blackburn: Unlike Verizon, AT&T Resisted Jack Smith’s Demands for Her Call Records ■ Carr Honors FCC Staff Members for Engineering and Economic Achievements ■ WOW! Names Christopher Sikora as Chief Commercial Officer Disney: Disney’s challenge to the FCC’s early ABC license‑renewal order drew sharp criticism on Sept. 30 from FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr,** who said the company is pursuing its case in the wrong venue. Carr said Disney’s filing “doesn’t fit within the norms of the Communications Act” and ignores the statute’s required review path. He later mocked Disney’s approach at an agency press conference in Washington, D.C. “Look, when it comes to this particular Disney litigation, it’s very clear we’ve made the case in our pleadings that Disney has filed at the wrong time in the wrong court, making meritless arguments. But other than that, I think they’re doing pretty well in their litigation,” Carr said. ***(More after paywall)*** | | [![](https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NY0TnJTLVt0HgwT5KTQHES6fXfr3XeKD0iwcQXvs48zytlLFN_CvXIo5zyfJZC-ACG1eSzrwlsuPDuOYFwjfYTKn1mZ064KdQ6ZNaVhYhKGzGSAXBYNEe4Ecj8drsifFYeOIn0V1HitBPHshPaiMvnhM9kmtuotglAroG24KKO0wQOucOfP6Ks18a0EzfxlHyAU4ZXrIOyXLvl3A0H3P23b1GKfVoX2f0hLbfI4dZSOd3-b8NcqMXo_YL5MA9LYk-1xnUHh7DignLGCGeJuQE_lIKo-EeC_bfolnX7XkmpvLLCqWSliM9jc40vKmfedT9ei4w=s0-d-e1-ft#https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RgfF!,w_1100,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd18b557-4ace-48cd-8063-c02c08b65ee8_971x543.png)](https://substack.com/redirect/89121272-976c-4b21-bb53-c9454d405d09?j=eyJ1IjoiMW1rNDU2In0.7hkUIYspeTfC5N4ngJVayu5Bt5mCEdmLbaY2LsSOQfA&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Indiana to Spend $400 Million to Fund New BEAD Projects URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/indiana-to-spend-400-million-to-fund-new-bead-projects/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:40.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2026 - Better internet access is on the way for thousands of homes and businesses across Indiana. More than 122,000 homes and businesses across Indiana are set to receive high-speed broadband service after the state awarded more than $400 million in federal broadband contracts to 24 internet providers, Gov. **Mike Braun** [announced](https://www.in.gov/indianabroadband/bead/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Wednesday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/bai_rough_2026_1001.jpg)](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [***Sign up for Broadband and AI in the Next Congress on Dec 1!**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Early Bird Registration Until Oct. 16! ](https://payments-na1.hubspot.com/payments/7TyXGqH4bm?referrer=PAYMENT%5FLINK&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The funding comes through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, which is intended to connect unserved and underserved locations with reliable high-speed internet. Indiana received nearly $486.3 million through the program. Participating internet service providers are required to contribute at least 25% of project costs, but the companies awarded contracts committed more than $300 million in additional matching funds, according to the Indiana Broadband Office. Braun said the investments are aimed especially at rural communities that have lacked dependable service. “Broadband service isn’t a luxury, it is a necessity,” Braun said in a statement. “These homes and businesses, especially those in the most rural parts of our state, will finally have access to reliable service for everyday tasks such as remote work, telehealth and schoolwork.” Construction on some projects could begin as early as this fall, with all BEAD-funded construction expected to finish by the end of 2030, the state said. The announcement marks the largest broadband infrastructure investment Indiana has undertaken, according to Chief Broadband Officer **Megan Minor.** “It has been a long time coming, and Hoosiers in every corner of the state are excited and ready for the broadband service that this program will provide,” Minor said. “It will succeed because internet service providers, residents, local leaders, and partners across the state have stepped up to meet the moment.” The state is also preparing for a second round of BEAD applications after the National Telecommunications and Information Administration released a supplemental deployment policy notice earlier this month. That round is expected to cover addresses that were not included in the initial funding process but still lack adequate internet service. Indiana Broadband Office officials said they are waiting for NTIA to provide the list of eligible addresses before working with pre-qualified providers on new applications and awards. Residents and businesses can check whether their address is included in a BEAD-funded project through the Indiana Broadband Progress Hub. The map shows the planned provider, projected download and upload speeds, and an expected deployment timeline for each location. ### Innovation and Competition Anchor America's 150 Year Experiment with Telecommunications URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/innovation-and-competition-anchor-americas-150-year-experiment-with-telecommunications/ Last updated: 2026-10-16T18:38:16.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2026 – As this anniversary year enters its final quarter tomorrow, Broadband Breakfast takes stock of “[250 Years of American Independence and 150 Years of American Telecommunications](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/).” That’s the title of the online conference, hosted at 12 Noon ET October 1 for Broadband Breakfast Club Members. Sign up to join the Breakfast Club and attend. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) You’ve heard a lot about this theme from us over the past four months, as we hosted three events, each covering a distinct 50-year arc of American communications history, in June and July. ### **June 17: 1876*–*1926, The Telephone and the Transatlantic Cable.** [Read the article](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telephones-rise-was-shaped-by-courts-and-lobbying-not-just-wires-historians-say/) ### **June 24: 1927–1976, Broadcasting, Cable and the Creation of the* Media* [Read the article](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/from-the-beginning-politics-triggered-broadcasting/) ### *July 1: 1977–2026, Computing, the Internet and Artificial Intelligence* [Read the article](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-internet-dispersed-power-the-supreme-court-is-concentrating-it/) Then, in August, we released the first lessons of a 35-lesson course specifically devoted to “[150 Years of American Telecommunications](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/).” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/course_banner_wordmark_notitle.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign up for Free and Join Section A of the course**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer)***!** [Sign up for Free! ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) I previewed each of six sections in a special BroadbandLive session: [Broadband Breakfast Course Traces 150 Years of American TelecommunicationsBroadband Breakfast CEO previews the 35-lesson course tracing American telecom from Bell’s patent to AI. The course launches Monday![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-4b61df90-0953-4b51-94e2-2daa249d88de.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/250150-course-graphic-1-4fe4b2c6-2c68-4a0a-a618-8a5e769fa342.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-course-traces-150-years-of-american-telecommunications/) - ***Section A: An American Invention and an American Telecom Network*** - ***Section B: The New Deal for American Communications*** - ***Section C: Early Cable, Wireless and Satellite*** - ***Section D: The Internet*** - ***Section D: The Internet*** - ***Section F: Broadband and AI*** And we’ve been releasing these every Monday since then, and have now completed Section A and are half-way into Section B. The four lessons in Section A are available for free, to any member of the broadband community. The remaining 35 lessons are available, at no additional cost, to Breakfast Club Members. ### *Commemorating history and technology* Now – tomorrow – our commemoration event comes together in an online event beginning at 12 Noon ET. Sen. **Deb Fischer**, R-Neb., will offer keynote remarks to begin the celebration. Fischer, who serves as chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, focuses on America’s nuclear triad and associated delivery systems, the emergence of space as a warfighting domain, and defending the nation against increasingly sophisticated missile threats. She’ll bring a unique perspective that the broadband community need to focus on. Fischer’s subcommittee directly oversees two unified combatant commands: U.S. Strategic Command, headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, and U.S. Space Command. But Fischer’s remarks are on the beginning of more than two-and-a-half hours of history-plus-technology. Her remarks will be followed by three historical recaps: One for each of three periods covered in our early-summer BroadbandLive sessions. Two of the presentations will be joined by the scholars who participated previously. **Claude Fischer**, distinguished professor of the Graduate School in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, and who spoke on June 17, will speak to “The Telephone and the Telegraph.” He’ll be followed by **Thomas Hazlett,** with whom I have co-authored a law review article (with **Sarah Oh Lam**) on [the Fairness Doctrine, “spectrum scarcity” and public interest obligations](https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/njtip/vol9/iss3/1/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Hazlett will reprise and build upon many of the points he made in our Jun 24 session on “Broadcasting, Cable and the Creation of the Media.” The third historical recap will be focused on the last 50 years, the era of “Computing and the Internet,” and will be presented by **Christopher S. Yoo,** the Imasogie Professor in Law and Technology at the University of Pennsylvania and founding director of its Center for Technology, Innovation and Competition. ### *Here’s the rest of the program* - Noon–12:05 p.m. | Welcome: **Drew Clark**, CEO, Broadband Breakfast - 12:05–12:20 p.m. | Keynote: Sen. **Deb Fischer** - 12:20–12:35 p.m. | 1876–1926: The Telephone and the Telegraph: **Claude Fischer** - 12:35–12:50 p.m. | 1927–1976: Broadcasting, Cable and the Creation of the Media: **Thomas Hazlett** - 12:50–1:35 p.m. | Innovation: **Matt DelNero**, partner, Covington and Burling; **Shane Greenstein,** Martin Marshall Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School; and **Chris Lewis**, president and CEO, Public Knowledge. - 1:35–1:50 p.m. | 1977–2026: Computing and the Internet: **Christopher Yoo** - 1:50–2:35 p.m. | Competition: **Milton Mueller**, author of seven books, including *Universal Service: Competition, Interconnection, and Monopoly in the Making of the American Telephone System,* as well as being the founder co-director of the Internet Governance Project; **Eli Noam**, Professor of Economics and Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, emeritus, at Columbia University; **Jonathan Nuechterlein,** distinguished scholar at George Washington University’s Competition Law Center and who teaches antitrust and telecommunications law at Georgetown and the University of Virginia; and **Gigi Sohn**, Executive Director, American Association for Public Broadband; and the cofounder of Public Knowledge; as well as being senior fellow and public advocate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, and distinguished fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy ### *Innovation and Competition* As we noted in [Lesson 1: The Telephone and the Telephone Network](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-1-the-telephone-and-the-telephone-network/), the Patent Office granted **Alexander Graham Bell’s** patent on March 7, 1876, three days before he transmitted speech in a Boston laboratory. At a March 2026 ceremony marking 150 years on the occasion of Bell's patent, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director **John Squires**, also the under secretary of Commerce for intellectual property [called the event the first of the agency's programs](https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/news-updates/remarks-john-squires-150-years-alexander-graham-bells-telephone-patent?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the nation's 250th, also noting that invention and independence share a birth year. (The Patent Office, of course, is not the only entity intellectual property-promoting agency to make much of an anniversary year. The Copyright Office [last week celebrated](https://www.copyright.gov/events/copyright-act-50th-anniversary/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the 50th Anniversary of the Copyright Act’s 1976 passage. And, of course, many telecom-and-tech focused entities have pondered 250 years of innovation – or the 30 years since the passage of the Telecom Act of 1976, including [AEI](https://www.aei.org/events/30-years-of-the-telecommunications-act-what-did-we-learn/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the [Benton Institute](https://www.benton.org/event/telecom-act-30?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [Public Knowledge](https://publicknowledge.org/the-telecommunications-act-of-1996-at-30-an-analysis-of-policy-power-and-the-public-interest/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the [Federal Communications Commission](https://www.fcc.gov/consumer-governmental-affairs/fcc-announces-2-events-commemorate-30th-anniversary-telecommunications-act-1996?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [Congress](https://www.congress.gov/event/119th-congress/house-event/119115?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and [Broadband Breakfast](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/they-came-not-to-bury-but-to-praise-the-telecom-act-of-1996/).) ### *Innovation was never enough, on its own* While an American didn’t invent the telegraph, the telephone offered a technology that the United States commercialized and deployed far more than other nations. Invention alone was never enough. What built Bell's market was the breadth of that patent and the litigation that defended it. Other forces besides innovation were equally true for **Edwin Armstrong‘s** invention of frequency modulation, the static-free FM broadcasting still in use – although its arrival was delayed by entrenched AM incumbents. **Philo Farnsworth** won the fundamental television patent but then lost the story to RCA's publicity machine under **David Sarnoff**, which crowned its own engineers at the 1939 World's Fair. Each breakthrough traveled a similar road: A working invention, a fight over patent scope, and a verdict decided less by the lab than by who held the rights and the airwaves. ### *Competition was always the harder achievement* But if, as the adage runs, “necessity is the mother of invention”, who then is the father of competition? **Adam Smith** wrote that “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” The butcher, the brewer and the baker are not necessarily in competition with each other. But it must needs be that when there is money to be made, competition will come! Are telecommunication and technology – for all their innovative glory – destined to fall pray to “network effects” in which the first to consolidate gains market control? Competition in American communications has swung like a pendulum for these 150 years. The telegraph consolidated first, as Western Union absorbed its rivals into a single national monopoly. The telephone traveled a rougher road. The Kingsbury Commitment of 1913, a deal AT&T struck with the government to head off antitrust action, promised competition yet left the company with roughly 98 percent of long-distance traffic. And – [we discussed in Lesson 3](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-3-in-other-counties-ptts-posts-telegraph-and-telephone/) – Washington even tried public ownership. For one year, from 1918 to 1919, the Post Office ran the phone system. Most nations made that arrangement permanent, whereas the U.S. handed the wires back to private hands. The Telecommunications Act of 1996, the first law written for the Internet age – yet without mentioning the Internet – made the boldest attempt to open local networks to new entrants in the hope that rivals would bloom. Exactly 30 years later, the results are decidedly mixed. These are among the themes that we’ll be discussing on Oct 1\. Join us for the full conversation! ### ### Data Center Bill Falls Short in Senate as Lawmakers Take Final Votes Before the Midterms URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/data-center-bill-falls-short-in-senate-as-lawmakers-take-final-votes-before-the-midterms/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:40.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2026 (AP) — A bill that attempts to address voter worries about data centers and their impact on energy costs failed to advance in the Senate on Wednesday, falling victim to an election-year clash on how best to address a growing concern. Before leaving Washington to campaign, Senate Republicans reserved one of the chamber's final votes for a bill they hoped would underscore efforts to address the impact data centers have on voters' monthly energy bills. The bill needed 60 votes to advance, but fell short, 57—43. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The bill is a modest one. It requires utility regulators to consider adopting a federal standard that charges large power customers a rate that covers the cost of the system upgrades needed to serve them. Democrats say it amounts to a suggestion and that more is needed. Republicans say the bill sends a message to regulators to act. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. **Jon Husted**, a Republican from Ohio, is in a [tough reelection battle](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ohio-husted-brown-senate-f1ae89feb3eccd7d8eb49e1c2e14f6dd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and has been labeled in campaign ads as the “face of data centers” by his Democratic challenger, former Sen. **Sherrod Brown**. “You all know this is the only game in town,” Husted told reporters in advocating for his bill. “This bill passing is the only way to get a chance to prove to the American people before the midterm elections whose side you're on.” ### *Senate Democrats say the bill isn't tough enough* The measure [passed](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-congress-f073380caa61b720fa424590b5bc7c87?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the House by a vote of 417-3\. It needed support from at least seven Democratic senators to proceed to a final vote, but that didn't happen given the criticism from within their ranks that it doesn't go far enough and knowing that passage could give Husted's reelection prospects a lift. “The bill is a fraud, plain and simple,” Senate Democratic Leader **Chuck Schumer** said. Democrats have offered competing proposals. Sen. **Martin Heinrich**, D-N.M. sponsored legislation that would direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue rules for large electricity customers that requires them to pay for necessary grid upgrades. “They want it optional, which means zero. We want it mandatory,” Schumer said. Republicans are looking to position Democrats as obstructionists who are blocking progress on key voter concerns. Husted's bill is one example. Another would be the bill from Sen. **Pete Ricketts**, R-Neb., that would bar members of Congress from purchasing individual stocks. The issue is a popular one with candidates running for office this election cycle, but also includes voter identification requirements that Democrats have called a poison pill. Thune teed up both bills for procedural votes and both failed to meet the 60-vote threshold for advancing. “Both pieces of legislation strike at the very heart of issues that the American people care deeply about, passionately about, and we'll see if the Democrats are willing to take yes for an answer," Thune said. ### *Data centers have become a top campaign issue* The House and Senate are both expected to be out of session for all of October. The House left in mid-September, canceling nearly two weeks of votes as Republicans were anxious to get on the campaign trail in a bid to keep their majority in the next Congress. President **Donald Trump** has embraced the building of more data centers, but there is [growing wariness](https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2026/theres-one-issue-where-republicans-and-democrats-are-unified-before-the-midterms-a-new-poll-finds/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from voters. About 6 in 10 Americans support limiting the number of new data centers that can be built, including most Democrats and Republicans. And a majority of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the impact of data centers on electricity prices or the water supply in the communities where they are built. In Ohio, a data center hot spot with closely contested races for governor and U.S. Senate, the National Republican Senatorial Committee [warned](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-trump-election-cd2cfd73e3d41e2baf65bf82702a589b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in a recent memo that Husted is vulnerable to losing his seat because of the centers. Husted helped promote Ohio as a destination for data centers while serving as lieutenant governor. The Ohio race is seen as vital to determining control of the Senate, helping explain why the data center bill has generated so much scrutiny and is so hotly contested despite the overwhelming vote it received in the House. Speaking on the Senate floor before the vote, Husted said that the bill requires states to at least confront the issue of data centers paying their own way for their power and the grid improvements needed to serve them. He said the bill could hardly get broader support than it did in the House, but by blocking the bill in the Senate, Democrats would be showing they don’t care about the issue of affordability. “Let’s hold data centers accountable and let’s stop blocking a path to affordability,” Husted said. *This article was written by Kevin Freking of the Associated Press.* ### From the Fairness Doctrine to a Network Sale: The FCC’s Enduring Authority URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/from-the-fairness-doctrine-to-a-network-sale-the-fccs-enduring-authority/ Last updated: 2026-10-01T00:04:31.000Z *This article summarizes several of the key points in* [*Lesson 6: The Fairness Doctrine and Public Media*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-6-the-fairness-doctrine-and-public-media/)*, which is part of Broadband Breakfast's online course, "*[*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*." A new lesson will be released every Monday.* A person whose character was attacked during a radio discussion of a public issue could once demand free airtime to answer, and the station was obligated to provide it. That requirement grew out of the Fairness Doctrine, which the Federal Communications Commission established in 1949\. The FCC repealed the doctrine in 1987, but the rule requiring reply time after personal attacks remained in force until 2000. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) ***For more on the history of broadcasting, join '250 Years of American Independence, 150 Years of Telecommunications,' This pathbreaking online-only event will:** - ***Celebrate the uniqueness of American contributions to communications** - ***Survey the history of American telecommunications with recaps from 3 separate 50-year periods** - ***Engage with the themes of innovation and competition across the 150-year arc.** [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The Fairness Doctrine applied to every radio and television station holding a federal broadcast license. It required stations to do two things: cover controversial issues of public importance and air contrasting views on those issues. An hour of one-sided argument was permitted so long as the station aired contrasting views in other programs on the same station. ### *The FCC approved a network sale in 2025 with no fairness rule on the books* Repealing the doctrine did not end the government’s influence over what American broadcasters air. The FCC must approve transfers of broadcast licenses, and on July 24, 2025, it [approved](https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-approves-skydance-paramount-cbs-transaction?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Skydance Media’s acquisition of Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company. Skydance had promised to appoint an ombudsman to review complaints of bias at CBS, though no FCC rule in 2025 required broadcasters to employ one. The [Communications Act of 1934](https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/communications-act-1934.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) requires the FCC to determine whether granting or transferring a broadcast license serves the “public interest, convenience, and necessity.” That mandate was also the legal basis for the Fairness Doctrine. The doctrine’s repeal left the mandate intact, allowing the FCC to apply the same standard when reviewing the license transfers involved in the Skydance merger. ### *The Supreme Court upheld reply time on radio and rejected it in print* Broadcasters challenged the Fairness Doctrine as a violation of their First Amendment rights. In 1969, the Supreme Court upheld the FCC’s requirements 8–0 in [*Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC*](https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/395/367?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a case involving a Pennsylvania radio station that aired an attack on journalist [Fred J. Cook](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/04/nyregion/fred-j-cook-92-the-author-of-45-books-many-exposes.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 1964 and refused his request for free reply time. The court held that limited broadcast frequencies justified giving the public’s right to hear competing views precedence over a broadcaster’s control of its airtime. (Read the full Lesson 6 to see some of the problem with this reasoning.) In 1974, the high court unanimously struck down a Florida law requiring newspapers to publish replies from political candidates they had criticized in [*Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo*](https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/418/241/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The Court held that compelling those replies violated a newspaper’s editorial freedom. Together, *Red Lion* and *Tornillo* upheld a right of reply to personal attacks on broadcast stations but rejected a mandatory right of reply for political candidates criticized in newspapers. For broadcasters, the Court justified different First Amendment protections on the grounds that frequencies were limited, but economist [**Ronald Coase**](https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/1991/coase/biographical/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) argued in 1959 that scarcity affected all economic goods and did not make radio unique. In 1986, federal appeals court Judge [**Robert Bork**](https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/801/501/66209/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) rejected scarcity as a meaningful basis for treating broadcasters differently from newspapers, calling it “a distinction without a difference.” Radio stations numbered 10,128 by 1987, compared with 1,657 daily newspapers nationwide. ### *Courts upheld the repeal without ruling on the first amendment* The Supreme Court had left open the possibility of reconsidering the Fairness Doctrine in *Red Lion*. In 1969, the Court said that if the doctrine inhibited coverage, “there will be time enough to reconsider the constitutional implications.” The FCC’s 1985 Fairness Report concluded that the doctrine discouraged coverage of controversial issues, and the commission voted 4-0 to repeal it in August 1987. The courts upheld the repeal but did not decide whether the Fairness Doctrine violated the First Amendment. In 1989, the [D.C. Circuit](https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/867/654/356962/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) affirmed the FCC’s finding that the doctrine no longer served the public interest, stating, “We uphold that determination without reaching the constitutional issue.” The Supreme Court denied review in 1990, leaving its decision upholding the doctrine in *Red Lion* intact. ### *Congress funded public broadcasting* Congress also sought to broaden the programming available to Americans by appropriating funds for public broadcasting. The [Public Broadcasting Act of 1967](https://www.congress.gov/bill/90th-congress/senate-bill/1160/text?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or CPB, a nonprofit that distributed federal funding to public radio and television stations. The [Rescissions Act of 2025](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) canceled $1.1 billion already appropriated to the nonprofit for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The law was signed on July 24, the same day the FCC approved the Skydance transaction. On Aug. 1, CPB [announced that it would wind down its operations](https://www.npr.org/2025/08/01/nx-s1-5489808/cpb-shut-down-public-broadcasting-trump?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The Fairness Doctrine debate centered on whether government requirements expanded public debate or interfered with editorial freedom. Skydance’s promise to appoint an ombudsman showed that repealing those requirements did not remove newsroom commitments from FCC merger reviews. Repealing the Fairness Doctrine removed a rule governing broadcast coverage but preserved the FCC’s authority to judge whether license transfers serve what is referred to as the "public interest." Broadcasters seeking approval still have reason to accommodate the FCC. Meanwhile, public broadcasting depended on a different exercise of government power. Its funding could also be withdrawn by the officials who controlled it. ### McDonald’s Serves Fast Food with Fast Wi-Fi URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/mcdonalds-serves-fast-food-with-fast-wi-fi/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:40.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 30, 2026 – McDonald’s serves yummy french fries. Its Wi-Fi is pretty tasty, too. McDonald’s [Wi-Fi service](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadcast-transparency-decision-att-mcdonalds-expansion-brightspeed-in-missouri/) offers the fastest reliable, high-speed internet among major quick‑service restaurants, QSRs, according to a Sept. 30 report from Ookla. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Ookla’s Speedtest, a popular [service that measures ](https://www.speedtest.net/about?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)internet connection, reported that McDonald’s outperformed major competitors on both speed and consistency. It surpassed Starbucks by [delivering median download](https://www.ookla.com/articles/fast-food-fast-wi-fi?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) speeds nine times faster and median upload speeds seven times faster. Ookla additionally ranked McDonald’s Wi-Fi second overall among national QSRs ahead of Panera Bread, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Panda Express. While the report noted McDonald's still relies heavily on Wi‑Fi 5 even [as Wi‑Fi 6 ](https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/home-network-statistics?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)has become the national standard, so do all other QSRs. As a global, multi-billion dollar company, McDonald's offers free high-speed internet access in [more locations](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-mcdonalds-and-corporate-america-are-bringing-internet-access-to-rural-america/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) than any other QSR. Along with business competition and advancing with the times, Ookla emphasizes that fast WiFi demonstrates a true prioritization of customer experience. ### BEAD Enters Cleanup Phase With More Broadband Gaps to Fill URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-enters-cleanup-phase-with-more-broadband-gaps-to-fill/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:40.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 30, 2026 — Billions of dollars in federal broadband funding are moving from the planning stage to construction, but some homes and businesses could still be left without a connection. The approval of all 50 states’ the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program plans marks the end of the program’s planning phase, but broadband providers and state officials still face a lengthy process to get the networks built and fill remaining coverage gaps. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) **Carol Mattey**, a former deputy chief of the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau, said the next major step will be a [supplemental round of BEAD funding announced](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/) by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. “The planning phase is officially over, and we are moving into the actual execution phase,” Mattey said during the Sept. 30 Fiber Broadband Association webinar. The supplemental process is[ designed to identify locations that were missed by the original BEAD process](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/four-state-broadband-directors-say-beads-true-up-round-wont-finish-the-job/). NTIA will issue a new list of eligible locations, after which states will have 30 days to validate the list. Providers will then have an opportunity to challenge locations that they believe are already served or are subject to an enforceable commitment. There will be no rebuttal round, Mattey said, and states will have another 30 days to adjudicate the challenges before sending their final lists to NTIA. NTIA will use the approved number of locations to determine how much supplemental funding each state receives. States will then conduct another procurement round before submitting supplemental proposals to NTIA. Mattey estimated the entire process could take about nine months, although the timing of NTIA’s reviews remains uncertain. The supplemental funding also comes with a potentially significant constraint: NTIA will base each state’s funding cap on the average cost of locations approved in its original BEAD proposal multiplied by the number of additional unserved locations. That could create problems because construction costs have risen since states developed their original plans, Mattey said. The original averages also included different technologies, including fiber, fixed wireless and satellite. Because satellite projects generally had lower costs, their inclusion in the state averages could reduce the amount available for remaining locations, even though those locations may be among the most difficult and expensive to serve. ### Senate Unveils Permitting Package URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-unveils-permitting-package/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:40.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2026 – After more than a year of deliberation, Senate lawmakers released Wednesday the draft text of a sweeping permitting reform package. A major broadband trade group was optimistic the bill would ultimately ease broadband deployments. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “Permitting reform presents the best bipartisan opportunity to help broadband providers connect more Americans to fast, reliable internet connectivity and all the opportunities it unlocks. We are encouraged that the permitting reforms in the American Affordability and Jobs Act can help clear the path to make this happen,” **Jonathan Spalter**, CEO of USTelecom, said in a statement. Sen. **Shelley Moore Capito**, R-W. Va., the head of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said during [a press conference](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6Pf%5FYEtHkY&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Wednesday that senators were aiming for the bill to be the chamber’s first vote after the midterm elections in November. The [Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act](https://www.energy.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Bipartisan-American-Affordability-and-Jobs-Act.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) (BAAJA), as lawmakers dubbed it, would make sweeping changes to the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act, among other environmental regulations. Both laws require the government to review the potential impacts of federally funded projects. Certain repair and replacement work on telecom infrastructure would no longer trigger NEPA reviews, according to [an analysis of the bill](https://www.greentape.pub/p/the-permitting-grand-bargain-is-here?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by **Thomas Hochman**, a permitting policy consultant and former energy policy director at the Foundation for American Innovation. It would also be harder for opponents to block a project for NEPA violations, he wrote, which could result in shorter reviews as agencies won’t have to bullet-proof their findings against lawsuits that could kill projects. The bill would also set a two-year maximum deadline for NEPA environmental reviews when they are required and require NHPA reviews to end when NEPA reviews finish. NEPA applies to projects funded by the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program and has historically applied to wireless deployments related to federal spectrum licenses. NEPA reviews also apply to broadband projects on federal lands. On Wednesday, the Federal Communications Commission voted to exempt more wireless deployment from NEPA. The Commerce department spent years building an online system to shepherd BEAD projects through the various NEPA requirements that has cut down review times for some projects. The more than 400-page bill included numerous other provisions, including a requirement that data centers pay for all of their electricity transmission costs. Assurances that permitted projects would remain permitted were a sticking point in negotiations after the White House paused some wind and solar projects last year. Sen. **Sheldon Whitehouse**, D-R.I., said during the press conference there was still uncertainty on that front, but that lawmakers had received “a very reasonable opening proposal from the Trump administration.” The bill was introduced after the press conference, which was held by Capito, Whitehouse, and other leadership from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The House does not yet have its own version of the bill. Senators said Wednesday there would likely be additional amendments in November. Spalter said in his statement that “we look forward to reviewing the bill further and working with congressional leaders” to ensure the final legislation aided ISPs. Sen. **Mike Lee**, R-Utah, said he was hopeful the package would move forward regardless of whether Democrats took control of a chamber of Congress after the midterms. “Sometimes a bipartisan deal can be one that might be thrown into a state of uncertainty” following an election, he said. “I believe that in this case, it should not make a difference. We have negotiated this thing in a way that really is good for both sides.” ### Senators Press NTIA on BEAD Non-Deployment Funds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senators-press-ntia-on-bead-non-deployment-funds/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:41.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 30, 2026 – A bipartisan group of senators is pressing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to release long-delayed guidance on how states can use billions of dollars in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funds for activities beyond broadband construction. Sens. **Jeanne Shaheen**, D-N.H., and **Susan Collins**, R-Maine, [led a letter to Commerce Secretary](https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-collins-urge-department-of-commerce-to-immediately-release-funding-guidance-to-help-communities-take-advantage-of-broadband-expansion?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Howard Lutnick** and NTIA Assistant Secretary **Arielle Roth** urging the agency to provide guidance on BEAD’s non-deployment funding. The letter was also signed by Sens. **Angus King**, I-Maine, **Bill Cassidy**, R-La., **Catherine Cortez Masto**, D-Nev., and **Mark Warner**, D-Va. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “This is a worthy goal but one that can advance with a parallel effort providing non-deployment funding supporting the long-term success of broadband investments,” the senators wrote. The push comes after the Trump administration last year rescinded previous NTIA guidance governing BEAD non-deployment activities. Commerce has not yet issued replacement guidance, leaving states uncertain about how they can use the portion of their BEAD allocations intended for those activities. [NTIA did provide some guidance](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-remaining-bead-funds-to-be-used-on-new-bidding-round/) on the remaining BEAD funds in September, announcing that states could use a portion of the money for a new round of deployment projects targeting locations that remain unserved. But the agency said guidance on other allowable uses of the remaining funds, including non-deployment activities, would come in a subsequent update. About $21 billion in [BEAD funding remains after states completed their broadband deployment proposals](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-needs-more-time-to-issue-guidance-on-non-deployment-funding-state-ai-laws/). The senators said the money is intended not only for network construction but also for activities that can help communities make use of those networks, including workforce development, telehealth connectivity and technical assistance for rural small businesses. “Closing the digital divide requires not only broadband infrastructure investments, but also complementary efforts to support adoption and other activities that maximize the value of those investments,” the senators wrote. Shaheen previously raised the issue with Lutnick during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing in April. Lutnick said at the time that new guidance was expected within a couple of months. [In June, Roth said the guidance](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/) would be released during the summer. NTIA has since approved all 56 state and territory BEAD final proposals and announced an additional round of funding to address broadband locations that remain unserved. T[he senators said that effort should not delay the release of guidance for non-deployment funds](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/more-ideas-for-use-of-bead-non-deployment-funding/). “Non-deployment activities authorized under the BEAD Program are meant to complement efforts to expand broadband,” the senators wrote. “These investments will not only improve quality of life for millions of Americans, but also strengthen local economies, support businesses and enable communities to fully participate in the digital economy.” The $42.45 billion BEAD program was created by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to expand high-speed broadband access. Shaheen and Collins were among the lawmakers who helped negotiate the broadband provisions in the legislation. Shaheen said [New Hampshire received $18.6 million for broadband deployment last year](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/), with nearly $200 million remaining for non-deployment activities. The senators urged NTIA to “promptly issue guidance” so states can begin using those funds. ### Tribal Broadband Is About Sovereignty, Not Just Speed URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tribal-broadband-is-about-sovereignty-not-just-speed/ Last updated: 2026-09-30T19:59:55.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2026 — Tribal broadband is not simply a faster connection. For tribal nations, panelists said Wednesday, durable infrastructure can preserve language, extend health care and education, support economic development and strengthen sovereignty, but only when tribes control the choices shaping their networks. That connection between culture and infrastructure emerged during a [Broadband Breakfast Live Online](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-september-30-2026-tribal-broadband-and-adoption/) discussion on tribal broadband and adoption. The conversation ranged from fiber and satellites to open-access networks, spectrum rights, data sovereignty and the cost of helping residents get online. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “We want our members to learn the language. We want other people to learn the language,” said **Rob Griffin**, tribal broadband director for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. “But to do so, we have to have good infrastructure.” The Choctaw Nation began pursuing fiber after encountering a school limited to satellite internet, Griffin said. It has since received $110 million in grants and is building 1,000 miles of fiber alongside fixed wireless connections. Such networks can support language programs, remote work, testing and telehealth for decades. ### *Infrastructure and sovereignty* Federal investment has helped accelerate tribal deployments. **Christopher Mitchell**, director of the Community Broadband Networks initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, said his organization is tracking about 190 tribal networks, including roughly 100 already operating. Yet funding programs have not always respected tribes’ political status or practical needs. Mapping remains incomplete, applications require expertise many nations lack and federal rules can change after tribes invest time and money. Trust can evaporate when promised awards are later withdrawn. Mitchell also criticized pressure on tribes to accept Starlink service in exchange for access to other broadband resources. “That decision needs to be made by the tribe and not by the federal government trying to force them,” Mitchell said. Satellite service may work for remote homes that fiber or terrestrial wireless cannot reach, panelists said, but it does not offer the same permanence or local control. Griffin noted that satellites have limited lifespans and can be repositioned, degraded or withdrawn, leaving communities dependent on decisions made elsewhere. From the operating side, **Adam Puckett**, vice president of sales for North America at software company COS Systems, drew a distinction between temporary access and assets communities can build upon. “Starlink is not infrastructure. It is connectivity,” Puckett said. “We want a long-term asset on the back of which we can build economic development. We can build educational opportunities. We can build health care opportunities.” ### *Partnerships that preserve control* Owning infrastructure does not require a tribe to operate every service itself. Open-access models can allow a tribal nation to retain its fiber while outside providers compete to deliver retail internet service, he said. That arrangement can lower entry costs, reduce duplicate construction and bring technical support to small networks. The approach is especially useful where a few hundred or thousand subscribers cannot support separate billing, customer service and network operations systems. Neighboring communities may also benefit by connecting through tribal projects, while tribes gain regional routes, redundancy and negotiating power. Those partnerships work only when providers approach tribes as governments and long-term collaborators, Griffin said. “Don’t walk in like a salesperson. Walk in like a partner,” he said. “Be very transparent. Be open.” Adoption remains the final test. Puckett said outreach must begin before construction so residents understand that broadband can deliver more than entertainment. Mitchell said affordability, devices and digital skills are persistent barriers, particularly because new users can face scams and fraud. At the household level, Griffin said families still must choose among internet, mobile service and other necessities. Sustainable tribal broadband therefore requires both reliable infrastructure and support that makes service usable. No single technology or business model fits every tribe, the panelists said. Fiber, wireless, satellites, shared networks and outside partnerships each have roles. The measure of success is whether tribes retain authority over the infrastructure, data and relationships that will shape their communities for generations. ### Broadband Breakfast on October 14, 2026: Broadband & AI in the Midterm Election URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-october-14-2026-broadband-ai-in-the-midterm-election/ Last updated: 2026-10-15T18:50:54.000Z ### *Highlights Reel:* ### *Full Event Event Available for Free:* [Broadband and AI in the Next CongressArtificial Intelligence is now driving infrastructure investment and public policy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-ec7f21ef-18a7-4cb9-9b7f-643089dce0cb.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-c853354c-7a85-46f6-80f8-57235ed828b2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Concerns over data centers and the risks of artificial intelligence, including artificial superintelligence, have transformed the midterm elections. On the one hand, local communities are fighting the power, water and land demands of new data centers, and voters are feeling those costs in their electric bills. On the other hand, we're at a moment where broadband funds under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program are finally being deployed. What do informed policy observers and political hands feel about the Republicans' and the Democrats' prospects on November 3? [Midterms Could Change the Politics of AIIf Republicans suffer heavy losses, it could push the party toward tougher AI legislation, panelists said![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-5f64bfe5-10f9-48e2-b64f-fb5eafccc4d4.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1772695653502-7c93f923a732-a16e9820-f0d5-4e21-9d9e-b8ae4ab97ca5.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/midterms-could-change-the-politics-of-ai/) ### *Panelists* - **Blair Levin**, NEW! Senior Fellow, Center on Technology Policy (CTP) at New York University - **Joel Thayer**, President, Digital Progress Institute - **Nicholas P. Garcia,** Senior Policy Counsel, Public Knowledge - **Evan Swarztrauber**, Principal, CorePoint Strategies - **Drew Clark** (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast ## Sign up for FREE for 'Broadband & AI in the Midterm Election' Once you log in, [click this link](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/broadband-and-ai-in-the-midterm-election?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to watch the BroadbandLive program Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Better Broadband, Better Lives ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/5Levin-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/joel-thayer-2-1-1-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/NGarcia-Headshot-1025x1024.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/10/evan-1.jpg) **Blair Levin** has spent the past 30 years at the intersection of broadband policy and capital markets. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Center on Technology Policy (CTP) at New York University announced that Levin had joined CTP as a senior fellow. Levin is an internationally recognized leader in technology and telecommunications policy, with a distinguished career spanning senior roles in federal government and decades of influential analysis of technology policy, business, and capital markets. From 1993 to 1997, Levin served as Chief of Staff to FCC Chairman **Reed Hundt**. In 2008–2009, he co-led the technology transition team for President-elect Barack Obama and subsequently oversaw the development of the 2010 National Broadband Plan. Levin has served as a Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, The Aspen Institute, and the Brookings Institution. For more than two decades, he has worked as a telecommunications policy and equity analyst at firms including Legg Mason, Stifel Nicolaus, and New Street Research, earning him recognition from [*The Wall Street Journal*](https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trustbusters-give-tv-sports-fans-the-shaft-streaming-entertainment-bundle-law-3c71127f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as “the most learned of telecom analysts.” He is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School. **Joel Thayer** is the President of the Digital Progress Institute, a nonprofit seeking to bridge the policy divide between telecom and tech. He has founded his own law firm, Thayer PLLC, and was previously an associate at Phillips Lytle. Before that, he served as Policy Counsel for ACT | The App Association, where he advised on legal and policy issues related to antitrust, telecommunications, privacy, cybersecurity and intellectual property in Washington, DC. His experience also includes working as legal clerk for FCC Chairman **Ajit Pai** and FTC Commissioner **Maureen Ohlhausen** and as a congressional staffer for the Hon. **Lee Terry** and the Hon. **Mary Bono**. **Nicholas P. Garcia** is a Senior Policy Counsel at Public Knowledge, focusing on emerging technologies, intellectual property, and closing the digital divide. Before joining Public Knowledge, Nick served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Investigations Division of the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office, where he investigated and prosecuted cybercrime, fraud, grand larceny, and organized crime. Nick received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, his M.A. in Ethics and Society from Fordham University’s Center for Ethics Education, and his B.A. in cursu honorum in Philosophy from Fordham University, where he was a member of the Phi Sigma Tau Honor Society. **Evan Swarztrauber** is principal and founder at CorePoint Strategies, a technology and telecommunications policy consulting firm. He is also a senior fellow at Digital Progress Institute and host of *The Center Edge* podcast. From 2017-2021, he served at the Federal Communications Commission as a policy advisor to then-Commissioner **Brendan Carr** and Chairman **Ajit Pai**. He has also served as a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, a senior vice president at public affairs agency AxAdvocacy, director of public affairs at technology think tank TechFreedom, and a staffer in the New York State Assembly. He received his undergraduate degree from The George Washington University. Breakfast Media LLC CEO **Drew Clark** has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. [![](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/content/images/2024/01/home-page-bblo-1.png)](https://broadband-breakfast.ghost.io/tag/broadbandlive/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ## *How to Log in* [*CHAT.BroadbandBreakfast.com*](http://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) - Look for the email from Broadband Breakfast with the subject line, “Sign in to Broadband Breakfast.” Click the orange button that says, “Sign in now.” - OR - Go to [https://broadbandbreakfast.com](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/) and click on “Sign in” in the upper right hand corner. Type in your email address. You will get an email from Broadband Breakfast with the subject line, “Secure sign in link for Broadband Breakfast.” Click the orange button that says “Sign in to Broadband Breakfast.” - Once you click that link *for the first time*, you will get another email from Broadband Breakfast that reads, “Your temporary login code is XXXXXX” - Use that two-factor authentication to activate your account on [https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) - Navigate to the “Community” in the upper left-hand spot of the top navigation bar. - You will see the event in the “BroadbandLive Events” space, at [https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/broadbandlive-events/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ### FCC Rolls Back Environmental Reviews to Speed Wireless Deployments URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-rolls-back-environmental-reviews-to-speed-wireless-deployments/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:41.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission voted Wednesday to roll back its environmental review requirements, open up additional spectrum for satellite broadband, and update rules for some ultra-wideband devices. The National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to consider environmental effects before beginning infrastructure projects, and the review process can take months. The FCC has interpreted NEPA to apply to wireless equipment and towers deployed under one of its spectrum licenses. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The order the agency adopted Wednesday will narrow NEPA requirements to apply only to deployments requiring an antenna registration with the FCC and Federal Aviation Administration; those include deployments more than 200 feet above ground level or near airports. By [the estimate](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-vote-on-orders-narrowing-nepa-opening-satellite-spectrum/) of CTIA, the major wireless industry group that asked for the change, carriers will save more than $2 billion over the next 10 years without NEPA compliance regulations, and nearly 15,000 projects would be spared reviews. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** said the agency was implementing a 2023 law that codified which kinds of projects needed reviews, called major federal actions (MFAs), plus subsequent White House guidance and Supreme Court precedent. “With today’s action, we finish the job here at the FCC,” he said. “We confirm that the FCC’s NEPA regulations do not apply to private wireless infrastructure decisions made by private companies.” It was the only vote Wednesday that was not unanimous. FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez**, the agency’s lone Democrat, dissented from the NEPA change but approved of the item’s inquiry on similar historical review requirements. “While the need for streamlining review processes is clear, we cannot abdicate our responsibility with regard to our licensees,” she said. “Because I believe our proposed NEPA rules allow our interpretation of MFAs to swallow the rule, I dissent with regard to the report and order.” Tribal nations, local governments and a group of 15 Democratic attorneys general [expressed concern](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-narrow-environmental-and-historic-reviews-of-wireless-build/) with the FCC’s plan last year, saying the agency was moving too fast on CTIA’s proposal, while industry groups supported it. On Tuesday, the FCC touted support from several think tanks, companies, and industry groups. “Years of experience have shown that the vast majority of standard wireless reviews consistently found zero environmental impact. These reviews of routine deployments diverted focus and resources away from the handful of projects that truly warranted deeper study and careful attention,” **Will Johnson**, Verizon’s senior vice president of regulatory affairs, said in a statement to the agency. **Joel Taubenblatt**, chief of the FCC’s wireless telecommunications bureau, told reporters after the meeting that there were no major changes from the [public draft](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424840A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) released last month. The item would also ask about changes to the agency’s rules around historical reviews. Tribal nations were concerned the proposed changes would affect some required Tribal consultation processes. ### *Satellite spectrum* The FCC also voted to open up more than 1,000 megahertz of spectrum it said would benefit satellite broadband speeds. The agency said the 12.7-13.25 GigaHertz (GHz) band could be used for uplinks and downlink communications between satellites and consumer dishes for services like Starlink. The agency also opened up the 42-42.5 GHz band for downlink communications between satellites and ground stations. “Making next-gen satellite broadband faster and more reliable will not only benefit current subscribers, but will also enhance competition for all consumers,” Carr said. Consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge was pleased with the order, which it said would make it easier for companies to compete with SpaceX, which dominates the satellite broadband market. “Today’s action will improve the capacity of satellite broadband for millions of rural Americans. It will improve Wi-Fi on planes, at sea, and for RVs by creating better connections to the satellites that connect them to the internet,” **Harold Feld**, the group’s senior vice president, said in a statement. The item will also seek comment on opening up swathes of additional spectrum for satellite services. Staff said there were again no major changes from [the public draft](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424841A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). ### *Ultra-wideband devices* Commissioners also unanimously adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking that will propose to update the FCC’s ultra-wideband device rules. Unlicensed ultra-wideband spectrum powers a myriad of devices, commissioners and agency staff noted at the meeting, but the FCC’s rules for the airwaves they use hadn’t been updated since 2002. The outdated rules meant that in practice, companies had to get waivers before bringing new ultra-wideband devices to market, a process Carr said could take months. In one case, he said a tool for tracking rail traffic in tunnels launched in Canada and the EU rather than deal with the agency’s bespoke waiver process. The item will also propose creating a new category of ultra-wideband device to make it easier to pursue modern use cases. In [the public draft](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424842A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of the item, the agency said most recent waivers have been for things that require precision tracking, like keyless door locks and vehicle safety sensors. “We further recognize that UWB’s fine-ranging accuracy, robust performance in multipath environments, and ability to operate across wide frequency ranges can enhance continuous spatial awareness, intent detection, multimodal sensor fusion, and autonomous navigation in emerging technologies, including AI-enabled applications,” the agency wrote. ### *Other items* The agency also adopted an order making it easier for people to opt out of robocalls and an inquiry on ensuring 911 access amid network modernizations. ### FCC to Supreme Court: Don't Review Location Data Fines Again URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-supreme-court-dont-review-location-data-fines-again/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:41.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2026 – Federal telecom regulators don’t want judges to further second-guess massive fines they issued to the national wireless carriers in 2024. In [a Friday filing](https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-1422/425666/20260925150943783%5F25-1422SprintOpp.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Federal Communications Commission asked the Supreme Court not to tee the issue up for additional review, either by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit or by the Supreme Court itself. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) In June the high court decided in *FCC v. AT&T* that the agency had legal authority to issue fines, but companies weren’t required to pay them until the Justice Department sued to collect. The same month, T-Mobile told justices it wanted the case sent back down to the D.C. Circuit for more deliberation, partly so it could argue for a refund. [Like AT&T](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-not-interested-in-57-million-refund-for-at-t/) and [Verizon did](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-t-mobile-want-refunds-on-location-data-fines/), the company claimed it wasn’t commonly understood that the Communications Act allowed for refusing FCC fines, and T-Mobile wouldn’t have paid its $92 million penalty if it didn't have to. “While petitioners would be entitled to relief if they could show that the FCC affirmatively misled them,” FCC and DOJ attorneys wrote Friday, “they cannot establish an entitlement to relief simply by showing that the Act’s meaning was contested or unsettled before this Court decided *AT&T*.” The Supreme Court denied [a similar request](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/supreme-court-denies-verizon-bid-to-pursue-refund-on-fcc-fine/) from Verizon last month. Asked at the time if the company felt it had another route for a refund, the company declined to comment. The government, led by Solicitor General **D. John Sauer**, said justices shouldn’t grant T-Mobile’s alternative request, which was for the Supreme Court itself to review parts of the fines not taken up in its June decision. The fines were handed down in 2024 after the FCC found carriers didn’t vet third parties enough before selling them customer location data, a practice the companies say they’ve stopped since 2018. With the [support of CTIA](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ctia-wants-supreme-court-to-again-review-decisions-upholding-carrier-fines/) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, T-Mobile had said the customer location data at issue wasn’t protected by FCC privacy rules at all, and that agency fines should effectively be capped at $2 million. The FCC noted Friday that the D.C. and Second Circuits both found FCC privacy rules did cover mobile subscriber location data — the companies had argued the FCC could only require protection of data related solely to voice calling, a more highly regulated telecom service. “The court concluded that the information here relates to the offering of telecommunications because it is generated when ‘cell phones connect periodically to cell towers,’ which ‘is what enables the devices to send and receive calls at any moment,’” the government wrote. As for the fine cap, the government said its finding that each third-party relationship was a separate violation, which allowed for the carriers’ fines to collectively hit $200 million, was reasonable. The agencies said T-Mobile was now making a new argument it hadn’t made in lower courts and seeking a second bite at the apple on the issue. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr,** a commissioner at the time, dissented from the fines when they came down. Similar to the carriers’ challenges, he said the location data being sold wasn't covered by Communications Act privacy provisions. But the agency has been defending the fines under his leadership, both the FCC’s ability to issue them and the validity of the specific fines being challenged. “Then-Commissioner Carr, who is now the FCC Chairman, dissented from the Order because, as he then read the statute, he did not believe the location information at issue to be CPNI covered by Section 222” of the Communications Act, the agency wrote [in a filing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-not-interested-in-57-million-refund-for-at-t/) at the Fifth Circuit last week. “At that time, no court had yet spoken to this issue. Since then, however, two federal courts of appeals have authoritatively construed the statute to apply here.” ### FCC Backs DISH Network in Must Carry Dispute with Georgia TV Station, Nixing Rosenworcel-Era Precedent URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-backs-dish-network-in-must-carry-dispute-with-georgia-tv-station-nixing-rosenworcel-era-precedent/ Last updated: 2026-09-30T13:03:48.000Z 💡 ■ Is Cable One Going to Close on Mega Broadband Deal Today? ■ Professor Daniel Lyons: FCC Needs to Learn If E-Rate Harms Student Achievement ■ PE Giants Sue Billionaire Patrick Drahi over Optimum Debt ■ ITIF’s Joe Kane: Stop Underestimating Starlink, Especially after V3 Deployment ■ AT&T Signs $3 Billion Fiber Deal with Corning ■ Handful of Senators Presses NTIA on BEAD Non-Deployment Money ■ Verizon Responds to FCC’s Decision to Pause Copper Shutdown ■ Does Capito’s Energy Permitting Deal Include Broadband? ■ McDonald’s Has the Fastest Wi-Fi Among Major Fast-Food Chains: Ookla ■ Baldwin Punts on Challenge to NFL Deals with Streamers ■ People: Charles Phillips Elected to Verizon’s Board of Directors Must Carry: The FCC ruled that a Georgia television station cannot claim satellite carriage rights throughout two media markets at once, setting aside a 2024 precedent established under Democratic FCC Chairwoman **Jessica Rosenworcel**. In a [decision released](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-68A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Sept. 29, the three voting FCC Commissioners granted DISH Network’s appeal and reversed an earlier Media Bureau order involving WGBP‑TV. The station is licensed to Opelika, Ala., which is located inside the Columbus, Ga., Designated Market Area (DMA). The Nielsen Company later assigned WGBP to the Atlanta DMA following WGBP’s conversion to a distributed transmission system. The FCC said the law defines a station’s “local market” as a single Nielsen‑determined DMA plus the county where the station is licensed, which may be in a different DMA. “There is nothing in the statute that suggests that a station may demand carriage throughout more than one DMA simultaneously,” the order said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ud4Z!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6bfb99ae-9e57-4097-8564-35598f780268_810x487.png) Echostar Corp. CEO Charlie Ergen, who founded EchoStar subsidiary DISH Network in 1980 _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Trump Says Top Tech Firms Have Signed Accord to 'Self-Police' AI Development URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/https-newsroom-ap-org-detail-trumpsaystoptechfirmshavesignedaccordtoself-policeaidevelopment-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e-text-vs-false-currentitemno-0-startingitemno-0-sourcelocati/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:43.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2026 (AP) — President **Donald Trump** on Tuesday said that he and a large group of leaders of artificial intelligence companies had signed a voluntary accord that will include internal and external reviews of the technology during a meeting at the White House. [Broadband and AI in the Next CongressArtificial Intelligence is now driving infrastructure investment and public policy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-51d887c6-40aa-40a4-be31-308b44f1c9d8.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-181a809e-c170-4130-9a81-a4f6c910477e.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “I think I’m seeing tremendous self-policing. And they understand that they have to self-police,” Trump told reporters outside the West Wing. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The announcement followed an extensive meeting between Trump and numerous leading executives from top tech firms that are spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build out AI infrastructure, including data centers in communities across the country that have sparked grassroots, bipartisan opposition. Many of the executives gathered in Washington have called for a slowdown in the development of the technology after several high-profile incidents where AI agents have gone rogue. But earlier Tuesday, Trump promised that the U.S. government wouldn't limit the development of artificial intelligence or support calls for “guardrails” or other restrictions. “I will never stifle the growth of a technology that will be bigger than the industrial revolution,” Trump said at the unveiling of an AI chatbot, America.gov, intended to help Americans navigate government services. “We can’t stifle it, and we’re leading by a lot.” Top AI executives met with Trump at the White House Tuesday, including **Dario Amodei**, CEO of Anthropic, **Greg Brockman**, president of OpenAI, **Jeff Bezos**, founder of Amazon, and **Elon Musk**, whose X social media platform includes its own AI model, Grok. Nvidia CEO **Jensen Huang** sat to Trump's right at Tuesday's White House lunch, according to a seating chart the president posted on Truth Social. Musk sat to Trump's left. Google CEO **Sundar Pichai**, Meta CEO **Mark Zuckerberg** and Microsoft CEO **Satya Nadella** also attended. Trump's bullishness on AI contrasts with the alarms sounded recently by some AI executives, including Amodei, who earlier this month called for leading firms to slow down their development of the technology. Musk and OpenAI CEO **Sam Altman** also called for allowing safety measures to catch up as companies reported mounting examples of AI agents going rogue. Other executives, particularly Huang and Zuckerberg, [have downplayed](https://apnews.com/article/ai-slowdown-anthropic-openai-meta-nvidia-1d9615931af28a83cb97489178e90f2d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the concerns about runaway AI and underscored the responsibility of each company to ensure the safety of their products. Vice President **JD Vance**, Treasury Secretary **Scott Bessent**, and Republican Speaker of the House, Louisiana Rep. **Mike Johnson**, also attended. The unveiling of the AI chatbot occurred at a daylong event in Washington during which multiple Trump administration officials celebrated a “Golden Age” fueled by what Trump insists on calling “super intelligence," rather than artificial intelligence. Secretary of State **Marco Rubio** highlighted that America.gov could soon be used to apply for a first-time passport fully online, without an in-person visit to a processing center that is currently required. Speaking to reporters after the lunch with tech CEOs, Trump said there had been widespread agreement on “self-regulation” by the AI developers, “and we automatically have regulation with the Department of Justice, the FBI, all of that." He also said the executives had agreed to assuage the [bipartisan opposition](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-bipartisan-opposition-trump-democrats-a419be82fb6b32a8fc048ac7ffbd1de3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to data centers cropping up in local communities across the country, by providing more financial support to local schools or taking steps to reduce energy costs. “You’re going to see, data centers are going to be very popular," Trump said. If the opposition continued, Trump suggested, “they’ll be forced to go overseas or other locations.” Also Tuesday, Altman said in a television interview that the company is increasingly focused on safety. The day before, his company halted the rollout of a new model over safety concerns. “We are pacing our progress, which includes sometimes not training a model,” he said on CNBC. “We have to do these in a way where we can make very confident safety cases and claims, so that people don’t have a bunch of anxiety.” For his part, Trump on Tuesday portrayed the race to develop AI as largely a global competition between the United States and China, with the U.S. in the lead. He said there would be a winner and a loser, with no “second place.” The two countries agreed last week to establish a channel for handling AI-related incidents during Chinese President **Xi Jinping's** visit to Washington. But Trump underscored Tuesday that he didn't want to cooperate too much with China: "I didn’t want to do anything, because we’re leading. Why would I want to do anything?” *This article was written by Christopher Rugaber, Will Weissert and Meg Kinnard of the Associated Press.* ### Luján Calls for Bipartisan Senate Select Committee on AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lujan-calls-for-bipartisan-senate-select-committee-on-ai/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:43.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 29,2026 – Congress, an institution that dates to the founding of the republic, is struggling to keep pace with an artificial intelligence revolution that is moving faster than its laws and oversight structures, according to one Senate Democrat. Sen. **Ben Ray Luján**, D-N.M., is calling for a bipartisan Senate Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence, saying Congress needs a dedicated institution to keep pace with the rapidly advancing technology. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Luján made the request[ in a Sept. 24 letter ](https://www.lujan.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026.09.10-Letter-To-Senate-Leads-on-Select-Committee-on-AI%5Fsigned.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)to Senate Majority Leader **John Thune**, R-S.D., and Democratic Leader **Chuck Schumer**, D-N.Y. He said AI is advancing faster than [Congress’ existing committee structure ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-to-create-ai-force-name-ai-czar/)and technical expertise can consistently evaluate. The Senate already handles AI issues through existing committees, including the Commerce Committee and Intelligence Committee. The proposed select committee would be intended to coordinate those efforts rather than replace them. “A bipartisan Select Committee on AI would complement, not displace, the work of existing committees,” Luján wrote. The committee would develop policy recommendations, hold hearings and coordinate AI-related work across the Senate. Luján pointed to recent incidents involving AI systems as evidence that Congress needs to strengthen its oversight capacity. He cited July cybersecurity evaluations in which AI agents gained unauthorized access to external systems and testing by the United Kingdom’s AI Security Institute in which frontier models took unsanctioned actions involving real people and organizations. He also cited warnings from[ AI researchers and developers about potential risks](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/anthropic-and-openai-sound-the-alarm-on-ai-safety-and-seek-to-shape-its-control/) from increasingly capable systems. Luján said those warnings should receive “full attention and serious examination,” while cautioning that [Congress should not assume that every prediction about AI will prove correct](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-looming-tokenocracy-threatens-regulators-ability-to-govern-ai/). The senator said AI policy crosses the jurisdiction of numerous congressional committees, including those overseeing national security, cybersecurity, biotechnology, energy, communications, financial markets and workforce development. “The challenge is not a lack of congressional interest,” Luján wrote. Instead, he said AI “does not fit neatly within a single policy lane.” Luján said congressional task forces, caucuses and working groups have helped lawmakers learn about AI but cannot replace a standing institution with the ability to develop expertise, conduct sustained oversight and produce bipartisan legislation. The proposal follows [a similar request from Sen. **Ruben Gallego**, D-Ariz.](https://www.gallego.senate.gov/news/press-releases/gallego-urges-senate-leadership-to-establish-bipartisan-senate-select-committee-on-artificial-intelligence/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), who on Sept. 9, 2026 asked Thune and Schumer to establish a bipartisan AI select committee beginning with the next Congress. Luján has also [joined other Democratic senators](https://www.gallego.senate.gov/news/press-releases/gallego-urges-senate-leadership-to-establish-bipartisan-senate-select-committee-on-artificial-intelligence/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in calling for international cooperation on AI safeguards. On Sept. 23, 2026 Luján and Sen. **Chris Van Hollen**, D-Md., urged President **Donald Trump** to negotiate with China on standards for the development, testing and use of frontier AI models. Luján asked Thune and Schumer for prompt consideration of his request. His letter did not specify proposed membership or a detailed jurisdiction for the committee. ### Creditors Sue Optimum, Allege Fraudulent Schemes to Address Billions in Debt URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/creditors-sue-optimum-allege-fraudulent-schemes-to-address-billions-in-debt/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:47.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2026 – Several investment firms sued Optimum Communications Monday, alleging the ISP and its owner **Patrick Drahi** fraudulently sought to avoid paying its lenders what they were owed. Optimum owes about $21 billion in debt, more than $6 billion of which comes due next year. The company has been working to restructure that debt with its lenders to avoid going bankrupt. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “Rather than negotiating in good faith with the \[creditors\] and acknowledging that Drahi and other shareholders are out of the money, the Company and its co-conspirators executed a series of transactions that moved substantial value available to satisfy creditor claims directly into Drahi’s and other insider shareholders’ pockets,” **Joseph Sorkin**, an attorney representing the creditors, alleged. The negotiations with lenders have been contentious. Optimum sued the companies, which include firms like Apollo and Oaktree, in federal court last year alleging they colluded to keep the cable provider’s debt expensive. The investment firms deny those claims. Drahi bought assets that would be rolled together into Optimum in 2016\. His multibillion-dollar telecom empire, Altice, is also restructuring in the face of high debt and sold its Altice France unit for more than 24 billion euros (about $27 billion) last year. The Monday lawsuit was filed with the New York County Supreme Court (in New York, general trial courts where litigation begins are called supreme courts). In the complaint, lenders alleged “those in control” of Optimum threatened to insulate assets and “eventually, to run the company into the ground” unless their creditors agreed to swap out existing loans for new ones that were worth billions less. Optimum moved its [eastern footprint](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/optimum-raises-500-million-as-debt-wall-looms/) into a subsidiary untouchable by the creditors in June 2026\. At the same time, the entity raised $500 million from two institutional investors and Drahi, partially in exchange for less valuable Optimum shares. Those deals hurt Optimum and were contrived to force lenders to the table on unfavorable terms, the lawsuit argued. The lenders alleged the independent managers who cleared the transactions were simply hired to make the maneuvering appear legitimate while working to help Drahi and hurt the investment firms he and his company owed money to. “There is no legitimate business reason for these transactions, nor does the Company even attempt to offer one,” Sorkin wrote. “When it mattered most, these so-called independent fiduciaries approved transactions that benefited Drahi and actively harmed the stakeholders they are obligated to protect.” Optimum said at the time the deals were aimed at increasing the likelihood of a deal with its lenders and mitigate its losses if that happened. “Optimum strongly disagrees with the Co-Op group's allegations and believes their claims are without merit,” an Optimum spokesperson said in an email. “The actions the Company has taken to protect and maximize stakeholder value were conducted in full compliance with its existing debt agreements and applicable law, and the Company intends to address these claims through the appropriate legal channels.” ### Optimum To Bring 8 Gbps Fiber to New Jersey’s East Brunswick and South River URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/optimum-to-bring-8-gbps-fiber-to-new-jerseys-east-brunswick-and-south-river/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:47.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2026 - Optimum [announced](https://www.optimum.com/about-us/news/articles/optimum-announces-14m-network-investment-bring-fastest-internet-speeds-east-brunswick?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a $14 million network investment to deploy a 100% fiber-to-the-home network in East Brunswick and South River, New Jersey, promising symmetrical internet speeds of up to 8 Gbps for residents and businesses. The company said on Sept. 22, the upgrade will enable thousands of households and local businesses in the two towns to access its fastest internet, TV, and phone services for the first time, with fiber internet expected to be available by early 2027\. Optimum Mobile services are already available to customers across both markets and the wider New Jersey footprint. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) **Elton Hart**, Vice President and General Manager of Optimum Tri-State, said the investment reflects the company’s broader commitment to New Jersey communities, including support for schools, local businesses and neighborhood organizations. East Brunswick Mayor **Brad Cohen** welcomed the project, calling high-speed fiber “vital for residents, schools, and businesses” and saying it will help people “learn, work and grow.” Optimum noted that it currently serves nearly 300 communities across New Jersey and has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years upgrading its network with fiber technology. In 2025, the company announced a $40 million investment to expand services into Woodbridge, Clark, Linden, Carteret and other towns. ### Walmart CEO Vows to Never Personalize Pricing URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/walmart-ceo-vows-to-never-personalize-pricing/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:47.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 29, 2026 – Walmart is not planning to use personalized pricing. Walmart, a multinational company that annually makes over $700 billion in revenue, has since its founding in 1962 been committed to an Every Day Low Prices model. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Following concern over the amount of [personal data big businesses](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/californias-privacy-legislation-will-force-changes-in-the-way-businesses-collect-personal-information-in-2020/) collect, Walmart CEO **John Furner** reaffirmed this principle in his Sept. 25 letter [among speculation](https://www.retaildive.com/news/walmart-ceo-dynamic-pricing-concerns/831490/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the company would not stay true to these values. “We price the product, not the person,” Furner said in response [to concerns personalization will](https://www.pymnts.com/walmart/2026/walmart-ceo-says-no-to-personalized-pricing/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) begin hurting customers. In the [past few years](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/democrat-pallone-takes-on-big-retail-over-concerns-about-surveillance-pricing/), personalized surveillance pricing has become a major issue. Just recently in August the [Federal Trade Commission](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ftc-proposal-would-require-retailers-to-be-transparent-about-personalized-pricing/) proposed businesses would have to transparently disclose their use of personalized pricing, and share what data is being used. Walmart, however, claimed it will not use customer data, AI tools, or digital pricing systems to charge shoppers different amounts. “Using someone’s income, shopping history or moment of need to charge them more would violate the EDLP promise our business model is built on. We won’t do it,” [Furner said](https://apnews.com/article/walmart-pricing-dynamic-pricing-1488b3614058c9452426c0e2e656f653?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Furner further elaborated on the purpose of digital shelf labels, DSLs, after consumers were concerned it was being used to change prices in real time. He explained that [these labels consistently](https://corporate.walmart.com/about/everyday-affordability/digital-shelf-labels?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) display correct prices but are still reviewed by human associates. “A shelf price [should match what](https://www.retailwire.com/discussion/walmart-promise-dynamic-pricing-believable/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) rings up at checkout. Digital shelf labels help us do that more consistently by displaying the right price,” he said. Associates, therefore, can prioritize more meaningful work like helping customers, rather than manually updating paper tags. ### FCC Needs More Time to Look at Verizon Copper Retirement URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-needs-more-time-to-look-at-verizon-copper-retirement/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:47.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2026 – Federal regulators are taking more time to review a Verizon application to discontinue copper service after local governments and subscribers raised concerns. The wireless carrier [had asked](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/state-regulators-concerned-about-verizon-fidium-copper-retirement/) last month to discontinue legacy telephone service in nine states. The swathe of network covered by the application could serve 12 million locations, Verizon said in the filing, but only 277,000 actually subscribed. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) That application would have been automatically approved on Sept. 26 if the Federal Communications Commission didn’t take action. In [a notice](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1038A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) late Friday, the FCC said it was not going to automatically grant Verizon’s request. The agency said it needed more time to review the application, and that it hadn’t decided against the company. “The Commission requires additional time to complete its review,” the agency wrote. “We emphasize that our removal of Verizon’s application from the automatic grant process is not a final determination on the merits of Verizon’s request for authority to discontinue service.” In an email, a Verizon spokesperson gave the following statement: “As always, we are constructively engaged with the FCC as it considers our pending discontinuance applications, and we are confident the FCC will complete its review in a timely manner. The FCC has recognized the many consumer and economic benefits of moving from legacy copper networks to modern broadband networks. And we are committed to ensuring that no customers lose the ability to connect.” The states affected by the application included Arizona, Delaware, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. Virginia’s state utility regulator said Verizon informed it that 150,000 of the affected current subscribers were in Virginia. Last month, the FCC automatically granted a similar application from Verizon to discontinue voice service in eight other states. That application also received some local pushback, but not as much as the one the FCC was still reviewing. ISPs [are looking](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/isps-want-to-continue-to-discontinue-copper-service/) to retire their old copper networks, which are expensive to maintain and no longer provide competitive broadband service. The FCC and some state agencies regulate the process to ensure rural areas aren’t left without access to essential services. Under Chairman **Brendan Carr,** the FCC has been working to make the retirement process easier for ISPs, arguing it will free up cash for more useful endeavors. State regulators, local governments, and lawmakers — Reps. **Suhas Subramanyam**, D-Va., and **Ben Cline**, R-Va., as well as Virginia State Senator Russet Perry, a Democrat — had asked the FCC to take a closer look at the application. They worried some homes and businesses would ultimately be left without a replacement voice service because of spotty wireless coverage. They also wanted more specific information on the affected locations and the alternative services available there. In [reply comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110078072/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) filed Sept. 24, Verizon attorney **Randy Clarke** said the company wasn’t turning off every location in the nine states, just the ones where the company knew a fiber or wireless option was available. “Some commenters who state that they will not have access to an approved alternative if Verizon discontinues their copper POTS are correct, and accordingly such customers are not subject to discontinuance at this time,” he wrote. He said the company took a “broad, inclusive” approach to sending discontinuance notices, and that not every customer that received one would ultimately see their service discontinued. He said the company would hold a town hall in Virginia next month to tell customers about the transition. “This is reassuring,” Public Knowledge vice president **Harold Feld** posted [on X](https://x.com/haroldfeld/status/2104892546585600414?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) about the extended review. “Nothing against VZ, but good to see staff not afraid to do serious review and not rubber stamp.” Verizon CEO **Dan Schulman** has said the company was retrofitting old copper wire centers to serve as mini data centers. AT&T and Fidium are also undertaking large copper retirement efforts. Similar applications from AT&T are set for automatic approval on Oct. 5, Oct. 18, Oct. 22, and Nov. 20. AT&T is locked in a legal battle with California on multiple fronts over the state’s relatively stringent rules on replacement services. The company wants the FCC to overrule the state’s rules, and for a federal court to strike them down. ### Lesson 6: The Fairness Doctrine and Public Media URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-6-the-fairness-doctrine-and-public-media-post/ Last updated: 2026-09-29T16:11:39.000Z _No content available._ ### AT&T, Corning Reach $3 Billion Fiber Deal URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-corning-reach-3-billion-fiber-deal/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:49.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2026 – AT&T and Corning have reached a $3 billion fiber supply deal, the companies said Tuesday. In [a release](https://about.att.com/story/2026/att-corning-engineer-connected-world.html?source=EC00EM0000000000E&wtExtndSource=09292026&wtExtndSource=09292026), the companies said Corning would provide AT&T with fiber and cable for multiple years in exchange for more than $3 billion. More specific terms of the deal were not disclosed. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The deal comes less than a month after Corning signed another multibillion-dollar agreement [with Verizon](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-corning-ink-multibillion-dollar-fiber-deal/). The U.S.-based manufacturer will supply Verizon with fiber from 2027 through 2032. Both AT&T and Verizon are looking to expand their fiber networks as far and as quickly as possible in an effort to offer bundled home and mobile broadband. Those bundled make customers much less likely to switch to another provider, the companies say. AT&T has the more ambitious plans, aiming for 60 million passings by the end of 2030 compared to Verizon’s goal of 40 million-50 million. AT&T counts 12.1 million active fiber subscribers compared to Verizon’s 10.9 million. “Fiber's speed, reliability, and capacity remain unmatched for any home or business,” AT&T CEO **John Stankey** said in a statement. “We deeply value our long and successful relationship with Corning and look forward to continuing our work together as we expand the nation’s largest fiber network and make the long-term investments needed to keep America connected.” Verizon would have access to more than 80 million miles of fiber under its deal, the companies said earlier this month. The companies didn’t disclose the exact dollar amount or other terms of that deal. T-Mobile, for its part, has downplayed the benefits of bundled plans despite selling large numbers of fixed wireless subscriptions. The carrier has been buying up regional fiber providers but has far fewer passings than AT&T or Verizon. Amazon reached a similar fiber supply deal with Corning in June and Meta signed a $6 billion deal in January, both aimed at connected data centers rather than end users. In May, NVIDIA announced a $500 million investment in Corning aimed at expanding its manufacturing capacity. Because of domestic manufacturing rules, participants in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program are competing to buy the same American-made fiber that big tech companies are clamoring for. More than 60 percent of the program’s 4 million locations are set to receive fiber. That’s creating a bit of [a supply crunch](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-buildout-worsening-supply-costs-permit-worries-isps-say/), but Corning and other U.S. manufacturers have [been adamant](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fiber-suppliers-say-they-can-meet-bead-and-ai-demand/) they can meet the sky-high demand. A Corning vice president said at Mountain Connect last month the company was staggering shipments to match deployment schedules of BEAD participants. Still, demand is driving up costs, and at least one state, Minnesota, has asked the Trump administration to issue a waiver of its domestic fiber manufacturing rules to ease some of those cost increases. During a [June hearing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/), the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the agency handling BEAD, said fiber manufacturers had told the agency they would meet BEAD demand. “We don’t anticipate a waiver at this point, as long as domestic manufacturers step up as they’ve promised,” NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** said. ### SpaceX Deploys Powerful V3 Satellites Aimed at Low-Density ISPs Globally URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-deploys-powerful-v3-satellites-aimed-at-low-density-isps-globally/ Last updated: 2026-09-29T13:12:46.000Z “It really was a spectacular milestone in a lot of ways,” Craig Moffett, Senior Research Analyst at MoffettNathanson, told CNBC _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Nvidia Unveils Security Platform to Stop AI Agents From Going Rogue URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nvidia-unveils-security-platform-to-stop-ai-agents-from-going-rogue/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:56:24.000Z Sept. 28, 2026 (AP) – Nvidia on Monday unveiled a new security platform designed to stop artificial intelligence agents from [going rogue](https://apnews.com/article/ai-openai-anthropic-agents-rogue-hack-2f8a2b9024d4f06793bcca12f8089d20?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), saying it [sets “boundaries”](https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-ai-security-openshell-sentry-a4cfc84ed00353ff8f2dad4bed7b429e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that could have stopped previous breaches. The announcement of the company's Open Agent Safety Platform follows a series of revelations from top AI companies about their models escaping and breaking into other organizations. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The disclosures sparked furious debate about the [safety](https://apnews.com/article/ai-hugging-face-swarm-internet-takeover-amodei-0053ba1b6c8144b2927d2501be9eb919?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of advanced artificial intelligence systems, including self-improving models that some fear could race out of human control. Nvidia executives said in a media briefing the new, open-source system could have prevented a recent incident involving a swarm of OpenAI agents that autonomously hacked into AI company [Hugging Face](https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-hugging-face-ai-d96d50e037a2ade479dcdf81cdf2afcf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “From what we know, this new security platform could have stopped the breach if it was being used in frontier labs for model evaluation early on," said the company’s vice president of enterprise AI, **Justin Boitano**, referring to companies at the forefront of AI. The Hugging Face incident was a high-profile breach that inflamed the safety concerns about AI, which was followed by similar rogue actions involving OpenAI's models including [breaching an Australian](https://apnews.com/article/openai-unauthorized-access-australia-altman-albanese-177e7eaf16cf743930a09445299d7735?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) health department website. [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-models-hack-cybersecurity-b0a2c284b981de79c55e2a33712f4bec?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [Meta](https://apnews.com/article/meta-ai-hacking-anthropic-irregular-openai-0e8061437da6779be962b24ac134a514?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) have also disclosed that their AI systems hacked into other organizations on their own. **Earlence Fernandes**, an associate professor at the University of California, San Diego's computer science and engineering department, called Nvidia's security platform a “step in the right direction.” “We need more work that seeks to build protections around the model. I’ve been talking about how traditional cybersecurity ideas are necessary to help control and secure AI agents for a while now," he said in an email. “There are however, several challenges that traditional cyber security approaches still cannot currently solve. For example, what is a good security policy to configure the system with? An agent needs access to real resources to be useful, but giving it the minimum amount of access is tricky and non-trivial.” Fernandes added that to solve the AI security problem, both sides need to cooperate, with companies continuing to invest in alignment efforts and the open source community and academia "creating systems-level solutions to account for when a model does engage in unwanted behavior.” Nvidia, based in Santa Clara, California, makes high-end chips that have emerged as the leading building blocks for AI. The company's board has cleared the way for the company to spend $150 billion more in [share buybacks](https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-share-buyback-ai-e695d7024ad68b0defd6fb2fc1aa25d7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), bringing its stock repurchase program to $235 billion, the company said Monday. Nvidia's security software, called OpenShell, lets developers “formally verify an agent has enough authority to do its job and no more,” Boitano said. Because it's open source, it can be “extended” to run on rival computing platforms including those from Arm and Intel. The platform also includes a separate security layer called Sentry that runs onboard chips to continuously monitor AI agent activity and can "intervene instantly" if the agent starts trying to move beyond its target, the company said. “It can quarantine a suspicious agent in milliseconds,” Boitano said. “OpenShell governs the agent’s actions, and then Sentry independently monitors and contains suspicious behavior,” he said. Nvidia said more than 100 organizations are using the platform at its launch, including Microsoft, Perplexity, Accenture and JPMorgan Chase. The AI safety debate has divided the industry, with the heads of Anthropic and OpenAI championing a coordinated slowdown of AI development to let safety efforts catch up. But others including Nvidia CEO **Jensen Huang** say it should be up to individual companies to make sure their models are safe for release. Huang, during the annual Salesforce technology conference held earlier this month, characterized AI safety, including the danger of rogue agents, as an engineering problem that software developers can address. *This article was written by Kelvin Chan and Anne D'Innocenzio of the Associated Press.* ### UK Floats Taxing Broadband Subscribers to Fund the BBC URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/uk-floats-taxing-broadband-subscribers-to-fund-the-bbc/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:49.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 28, 2026 – The British government is weighing a plan to tax broadband to support its main free TV service. The UK’s Labour Party is currently evaluating replacing the British Broadcasting Corporation current annual £180 fee – about $238 – with a monthly £11 broadband surcharge, roughly $15 a month. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Currently, the [UK government](https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2251700/bbc-tv-licence-scrapped-cheapest?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) is reviewing the BBC’s Royal Charter as it is set to expire at the end of 2027\. In response, prominent think tank The Social Market Foundation, SMF, published a report on Sept. 23 emphasizing the necessity of the BBC. Key stats highlight how BBC services not only [reach over 94% of British](https://www.smf.co.uk/publications/valuing-the-bbc-the-potential-economic-and-social-consequences-of-withdrawing-the-bbc-licence-fee/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) households, but emphasize that with the BBC’s closure, an estimated 18,000 to 29,000 jobs would be lost, as well as up to £6 billion, approximately $9.75 billion, in economic output. Additionally, [the report](https://www.gbnews.com/money/tv-licence-fee-abolish-bbc-intenet-levy-labour?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) also acknowledges continued increasing payment evasion rates, climbing from under 7% in 2019 to 12% in the last year. Due to these factors, the SMF proposed various different recommendations for the government – notably suggesting to replace the current licensing fee with a ‘Home Internet Levy.’ The ‘Home Internet Levy’ would [essentially eliminate](http://ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/09/government-considers-11-monthly-uk-broadband-fee-to-fund-bbc-tv.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the current annual £180 TV license and instead directly add a £11 charge monthly to household broadband bills. Under the plan, the fee would actually be cheaper for those already paying for the BBC, with households only paying £132, roughly $175, instead of the current £180, about $238\. Labour Party ministers and Culture Secretary **Lisa Nandy** have begun discussing this suggestion, with a Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport [spokesperson stating](https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/40466621/bbc-licence-fee-scrapped-monthly-internet-charge-considered/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), “The BBC must be funded by a model that is sustainable and fair to all those that are paying it.” However, this plan, [especially in the](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/panelists-disagree-over-taxes-and-fees-for-broadband-and-streaming-services/) age of streaming, has provoked intense debate. Some believe that [requiring every home](https://conservativepost.co.uk/tv-licence-could-be-scrapped-and-replaced-with-11-a-month-levy-on-broadband-bills/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with an internet connection to fund the BBC, even if no one residing watches [live television](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/british-internet-service-providers-cry-foul-over-copyright-bill/), is an unfair government imposition. There is additional concern the plan would [hurt low-income](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-york-fed-finds-low-income-neighborhoods-pay-higher-share-of-income-for-worse-broadband/) Brits. As no decision has been made, the government will continue to look at all options. Additional [proposals include](https://inews.co.uk/news/bbc-licence-fee-could-scrapped-for-internet-charge-4782353?srsltid=AU7gw4Udd4IEPEQ7yJG4lgYRO4GP96aqwseFOclsvUzYOOeilELzcupj&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) keeping the licensing fee and adding a £2.30, roughly $3, monthly levy; replacing the current system with another funding model; and giving lower socioeconomic individuals some sort of discount. ### Wyden: An All-GOP FCC Would Be Unlawful URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wyden-an-all-gop-fcc-would-be-unlawful/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:52.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 28, 2026 – Sen. **Ron Wyden**, D-Ore., is questioning whether the Federal Communications Commission could legally operate with three Republicans and no Democrats, as President Donald Trump seeks to confirm Republican nominee **Danielle Thumann Severs**. In a [Sept. 24 letter,](https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/092526fcccommissionergomezletter.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the senator did not ask the FCC to take any action. Instead,[ he asked FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez** for her legal assessment](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/civil-rights-groups-seek-gomez-renomination-alongside-thumann-severs/) of whether the agency could lawfully function with an all-Republican, three-member panel. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “I read the statute to prohibit an all-Republican commission; as such, any actions taken by such an FCC would be null and void,” Wyden wrote. If confirmed,[ Thumann Severs would become the FCC’s third Republican commissioner,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/white-house-nominates-danielle-thumann-for-fcc-spot/) joining Chairman **Brendan Carr** and Commissioner **Olivia Trusty**. The FCC currently has three commissioners, including Gomez, and three members constitute a quorum. Gomez’s term has expired, but she can continue serving under the FCC’s holdover provision through the end of 2027. Wyden’s letter raises the possibility that Trump could remove Gomez after Thumann Severs is confirmed, leaving a three-member commission made up entirely of Republicans. Wyden said he hopes that speculation is wrong but asked Gomez to examine whether such an arrangement would comply with federal law. The Oregon Democrat pointed to changes Congress made to the Communications Act in 1982 that, he said, established political balance at the FCC regardless of the commission’s size. Wyden argued that the law therefore would not permit three Republicans to operate the agency when they constitute the entire three-member commission. The issue could have consequences beyond partisan control of the FCC, according to Wyden. He said an improperly constituted commission could put the legal status of routine agency actions in question. “Every single license renewal, equipment certification, spectrum transfer, or other delegated action would be legally defective,” Wyden wrote, “casting a cloud of crippling legal uncertainty over the entire communications industry.” ### Maryland Joins Virginia in Tightening Data Center Rules With New Accountability Framework URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/maryland-joins-virginia-in-tightening-data-center-rules-with-new-accountability-framework/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:53.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2026 - Some state governors want to see tighter oversight of data centers, responding to public concerns about noise and high energy bills. Maryland Gov. **Wes Moore**, D, signed an executive order last week establishing a statewide review process and public dashboard for large data center projects, joining [Virginia](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gov-spanberger-moves-to-rein-in-virginias-data-center-boom-without-a-moratorium/) in a regional push to rein in the rapid expansion of AI-era server farms. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The order creates a Maryland Data Center [Task Force](https://www.fox5dc.com/news/maryland-governor-signs-executive-order-aimed-protecting-residents-from-data-centers?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that will evaluate any project requiring 25 megawatts or more of power whenever developers seek state permits, incentives or letters of support. Projects will be judged against five principles: ratepayer and grid protection, economic benefits for Marylanders, community voice, environmental protections, and transparency and accountability. The task force will issue public determinations labeling projects “Aligned,” “Conditionally Aligned” or “Not Aligned,” with non-aligned projects losing access to coordinated state review, incentives and agency support. Moore also announced plans to work with the General Assembly to repeal Maryland’s 2020 data center sales and use tax exemption and directed state agencies to stop signing nondisclosure agreements with developers. A public Data Center Dashboard, updated monthly, will list each project’s location, developer, parent company, anchor tenant, projected power demand and water use, state actions requested and the task force’s determination. The move comes just [days after](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gov-spanberger-moves-to-rein-in-virginias-data-center-boom-without-a-moratorium/) Virginia Gov. **Abigail Spanberger, D,** unveiled her own “Data Center Accountability Framework,” which similarly targets large facilities, eliminates automatic local approvals for projects over 25 megawatts, bans state NDAs and creates new environmental and cost-allocation standards. As Maryland and Virginia put their new frameworks into practice, state officials and industry observers will assess whether the twin goals of accountability and growth can be sustained together. ### FCC Hits Pause on Verizon’s Copper Retirement Plan URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-hits-pause-on-verizons-copper-retirement-plan/ Last updated: 2026-09-28T13:03:20.000Z 💡 ■ Did Democratic Sen. Wyden Find a Way to Save Gomez’s FCC Job?} ■ Cable One’s Credit Score Lowered by S&P Global ■ Barron’s: Fiber, FWA Competition Pushing Cable Broadband Prices Way Down ■ Sen. Baldwin Plans NFL TV Fight on Senate Floor Today ■ Wiley Team Looks Ahead to 2027 Policy Battles ■ Kremlin Warns Against Expanded Use of Starlink in the Ukraine War ■ UK Might Fund BBC with a New Monthly Broadband Tax ■ Walmart Rules Out ‘Surveillance Pricing’ Amid FTC Oversight ■ Japan’s SoftBank Group Just Days Away from Owing U.S. ISP WOW! ■ Free State Backs FCC on NEPA Reforms ■ Alabama Reaches $100 Million Settlement with TikTok ■ Maine to Unveil Resilience Grant Winners on Oct.2 ■ Grain Management Names Amran Hussein as General Counsel POTS: Verizon’s copper phone retirement plan has been put on hold. The FCC [said Sept. 25 Verizon’s bid to shut off legacy TDM landline service](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1038A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) across nine states “will not be automatically granted,” citing the need for more review. “Our removal of Verizon’s application from the automatic grant process is not a final determination on the merits,” the agency added. By contrast, the FCC in June granted AT&T’s request to discontinue copper voice services at more than 184,000 locations in California – a decision the California Public Utilities Commission has appealed to the three voting FCC Commissioners. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DBgk!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc7d69db3-bad0-4431-864d-0629a8f73052_752x529.png) Verizon CEO Dan Schulman _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Anthropic and OpenAI Sound the Alarm on AI Safety — And Seek to Shape It's Control URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/anthropic-and-openai-sound-the-alarm-on-ai-safety-and-seek-to-shape-its-control/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:53.000Z SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 27, 2026 (AP) — As tech titans warned an AI-weary world that their own advanced systems could endanger humanity, the question emerged: What do they have to gain? [Broadband and AI in the Next CongressArtificial Intelligence is now driving infrastructure investment and public policy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-c5b3c0ad-25e1-4cbe-b2ee-8786a219882c.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-d1ac3784-425e-47d8-93a7-cca7767fe820.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The answer may lie in the companies’ efforts to score political goals ahead of the [U.S. midterm elections](https://apnews.com/article/ai-trump-democrats-newsom-shapiro-warnings-danger-10cdebf21fd6dfcfc46676b0f095bb2c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and the money top artificial intelligence labs and their investors stand to make in [much-anticipated](https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-ipo-openai-spacex-anthropic-2694431c5cf8850cad940731a38eb188?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) listings on a jittery stock market. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The CEOs of Anthropic and OpenAI recently declared America’s cutting-edge models are so powerful, [they’re dangerous](https://apnews.com/article/ai-doomsday-disease-nuclear-paper-clip-ce46c6200e078bb7967e5260efda5e5a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and need to be regulated and independently tested before being released. In a [rare instance](https://apnews.com/article/ai-slowdown-challenges-anthropic-openai-trump-b61f28b6212338e88c0baec31f661701?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of unity, they have sketched alarming scenarios in essays, social media posts and speeches to the [United Nations](https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-un-security-council-64519ea66b38e2600026f4481ad7f211?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Along the way, they are shaping the conversation around how their technology should be controlled. With their rhetoric, the companies appear to be seeking public favor and to set the terms for their own safety protocols in the unregulated market, experts, analysts and former government evaluators told The Associated Press. Those aims may not exactly align with what Anthropic engineer [**Jacob Coxon**](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) sought when he quit via a post on X this month, calling for a pause on tech development to keep “superhuman” systems from eluding their makers' control. But the companies saw his post as an opportunity to highlight their own safety efforts and position themselves as cautious market leaders, just when they need fresh capital before going public on Wall Street. President Donald Trump has shunned the need for new AI regulations, dismissing talk of risks to humanity as a “HOAX” designed to help China. An Anthropic spokesperson said in response to questions for this story that the company has been calling for regulation for several years. An OpenAI spokesperson, **Liz Bourgeois**, noted the company recently paused training of its most advanced models. “People want to know AI is being developed safely, and that starts with what companies like ours do ourselves," Bourgeois said. ### *Calls for slowdown shift the conversation on AI risks* Turning the conversation toward unproven threats — and away from polarizing issues such as data centers’ environmental impacts, uncontrolled hacking incidents, mass AI-powered surveillance and the AI systems' use in warfare — puts Silicon Valley in a more comfortable position, said **Sarah Shoker**, who previously led OpenAI’s geopolitics team. “Once again we’re talking about existential risk, while deprioritizing a number of other safety-critical risks that exist today. If you look at the use of AI in military tech, you can see that these systems are already used to kill people,” said Shoker, a senior non-resident fellow at University of California, **Berkeley Risk & Security Lab**. As AI companies have gone from building chatbots to advanced AI “ [world models](https://apnews.com/article/ai-world-models-physical-embodied-ai-9bab5a3febad9832f55f8ada33de57b4?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ” with 3D awareness, debate has raged over how their technologies should be tested. Problematic incidents have shown leading AI companies failing to police themselves or design safe experiments. In recent months, leading labs’ AI agents have [hacked into external websites](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) after being allowed to escape company training sandboxes, [interacted with U.S. government websites](https://apnews.com/article/openai-government-website-incident-df331b55daffc6d202d8e2f6d0afa264?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in unexpected ways, and appeared to achieve a mathematical breakthrough only to face accusations of stealing mathematicians' work. OpenAI representatives told reporters recently that they have talked with AI companies including Anthropic and Google about pausing development. They also argue they need independent auditors to check the labs’ progress, if the government won’t regulate. ### *Leading labs press their oversight vision* Trump has shown little interest in regulating AI, which has been a major driver of recent U.S. [economic growth](https://apnews.com/article/ai-inflation-federal-reserve-434f02e62a02f9b92e57995d9375df57?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The Republican president himself has struck deals with Silicon Valley firms that more closely tie the economy to their successes. San Francisco venture capitalist **David Sacks**, who co-chairs Trump’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, has dismissed calls for an AI slowdown as fearmongering from the “Doomer Industrial Complex.” The reality is the Trump administration already evaluates some of the tech giants’ models through a little-known federal agency, the U.S. Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI). Democratic President **Joe Biden** created the agency in 2023, when it was heralded as a clearinghouse for labs to voluntarily submit advanced AI models for testing. The agency still exists, but the field has since expanded to include an array of independent evaluation firms, such as Berkeley, California-based nonprofit METR, which Anthropic CEO **Dario Amodei** suggested in a recent essay could help vet his company's safety practices. But unlike regulated sectors like restaurants, financial services or aviation, there are no universal standards for how to test the safety and security of AI systems, said **Andrew Strait**, who recently left the United Kingdom’s AI Security Institute, which worked with CAISI. Notably, the companies aren’t calling for more oversight from the government agency equipped to handle such requests, said **Conrad Stosz**, who previously led CAISI. Instead, they’re vowing to create their own auditing parameters and choose particular evaluators to grade them. Stosz now works at one such evaluation lab that has worked with Anthropic, OpenAI and Google to test their systems, and also chairs the AI Evaluator Forum, which is drafting best practices for the field. He said even the forum has questions about what Amodei and OpenAI CEO **Sam Altman** want. “Lots of evaluators are interested in embedding with labs and getting greater access, but it’s a little ambiguous what embedded evaluators means,” said Stosz, now head of governance at Transluce, which revealed last week that OpenAI agents hacked U.S. and [Australian government websites](https://apnews.com/article/openai-unauthorized-access-australia-altman-albanese-177e7eaf16cf743930a09445299d7735?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Will evaluators be able to thoroughly investigate, assuming that access is granted in a way that does not undermine their independence and credibility?” ### *Companies position themselves as safe bets* For **Harrison Rolfes**, a PitchBook senior research analyst, AI companies’ calls for caution seem meant to curry favor with investors ahead of public offerings and the midterms, when the political winds could shift. [Democratic governors](https://apnews.com/article/ai-trump-democrats-newsom-shapiro-warnings-danger-10cdebf21fd6dfcfc46676b0f095bb2c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) already are rushing to show they’re taking the warnings seriously. Meanwhile, the AI giants can block smaller competitors' growth by positioning themselves as the safest bet for investors, as well as for AI chipmakers and tech companies such as Nvidia and Google, which in turn can benefit from deals that provide the giant AI companies compute power, Rolfes said. “They’re creating a wall or a moat within this sector. … It’s genius and they’re all going to make a lot of money,” Rolfes said. “That’s where I see this heading, having the top companies in the world just creating their own wall, and then using the safety as the reason.” Not all AI companies [endorse a slowdown](https://apnews.com/article/ai-slowdown-anthropic-openai-meta-nvidia-1d9615931af28a83cb97489178e90f2d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Chipmaker Nvidia’s CEO **Jensen Huang** said in a phone conversation with Trump — a call he took onstage at a conference — that he agrees there has been excessive AI alarmism and companies can choose to pace themselves. **Daniel Kokotajlo**, who left OpenAI in 2024 over concerns similar to Coxon's, said he continues to worry that AI systems are advancing faster than companies can control, and fears [existential scenarios](https://apnews.com/article/ai-doomsday-disease-nuclear-paper-clip-ce46c6200e078bb7967e5260efda5e5a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) such as AI’s potential to supercharge the creation of bioweapons, nuclear war or other catastrophes. “All of this talk is actually a way to sort of dissipate and redirect this political will that has built up, rather than actually channeling that political will to do something good,” said Kokotajlo, who now leads an AI safety advocacy organization and said he counseled Coxon before he resigned. “Just please don’t do the thing that’s going to get us all killed.” *This article was written by Garance Burke of the Associated Press. Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.* ### Washington Signs Seven BEAD Grants URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/washington-signs-seven-bead-grants/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:57.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2026 – After years of prep work, federal broadband subsidies are beginning to flow in Washington State. Washington's broadband office signed contracts with seven ISPs under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, the state [announced Thursday](https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOC/bulletins/42c599a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The seven providers included four local ISPs, two tribes, and a public utility district. They’re set to reach about 28,000 of Washington’s 166,500 BEAD-eligible locations. The grants signed account for about $124 million of the state’s planned $736 million in deployment spending. The remaining providers have until Oct. 8 to sign their contracts under federal rules, the state said in a release. With contracts signed, more permitting work will have to be done on the cleared projects before they break ground. Other states are still hammering out their grant agreements with participating ISPs, with projects just beginning to break ground in some states. **Jordan Arnold**, the state's broadband director, said [earlier this month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/washington-state-moving-along-on-bead-grants/) that one fixed wireless project was already nearing construction. The permitting on fixed wireless projects tends to be simpler than laying fiber. Under Washington’s approved spending plan, satellite providers SpaceX and Amazon are set to service a combined 27 percent of the state’s BEAD-funded locations. That number is likely to come down, since the Commerce Department asked states to revise down satellite awards in light of new federal broadband coverage maps. ### *Colorado funding recision* On Friday, the [Colorado Sun](https://coloradosun.com/2026/09/25/maverix-broadband-colorado-public-funds/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) reported that Maverix Broadband cofounder **David Lindauer** disputed the state’s allegation his company misused grant funds. Lindauer did not respond to a request for comment from Broadband Breakfast. Colorado’s broadband office [said Tuesday](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/colorado-cancels-100-million-bead-award-after-finding-misuse-of-funds/) it was canceling a $100 million BEAD award to Maverix after finding unpaid vendors and payments made for materials and services that were never received. The state said it would pursue $3.2 million in apparently missing money from other state and federal grants through the court handling Mavrix’s bankruptcy case. According to the Sun report Friday, Maverix said it “disputes every calculation, determination and finding” in the state’s monitoring report. The Colorado Broadband Office said it referred the case to the Treasury Department’s inspector general and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The office will re-bid the 10,000 locations Maverix was set to serve. “Colorado takes our responsibility to protect taxpayer funds seriously, and when concerns were raised, our safeguards worked,” Colorado Chief Information Officer **Sarah Tuneberg** said in a statement. “The State took swift action to freeze all payments, investigate the source of funding misuse, and is taking full action to hold Maverix accountable." ### Low-Cost Bank Loans Could Help Advance Universal Service, Broadband Investor Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/low-cost-bank-loans-could-help-advance-universal-service-broadband-investor-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:57.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2026 – The Universal Service Fund needs updating to advance its goal, but it's not the only avenue for achieving universal service, experts said Thursday. **Brian Vo**, CEO of broadband financing nonprofit Connect Humanity, said providers could look to loans provided under a law called the Community Reinvestment Act. He spoke at an event hosted by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The law requires banks to make available cheap loans for projects that benefit low-income areas in their vicinity. Broadband isn’t explicitly included in the law’s language, which was last updated in 1999, which Vo said has prevented many banks from being open to supporting broadband infrastructure projects. He said almost $200 billion in community finance capital would be opened up for broadband projects if the CRA were to be updated to explicitly include them. In [2024 alone](https://www.ffiec.gov/data/cra/findings-from-2024-data-fact-sheet?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), government financial regulators found banks lent $138 billion under the CRA. Banks and other community finance institutions might still face a learning curve in underwriting broadband projects, he said. “It can be very difficult to engage with, particularly for communities who just say, ‘I just want the thing,’ and then they hear a lot of jargon about passive optical network equipment and strand count, right?” Vo said. In July, banking regulators [put forward](https://www.fdic.gov/news/press-releases/2026/agencies-issue-joint-proposal-amending-community-reinvestment-act-rules?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a CRA regulation update for public comment. Vo said the broadband industry was pushing to explicitly include broadband projects as allowable. In the late 2010s, some regional federal reserve banks encouraged broadband infrastructure and adoption projects under the existing CRA framework. In a [2018 piece](https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2018/02/02/the-community-reinvestment-act-and-broadband/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), telecom consultant **Doug Dawson** said it could be difficult to make that work, given bank limits on individual loans, and other factors. “Be a little bit leery of anybody that tells you that this a world changing decision,” Dawson wrote at the time. “Banks are still incredibly conservative and this won’t change their expectation for the metrics they will want a borrower to meet or the collateral they will expect to support a loan. But it ought to open the doors to have conversations with bankers that might not have been possible a few years ago.” ### *USF expansion* Congress has been working for years to modernize the $8 billion per year Universal Service Fund. It supports rural broadband networks and discounts but is funded by interstate voice revenues, a shrinking pool of cash. Finding a new revenue base has proven a difficult task, with influential industries pointing the finger at each other. **Nell Geiser**, head of research at telecom union Communications Workers of America, said the group supported levying fees on revenue from residential broadband, enterprise connectivity, and cloud services. She said CWA estimated that revenue pool totaled more than $700 billion, and the contribution factor — the percentage of revenue contributed to the fund — could be kept below 3 percent and still support a USF nearly twice its current size. The contribution factor for the fourth quarter of 2026 is set to be 42 percent. While Congress is working to reform contributions, the FCC has initiated reviews of several USF programs, partly with the aim of rooting out fraudulent or unnecessary payments. The agency asked whether its infrastructure subsidy was entirely necessary in light of the expansion of satellite broadband. **Benjamin Dinovelli**, a professor at Fordham Law School, said in markets where there weren’t enough consumers to support even a single ISP, subsidies in some form would likely be necessary. That could come from a company using revenues from denser areas to provide service, or government cash, he said. He said in areas that would naturally support a single provider, price caps might be necessary to prevent extractive pricing. **Russ Hanser**, general counsel for cable trade group NCTA, said the group opposed states setting broadband rates. New York has a law on the books capping broadband prices for low-income households. ISPs participating in the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program are supposed to be exempt from those laws, and Verizon and Spectrum, which have major presences in the state, won BEAD funding. Asked by a reporter in the audience how that was playing out, **Joshua Breitbart**, senior vice president of the state’s broadband office, declined to comment. ### Gleb Tsipursky: AI Infrastructure Needs Authority Budgets Before Agents Get the Keys URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gleb-tsipursky-ai-infrastructure-needs-authority-budgets-before-agents-get-the-keys/ Last updated: 2026-09-25T19:00:20.000Z [Broadband Breakfast reported this week](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/as-ai-data-centers-surge-builders-confront-the-politics-of-power/) that AI data-center builders increasingly see electricity, grid capacity, and community trust as the constraints that will determine whether infrastructure can scale. Earlier this month, its [Global AI Regulation discussion](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-looming-tokenocracy-threatens-regulators-ability-to-govern-ai/) highlighted another constraint: evaluators are struggling to keep up with frontier capabilities. The next infrastructure question follows from both stories. As AI shifts from chatbots to agents that can act through networks and software, we need clear limits on what those agents are allowed to do. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) This concern is not confined to critics of AI. [**Jacob Coxon**](https://x.com/hilbertspaess/status/2097476203863224394?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), resigning from Anthropic after roughly three years doing pretraining research across OpenAI and Anthropic, warned that leading labs are “racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” [**Evan Hubinger**](https://x.com/EvanHub/status/2097497037956891126?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Anthropic’s Alignment Science Lead, responding to Coxon’s resignation statement, offered an even starker warning: “Jacob is correct here - we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans! I personally think it is >10% within the next decade.” These very alarming statements gain real-world weight from the underlying control problem, as present systems already show autonomous cyber capability and surprising coordination behavior. [OpenAI disclosed](https://x.com/sama/status/2079661132302995790?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that its systems broke out of a sandboxed testing environment, reached the internet, and autonomously hacked Hugging Face. [OpenAI’s own incident report](https://openai.com/hugging-face-incident-and-misalignment/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) says the models circumvented isolation controls and accessed third-party systems, while the [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) described it as an unprecedented cyber incident. [METR later reported](https://metr.org/blog/2026-08-26-openai-hugging-face-incident-investigation/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that roughly 1,200 agents meant to be isolated found and used an unsanctioned shared message board, exchanged more than 70,000 messages and files, and roughly 700 participated in the attack. The central lesson for broadband and data-center operators is the unintended coordination channel. A system that can combine credentials, tools, and information across agents can create more effective authority than any one permission screen suggests. The stakes rise sharply around critical infrastructure. If more capable successors can discover vulnerabilities, obtain credentials, move laterally, coordinate, and evade controls, similar failures against communications networks, grids, financial institutions, health infrastructure, or defense systems could be far more severe. Broadband providers and data-center operators sit directly in that chain of dependence. I’m no AI skeptic. I love what AI can do, I help organizations adopt it for a living, and I want adoption to move faster. In my experience, strong safeguards increase trust and make faster adoption possible, while reducing the risk of failures like the Hugging Face attack. That is a central theme of my book, [The Psychology of AI Adoption at Work: From Resistance to Results](https://press.georgetown.edu/Book/The-Psychology-of-AI-Adoption-at-Work?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). For operators, the practical tool is an authority budget: the maximum delegated power an AI agent can exercise before human approval. A network-management agent might be allowed to read telemetry and recommend changes, but not alter routing, reset credentials, provision services, communicate externally, change billing records, deploy code, or spend money without an explicit approval gate. Least privilege should be the default. Permissions should expire. Higher-risk actions should be logged and monitored. Every deployment should have a fast pause or kill mechanism. The same principle should govern frontier developers. Anthropic CEO **Dario Amodei** argued in his [September essay](https://darioamodei.com/post/we-must-pace-the-frontier?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that stronger regulation is needed and committed Anthropic to embedded third-party evaluators with ongoing, employee-like access to verify safety practices and report incidents. Binding rules matter because not every frontier company will cooperate voluntarily. [OpenAI has also called](https://openai.com/index/ai-policy-window/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for mandatory capability-based national safety requirements, common testing and independent assessment, stronger cybersecurity protections, and clear incident-reporting rules. Those are important announced commitments. They should become a regulatory floor rather than optional advantages available only at better-governed companies. Customers also have leverage. Enterprises, broadband operators, and data-center companies can choose more ethical and secure AI vendors, including Anthropic, based on observable safety commitments, independent evaluation, incident transparency, and willingness to accept enforceable limits. Procurement can reward the companies building a race to the top. Broadband Breakfast’s reporting is right that AI infrastructure needs power, fiber, and public trust. Trust will also depend on whether the intelligence moving across that infrastructure has bounded authority. The industry should build those authority budgets now, before agents become another critical load that grows faster than the rules around it. [***Dr. Gleb Tsipursky***](https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/glebtsipursky/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***, called the “***[***Office Whisperer”***](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/magazine/return-to-office-consultants.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ***by The New York Times, helps tech-forward leaders stop overpaying for AI while boosting engagement and innovation. He serves as the CEO of the future-of-work consultancy*** [***Disaster Avoidance Experts***](https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***. Dr. Tsipursky authored seven books in total, and his forthcoming book with Georgetown University Press is*** [***The Psychology of AI Adoption at Work: From Resistance to Results***](https://amzn.to/4eNJSPl?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ***(2026). His most recent best-seller is*** [***ChatGPT for Leaders and Content Creators: Unlocking the Potential of Generative AI***](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSR33BZG?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ***(Intentional Insights, 2023), which helps guide leaders in adapting generative AI to achieve their business goals. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Federal Court Says Pentagon Can Label Anthropic a Supply Chain Risk URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-court-says-pentagon-can-label-anthropic-a-supply-chain-risk/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:47:57.000Z Sept. 25, 2026 (AP) – In the latest twist in [Anthropic's dispute with the Pentagon](https://apnews.com/article/ai-anthropic-trump-security-risk-a8cfd07b4d975ddfc5be7e016ed3ddce?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a federal appeals court on Friday rejected the artificial intelligence lab's challenge to the government's labeling of it as a [supply chain risk](https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-ai-anthropic-claude-dario-amodei-openai-d4608c7dd139245ac8ad94d5427c505a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The decision allows the Pentagon to continue to remove Anthropic’s Claude models from its systems and bar the use of its products for Defense Department work. Judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 in the Pentagon's favor. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “Today’s DC Circuit Court ruling completely validates the Department’s position,” the Pentagon’s top spokesman, **Sean Parnell**, wrote in a social media post. The dispute between the AI company and the government broke out in February when President **Donald Trump** and Defense Secretary **Pete Hegseth** accused Anthropic of endangering national security and designated the company a supply chain risk. Anthropic CEO **Dario Amodei** [refused to back down](https://apnews.com/article/ai-anthropic-pentagon-golden-dome-autonomous-weapons-6f3c45ff46172c1bf8658dea0098f3fe?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) over concerns the company’s products could be used for mass surveillance or autonomous armed drones. The ruling is separate from one this summer in California, where a federal judge [found the Pentagon acted illegally](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-pentagon-lawsuit-supply-chain-risk-f15e3c30186385e73e72bee82d85b05c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by punishing the AI company for its criticism of the Pentagon’s views on AI use. This case, which was filed earlier this year in Washington, D.C., focused on a different rule the Pentagon was using to try to declare Anthropic a supply chain risk. The majority opinion states the Pentagon had “ample support” for its actions. It notes that by Anthropic's own admission, “the company encodes restrictions into Claude that prevent the model from performing tasks that Anthropic wishes to prevent.” “The Department reasonably feared that Anthropic might manipulate Claude’s design to prevent it from performing national-security functions that the Department deems contractually authorized and necessary,” Judge **Gregory G. Katsas** wrote in the majority opinion. Both Katsas and Judge **Neomi Rao**, who formed the majority, were nominated by Trump. The sole dissenter, Judge **Karen LeCraft Henderson**, was nominated by Republican President **George H. W. Bush**. The judges said that they have "no reason to doubt" that Anthropic acts with “noble intentions” in restricting Claude, specifically with respect to its concerns around privacy and AI safety. But they said the definition of a supply chain risk in this context hinges “on what Anthropic does, not why Anthropic does it.” An Anthropic spokesperson said in a written statement the company “respectfully disagrees” with the court’s decision. “Another federal court has already held the government’s parallel designation unlawful,” the statement continued. "We remain confident in our position and are considering all options, including further review.” The judges who ruled against Anthropic said they had “no quarrel” with the conclusions of the the separate case that was filed in San Francisco, but they found that a “bad motive” on Anthropic’s part is not required to support a supply chain risk designation. The Department of Defense began removing Claude from its workflows earlier this year, and the ruling upholds its ability to do so, including prohibiting contractors from using Anthropic products in their work for the department. Anthropic’s products are not barred from the federal government as a whole under this ruling. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. *This article was written by Kaitlyn Huamani of the Associated Press.* ### Time for New Telecom Act, Panelists Say URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/time-for-new-telecom-act-panelists-say/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2026 – The 1996 Telecom Act is in need of an update, experts said Wednesday at a Benton Institute for Broadband & Society event. The law’s more comprehensive regulatory regimes don’t cover broadband, which is now much more widely used than the services the Telecom Act was aimed at, said **Scott Jordan**, a computer science professor at UC Irvine and former technology chief at the Federal Communications Commission. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “Title II pertains really only to landline phone. We’re down to 20 percent subscription and falling,” he said. “Compare that to broadband — 90 plus percent of people use broadband. Title II is not hitting the service that most of us are using.” Title III of the act, he said, applied to broadcast TV and mobile voice service, both products with fewer and fewer users. “How many of you have a voice-only cell phone plan? Nobody,” he said. In terms of a new Telecom Act, Michigan State professor and former top FCC economist **Jonannes Bauer** said it would be important to have a framework that could apply as essential communications technologies changed. Affordability and cost would also likely continue to be an issue, he said, since true competition often doesn’t arise among infrastructure providers in less dense areas. The act did recognize that the definition of universal service will change, which he said was positive, but it was still heavily framed around voice telephony. “In that sense, it came at the wrong time with the wrong principles,” he said. He said the act did give the FCC a way to assess the deployment of advanced communications services, which Bauer said was potentially a good framework to do some horizon scanning, but in practice the findings often reflect preexisting beliefs about broadband deployment, he said. **KC Claffy**, director of UC San Diego’s Center for Applied Internet Data Analysis, said any new regulation should define the problem it’s trying to solve. That would mean concretely defining and measuring, for example, things like progress toward universal service or improper prioritization in internet traffic, a difficult task. “We really haven’t achieved the measurement of the basic things from the ‘96 Act in my view. We have a long way to go,” she said. “But I would also say that there’s more motivation and incentive to get that kind of transparency and accountability that we haven’t had since ‘96.” A new comprehensive telecom and broadband regulatory scheme would be a big legislative lift, and not something Jordan thought Congress would accomplish in the near future. Before the panel, **Revati Prasad**, Benton’s executive director, said the group wanted to emphasize that the value of connectivity “can’t be captured in the transaction between network operator and subscriber. Infrastructure by definition is an intermediate good, in that it creates social value downstream when used productively." ### Trump's State Dinner for Xi Features Sea Bass and a Long List of Tech Titans URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trumps-state-dinner-for-xi-features-sea-bass-and-a-long-list-of-tech-titans/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:03.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2026 (AP) — A tech-heavy guest list, the fashion choices of those on it, who sat where and what was [on the menu](https://apnews.com/article/fast-food-chains-china-kfc-tea-trump-9bd3cf5e539f51791d346b97432293ba?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) marked the softer — often and glitzier — details of diplomacy as [**Donald Trump**](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) threw a Thursday night state dinner honoring China’s leader [**Xi Jinping**](https://apnews.com/hub/xi-jinping?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The event featured a cavalcade of billionaires, Washington powerbrokers, business leaders and the type of festivities that most excite Trump, who has a reputation for reveling in hosting parties. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “President Xi and I both understand we represent different systems, but the ties between our people endure, and we’ve never gotten along better,” Trump said during his toast, adding that “together, we can continue to build a relationship that promotes prosperity and security for future generations.” Trump has done his best to impress Xi during China's leader's during Xi's three-day visit to Washington, and praised their close personal relationship — even as he has decried top Democratic candidates as “communists” ahead of the November midterm elections. Xi and Trump discussed tensions over [Taiwan](https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-military-drills-drones-china-us-summit-e7c1c16040f6f9ca5e7672a3fda0ab60?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [trade](https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-china-relationship-ai-tariffs-iran-2716ee31afa579e9ca18ae76cbe35ab9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-trump-xi-meeting-ai-d08e58524de21511dcaba51f43faad95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) during business hours — even as an ongoing [First Amendment fight over press access at the White House](https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-ban-judge-ruling-cnn-msnow-politico-21605e397fe48f178a4afa037e732c6d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) has unfolded. But Trump publicly chose to focus on showing Xi his White House updates on Thursday afternoon, including letting him tour his Marine One presidential helicopter and a new helipad he built for it — [before attention quickly turned](https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-china-ballroom-helipad-b1460ee6c805bbed4a6e0f720d74ab9a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the flashy details of the swanky meal. Xi noted in his own toast that “President Trump has pledged to make America great again” and that “China is committed to achieving great national rejuvenation.” “These two goals are both ambitious and can surely be mutually reinforcing,” Xi said. Trump wore a tuxedo, and her office said first lady **Melania Trump** opted for a tuxedo-style outfit: a white Saint Laurent cotton poplin blouse, a black silk cummerbund and black brocade pants — both from Dolce & Gabbana — with a peony motif. Xi chose a black suit and his wife, **Peng Liyuan**, wore a red gown. The East Room, where the dinner was held, featured low lighting and place settings with elegant red and gold decor. Those in attendance included OpenAI CEO **Sam Altman**, who signed autographs upon arriving at the White House. Nvidia CEO **Jensen Huang** opted for a tuxedo over his trademark black leather jacket. **Bernard Arnault**, the CEO of French luxury goods company LVMH, walked through black security fencing to enter the event. ### *Trump says he can't help but talk up the ballroom being built* The president toasted his strong relationship with Xi and the bond between the U.S. and China, but then added, “If I could go off script just for a second, I just want to say I had to do it,” as those assembled laughed. “I’d like to invite everyone in the room to visit through that beautiful curtain in the back,” Trump said, referring to the construction site of his [White House ballroom](https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-ballroom-supreme-court-6b9434af0a2dbeffa0ca19f5cdf7d775?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the South Lawn, which he said, “you've heard so much about.” Trump said the project was a year from completion, and said he thought attendees “will see something that I think you will really love.” The president said that after the dinner attendees could go see the worksite and be “the first people to step foot” on it. “We’ll do that. Maybe after we’ve finished with the entertainment tonight,” Trump said, asking, “Anybody wants to walk into a construction site that’s nice and sparkling, it’s our honor to have you do so.” Trump has called the ballroom he’s building the “Great Hall of the United States,” and suggested it could rival the Great Hall of the People, where he dined during a state visit to Beijing in May. The president also presented Xi with an eagle statue that he said was designed “in personal collaboration with Melania and myself.” Xi did not present Trump a public gift in return during the dinner. ### *Guests dined on squash and sea bass* The first lady helped craft the evening's menu, which was served on the red china from **Ronald Reagan’s** presidency. It featured a first course of yellow squash velouté with wild mushrooms, fresh herbs, crispy pancetta and drizzled scallion oil. After that, guests got sesame-crusted sea bass with braised baby bok choy, roasted garden eggplant and a sauce verte. Dessert was vanilla crémeux with sour cherry confit and walnut frangipane, as well as ice cream with honey from the White House. ### *Trump has sought to one-up Xi after Beijing* The dinner came after the president [took the unusual step of personally greeting](https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-arrival-washington-state-visit-baea8dbdb8c832ae1b295579709dc967?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Xi and his wife on Wednesday as they arrived at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington. Normally, presidents wait for their state visit guests to arrive at the White House itself before offering a formal welcome. Thursday's dinner was packed with technology industry titans like [Amazon](https://apnews.com/hub/amazoncom-inc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) founder [**Jeff Bezos**](https://apnews.com/hub/jeff-bezos?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Tesla and SpaceX CEO [**Elon Musk**](https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [Google and Alphabet CEO **Sundar Pichai**](https://apnews.com/hub/sundar-pichai?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), OpenAI President and co-founder [**Greg Brockman,**](https://apnews.com/article/musk-openai-trial-verdict-0b9b0bfaffe96f2c930341f52dfe4f8c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and Dell Technologies chairman and CEO [**Michael Dell**](https://apnews.com/article/trump-accounts-kids-michael-dell-1831095c23ead75b67edc65ead5309fd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). During his own visit to Beijing in May, [Xi hosted Trump for a state dinner](https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-china-iran-trade-a1d63a711a037472f5c1c330c2120bd5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that unfolded beneath grand chandeliers in the Great Hall of the People. That event also included many tech luminaries, such as [**Tim Cook**](https://apnews.com/hub/tim-cook?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), formerly Apple's CEO, and Musk. It was all a stark departure from 2015, when then-President Barack Obama was [preparing to host Xi](https://apnews.com/general-news-92816edecce54815978146eba3bd24b2?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for a state visit and Trump — in the midst of his first presidential run — criticized all the hubbub. “Just take them to McDonald’s and go back to the negotiating table,” Trump said then, during a rally in South Carolina. He later conceded on Fox News Channel that Xi might at least be worthy of getting “probably a double-size Big Mac.” *This article was written by Will Weissert of the Associated Press.* ### Carr Slams House Democrats Opposed to Alerting Parents to LGBTQ Content in Children’s TV Programming URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carr-slams-house-democrats-opposed-to-alerting-parents-to-lgbtq-content-in-childrens-tv-programming/ Last updated: 2026-09-25T13:19:06.000Z 💡 ■ Unlike BEAD Program, Netanyahu Is Not Technology Neutral ■ Ruddy to **Policyband*: Fox-Roku Deal Violates the Clayton Act ■ Washington State Signs BEAD Deal with Seven ISPs ■ Columnist Jon Decker to Congress: Shut Down the $8.5 Billion USF ■ Judge Tosses Trump Suit Against Iowa Paper’s Dubious Pre-Election Poll ■ Polish Leader: Russia May Have Destroyed Starlink Ground Station ■ NYT Tech Reporter: Google’s Space-Based Data Center Test Could Fail ■ KeyBanc Analyst Downgrades Comcast on ‘Worse Than Expected’ Results ■ Analyst Supino Calls Starlink’s Mobile Plan ‘A Very Long Putt’ ■ SHLB to Unveil New E-Rate Study by Brattle Group Economist ■ AT&T, T-Mobile Declare Cash Dividends TV Ratings: FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** is escalating his fight with dozens of House Democrats over LGBTQ content slipped into children’s TV shows. Carr [sent a Sept. 22 letter](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-425331A2.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to 68 Democrats who oppose adding gender identity descriptors to the TV Parental Guidelines, arguing that parents should be told when shows rated for young audiences include transgender or nonbinary themes. “Keeping parents in the dark about the nature of these programs is a feature not a bug of the effort,” Carr said. “This is an extreme position, and one that comes on the heels of a sudden surge in children’s television programming secretly promoting gender ideology to young kids without the knowledge or consent of their parents,” Carr said in his three-page letter. ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Civil Rights Groups Seek Gomez Renomination Alongside Thumann Severs URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/civil-rights-groups-seek-gomez-renomination-alongside-thumann-severs/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:03.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 25, 2026 – Civil rights groups are asking the Senate to delay consideration of Republican FCC nominee **Danielle Thumann Severs** until Democratic Commissioner **Anna Gomez** is renominated. [In a Sept. 15 letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman](https://civilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/9.15-Civil-Rights-Letter-to-Senate-Commerce-Committee-Leadership-Urging-Delay-on-Danielle-Thumann-Severs-FCC-Nomination.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)**Ted Cruz**, R-Texas, and ranking member Sen. **Maria Cantwell**, D-Wash., the groups urged the committee to hold off on a confirmation hearing and vote for Thumann Severs until Gomez has been renominated and the two nominees can move through the process together. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Urban League, Hispanic Federation and other organizations signed the letter. They argued that the FCC would function better with both Republican and Democratic commissioners. “The nomination of Ms. Thumann Severs, a Republican, without an accompanying nomination of a Democrat, is a breach of democratic norms,” the groups wrote. President [**Donald Trump** nominated Thumann Severs on Aug. 7](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/thumann-severs-confirmation-hearing-set-for-sept-17/). She is senior counsel to FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**. If confirmed, she would give Republicans three of the FCC’s four currently occupied seats, joining Carr and Commissioner **Olivia Trusty**. The Senate Commerce Committee had scheduled Thumann Severs’ confirmation [hearing for Sept. 17, but postponed it after she recently gave birth](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/thumann-severs-nomination-hearing-postponed/). Gomez’s term expired June 30, but she can continue serving through the end of 2027 under the FCC’s holdover provision unless a successor is confirmed sooner. That holdover status has added significance to Thumann Severs’ nomination. The FCC needs three commissioners for a quorum. If Thumann Severs is confirmed, Carr, Trusty, and Thumann Severs would be able to form a quorum without Gomez, allowing the commission to conduct business without its lone Democratic member. [The civil rights groups are asking the Senate to prevent that possibility by pairing Thumann Severs’ ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tower-fiber-trade-groups-back-thumann-severs-for-fcc/)nomination with a renomination of Gomez. They said a bipartisan commission would provide greater debate over issues including universal connectivity, media diversity, and consumer protection. ### Tarana CEO Sees No Clear Successor to Video Driving Household Bandwidth Demand URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tarana-ceo-sees-no-clear-successor-to-video-driving-household-bandwidth-demand/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:08.000Z MILPITAS, Calif., Sept. 24, 2026 — Slower growth in household bandwidth demand is strengthening the case for fixed wireless broadband, argues Tarana Wireless CEO **Basil Alwan**. Average usage per home during the network’s busiest hour is about 5 to 7 Megabits per second (Mbps), Alwan said, speaking at the [company's Connecting Communities Summit here](https://news.taranawireless.com/connecting-communities-summit-sept-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Sept. 17\. Consumption varies little among subscribers on 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps and gigabit download plans, although faster connections remain useful for tasks such as downloading files. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Bandwidth [demand is growing](https://news.taranawireless.com/connecting-communities-summit-sept-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) about 10 to 12 percent annually, down from the 20 to 30 percent rates sustained for years. Tarana, based in this Silicon Valley community, makes fixed wireless equipment that connects homes to nearby towers, competing with fiber and other broadband technologies. The transition from text and images to streaming video repeatedly drove demand for more capacity, Alwan said. He said he saw no equally obvious next application poised to repeat that expansion, though he acknowledged that a new one could emerge. “It’s just the first time there hasn’t been an automatic clear next application that’s going to drive bandwidth growth,” he said. The peak-hour figure describes average traffic per household, not the maximum speed a household might need. Short periods of heavy use, including large downloads, still benefit from connections delivering hundreds of megabits per second, he said. ### *AI connectivity needs will focus on data centers* Artificial intelligence could increase the number of devices needing reliable connections without producing a comparable surge in bandwidth requirements for each home, Alwan said. Connected vehicles, robots and other machines will need widespread coverage, while AI applications could also increase traffic uploaded from users. The largest capacity demands, in his assessment, will fall inside data centers and on the connections between them. The need to move more data between processors is pushing optical connections into shorter distances within computing systems, where copper links are reaching their performance limits. Moving more computing into small facilities near users would require a stronger economic justification, he argued. Building thousands of such facilities would be expensive, and applications generally develop around the infrastructure already available. “So the idea that a GPU is going to be sitting in a cell tower serving up some sort of AI workload is interesting, but it’s not likely, I would say,” he said. Graphics processing units perform several parallel calculations simultaneously, helping train AI models and run them to generate responses. The stakes of broadband access will also rise as AI tools become more widely available, Alwan argued. People without internet access would lack tools their connected peers can use, deepening the disadvantage of being offline. He predicted that governments would increasingly have to treat connectivity as a right. ### *Harder-to-reach homes put pressure on fiber economics* Slower demand growth coincides with increasingly difficult fiber construction, Alwan said. As providers connect denser neighborhoods and locations where installation is easier, the remaining homes tend to be more expensive to reach. The share of households that subscribe also affects whether a fiber project recovers its construction costs. In a hypothetical project costing $1,500 per home passed, a 50 percent subscription rate would mean $3,000 in construction spending per customer before adding the final connection and equipment inside the home. Competition from fixed wireless and satellite can put that subscription rate under pressure, he said. But he rejected the idea that one technology would replace all the others. “Fiber makes perfect sense in some places, satellite is the only answer in some places, [wireless is a great option](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-faces-supply-chain-spike-and-near-certain-defaults-as-program-shifts-to-construction-panelists-said/) in others,” he said. Mobile carriers face a separate constraint when selling home broadband over their existing networks. Residential connections consume substantially more capacity than mobile subscriptions, requiring carriers to limit how many homes they serve in each coverage area, Alwan said. Using spare mobile-network capacity for home internet is sensible, he argued, but providers must protect the experience of their mobile customers as that capacity fills. ### *Tarana bets on shared spectrum* Serving more homes wirelessly will require more efficient use of available airwaves, Alwan said. He advocated sharing spectrum at moderate power, with coordination systems and interference-management technology allowing frequencies to be reused across networks. Tarana’s [equipment operates in the shared](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cbrs-could-be-key-to-scaling-fixed-wireless-broadband/) 3.5 GigaHertz (GHz) Citizens Broadband Radio Service band and unlicensed portions of the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands. Its second-generation system, G2, can combine capacity from those bands into one connection, a technique called carrier aggregation. The company’s equipment serves about 330,000 homes and has been deployed in 1,358 U.S. counties, according to figures Alwan presented. He expects the number of connected homes to reach the millions within the next few years. Tarana equipment is [already carrying service](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/tarana-wireless/) funded by the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. In May, Vistabeam, a Nebraska-based broadband provider, announced what it described as the nation’s first reported BEAD-funded household connection near Ogallala, west Nebraska . The home received download speeds exceeding 800 Mbps and upload speeds above 200 Mbps, according to the provider. In northwest Louisiana, a tower activated May 1 in Bienville Parish made service available to 104 BEAD-funded locations, according to ISP Nextlink Internet. The site uses Tarana’s G2 equipment with shared 3.5 GHz CBRS spectrum and unlicensed 6 GHz spectrum. It forms part of an $18.5 million grant intended to reach 7,460 locations across the state. ### Sens. Welch, Bennet Bill Would Create ‘Digital FCC’ URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/sens-welch-bennet-bill-would-create-digital-fcc/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:08.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 24, 2026 – The country needs a new federal agency to oversee the largely unregulated digital economy, according to legislation reintroduced in the Senate by Sens. **Peter Welch**, D-Vt., and **Michael Bennet**, D-Colo. The Digital Platform Commission Act would establish a Federal Digital Platform Commission with authority to develop and enforce rules governing digital platforms. The proposed agency would focus on consumer protection, competition and the public interest. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The legislation comes as lawmakers and regulators face growing questions about how existing federal agencies should oversee large technology companies and emerging AI systems. “Technology is moving quicker than Congress could ever hope to keep up with,” Bennet said in [announcing the bill May 18, 2023](https://www.welch.senate.gov/welch-bennet-reintroduce-landmark-legislation-to-establish-federal-commission-to-oversee-digital-platforms/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). He said the proposed commission would provide expert oversight to ensure that AI tools and digital platforms operate in the public interest. Welch said large technology companies have gained significant influence over society while largely avoiding comprehensive regulatory scrutiny. The senators said the Department of Justice and [Federal Trade Commission currently have primary responsibility for digital-platform oversight](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/america-facing-consequences-from-years-of-inaction-on-antitrust-says-former-fcc-chairman/). But they argued that the agencies lack the specialized resources and authority needed for comprehensive, proactive regulation of the sector. Under the proposal, the new commission would have authority to establish sector-specific rules addressing the unique risks posed by dominant digital platforms. Supporters said those powers could include requirements for data portability and interoperability and oversight of algorithms. The bill also draws a comparison to the creation of the Federal Communications Commission in 1934, when Congress established a sector-specific regulator to address the growing importance of telecommunications. Former FCC Chairman **Tom Wheeler** [endorsed the legislation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/without-section-230-digital-platforms-would-not-be-able-to-exist-panelists-said/), describing the proposed agency as a way to provide oversight while maintaining flexibility for technological innovation. “We can no longer be observers as digital technology companies ranging from [social media to artificial intelligence make their own rules](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/without-section-230-digital-platforms-would-not-be-able-to-exist-panelists-said/) without any oversight to protect the public interest,” Wheeler said. The proposal has also received support from Public Knowledge, the Center for Humane Technology and academics including **Fiona Scott Morton** of Yale University and **Mark MacCarthy** of Georgetown University. The legislation would create a new federal regulatory structure rather than give the FCC jurisdiction over digital platforms. The proposed commission would instead operate as a separate expert agency focused specifically on the digital sector. ### Oregon Community Launches Gorgeous Broadband URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oregon-community-launches-gorgeous-broadband/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:08.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 24, 2026 – Gorgeous Broadband launched on Sept. 22, offering a new community‑owned residential fiber service in The Dalles, Oregon. With almost 16,000 people, The Dalles population is [the largest city ](https://brettstomps.com/explore/the-dalles-or/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)along the Oregon side of the Columbia River and yet historically, like [many rural areas](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/middle-mile-advocate-says-rural-areas-need-fiber-connectivity/), has never had reliable, high-speed internet. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “The expansion of our fiber network and the launch of Gorgeous Broadband are significant milestones,” [QLife Network Executive](https://columbiacommunityconnection.com/the-dalles/gorgeous-broadband-launches-bringing-affordable-high-speed-internet-to-td?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Director **Liz Lance** stated. For context, QLife Network is [an intergovernmental agency](https://www.telecompetitor.com/community-owned-gorgeous-broadband-launches-in-the-dalles-oregon/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that was created in 2001 and formed by The Dalles, Wasco County, and Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District (PUD). QLife also serves as the main provider of high-speed broadband in the Mid-Columbia region. Yet these services were reserved for large businesses and institutions– leaving the community with no dedicated residential provider. However, after QLife, along with [several other providers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/astound-broadband-declines-90-6-million-in-bead-awards-from-oregon/) in the state, [rejected BEAD awards](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oregon-moves-forward-on-bead-contracts-but-astound-backs-out/), the company saw fit to make stronger residential efforts. Currently, QLife’s launch of Gorgeous Broadband aims to begin deploying its network to reach [about 2,750 households](https://gorgenewscenter.com/2026/09/22/gorgeous-broadband-launches-in-the-dalles/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Thus, ultimately serving almost 25,000 customers in the county. Area residents will then have the opportunity to select amongst various packages starting from under $70 per month. They can additionally register their address to [receive priority construction](https://gorgeousbroadband.org/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and service updates. From there QLife Network seeks to continuously expand Gorgeous Broadband with the help of the Northern Wasco County PUD management. ### Guthrie, Pallone Introduce Bill to Increase Oversight of FCC Covered List URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/guthrie-pallone-introduce-bill-to-increase-oversight-of-fcc-covered-list/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:14.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2026 – Bipartisan House members want more control over the process for banning new Chinese tech equipment from the U.S. House Commerce Committee leaders filed Wednesday a new bill [that would](https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/0923-transparency-act-section-by-section.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) give them additional oversight of the Federal Communications Commission’s list of banned products. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Gear produced by Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE have been chief targets of bans since U.S. lawmakers deemed them a national security risk in a 2019 law. They feared the companies’ products could be used for espionage given Chinese laws requiring cooperation with intelligence services, something the companies have denied. U.S. President **Donald Trump** hosted Chinese President **Xi Jinping** at the White House Thursday. [The bill](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/0923%5Fcommunications%5Fand%5Ftechnology%5Ftransparency%5Fact%5Fbill%5Ftext%5F012bdcfe7d.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would expand the kinds of technology that could be added to the FCC’s Covered List — the list of banned gear — and limit inclusion on the list to equipment made by companies controlled by a foreign adversary. It would also increase Congress’s oversight of the process. “The current process for identifying and barring malicious foreign technology has worked in many cases, but lacks the transparency, consistency, and clarity needed to meet our long-term national security needs as technology rapidly advances,” Reps. **Brett Guthrie**, R-Ky., and **Frank Pallone**, D-N.J., the committee’s chairman and ranking member, said in [a joint statement](https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/pallone-and-guthrie-introduce-legislation-to-improve-the-process-for-adding-tech-and-telecom-equipment-to-the-fcc-s-covered-list?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Recently, the FCC has added routers, drones, and certain robots produced in any country outside the U.S. to its Covered List. The agency cited national security determinations made by other federal agencies. The FCC has been granting temporary exemptions from those bans, most recently to router suppliers for two broadband trade groups, USTelecom and CTIA. The groups said their companies’ suppliers needed to make changes to already approved gear to avoid disruptions given global component shortages. Guthrie and Pallone’s bill would require the FCC to notify Congress before anything was included on the Covered List, and allow Congress to nullify any additions it didn’t agree with. The lawmakers’ committee recently advanced a set of five telecom bills. A sixth one that cleared the Communications and Technology Subcommittee at the same time as the others [was not included](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-committee-clears-five-telecom-bills/). That bill, [the GUARD Act](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-subcommittee-advances-broadband-bills/), would have effectively loosened the Trump administration’s ban on foreign-made robots and limited restrictions to units made by officially designated foreign adversaries like China and Iran. “I appreciate the administration’s recognition of this threat,” Guthrie said during the subcommittee markup on Sept. 1\. “I do have some questions, however, about how an overly broad approach could hurt American supply chains and our ability to compete against China in the long term.” ### *Rip and Replace extensions* The bill made updates to the 2019 Secure and Trusted Communications Act. That law also set up an FCC program that reimbursed smaller providers for swapping Chinese gear out of their networks. Earlier this month the [FCC granted](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-936A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) additional deadline extensions to four providers participating in the program. Removal work was generally supposed to be done May 8, after a $3 billion shortfall in the program was addressed and companies started receiving full reimbursements. The providers that got more extensions this month were supposed to complete work by early August or September, deadlines that were pushed as far as March 2027 in one case. They each cited supply chain delays and, in one case, a ransomware attack. The FCC granted 30 [similar extensions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-grants-four-more-rip-and-replace-extensions/) earlier this summer. The agency had granted repeated extensions over the past few years because of the lack of funds, but has been saying it’s less interested in doing that now. For companies seeking an extension, “Providing adequate explanation and support is imperative given that recipients were granted full funding well over a year ago. The Bureau will deny requests that lack adequate support,” the agency wrote. At least six other providers have submitted extension requests since the latest batch of approvals. In the FCC’s [semiannual status report](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nearly-half-of-rip-and-replace-projects-done-fcc-tells-congress/) on the program, it told Congress in June that 53 of the 126 approved projects had been completed. ### Tech Leaders to UN: For the Sake of Humanity, Please Control AI We Created URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tech-leaders-to-un-for-the-sake-of-humanity-please-control-ai-we-created/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:13.000Z UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24, 2026 (AP) — The heads of major artificial intelligence firms pleaded with the United Nations on Wednesday to save the world or at least its people — by somehow regulating [the fast-expanding technology](https://apnews.com/article/ai-hugging-face-swarm-internet-takeover-amodei-0053ba1b6c8144b2927d2501be9eb919?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that they have been designing. “If managed poorly, I even believe AI could be a risk to humanity as a whole,” said **Dario Amodei**, chief executive officer of Anthropic. And from his competitor **Sam Altman**, CEO of OpenAI, came this assessment: “We could lose control of the future to AI.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Both said the countries of the world, through the U.N. Security Council, where they testified Wednesday, have to set safeguards of some kind to prevent the technology from getting [too powerful to rein in.](https://apnews.com/article/ai-doomsday-disease-nuclear-paper-clip-ce46c6200e078bb7967e5260efda5e5a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) They also called for the world to make sure that the power of AI isn’t concentrated in one company or country. They also touted the benefits of the technology for bettering humanity and what Altman called “giving people more power over their own lives.” Those tech leaders “are telling us in stark terms that it cannot be left to them to prevent disaster from befalling the world,” British Foreign Secretary **Ed Miliband** said at the Security Council. “We cannot ignore them because they are right.’’ ### *AI will be at the heart of G20 discussions* Miliband said when the U.K. leads the G20 next year, it will put controlling AI at the heart of discussions, looking for a single set of global standards “to insure that AI development is safe.” But, the United States said: Don’t do it. Worries about control of AI are “not a reason to pause its further development or to constrain it with new global governance structure,” said White House Science Adviser **Michael Kratsios**. “We want you, our allies and partners, to share in the benefits of this technology.” The U.S. and China are jostling for AI dominance — and Chinese U.N. Ambassador **Fu Cong** emphasized that all countries should be able to choose AI technology as they see fit. He warned against “banding together into a petty us-vs.-them clique in the tech sector and forcing other countries to take sides” and enabling unnamed major powers that he described as seeking “digital hegemony.” He called on countries instead to promote open-source models -- [China’s approach](https://apnews.com/article/kimi-k3-china-ai-model-us-4c66a2e0f557ce79d3cc2d769c9a6226?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the technology. For most of the world leaders, one key question about AI is this: Who should control life-and-death decisions — human or machine? Amodei, Altman and Hugging Face CEO **Clément Delangue**, who spoke via a glitchy remote connection, spoke with the U.N.’s most powerful council because they and world leaders are trying to figure out not just whether to control AI, but by whom, how it could possibly be done and when it might be just too late. The day before, U.N. Secretary-General **Antonio Guterres** warned of “killer robots.” Experts and European leaders said that’s not hyperbole but something that’s either already a grim reality or perilously close. Amodei called on world leaders to agree on not letting AI build biological weapons, figure out how to verify what models have the capability to do and “establish common standards” for testing and for loss of control and misuse. French Foreign Minister **Jean-Noël Barrot**, whose country convened Wednesday’s meeting, compared the current state of AI to both the runaway computer HAL9000 in the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” and the dawn of the atomic age. “Just as with the atom back then, the international community must now regulate AI in order to make the most of its potential and avoid the worst,” Barrot said. ### *Other leaders and nations are paying close attention to AI* His wasn't the only concern expressed during this high-profile U.N. meeting week. “We must not allow the cost of today’s hesitation to become tomorrow’s catastrophe,” said Liberian UN Ambassador **Lewis G. Brown II**. Ukrainian President President **Volodymyr Zelenskyy**, speaking at the General Assembly, said some kind of human control over machines must achieved soon. Otherwise, he said, for his country — at war for 4½ years — it may be just too late. “There is already a real possibility that AI, not only people, will begin to decide what happens on the battlefield. And we need peace before we reach that point,” Zelenskyy said. Last month, a Russian drone seemingly using AI “autonomously made a targeting decision that killed three Ukrainians. Killer robots are technically easy to build, and they are real. We should not be under any illusions otherwise,” Kentaro Toyama, an information technology professor at the University of Michigan, said in an email. Data scientist **Rumman Chowdhury**, co-founder of the accountability nonprofit Humane Intelligence, said the idea of killer robots “evokes a science-fiction villain, when the question I want the public to ask is much more concrete: Who authorized a machine to select and attack a target, under what constraints, and who answers for the result?” The U.N. meeting unfolded as Chinese President [**Xi Jinping**](https://apnews.com/hub/xi-jinping?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) headed to Washington for a much-anticipated state visit. [AI interests are looking to](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-trump-xi-meeting-ai-d08e58524de21511dcaba51f43faad95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) what comes out of Xi’s discussions with U.S. President **Donald Trump**. Earlier, U.S. Treasury Secretary **Scott Bessent** said the two countries had discussed [a potential new “notification mechanism”](https://apnews.com/article/bessent-ai-xi-trump-china-trade-2c7f54f07e755f506d9db9b91df282bd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for AI incidents that could impact national security. But on Tuesday, Trump, lauding AI as “superintelligence,” said the United States [would reject efforts to control the technology](https://apnews.com/article/ai-trump-un-guterres-danger-killer-robots-073d9026a06d99192009170b51bc6e37?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as it tries to win the development race with China. Kratsios was the one of the few who used that term in the Security Council. Meanwhile, regional groups in Europe, Asia and elsewhere also are trying to coordinate AI policies, and various nations — and even subcomponents, such as U.S. states — are crafting their own. *This article was written by Seth Borenstein and Jennifer Peltz of the Associated Press.* ### Free State Opposed to Price Caps on Retail Broadband URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/free-state-opposed-to-price-caps-on-retail-broadband/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:14.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2026 - The Free State Foundation is pushing back hard against calls to regulate broadband prices, arguing that rate caps would raise costs and stifle innovation in an increasingly competitive market. In a Sept. 9 [blog post](https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2026/09/price-regulation-is-not-answer-for.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Free State President **Randolph May** and Senior Fellow **Joseph Kennedy** responded to Penn State professor **Christopher Ali**, who recently urged policymakers to consider setting maximum broadband rates to help households struggling with bills. May and Kennedy contend that competition and market-determined prices remain the best path to lower costs and greater innovation over the long term. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The scholars point to a steady pattern of faster speeds and lower prices per megabit in recent years, arguing that on average consumers are paying less for more broadband capacity. They warn that rate regulation could undo this trend, recalling earlier eras of telecommunications history when regulators treated transmission facilities as fixed assets, guaranteed providers a fixed rate of return and discouraged competition, leading to stagnant prices and low innovation. **May** and **Kennedy** also highlight current market promotions that they say undercut the case for regulation. They note Comcast offering 300 Mbps for $40 a month with a five-year price guarantee, and Mediacom selling a broadband-mobile bundle guaranteed for two years, both well below the $78 median monthly bill cited by Ali. They add that federal programs and state universal service subsidies already target low-income consumers who may have difficulty paying their bills, alongside provider-specific low-income offerings. Competition from new technologies is another key factor, they argue. The scholars point to satellite constellations such as Starlink, which are aggressively targeting customers in remote areas where fiber is expensive to deploy. They say price competition from satellites recently helped the National Telecommunications and Information Administration lower the overall cost of its BEAD program by $21 billion, with much of those savings redirected to extend broadband to remaining unserved locations. May and Kennedy conclude that the public debate on price regulation has largely been settled in favor of less regulation and more competition, citing parallels in freight, airlines, electricity transmission and the old Ma Bell system. “This is certainly not the time to renew efforts at rate regulation as the broadband marketplace becomes ever more competitive,” they write. The dispute has flared up again in recent weeks, with Free State publishing a new critique just days after Ali’s latest essay calling for more aggressive broadband affordability measures. In a recent Sept. 22 [paper](https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Broadband-Competition-Is-Real-Vampires-Are-Not-%E2%80%93-A-Critique-of-Dr.-Alis-Efforts-to-Revive-Rejected-Claims-as-Heresies-092226.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), FSF Senior Fellow **Andrew Long** asserted Penn State’s Ali of trying to revive rejected regulatory ideas, including rate regulation, taxpayer-funded overbuilding and opposition to technology neutrality, and said robust, multimodal competition and falling prices make those approaches unnecessary and potentially harmful. Long argued that Ali’s “$10 fiber” vision ignores evidence from the FCC’s 2026 Section 706 Report, writing that “policymakers evaluating the state of competition must stick with Team Evidence,” and adding, “It once may have been heretical to suggest that satellite broadband was an effective competitor. It is now heretical to insist that it is not.” The dispute reflects a larger policy divide over affordability and deployment. Ali and other advocates have argued that policymakers should consider stronger interventions to make broadband more affordable, while the Free State Foundation maintains that competition among multiple technologies - rather than price regulation or fiber-first mandates - offers the more effective route to lower prices, continued private investment and wider availability. ### FCC Not Interested in $57 Million Refund for AT&T URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-not-interested-in-57-million-refund-for-at-t/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:19.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission isn’t interested in giving AT&T a refund on a $57 million fine the company paid in 2024. The company [had said](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-seeking-refund-on-fcc-location-data-fine/) a forfeiture order misled it into paying sooner than it had to, but the FCC said in [a Wednesday filing](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.219140/gov.uscourts.ca5.219140.171.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that a court couldn’t mandate a refund on those grounds. The agency also defended the fine itself, which its chairman had opposed as a commissioner. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The three national carriers were fined a total of $200 million for, in the FCC’s view, not vetting third parties thoroughly enough before selling them subscriber location data. The carriers say they each stopped the practice by 2019. The companies appealed up to the Supreme Court, arguing the FCC didn’t have the ability to issue fines at all under recent precedent involving the Securities and Exchange Commission. Justices disagreed, but said the agency’s forfeiture orders were nonbinding until the Justice Department sued to collect on them. Experts [have said](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/impact-of-supreme-courts-fcc-fine-ruling-still-unclear-experts/) it’s still unclear how often companies will refuse to pay fines in practice. AT&T told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit last month that that wasn’t the common understanding of FCC fines, and that it was misled into thinking it had to pay. “The Order did not compel AT&T to make immediate payment, but instead offered it a choice between paying the forfeiture or awaiting a district court enforcement action,” FCC attorney **Scott Noveck** said in a Wednesday filing. “That AT&T claims to have misread the Order does not mean that the government misled it, nor does it entitle AT&T to relief against the government.” He added that the law “does permit a court to directly order the government to make any monetary payment to AT&T” if the order itself wasn’t vacated. The FCC has [issued fines](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-913A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) since the Supreme Court’s decision came down in June, and it has not altered its ordering clauses from the language AT&T said was misleading. Verizon and T-Mobile have [also sought](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-t-mobile-want-refunds-on-location-data-fines/) refunds in court. They both asked the Supreme Court to send their cases back down so they would have the chance to argue for one (AT&T’s was sent back automatically because justices reversed its appellate win, unlike the other two carriers). Justices [declined Verizon’s request](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/supreme-court-denies-verizon-bid-to-pursue-refund-on-fcc-fine/) last month — asked at the time if it felt it had other avenues to pursue a refund, Verizon declined to comment — and T-Mobile’s is still pending. The companies’ attorney, former Acting Solicitor General **Jeff Wall**, said they should get a refund during oral arguments, but Chief Justice **John Roberts** didn’t grant one. “The carriers also argue that the specific forfeiture orders in this case misled them into paying, and that a refund is therefore appropriate,” he wrote. “We express no view on the merits of this argument, what relief may be available to the carriers, or in what proceeding.” T-Mobile also asked the high court to rule on whether parts of the specific fines at issue were valid, since justice only ruled on whether the FCC could issue fines. CTIA, the major [wireless industry group](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ctia-wants-supreme-court-to-again-review-decisions-upholding-carrier-fines/), supported T-Mobile’s request. ### *Fine calculation, location data protections* AT&T also asked the Fifth Circuit to overturn the order for two reasons unrelated to the FCC’s general fining powers. The company said the amount was excessively high, and that the location data isn’t protected by the Communications Act. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, a commissioner at the time, dissented from the fines. Like AT&T, he said the FCC didn’t have authority over location data that wasn’t related to a customer using telecom voice service and called the fine totals “eye-popping.” “These actions are inconsistent with the law and basic fairness,” he said of the penalties. But the agency defended the fines Wednesday. AT&T had said fines should effectively be capped at $2 million under the Communications Act, and that the FCC got around that by arbitrarily finding additional infractions when it wanted to go higher. Noveck said in the agency’s filing that it was reasonable to find AT&T had broken FCC rules on protecting data 84 times, one for each third-party relationship it maintained after the New York Times reported unauthorized access to the data being sold. “If AT&T had its way, carriers would be free to maintain that they had a single ‘systemic’ unreasonable practice that they simply applied in numerous instances, and could thereby be insulated from anything more than a single capped penalty,” he wrote. The agency also defended including cell phone location data in the category of protected consumer proprietary network information (CPNI). Noveck said that even location data from non-telecom data services was provided to AT&T by virtue of its status as both voice and data provider, and thus it was connected to the provision of telecom service. “Then-Commissioner Carr, who is now the FCC Chairman, dissented from the Order because, as he then read the statute, he did not believe the location information at issue to be CPNI covered by Section 222,” Noveck wrote. “At that time, no court had yet spoken to this issue. Since then, however, two federal courts of appeals have authoritatively construed the statute to apply here.” ### FCC Releases 'How-To' Robocall Blocking Guides URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-releases-how-to-robocall-blocking-guides/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:19.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is making a new effort to help consumers combat robocalls. On Sept. 22, the FCC, released new “How-To” robocall blocking guides enabling consumers to filter and block robocalls and robotexts. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Following the FCC’s April proposal to enforce stronger [“Know Your Customer”](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-eyes-stronger-rules-to-combat-robocalls/) requirements to telecom providers, advanced measures have been established to crack down on illegal robocalls. The new consumer guides provide simple guidelines that display built in blocking tools offered by various smartphone companies and service providers. Customers first select if they have an Android or iPhone, then choose their provider ranging between [AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.](https://www.fcc.gov/blockit?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) From there individuals simply choose what protections they would like to enable. For instance, one way [iPhone users can ](https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/robocall%5Fprotection%5Fguide%5Fiphone.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)screen unknown callers is by opening the settings app, selecting apps in settings, selecting phone, scrolling to screen unknown callers, and finally turning on silence. In terms of providers, options include free security apps, premium paid security apps, parental control features, setting controls to filter unknown callers and senders, and using [websites to report](https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/robocall%5Fprotection%5Fguide%5Fatt.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) spam texts and calls. “Combatting the scourge of illegal robocalls remains the FCC’s top [consumer protection priority](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-425283A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com),” FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** stated**,** adding that he wanted to streamline information in efforts to prevent fraudulent calls. The FCC has additionally made headway by proposing a new consumer device, the [Robocall Mitigation Scorecard](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-robocall-scorecard-to-measure-provider-performance/). This tool essentially rates how effectively providers protect consumers from illegal robocalls, encouraging companies to enhance their protective efforts. Initial comments were due Sept. 22 with some individuals noting the scorecard needed to track the [whole call path](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ron-kerbs-the-fcc-robocall-scorecard-should-grade-the-whole-call-path/), instead of solely focusing on retail companies. For now, “How-To” guides aim to serve as a useful instrument against the flood of automated spam. ### OpenAI's Breach of Australian Health Department Website Prompts Rebuke From Prime Minister URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/openais-breach-of-australian-health-department-website-prompts-rebuke-from-prime-minister/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:19.000Z MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 24, 2026 (AP) — Prime Minister [**Anthony Albanese**](https://apnews.com/hub/anthony-albanese?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said Thursday he was extremely concerned about [OpenAI](https://apnews.com/hub/openai-inc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) 's breach of an Australian health department website and that the artificial intelligence company took too long to reveal the incident. An OpenAI agent infiltrated the public-facing Medicare Statistics Reporting Service portal on June 18, he said. The portal hosted aggregate data about health spending and drug subsidies and is popular with researchers and academics. No personal information had been accessed, the government said. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Albanese made the breach public following a telephone conversation with OpenAI chief executive **Sam Altman**. Both are in New York to address the U.N. General Assembly. Altman was among heads of major AI firms who in speeches Wednesday [pleaded with the United Nations](https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-un-security-council-64519ea66b38e2600026f4481ad7f211?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to save the world or at least its people by somehow regulating the fast-expanding technology that they have been designing. “Today I spoke with … Altman to express Australia’s extreme concern about this incident,” Albanese told reporters. “I also expressed my disappointment that it took the company way too long to inform the government what had occurred and the nature of the way that notification occurred as well was unacceptable.” OpenAI said in a statement it had reviewed activity involving several Australian government departments and discovered “our models took actions we did not intend.” OpenAI notified Australia of the breach in an email to a government department’s generic address on Sept. 10, Albanese said. An inquiry looking into the security breach would examine whether OpenAI could be criminally charged, Albanese said. The inquiry would also investigate how Australian security agencies failed to detect the breach before OpenAI revealed it. Albanese said he assumed there were commercial reasons for the AI investigation of how much was being spent on particular medicines and where expenditures were changing. Government Services Minister **Katy Gallagher** said OpenAI had advised on Sept. 10 that an “AI agent had accessed infrastructure behind the public-facing” portal. OpenAI shared with the government the vulnerability the agent had found. The Australian government had not been confident that it knew what the agent had been doing until officials held a technical briefing with OpenAI on Tuesday, Gallagher said. She said the portal had been closed and the data moved to more secure systems. OpenAI [said last week](https://apnews.com/article/openai-safety-ai-framework-089e75b95bc935af092da7b79d92706d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it was introducing a new framework for tracking, investigating and disclosing instances of what it called “misalignment,” including cases where AI models acted without authorization, coordinated with other models or evaded oversight. Deputy Prime Minister [**Richard Marles**](https://apnews.com/article/australia-marles-defense-spending-iran-war-a708e6d4f03bb3619349b7f312403336?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said the incident was the first time that an AI agent was known to have gained unauthorized access to the Australian government’s information technology systems. “This is a warning about the technology being developed without safeguards and without guardrails in place,” Marles said. OpenAI was engaging with the government but the situation was “fundamentally unacceptable,” Marles said. When the agent was denied information, it engaged in “misaligned behavior” to gain unauthorized access, he said. Marles said the information accessed was “not particularly sensitive” and had since been made public. Marles used an analogy of the information sitting behind a fence. “It was not sitting behind a particularly high fence. This AI agent scaled the fence ... and the point is it was unintended. It wasn’t asked to. That’s our concern here,” Marles said. *This article was written by Rod McGuirk of the Associated Press.* ### Blair Levin’s Conspiracy Theory – Lutnick Delayed BEAD Just to Help Musk’s Starlink URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/blair-levins-conspiracy-theory-lutnick-delayed-bead-just-to-help-musks-starlink/ Last updated: 2026-09-24T13:05:11.000Z 💡 ■ Civil Rights Groups Want Gomez Nominated with Thumann Severs ■ Will It Be Fun to Stay at the DPCA, the Digital Platform Commission? ■ Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) Signs Data Center Executive Order ■ Reps. Guthrie, Pallone Introduce Bill to Update FCC’s Covered List ■ New Sanders AI Bill Includes 20 Years in Prison for Violations ■ Phoenix Center Study Returns Odd Findings on Media Bias ■ OpenVault CEO Mark Trudeau Sees ‘Explosion’ in Upstream Data Usage ■ CommLaw Group’s James Booth: Verizon Fiber Outage Sent a Message ■ Muni-Funded Gorgeous Broadband Launches in Oregon NTIA: BEAD Conspiracy Syndrome is catching on in Washington, D.C. Tech Dirt writer **Karl Bode** [has falsely reported three times](https://www.techdirt.com/2026/09/21/trump-admin-still-being-cagey-on-21-billion-in-hijacked-broadband-grants/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) since Aug. 31 that NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** corruptly steered “billions” in BEAD dollars to Starlink parent SpaceX and Amazon Leo when in fact the two barely got $1 billion combined. Now, Wall Street analyst **Blair Levin** is circulating his own BEAD conspiracy theory, but his theory seems to be a few LEO satellites short of a constellation. But that won’t stop people like Bode from amplifying it eventually. “I would note something that I think Wall Street understands well, but no one in Washington does – what \[Commerce Secretary **Howard\] Lutnick** did for \[SpaceX CEO **Elon\] Musk** was fantastic, but not because he gave Musk more money in BEAD, but because he delayed the competition to Musk with fiber for a couple of years,” Levin said Sept. 23 in a live webcast hosted by Fiber Broadband Association CEO **Gary Bolton**. It’s as if Levin wanted people to forget the Biden administration did not connect a single fiber location in the 38 months it had after BEAD became law. Meanwhile, Roth [visited](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nebraskas-vistabeam-turns-on-bead-connection/) the city of Ogallala, Nebraska in May to celebrate the first BEAD-funded fixed wireless connection just 10 months after being sworn in. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2B8E!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F275f5c16-7413-43e3-89f0-028d6de62558_921x328.png) From left: Fiber Broadband Association CEO Gary Bolton and Wall Street analyst Blair Levin _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Four State Broadband Directors Say BEAD's 'True-Up' Round Won't Finish the Job URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/four-state-broadband-directors-say-beads-true-up-round-wont-finish-the-job/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:24.000Z MILPITAS, Calif., Sept. 23, 2026 — A supplemental federal broadband funding round excludes some communities still needing service and may underfund others, state broadband directors said Thursday. The round, known informally as a “true-up” round, will allow states to award grants for unserved locations missing from their approved plans under the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Those locations include homes and businesses incorrectly mapped as served, addresses where previously funded projects fell through, and newly built homes. The officials spoke at the [Tarana Wireless Connecting Communities](https://news.taranawireless.com/connecting-communities-summit-sept-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Summit here. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Guidance issued in early September 2026 by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which administers BEAD, sets eligibility and funding limits that officials said could prevent states from closing those gaps. ### *Washington’s 1,000 underserved locations excluded from supplemental round* Only unserved locations qualify for the supplemental round, meaning addresses lacking broadband speeds of at least 25 megabits per second download and 3 Mbps upload, said **Jordan Arnold**, Washington’s state broadband director. Underserved locations, which meet that threshold but lack 100 \* 20 Mbps service, are excluded. Community anchor institutions, including schools, libraries and health clinics, are also ineligible, said moderator **Joey Wender**, executive director of the Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition. The original BEAD program allowed states to fund faster connections to those institutions after addressing unserved and underserved locations. In Washington state, defaulted projects have left roughly 1,000 underserved locations needing service that the supplemental round cannot fund, Arnold said. “I’m just banging my head against the wall because that community desperately needs service.” Unsigned contracts and unfinished environmental reviews have also left providers exhausted. At a meeting with Arnold the previous week, some questioned whether they had the energy to apply for the supplemental round. The supplemental round does not require states to connect every eligible location, said **Peter Voderberg**, director of the state's BroadbandOhio. ### *Indiana questions funding limits as Oklahoma weighs contract delays* Funding for the additional locations will depend on what earlier projects cost, panelists said. NTIA calculates each state’s allowance by multiplying its average cost per location in its final proposal by the number of eligible supplemental locations, said **Megan Minor**, Indiana’s chief broadband officer. Scattered addresses may be more expensive to connect than that average allows. “These might not be locations that are really in cohesive project areas to make the economics work for such a low cost cap,” Minor said. Splitting nearby locations across funding rounds can force fixed wireless providers to build more infrastructure than necessary, said **Claude Aiken**, chief strategy and legal officer at Nextlink Internet. A provider might choose a tower site to reach the locations in its first grant, then find that additional nearby locations added in a later round fall outside the tower’s reach. Serving them could require another tower and a new environmental review. “The more we can address in one fell swoop, the better,” Aiken said. The supplemental round comes as states are still finalizing their original awards, raising questions about how to coordinate the two rounds. In Oklahoma, remaining grant agreements could be delayed so providers can incorporate additional locations into their construction plans, said **Mike Sanders**, director of the Oklahoma Broadband Office. Signing now, only to require revised plans six months later, would be “an absolute travesty,” he said. In Ohio, another 30-day extension will give the state more time to finalize its remaining contracts, Voderberg said. Just over 10,000 of the roughly 90,000 addresses the state plans to serve still need providers selected through a negotiated award process. ### *Ohio seeks workforce funding as states press for remaining BEAD dollars* Leftover balances are described as “benefit of the bargain savings” rather than non-deployment funds in NTIA’s supplemental policy notice, Voderberg said, raising concerns about whether states will in fact receive them. Washington expects about $350 million after supplemental deployment and Indiana about $300 million, their directors said. Oklahoma has roughly $340 million remaining, Sanders said. The funds could support both the networks and the communities they serve, Aiken said. Permitting assistance, workforce training and connections to the broader internet could help sustain projects, while affordability programs and digital skills training could help residents use them. In Ohio, priorities include utility pole replacement, work needed to accommodate broadband lines and restoring a $50 million workforce development program that shut down because anticipated funding was unavailable, Voderberg said. He would even fund a Federal Aviation Administration training program if federal officials required it, emphasizing his willingness to accept other uses to keep the dollars in Ohio. “We want this money to stay in Ohio to benefit Ohio,” he said, invoking the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed by President **Joe Biden** in 2021, which established BEAD. “The J in IIJA is jobs.” ### Gov. Spanberger Moves to Rein In Virginia’s Data Center Boom Without a Moratorium URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gov-spanberger-moves-to-rein-in-virginias-data-center-boom-without-a-moratorium/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:24.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 - Virginia’s governor is taking steps to curb data center growth in the commonwealth, unveiling new transparency, environmental and cost-allocation rules for the industry. According to Gov. **Abigail** **Spanberger, D,** her new executive order establishes stronger state oversight of data center development. "Starting today, this industry won't have carte blanche to play by their own rules in Virginia," she said Sept. 18 at a [press conference in Richmond](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/18/spanberger-ai-data-centers-restrictions-01083670?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Spanberger [announced](https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/eo/eo-22-establishing-va-data-center-accountability-and-ai-initiatives.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a sweeping “Data Center Accountability Framework” aimed at tightening transparency, environmental and energy rules for new data centers, while stopping short of the statewide moratorium that some lawmakers and advocacy groups have demanded. “We are at an inflection point with this technology,” Spanberger said. “The industry has been rapidly expanding in the last few years without a coordinated or clear plan to address the impacts on Virginians - on their electric bills, their water, their land, their air, or our quality of life.” The [plan](https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/eo/eo-22-establishing-va-data-center-accountability-and-ai-initiatives.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), unveiled Sept. 18, pairs immediate executive actions with a legislative agenda for the 2027 General Assembly. Through Executive Order 22, Spanberger banned state executive-branch agencies from entering into or requiring non-disclosure agreements for data center projects, directed agencies to develop stricter standards on noise, emissions and water use, and ordered a review of diesel and other backup-generation operations at data centers. The order also creates an AI task force to examine workforce, privacy and cybersecurity risks from rapid AI deployment. Under the broader framework, Spanberger proposes eliminating automatic local approval for any data center using more than 25 megawatts of power, requiring local government approval instead, and removing large future data centers from Virginia’s fast-track permitting process. She also wants to end state subsidies for data centers in site development programs, empower communities to negotiate stronger agreements, and require utilities to allocate a more equitable share of transmission and generation costs to large-load customers like data centers. The environmental provisions include stringent standards for energy efficiency, water use and land impacts, plus incentives for data centers to develop renewable solar and wind backup generation instead of relying on natural gas or diesel. The framework also calls for limits on on-site natural gas generation and stronger upfront financial commitments from developers to deter speculative projects that tie up land and grid capacity. The reaction to these proposals was mixed. Supporters praised the move as the “most comprehensive and aggressive” data center accountability effort in the country, while critics noted the [absence](https://virginiamercury.com/2026/09/18/spanberger-presents-slate-of-data-center-regulation-proposals-puts-first-directives-in-motion/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of a moratorium, a cap on new data center electric load, or changes to existing tax exemptions. Spanberger said the new standards will apply primarily to future projects, though she expects existing facilities to be brought into compliance over time. The framework sets up a contentious 2027 legislative battle over how far Virginia will go in curbing data center growth, with Spanberger betting that tighter transparency, environmental and cost-allocation rules can address community concerns without choking off an industry that has become central to the state’s economy and the AI boom. ### California AG Bonta Asks Judge to Toss AT&T Copper Retirement Suit URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-ag-bonta-asks-judge-to-toss-at-t-copper-retirement-suit/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:24.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 – California urged a federal judge to toss AT&T’s lawsuit against the state’s copper retirement rules. California Attorney General **Rob Bonta**, D,and the California Public Utilities Commission argued the agency’s rules didn’t require the operation of copper gear at all, and thus were not preempted by the federal copper discontinuance regulations. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) In its lawsuit against the state, AT&T is arguing that California’s carrier of last resort (COLR) rules effectively require the maintenance of expensive and slow copper networks in rural areas. That puts the rules at odds with a Federal Communications Commission order saying that only FCC approval should be necessary for a company to retire copper equipment, the company said. The FCC and states regulate the issue to prevent rural areas from going without voice services essential in emergencies. “If there were a COLR rule requiring AT&T to maintain its copper wire facilities, such a rule may be preempted. But, of course, no such rule exists,” Bonta wrote in a [Sept. 17 filing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/09/60-1.pdf). Bonta and the CPUC maintained the agency simply required minimum service that met certain thresholds, and that AT&T was free to rip up its copper whenever it liked, provided it continued providing that minimum service. AT&T first sued in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California in May. The state had already asked District Judge **Linda Lopez** to dismiss the case, but AT&T filed an amended complaint (making the same preemption claim) last month. The company said in its complaint that California’s rules were as neutral as the state claimed, pointing to the CPUC’s reluctance to find mobile wireless service as an adequate replacement for copper telephone service. The state said it would be willing to find wireless service as an adequate replacement, but had asked AT&T to provide evidence that an entire geographic area it was looking to retire would have adequate wireless coverage, including indoors. AT&T is aiming to retire much of its copper nationally by the end of 2029 — the company says it spends about $6 billion annually on the aging gear. California isn’t entirely included in the decommissioning plan because of its relatively stringent COLR rules. The carrier is pursuing its effort to retire copper in California at the FCC, too. The agency has [already approved](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-gets-fcc-approval-for-calif-copper-retirement/) the company’s application to discontinue service at nearly 200,000 homes and businesses in the state, a decision the CPUC has asked the FCC to reconsider. The company is also asking the agency to go further and find that California’s rules are improperly blocking a copper retirement that the FCC has already approved. The effort is still pending and has been backed by other ISPs and industry groups and opposed by the CPUC. Around the time it filed the FCC petition and federal lawsuit, AT&T said it would invest $19 billion in fiber expansion in California by 2030, which it said would reach an extra 4 million homes. That apparently hasn’t sweetened the deal in the state’s eyes. The CPUC is also suing the FCC over its March finding that conflicting state regulations on copper retirement were preempted, arguing it lacked authority. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has been supportive of the industry’s effort to transition away from copper. The agency has taken multiple steps to ease the process for ISPs, which he has said is aimed at freeing up cash for more modern networks. ### Ohio Forms Group to Pursue U.S. Space Academy URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ohio-forms-group-to-pursue-u-s-space-academy/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:25.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 23, 2026 – Ohio Gov. **Mike DeWine**, R, has formed a steering group to coordinate the state’s bid to host the proposed U.S. Space Academy, with Ohio pitching Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as the potential site. The move comes after NASA issued a request for information seeking proposals from states interested in hosting and sponsoring the academy. [The proposed academy is part of a broader federal effort ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-looks-to-win-space-race-2-0-with-satellite-infrastructure-buildout/)to develop a pipeline of astronauts, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and military personnel for the U.S. space sector. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [President Donald Trump signed an executive order Aug. 28, 2026 ](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-answers-presidents-call-to-establish-united-states-space-academy/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)directing the creation of a commission to recommend how the academy should be established. The agency is considering factors including infrastructure, site readiness, partnerships, [community support and the surrounding aerospace ecosystem](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-april-15-2026-the-space-economy/). [DeWine’s group will make the case for Ohio](https://www.wtap.com/2026/09/21/governor-dewine-forms-group-ohios-us-space-academy/?outputType=amp&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by pointing to Wright-Patterson, NASA’s Glenn Research Center, and the state’s existing aerospace and defense workforce. “A Space Academy is essential to our Nation’s preeminence in air and space — and Ohio is not only the birthplace of aviation – we continue to be on the leading edge of aerospace and defense,” DeWine said. The governor also cited the proximity of Wright-Patterson and NASA Glenn, along with Ohio’s educational and workforce assets, as reasons for locating the academy in the state. Ohio officials and lawmakers are pitching the Dayton region as an existing hub for aerospace and national security work.[ The state’s effort includes leaders](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-of-ohios-satellite-bead-locations-face-tree-canopy-cover-analyst-says/) from the Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Department of Higher Education, JobsOhio, the Dayton Development Coalition and Ohio State University, as well as former NASA and military officials. Sen. **Bernie Moreno**, R-Ohio, said the project could represent a roughly $1 billion federal investment and estimated that Ohio would need to contribute $300 million toward construction if the state is selected. The proposed academy would put additional emphasis on the infrastructure and educational ecosystem surrounding its eventual site. [NASA said the location will be foundational to the academy’s success](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/report-reviews-satellite-broadband-role-in-federal-expansion-programs/) as it develops what the agency described as a pipeline of future space leaders. Ohio is among several states seeking the academy. Each state is limited to one submission through its governor or designee, with the responses to inform the commission’s recommendation on where the institution should be located. Responses are due Oct. 26. NASA’s timeline calls for groundbreaking by 2027, temporary facilities capable of hosting the first 300 students in 2028 and a permanent campus operating by 2031. ### Broadband Progress Hasn’t Closed the Digital Divide, Analysts say URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-progress-hasnt-closed-the-digital-divide-analysts-say/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:25.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 23, 2026 — A major telecom law passed 30 years ago is running into modern problems. The Class of '96: Legacy of the Fight to Close the Digital Divide panel featured **Drew Garner**, director of policy engagement at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society; **Shawn Bone**, senior policy executive and corporate advocate at Verizon; and **Francella Ochillo**, professor at Johns Hopkins University. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) **Harold Feld**, senior vice president at Public Knowledge, moderated the discussion. Federal broadband programs have made significant progress expanding internet access, but panelists at a Public Knowledge 25th anniversary event said the digital divide remains a moving target as affordability, adoption and artificial intelligence create new challenges. Garner pointed to the broadband mapping effort and federal programs including the Emergency Broadband Benefit, Affordable Connectivity Program and Capital Projects Fund as significant policy developments. “In terms of actually getting across the finish line, I think it would be either the emergency broadband benefit \[program\],\[the Affordable Connectivity Program\], and the Capital Projects Fund,” Garner said. Bone said broadband deployment has also advanced, but the industry cannot assume that building networks will permanently solve the problem. Artificial intelligence is already changing how networks are used, he said. “What AI is doing to the network is changing the upstream downstream balance,” Bone said. “The traffic patterns are moving, the expectations of the network are shifting.” Bone also emphasized the [importance of affordability after the expiration of the ACP in 2024](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/panelists-consider-bead-performance-compliance-and-affordability/). Broadband policy, he said, has to address whether households can remain connected over time. “It may not just be a question of, are you connected or are you not connected?” Bone said. “It may be a question of, can you connect this month? And can you still afford to connect the next month?” Ochillo said the next phase of [the digital divide will require more than infrastructure and subsidies](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/panelists-say-beads-real-test-is-adoption-not-infrastructure/). As AI becomes more important to education, employment and economic activity, she said, people with different levels of digital experience could see those gaps widen. “When it comes to what is a permanent solution, I don't think there is one,” Ochillo said. She said people who have grown up with technology could use AI to augment work, find new sources of capital and access new opportunities, while others may have only gained basic internet skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We're also going to need human touch,” Ochillo said. “We're gonna be in training. [We're gonna need the whole wraparound](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-access-alone-isnt-enough-for-small-businesses/) to make sure that those people can actually participate in the same AI driven economy with people who are digital natives.” Ochillo said digital skills and inclusion programs should be viewed as investments rather than charity. [The goal, she said, should be ensuring people can not only get connected but remain connected](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/samantha-schartman-ai-will-deepen-the-digital-divide/) and use technology for economic mobility. ### Building BEAD: From Federal Awards to Finished Networks URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/building-bead-from-federal-awards-to-finished-networks/ Last updated: 2026-09-30T20:03:00.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 — The $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program is finally moving from years of rulemaking into construction, but its hardest test may be turning federal awards into projects that providers can finance, permit and finish. That shift, from designing BEAD to building it, framed a [Broadband Breakfast Live Online](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-september-23-2026-building-bead/) discussion Wednesday. With every state’s grant agreement approved and initial connections coming online, panelists said success now depends on practical contracts, faster permitting and flexibility when projects change. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “We’re now at the point where the rubber meets the road on operationalizing the actual funds,” said **Joe Kane**, director of broadband and spectrum policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. The program’s revised, technology-neutral bidding widened participation by fiber, fixed wireless and low-Earth-orbit satellite providers while preserving billions for other uses. Kane said the approach appropriately focuses on the service consumers receive rather than favoring a particular network. Yet lower awards do not eliminate execution risk. Providers are already dropping locations or abandoning projects as costs, coverage maps and business calculations change. Those decisions will determine whether states can move quickly without trading away the reliability and accountability Congress expected from BEAD. ### *Contracts meet construction* For companies preparing to build, the subgrant agreement is where policy becomes financial exposure. **Steve Coran**, chair of the Broadband, Spectrum and Communications Infrastructure practice group at Lerman Senter, said states generally use either milestone payments or reimbursements tied to approved invoices. The milestone model is friendlier to providers because payments do not wait for invoice review, Coran said. But other contract terms can make projects difficult to finance, including termination-for-convenience clauses, immediate default remedies and clawbacks that may seek all awarded money even when construction is nearly complete. “You gotta be able to derisk these so that they are investment-friendly,” Coran said. “The funding doesn’t stop just when the state is writing checks.” That matters because subgrantees typically contribute matching funds, may raise debt or equity and must operate the networks after federal support ends. Coran said agreements should resemble commercial contracts, not one-sided grants, because providers will own the infrastructure and face years of compliance. Some companies have walked away because agreements carried too much risk, another provider already served the area, private easements looked unworkable or labor and fiber costs rose, Coran said. States are filling gaps by approaching neighboring BEAD winners, second-place bidders, satellite providers and, in some cases, internet service providers that never applied. “There’s a cleanup before we get to the cleanup,” Coran said, describing reallocations underway before another formal bidding round. The situation remains “very fluid,” he added. ### *Permits, performance and people* Even signed projects can stall at local approvals, railroad crossings, pole attachments and environmental reviews. Kane said permitting fees should reflect actual government costs and decisions should face firm timelines. “The benefit of this universal connectivity through BEAD is the connectivity,” Kane said. “We don’t want it to get eaten up by permitting.” Oversight will continue after construction begins. States will collect progress reports and performance tests for speed, latency and coverage, while federal and state officials retain audit rights. Coran said providers must also maintain low-cost service options and comply with federal liens and transfer restrictions. Still, both panelists argued that deployment alone will not close the digital divide. With roughly $21 billion potentially remaining after network awards, Kane urged policymakers to address affordability and digital literacy through targeted, consumer-directed support rather than broad operating subsidies. Coran favored giving states a menu of permitted uses, including adoption, workforce development, 911 improvements, resilience and supplemental support for projects. A single national formula, he said, would overlook local needs. The emerging lesson is that BEAD’s success will not be measured only by miles of fiber or money awarded. It will turn on whether states can keep projects investable, hold providers accountable and connect households before changing economics overtake plans written years ago. ### Trump Administration's BEAD Overhaul Aided SpaceX: Levin URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-administrations-bead-overhaul-aided-spacex-levin/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:25.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 – Satellite broadband provider SpaceX benefited from changes to a $42.45 billion grant program that made it easier for the company to compete for funding. But more than additional funding, the provider received a boon in the form of more time to scoop up rural broadband subscribers before subsidized competition arrived, according to longtime telecom industry analyst **Blair Levin**. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “By delaying for a couple of years, which is what the Trump administration has done, \[Commerce Secretary **Howard Lutnick**\] helped Musk both gain customers — and then it’s really hard to turn them away — but also for the purposes of the IPO, if you look at lots of markets, there’s still a lot of upside for Starlink to get to,” he said. Levin spoke during a FIber Broadband Association webinar. He served as Federal Communications Commission chief of staff from 1993-1997 and led the creation of the agency’s national broadband expansion plan in 2010. SpaceX went public in June but is still controlled by **Elon Musk**. The company’s Starlink service is the dominant satellite broadband product. Amazon Leo was the other satellite ISP to bid for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funding, but the company hasn’t started offering service yet. Initial service is planned for later this year. Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has been accused by Democratic lawmakers of favoring satellite ISPs and Musk, a major GOP donor. The agency has insisted its focus on low deployment costs isn’t designed to favor a particular company or technology. Between them, the SpaceX and Amazon are in line for about $1 billion under federally approved state spending plans. That number is likely to come down though, since the Trump administration has asked states to reduce their satellite awards in light of new FCC broadband coverage maps. The downward revision could reduce SpaceX and Amazon’s locations, and thus potentially their pay out, by 35-42 percent, according to an analysis by the Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute. But in Levin’s view, that’s almost beside the point, given that SpaceX had more time as the only high-speed ISP that could serve the roughly 4 million rural locations targeted by BEAD. When President **Donald Trump** took office in 2025, three states had spending plans approved by the Commerce Department, and many more had already finished bidding. Lutnick and NTIA **Arielle Roth** weren’t fans of the Biden administration’s preference for fiber, which provides high speeds but is expensive to deploy, and in June 2025 they overhauled the program and revoked the approved plans. The new rules emphasized low deployment cost and made it easier for satellite operators to bid. After a new round of bidding, state plans have now all been approved and projects are beginning to break ground in some states. SpaceX finished 2025 with about 12 million global and 2.7 million U.S. subscribers, according to an estimate from New Street Research (Levin recently left New Street after serving as a policy advisor for 10 years). That jumped to about 4.7 million in the U.S. by late August, University of Victoria professor **Jianping Pan**, who tracks estimated Starlink IP addresses, [told PCMag](https://www.pcmag.com/news/fcc-retracts-7-million-us-starlink-subscriber-figure?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The company institutes congestion pricing in areas where customer density still makes it difficult to serve, but its speeds have been improving even as customers increase. A May Ookla report found that in late 2025, nearly 45 percent of Starlink speedtest results met BEAD’s minimum speed standard of 100 \* 20 megabits per second (Mbps), up from 17 percent in the beginning of the year. A more recent report found that in the first half of 2026, at least 50 percent of Starlink users experienced 100 \* 20 Mbps in 17 states, up from just five in the second half of 2025. Much of Starlink’s subscriber growth comes from households with old copper service or simply nothing at all, Levin said Wednesday. “Musk gets almost no market share taking people away from fiber or cable,” he said. “It’s really gaining market share from people who have nothing or people who have DSL, and a little bit of fixed wireless.” ### *Looking ahead* Levin said that when crafting the National Broadband Plan in 2010, he and others working on it weren’t prepared for the potential negative effects of excessive screen time and social media, since research on the issue hadn’t been done yet. But otherwise he said broadband expansion into rural areas was satisfactory, even if he had imagined it would move even faster. He said goals of universal adoption and more online government services were now backsliding a bit with the loss of the Affordable Connectivity Program. As for a future national broadband strategy, Levin said it should be focused on ensuring people had communications systems necessary to participate in “an economy and society in which AI is a dominant factor.” He said the FCC should open an inquiry into what kinds of networks would be necessary to support continued AI use, and how to protect kids and consumers from potential safety risks. ### Billionaire Investor David Grain to Speak at the 2026 INCOMPAS Show URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/billionaire-investor-david-grain-to-speak-at-the-2026-incompas-show/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:25.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 – David Grain, Founder and [CEO of investment firm](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/grain-aiming-to-lease-direct-to-device-spectrum-90-days-after-deal-closing/) Grain Management, will be a [keynote speaker](https://show.incompas.org/Schedule?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at the 2026 INCOMPAS Show taking place in Nashville, from Nov. 1-3, 2026\. INCOMPAS, the [competitive communications ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/untitled-52/)and AI infrastructure association, annually holds The INCOMPAS show, inviting prominent leaders to expand their knowledge on current business relations and technological matters. Key issues include policy discussions and deal-making on competitive communications, [internet, telecommunications](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-chairman-carr-to-speak-at-2025-incompas-policy-summit/), and AI infrastructure. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Grain himself has worked in the technological sector for [almost 40 years](https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/david-grain?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Additionally, Grain Management concentrates on [various components of digital infrastructure](https://mbqmagazine.com/david-grain-building-a-billion-dollar-fortune-through-digital-infrastructure/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), including fiber networks, data centers, wireless spectrum, cell towers, and infrastructure services. “David Grain brings a uniquely authoritative perspective on where digital infrastructure is headed,” [INCOMPAS CEO](https://incompas.org/news-post/incompas-announces-david-grain-as-keynote-speaker-for-the-2026-incompas-show/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Chip Pickeringremarked. As an industry leader, Grain has continuously been on the front lines of technological advancement from securing [major nationwide acquisitions ](https://www.forbes.com/profile/david-grain/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)of spectrum bands to obtaining fiber infrastructure throughout [more than 20 countries](https://insidetowers.com/five-questions-for-grain-management-founder-ceo-david-grain/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Currently, Grain is [selling Quintillion](https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/grain-management-announces-sale-quintillion-143000020.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), an Alaskan fiber infrastructure provider, to GCI Holdings, LLC for $310 million in enterprise value. At the INCOMPAS event Grain will offer advice for [builders, operators, and investors](https://incompas.org/news-post/incompas-announces-david-grain-as-keynote-speaker-for-the-2026-incompas-show/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to obtain critical opportunities. Guests will also hear from other industry leaders such as Pickering, FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty, and Meta Vice President Kevin Martin, who was FCC Chairman from 2005 to 2009\. ### Cable One Borrows $700 Million to ‘Preserve Financial Flexibility’ URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-borrows-700-million-to-preserve-financial-flexibility/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:25.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 – Cable One borrowed another $700 million last week, the company told federal regulators Tuesday. According to [quarterly filings](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-down-17-000-broadband-subs-optimistic-about-mobile/) from the company last month, that was all that was available to borrow under its $1.25 billion revolving credit facility as of June 30. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Cable One told the [Securities and Exchange Commission](https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001632127/4484fc73-3277-470b-ae10-39bc3d1578a1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it took out the extra money to “increase cash on hand and preserve financial flexibility.” The company’s net debt was a little over $3 billion as of June 30. The cable operator is hoping to close its acquisition of Vyve Broadband parent company Mega Broadband Investments by Oct. 1\. Cable One already owned 45 percent of MBI, and MBI investors exercised a contractual option to sell the rest to the company. Cable One is set to pay between $475 million and $495 million, and MBI’s net debt is expected to be between $845 million and $895 million. In June, Cable One had offered MBI’s lenders a deal in which they would receive some cash up front and new loan terms in which Cable One would owe them the rest. Not many were interested in taking the offer. The company [told the SEC](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-expecting-to-lose-up-to-18-000-residential-broadband-customers-in-q2/) the next month that it was considering not closing on that offer, and instead providing no credit support to MBI after acquiring it. At the time, BNP Paribas analyst **Sam McHugh** noted that MBI wasn't making very much money, and thus Cable One might not feel it had much to lose by negotiating aggressively with MBI’s lenders. “On the other hand, debt holders may feel like their recovery profile at MBI is relatively strong and hence were willing to hold out for better terms,” he said. McHugh said that Cable One would in some ways be better off leaving MBI “ring-fenced” — it would still own the company, but MBI’s debt would be separate — and letting it go bankrupt because of relatively poor performance. Vyve had 675,000 passings and 210,000 subscribers as of Sept. 30, 2025\. The company announced a leadership change in April following the departure of former CEO **Andy Parrott**. Cable One counted 968,200 residential and business broadband subscribers at the end of the second quarter. ### John Strand: Greenland, USA and Denmark – Ménage à Trois Now With a Happy Ending URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/john-strand-greenland-usa-and-denmark-menage-a-trois-now-with-a-happy-ending/ Last updated: 2026-09-23T14:33:41.000Z Greenland, the United States and Denmark have signed a landmark agreement that does far more than update decades-old defense arrangements. It reshapes the practical framework for Arctic security, expands the U.S. military’s freedom to operate in Greenland, commits Denmark and other NATO allies to greater responsibility, and places clearer limits on strategic influence from China, Russia and other non-NATO states. This note annotates the agreement, explains the developments that led to it, and assesses what it means for Greenland, Denmark, the United States, NATO and the telecommunications industry. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Following **Donald Trump’s** 2024 election, his statements about Greenland created an extraordinary political and media storm. Yet behind the rhetoric was a substantive security issue. Denmark had long recognized the Arctic challenge, but investment and military preparedness had lagged. Greenland had also explored closer economic relations with China, including Chinese involvement in critical infrastructure. Strand Consult described these developments in January 2026 and argued that the dispute would ultimately have to be resolved through a new security arrangement. The agreement now signed largely follows that direction. ### *What the agreement does* The agreement updates the 1951 U.S.-Denmark Defense Agreement and the 2004 Igaliku Agreement, while future-proofing the arrangements in the event of Greenlandic independence. It respects Greenlandic and Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination, while making clear that U.S. military activities remain subject to the agreed framework and applicable Greenlandic law. At the same time, it significantly expands the U.S. military’s possibilities in Greenland. The United States can modernize Pituffik Space Base, establish additional defense areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, and pursue additional military installations. It also provides a framework for U.S. access to Greenland and for the establishment of a Golden Dome missile-defense system, including unmanned installations outside designated defense areas. The agreement also strengthens intelligence and security cooperation and restricts non-NATO states from establishing military installations or maintaining a persistent military presence in Greenland. Foreign investors from outside NATO, NATO partner states and the EU will face restrictions in sensitive sectors where they could create national-security risks. This has direct relevance for telecommunications. Greenland is developing legislation based on Denmark’s framework for screening high-risk suppliers, while the EU is also moving toward stronger cybersecurity rules covering ICT supply chains and high-risk third-country suppliers. ### *Two winners and a lonely Prime Minister* The agreement is naturally being presented as a three-way win. Strand Consult sees the outcome differently. Greenland and the United States emerge with significant gains, while Denmark has conceded more than it originally intended. Greenland has secured greater Danish economic and security commitments while obtaining recognition of its interests and sovereignty. **Jens-Frederik Nielsen’s** political skill was to capitalize on the crisis and persuade the two larger parties to meet Greenland’s demands. Trump achieved several longstanding objectives: greater U.S. military freedom of action, a framework for Golden Dome, stronger assurances against strategic adversaries gaining a foothold in Greenland, and greater responsibility from Denmark and other NATO allies. The latter addresses one of his longstanding complaints about allied burden-sharing. For **Mette Frederiksen**, the outcome is more complicated. Her strategy of confronting Trump and mobilizing European support was politically effective domestically, but the agreement has now replaced confrontation with cooperation. The narrative that made Trump the villain has consequently lost much of its political force. More broadly, Denmark’s limited Arctic investment during much of the period in question raises legitimate questions about whether security risks were underestimated. ### *The NATO message* The agreement sends a clear message to other NATO countries, particularly those hosting U.S. forces. Countries benefiting from American security commitments can expect greater responsibility in return. It also points toward a more integrated NATO security posture in the Arctic and stronger restrictions on Chinese and Russian strategic influence. The agreement is therefore not evidence of a NATO falling apart; rather, it points toward an alliance demanding more from its members and placing greater emphasis on trusted infrastructure. ### *What does this mean for telecom?* For Tusass, Greenland’s national telecommunications company, the expansion of submarine cable infrastructure and increased U.S. activity should create new commercial opportunities. More advanced military installations will require secure, resilient and mission-critical communications. The same applies more broadly to NATO telecommunications operators. Operators that have removed High-Risk Suppliers from their networks are better positioned to participate in the emerging security infrastructure supporting NATO and allied defense. The agreement therefore provides a powerful signal about the direction of travel: trusted networks are becoming a prerequisite for trusted participation in the transatlantic security system. Strand Consult has argued this for years. The Greenland agreement suggests that the argument is no longer theoretical. ***Read the full report:*** [***Greenland, USA and Denmark – Ménage à trois now with a happy ending***](https://strandconsult.dk/greenland-usa-and-denmark-menage-a-trois-now-with-a-happy-ending/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***.*** ***John Strand founded the Copenhagen-based Strand Consult in 1995, and has worked with Greenland for more than 25 years. Tele Greenland—now Tusass—has been a client. Over the years Strand has built close professional and personal relationships across Greenland. He also served on the Arctic Economic Council’s advisory board on telecommunications, where he contributed to the mapping of telecommunications infrastructure across the Arctic region. For Strand Consult, Greenland is not an abstraction or an exotic outpost.*** ***This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Cable One Takes on Mega Debt to Finance Vyve Broadband Acquisition URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-takes-on-mega-debt-to-finance-vyve-broadband-acquisition/ Last updated: 2026-09-23T13:08:36.000Z 💡 ■ FCC Giving Consumers New Tools to Fight Robocalls ■ Free State’s Andrew Long Slams Retail Broadband Price Caps ■ Starlink Ranks with Fiber in Customer Satisfaction, Analyst Finds ■ Strand Consult: U.S., Greenland Came Away Winners in Security Deal ■ Brian Dietz Leaving NCTA after 24 Years with the Cable Broadband Group ■ Ohio Making Effort to Become Home to the U.S. Space Academy ■ USTelecom CEO Urges Congress to Pass Permitting Reform Law ■ Optimum Spending $14 Million to Expand Fiber in New Jersey ■ FCC Approves Great Plains’ Acquisition of Fastwyre in Nebraska ■ AEI’s Mark Jamison: Personalized Pricing Can Come with Consumer Benefits ■ Rocket Lab to Focus on Government, Navigation Post-Iridium Close ■ NextNav Adds Marissa Mitrovich, Vijay Venkateswaran to Leadership Team ■ Jessica Soforenko Joins USTelecom as Senior Director of Communications Debt: Cable One is going deeper into debt – apparently to wrap up the acquisition of Vyve Broadband parent Mega Broadband Investments by the end of the month. In [a Sept. 22 filing with the SEC](https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001632127/4484fc73-3277-470b-ae10-39bc3d1578a1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the Phoenix‑based broadband provider said it borrowed $700 million under its $1.25 billion revolving credit facility to increase cash on hand and preserve financial flexibility. The company said the borrowing occurred on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18 and may be repaid before the facility’s February 2028 maturity, according to Chief Legal Officer and Secretary **Christopher J. Arntzen**. As of June 30, 2026, Cable One’s gross debt balance was $3.06 billion, meaning the $700 million to by MBI would boost debt by nearly 23%. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C8aM!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7a04dbcb-8c49-411c-bc1c-7b8f4cda76fd_897x498.png) Cable One CEO Jim Holanda _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Bernie Sanders Unveils Bill to Ban Artificial Intelligence and Create Department of AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bernie-sanders-unveils-bill-to-ban-artificial-intelligence-and-create-department-of-ai/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:25.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 (AP) — Two leading progressive lawmakers, Sen. **Bernie Sanders** and Rep. **Greg Casar**, are unveiling legislation Wednesday that would ban artificial superintelligence and create a federal agency to oversee advanced AI as some of the industry’s own leaders urge Congress to impose guardrails on the advancing technology. [Broadband and AI in the Next CongressArtificial Intelligence is now driving infrastructure investment and public policy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-cd4c957b-7556-4cad-8879-3093b36ffeb7.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-71b44171-eb66-4f4c-9876-85cba6327ce8.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The bill, provided first to The Associated Press, would also pause advanced AI development until guidelines are implemented while creating the Department of Artificial Intelligence. Multiple employees at leading AI companies are endorsing the bill. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) "It doesn’t take a genius to say, ‘slow it down,’” Sanders, I-Vt., said in an interview with AP. “Do we really want to develop a super intelligence that when it becomes smarter than human beings could act independently of human control? I don’t think we do.” Congress has so far done little to rein in the AI industry even as some of its most prominent leaders warn about potentially catastrophic risks. President **Donald Trump** [has resisted](https://apnews.com/article/ai-trump-un-guterres-danger-killer-robots-073d9026a06d99192009170b51bc6e37?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) recent calls for greater government oversight, putting him at odds with tech leaders including Anthropic’s **Dario Amodei**, OpenAI’s **Sam Altman** and xAI’s **Elon Musk**. ### *The bill aims to dramatically slow down AI development* The legislation would permanently prohibit artificial superintelligence, which it defines as a system that exceeds human cognitive ability or has sufficient capabilities to plan and execute the destruction or disempowerment of humanity. It would temporarily pause development of the most advanced AI systems until new federal safety rules are established by a new Department of Artificial Intelligence. Advanced AI systems would then need federal approval before they could be deployed. Violations could carry significant penalties, including up to 20 years in prison in some cases. A number of current employees at AI companies and experts signed on in support of the bill, according to a statement shared with AP. **Juan Felipe Cerón Uribe**, a researcher in OpenAI’s Safety Systems, said in a statement supporting the bill that “superintelligence could either go extremely right or extremely wrong” and that “we shouldn’t be playing such games.” **Swante Scholz**, a software engineer at Google DeepMind who said he was not speaking on behalf of his employer, said on the current path of development, the “most likely outcome is an existential catastrophe for humanity.” “A ban on superintelligence development would be a positive change for the foreseeable future,” Scholz said in a statement. ### *The bill faces long odds but draws a line in a growing fight* The bill from Sanders and Casar faces long odds in the Republican-controlled Congress, where lawmakers have struggled to coalesce around even less sweeping AI regulations. But it offers a window into how the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is approaching AI regulation ahead of November’s midterms and a 2028 presidential campaign in which the technology is expected to be an increasingly prominent issue. Casar, a Democrat from Texas, is the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Potential 2028 presidential candidates have rushed in recent weeks to release proposals showing they're taking the issue seriously. Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore announced a plan to regulate AI on Tuesday, while California Democratic Gov. **Gavin Newsom** [signed an executive order](https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FINAL-N-9-26-AI-EO-9.18.26-SIGNED.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to accelerate implementation of a California law that calls for independent oversight of AI companies last week. Sanders, a two-time presidential candidate who is now 85, has [especially focused](https://apnews.com/article/bernie-sanders-ai-public-ownership-57b9f20d96490083e2749adba0f13977?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the issue in recent months. In June, he introduced legislation to create a sovereign wealth fund financed through a one-time tax on the stock of the largest AI companies. Last week, he hosted colleagues for a briefing with experts and also attended a conference focused on the issue alongside Republicans, including former White House adviser **Steve Bannon**. The debate over AI regulations has scrambled political alliances both in Washington and for voters across the country. Americans have grown more concerned about the [environmental impacts of artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-environment-climate-footprint-a792f184a9f2833b5388dbae8b41ca95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) over the last year, according to a [recent poll](https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2026/theres-one-issue-where-republicans-and-democrats-are-unified-before-the-midterms-a-new-poll-finds/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from [The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research](https://apnorc.org/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. The survey data say about half, 53%, of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about artificial intelligence’s environmental impacts. That is up from 41% last year. Democrats are driving much of the increase in environmental concern, but the poll also reveals broader worries about the local impact of data centers, which power AI and cloud computing. ### *Trump has shown little interest in curbing AI risks* While some industry leaders have called for new safeguards, Trump has pushed in the opposite direction. On Tuesday, Trump told the United Nations General Assembly that artificial intelligence will be renamed “super intelligence." “I think Trump has very little understanding of what this issue is about,” Sanders said. “I think he’s mainly concerned about the economic implications of a slowdown.” AI safety is expected to be a central part of [talks between](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-trump-xi-meeting-ai-d08e58524de21511dcaba51f43faad95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Trump and China’s **Xi Jinping** at the White House this week as the countries compete for dominance in the sector. The prospect of slowing development in the United States while China continues on has also been one of the central arguments against sweeping restrictions. Sanders argued that avoiding the most dangerous forms of AI would ultimately require cooperation between the two countries, comparing the challenge to nuclear arms control during the Cold War. “**Ronald Reagan**, arch-conservative, was smart enough to understand that he had to sit down with Gorbachev, a communist, and work out a nuclear treaty that protected humanity,” Sanders said. “I think we can do that again now.” *This article was written by Joey Cappelletti of the Associated Press.* ### 'Public Interest, Convenience, and Necessity': The 5 Words Behind U.S. Broadcast Licenses URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/public-interest-convenience-and-necessity-the-5-words-behind-u-s-broadcast-licenses/ Last updated: 2026-09-23T01:46:48.000Z *This article summarizes several of the key points in* [*Lesson 5: Broadcast Radio and the Public Interest Standard*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-5-broadcast-radio-and-the-public-interest-standard/)*, which is part of Broadband Breakfast's online course, "*[*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*." A new lesson will be released every Monday.* No station in the United States may go on the air, or stay on it, without a federal finding that "the public interest, convenience, and necessity" will be served. Congress wrote that test into law in 1927 and has never defined the phrase. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The statute words it two ways. [Section 309(a) of Title 47](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/309?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which governs action on a license application, reads "public interest, convenience, and necessity," while Section 307(a), which directs the commission to grant licenses, reads "public convenience, interest, or necessity." The Radio Act of 1927 used "or" throughout, and the "and" arrived with the 1934 Act. The difference is primarily textual, as courts and the commission apply a single standard under both wordings. ### *What the standard was written to solve* The problem Congress faced in the 1920s was radio interference. Competing stations on the same frequency drowned each other out, and a federal authority had to decide which station transmitted on which frequency. The industry and the government tried to settle that themselves first. The Commerce Department had convened annual radio conferences since 1922, and the fourth one took up licensing directly. Commerce Secretary **Herbert Hoover**, who would be elected president three years later, opened it in Washington on Nov. 9, 1925\. Over three days [the delegates resolved](https://earlyradiohistory.us/1925conf.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) "that public interest represented by service to the listener shall be the basis for the broadcasting privilege." A conference committee recommended freezing the number of stations. It proposed licensing no new ones until existing stations left the air, because the band held only so many frequencies and each new station crowded one already on it. ### *Where the wording came from* The phrase predates radio. The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), the federal railroad regulator, had for years issued certificates of "public convenience and necessity," granted only when a railroad could show a need for the new line or service. A [single retrospective account](https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/piac/octmtg/Krasnow.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) describes how the phrase reached the radio bill. **Newton Minow**, who chaired the FCC in the early 1960s, recalled a conversation with Sen. **Clarence Dill**, D-Wash., who managed the bill. The drafters had stalled, Dill told him, until a young ICC lawyer working temporarily for the Senate suggested the phrase. The account is secondhand and came decades later. Minow recorded it long after 1927, and it leaves the lawyer unnamed. ### *1926: The Commerce Department loses authority* Congress had not acted, so the conferences' resolutions carried no legal force. Enforcement still depended on the Commerce Department's powers under the existing statute. The Commerce Department had been assigning frequencies under the Radio Act of 1912, a statute written for ship-to-shore telegraphy before broadcasting existed. In 1926 the courts and the Justice Department stripped that authority away. A federal court in Illinois ruled that year that the department could not set a station's frequency, its power or the hours of the day it could broadcast, and an acting attorney general's opinion in July agreed. Roughly 200 stations went on the air in the months that followed. When the Federal Radio Commission, the five-member agency Congress created in 1927, took over that March, it counted 732 stations competing for roughly 90 broadcast frequencies. ### *The standard reaches programming* The commission defined what the public interest meant one license at a time. Two renewal cases from its first years mark the kinds of broadcasting it would refuse to renew. In 1930 it refused to renew KFKB in Milford, Kansas, a station owned by **John R. Brinkley**, a physician who performed goat-gland transplants and diagnosed listeners on the air. He then prescribed medicines sold through a pharmacy association he controlled, and the commission found that the broadcasts endangered public health and served his private business. In 1931 it refused to renew KGEF in Los Angeles, a church station whose pastor, **Robert Shuler**, used its broadcasts to attack Catholics, Jews and local officials. The appeals court reviewing the case cited his unsupported accusations and broadcasts that interfered with pending criminal trials. The federal appeals court in Washington upheld both decisions. Together they established that the commission could weigh what a station had broadcast when it decided whether to renew the license. ### *The vagueness challenge, 1943* The Communications Act of 1934 replaced the Radio Act of 1927 and gave the new FCC the same licensing test. Broadcasters challenged that test in court within a decade. The challenge arrived through the commission's chain broadcasting rules, the 1941 regulations limiting how much control a network could exercise over the local stations that carried its programs. NBC and CBS, the two dominant national radio networks, sued in federal district court in New York, arguing that the standard was so vague that Congress had delegated lawmaking power it could not give away. The district court dismissed the suits, and the Supreme Court affirmed in [*National Broadcasting Co. v. United States*](https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/319/190/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), decided in 1943\. Justice **Felix Frankfurter**, writing for the majority, called the criterion "as concrete as the complicated factors for judgment in such a field of delegated authority permit." The broadcast band held a fixed number of frequencies and more applicants wanted them than it could fit, he reasoned, so the government had to choose. The opinion set one limit on how it chose. "Congress did not authorize the Commission to choose among applicants upon the basis of their political, economic or social views, or upon any other capricious basis," Frankfurter wrote. ### *From JFK to Reagan* The 1943 ruling settled the standard's validity. It did not settle what the standard required. Minow, President **John F. Kennedy**'s FCC chairman, [told the broadcasters' convention](https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/newtonminow.htm?dom=prime&src=syn&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 1961: "Some say the public interest is merely what interests the public. I disagree." A license made its holder a trustee of the public's airwaves, he argued. That meant there was an obligation to airing news, public affairs and children's programming even when entertainment drew larger audiences. He attached a consequence to that duty. License renewal "will not be pro forma in the future," he told the room, meaning the commission would stop granting renewals automatically. "There is nothing permanent or sacred about a broadcast license," he said. President **Ronald Reagan**'s FCC Chairman **Mark Fowler**, a broadcast lawyer, gave a different answer two decades later. The commission should defer to a broadcaster's own decisions about how to attract viewers, he wrote, and competition for audiences should replace government judgment about programming. Under that reading, what the audience chose to watch defined the public interest, and a regulator overriding that choice substituted its own taste for the viewers'. Eleven Congresses sat between the two speeches, the 87th through the 97th. They amended the Communications Act repeatedly, but none of them changed the five-word standard. ### *Fast forward to September 2025* The standard drew attention again in September 2025, through another chairman's public remarks. On Sept. 17, FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** warned of possible commission action against broadcasters over remarks by **Jimmy Kimmel**, an ABC late-night host, about the killing of conservative activist **Charlie Kirk**. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," [Carr said](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/democrats-demand-carrs-resignation-over-kimmel/). ABC suspended the program that day, and Nexstar and Sinclair, two large owners of local television stations, pulled it from their stations. The show returned to ABC on Sept. 23, while those station groups kept airing other programming in its slot for several more days. ### NTCA Supports Semmler for Second USAC Board Term URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntca-supports-semmler-for-second-usac-board-term/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:25.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 – NTCA CEO **Micheal Romano** supported the nomination of **Kara Semmler,** General Counsel and Executive Director of the South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA) for a second term as a representative on the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). [In a Sept. 21 letter to FCC Chairman](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077393/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Brendan Carr**, Romano said Semmler has the experience needed to continue serving on the USAC board, which oversees the administration of Universal Service Fund programs under the direction and oversight of the FCC. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The FCC appointed Semmler to the USAC board in 2023 as the representative for incumbent local exchange carriers, other than Bell Operating Companies, with $40 million or less in annual revenue. Her three-year term began Jan. 1, 2024. [NTCA represents more than 850 independent](https://www.ntca.org/about-us?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), community-based rural communications providers. The trade group said Semmler’s experience includes work at SDTA, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission and in private practice. Those roles have given her experience working with telecommunications providers, including reviewing financial regulatory reports and monitoring compliance with regulatory programs. Semmler’s service on the [USAC board has given her additional knowledge of the federal universal service programs](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/usac-audits-are-kafkaesque-industry-tells-fcc/) that the company helps the FCC administer. NTCA said that experience has given her additional knowledge of the federal programs that [USAC helps the FCC administer](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-trusty-looks-to-universal-services-next-phase/). USAC administers several federal universal service programs on behalf of the FCC, including programs supporting broadband and telecommunications service in rural areas, low-income communities, schools and libraries, and rural health care. The agency operates under FCC direction and oversight, a relationship NTCA has previously emphasized in filings concerning USF administration. Romano said Semmler’s legal and [telecommunications background would help USAC carry out its role in administering universal service programs](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trade-groups-push-fcc-to-keep-lifeline-verification-with-usac/). NTCA’s letter asks Carr to reappoint her to the board and offers to provide additional information about the nomination. ### Industry, Local Governments Still Disagree Strongly on Permitting URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/industry-local-governments-still-disagree-strongly-on-permitting/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:26.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 – The broadband industry and municipal governments are still miles apart on local permitting issues. The Federal Communications Commission is considering imposing shot clocks and fee limits on applications for new wireline infrastructure like fiber, using its authority to block local rules that prevent telecom deployment. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Comments came in on the proposal Monday, and followed a familiar pattern. ISPs and trade associations cheered the measure and said it would be warranted, pointing to what they said were unreasonable timelines and requirements that held up or entirely derailed projects. Local governments and groups that represent them strongly objected to the industry’s characterization. They said project reviews were necessary for safety and that the FCC lacked authority to institute a blanket preemption. Broadband trade groups including [USTelecom](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077564/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [NTCA](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077510/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [INCOMPAS](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077574/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [FBA](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077472/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [ACA Connects](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077435/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), WISPA, and WIA submitted comments supporting the FCC plan. Multiple individual ISPs, including the big three wireless carriers, submitted their own comments in favor of the plan. The FCC was considering a 120-day shot clock for project reviews, after which a provider could challenge the delay at the FCC. While trade groups liked the idea of that generally, multiple said it should be “an outer bound,” in ACA’s words, with shorter deadlines for typical projects. USTelecom proposed a 60-day shot clock for standard applications and a 90-day limit for “genuinely complex requests.” The group said a nationwide ISP had the “vast majority” of its permits approved within 90 days. “At the same time, providers continue to confront a patchwork of prolonged reviews, unpredictable procedures, excessive fees, permit throttles, and unrelated conditions imposed by many jurisdictions that materially inhibit wireline deployment,” wrote USTelecom legal affairs representative **Kathleen Slattery Thompson**. “These barriers are not isolated inconveniences; they represent structural impediments that alter rational investment and construction decisions.” In AT&T’s filing, the carrier said one of its affiliates was suing two cities in Minnesota over their requirements that ISPs enter a franchising agreement. In parallel with the FCC effort, ISPs are also pushing Congress to institute similar rules. USTelecom CEO **Jonathan Spalter** wrote an op-ed Tuesday in agricultural news outlet Agri-Pulse pushing for House Republicans’ broadband permitting package. The effort was opposed by Democrats, and local governments generated enough opposition among Republicans for the bill to stall after clearing the House Commerce Committee in December 2025. ### *Commingled services* The FCC has authority to block state and local rules that effectively prohibit the deployment of telecom infrastructure. Broadband is not a telecom service, and is usually the main purpose of fiber projects. The agency said in its proposal that since fiber has the ability to provide telecom voice services, it had the ability to intervene if fiber projects were being held up. Some ISPs deploying fiber offer voice of internet protocol and/or are registered telecom providers in the states they operate. Industry groups were supportive of this. NCTA, which represents the cable industry, [said it would](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077539/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) be impractical to apply the rule based on the services offered by the provider deploying fiber. “For example, fiber and hybrid fiber-coaxial infrastructure that may not carry telecommunications services initially upon deployment may nonetheless carry such services at some point in the future, either because the provider that deployed the facility adds one or more telecommunications services to its offerings, or because it leases capacity to another entity that provides such services,” wrote NCTA general counsel **Steven Morris**. ### *Local governments opposed* Local governments were similarly united against the FCC’s plan. National groups representing mayors, cities, counties, and state and local telecom regulators [joined a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077417/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) opposing shot clocks and fee limits. “The Local Government Associations strenuously object to the portrayal of local permitting as an obstacle to deploying wireline telecommunications services,” the groups wrote, led by National League of Cities CEO **Clarence Anthony**. “The parties suggesting this seek to strip local governments of their ability to responsibly manage public assets in the rights-of-way, while still expecting to have access to rights-of-way that are safe, well-planned, and conducive to competition.” The groups said shot clocks in general tended to be arbitrary and ineffective. They pointed to a 2018 law that set a 270-day shot clock for federal agency reviews of certain communications projects; the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management only met the bar 50 percent of the time according to the Government accountability office. They said delays were often the result of provider practices or understaffing at permitting agencies. The groups said the FCC should try to prevent ISPs from filing permit applications to claim right-of-way or pole space without immediate deployment plans. A group of [21 cities](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077526/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) including Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas also submitted a joint filing opposing preemption. More than [two dozen](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2225-253%22%29%29&limit=100&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) other cities submitted individual comments, as did some state associations of cities. Wireline projects in public rights-of-way typically require both permits to access the property at all and a permit to undertake a particular construction project, the cities said in the joint filing. That’s more substantial than the typical small cell applications and can take a long time to process depending on the scope of the build, they said. The proposed 120-day shot clock was “based solely on the perspective of the entities seeking expedited right-of-way access, not those responsible for evaluating the engineering, safety, infrastructure, and competing-use implications of that access,” they wrote. “A single nationwide deadline simply cannot account for the wide variety of right-of-way projects to which it would apply.” ### Climate Week Talks Balance Hope For Clean Energy Against Uncertainty Over AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/climate-week-talks-balance-hope-for-clean-energy-against-uncertainty-over-ai/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:29.000Z NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2026 (AP) — As scientists calculated that Earth is getting sicker, global leaders on Monday kicked off a week of talks about how to fix it and fast, pointing to hope from a renewable energy boom. A different boom, in artificial intelligence and the power-and-water-hungry data centers behind it, could both worsen and solve some of these issues, a paradox world and business leaders will struggle with this week. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Every year as top government officials attend the [United Nations General Assembly](https://apnews.com/article/un-assembly-leaders-ai-trump-netanyahu-climate-c4727651b9030d6e7f81c0457a33440b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and business executives flock to New York Climate Week sessions, global warming generates lots of talk but little action. This time two new forces — the rise of AI and data centers, as well as higher fossil fuel prices from wars in Iran and Ukraine — should change the discussion, experts and activists said. That's on top of climate-driven disasters recently reaching [new levels of destruction in Asia](https://apnews.com/article/nepal-floods-climate-change-65ee7e50dfe7914dff37d893a5e6b810?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Patient Earth is not well,” said **Johan Rockström**, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. “We are not only putting the stability, the resilience, and the life support systems on Earth at risk, we are very close to pushing ourselves across thresholds that can lead to irreversible, unmanageable outcomes.” A new report released Monday by the institute's Planetary Boundaries Science Lab found that the world has breached seven of nine science-determined planetary boundaries for a healthy globe. United Kingdom Secretary of State **Edward Miliband** said that transitioning to cleaner and renewable energy is now a “national security imperative.” The climate breakdown “must be an issue for foreign ministers and prime ministers. As well as energy and climate ministers. The security community, not just the activist community. The generals, not just the green campaigners,” he said. ### *Rising prices drive concerns* Climate change is “driving up food prices and wider inflation” and fossil fuel dependence is hitting billions of people around the world at [the fuel pump](https://apnews.com/article/haiti-protest-sonapi-minimum-salary-increase-70b2c1166fc63788b36f9341d396e617?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), said U.N. climate chief **Simon Stiell** on Monday. Rising prices have sparked protests in [Asia](https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-students-protest-economic-pressures-fc758948bc547075d62bcf80d8a7e827?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [Africa](https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/rising-fuel-prices-trigger-protests-kenya-photos-e068bca1524d42e08a9445e391730746?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which were hit first and hardest by [energy shortages](https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-wars-energy-asia-gas-oil-8041a26142b8b7ce122c8b548f375924?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) due to the [Iran war](https://apnews.com/hub/iran?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). In the U.S., [consumer confidence](https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-inflation-economy-gas-prices-8fdcfa56f35b9eac2399fe1d167f8fbd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) is plunging and gas prices have [reached record highs](https://apnews.com/article/labor-day-record-high-gas-prices-dffb7d3fa06ef930aaeebc380e5e4e0e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The Iran war energy shock has cost U.S. consumers more than $100 billion in higher fuel prices, Stiell said. There are two parallel climate stories playing out at the moment, explained **Mohamed Adow**, director of Power Shift Africa. The first story is extremely hopeful, with renewable energy booming, technology improving and the economics of clean energy making more and more sense. The second story is terrifying, with climate impacts accelerating faster than political and financial systems can respond, Adow said. “New York needs to bring those two stories together,” he said. ### *AI and data centers take the limelight* The environmental footprint of AI and data centers is “very much a hot topic,” said **Helen Clarkson**, CEO of the nonprofit Climate Group, which organizes New York Climate Week. Attendees have so far expressed both hopes and fears for the future of AI and its role in combating climate change, she said. “[Energy-guzzling artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-environment-climate-footprint-a792f184a9f2833b5388dbae8b41ca95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) is driving up planet-heating pollution from coal, oil and gas while ratcheting up energy costs for households and businesses,” said Stiell with the U.N. “AI leaders are now on thin ice when it comes to license to operate, and sinking deep underwater when it comes to public support.” On the other hand, **Eva Riesenhuber**, the head of sustainability at the German automation company Siemens, and **Evelyn Wang**, vice president for energy and climate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said AI is too important to humanity and will help tackle climate change. Data centers adding to climate and water problems “is not forever,” according to Wang, who told The Associated Press that data centers are five years away from being water neutral and about a decade away from no longer adding to planet-warming emissions. Acknowledging these concerns, Riesenhuber said “we are racing to mitigate this as fast as possible because we are hooked on the intelligence, and we do need the intelligence to design the future that this planet needs.” There will be several AI-related protests throughout New York Climate Week. Turkey, which is [running UN climate negotiations](https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-australia-turkey-cop30-70e673d33c19ee9e8f0effbaebcfc215?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) this November, recently announced a new pledge for nations to join to manage the powering and deployment of AI, though no further details were offered. The AI issue may mean construction in people’s backyards, which reaches those who are less worried about climate change, according to **Jennifer Morgan**, an analyst at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, who said that AI is becoming more vilified in climate talks than the fossil fuel industry. ### *World leaders to discuss renewable rollout* The world can still meet its [2023 goal](https://apnews.com/article/renewable-energy-cop28-climate-change-fossil-fuels-8032ba91ad550004b8d9d90b193a105a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of tripling renewable power capacity by the end of the decade, but it must move much faster, according to a new report released Monday. Despite [record growth in renewables](https://apnews.com/article/climate-renewable-wind-solar-coal-electricity-demand-abf7b587b038bf7580de1baee6576bbc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last year, the world must build more renewable power capacity from 2026 to 2030 than in all previous years combined, stated the report by the International Renewable Energy Agency, the Global Renewables Alliance and Turkey. The amount of renewable power added globally [peaked at 693 gigawatts](https://www.irena.org/News/pressreleases/2026/Jul/Renewable-Power-Generation-Records-Its-Fastest-Growth-Ever?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 2025, about half the installed power in the U.S., IRENA found. At the same time, there was a sharp rebound of fossil fuels when compared to 2024 driven by [China adding coal power](https://apnews.com/article/china-coal-solar-climate-carbon-emissions-242abe76eb69f5a362e977de74ff3254?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “The journey so far on renewables is remarkable,” Rockström said. Unfortunately, Rockström said, renewables are meeting a growing demand for electricity but not “bending the curve” to reduce oil, coal or gas use — which is necessary to cut carbon pollution and meet climate targets. Paradoxically, military action waged by U.S. President **Donald Trump** in Venezuela and Iran and Russian leader **Vladimir Putin** in Ukraine — both big fossil fuel advocates — have caused oil and gas shortages that have driven up prices, spurring countries to switch to renewables faster, he explained. *This article was written by Seth Borenstein and Jennifer McDermott of the Associated Press.* ### U.S. Secures 'Permanent Control' of Greenland Security in New Arctic Deal URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-secures-permanent-control-of-greenland-security-in-new-arctic-deal/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:29.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 - The United States signed a major international agreement on Tuesday that grants Washington "permanent control" over Greenland's security, blocks adversaries from military bases and sensitive investments, and covers critical infrastructure, including undersea cables, ports, telecommunications and rare-earth minerals. The United States, Denmark, and Greenland signed a trilateral security agreement on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, formalizing expanded U.S military access to the Arctic island. The White House [released the text](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/09/agreement-between-the-government-of-the-united-states-of-america-and-the-government-of-the-kingdom-of-denmark-together-with-the-government-of-greenland-to-amend-and-supplement-the-agreement-of-27-apri/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of the deal shortly after the signing ceremony. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) Under the deal, the U.S. will retain permanent access, basing, and overflight rights in Greenland, with authority to expand beyond the existing Pituffik Space Base to include two new defense sites: Narsarsuaq, a former Cold War airbase in southern Greenland, and Mestersvig, currently operated by Denmark's Sirius Dog Sled Patrol. The two bases are roughly 950 miles apart. Only the U.S and its NATO allies will be permitted to make "sensitive investments" in critical sectors including rare-earth minerals, telecommunications, undersea cables and ports. Non-NATO countries, including China and Russia, are prohibited from establishing military bases, maintaining troop presence or making sensitive investments on the island without written approval from all three parties - a restriction that will remain in effect even if Greenland eventually becomes independent. Former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark **Carla Sands** applauded the agreement, calling it "a really big deal" given vulnerabilities in North Atlantic subsea fiber networks. In a Sept. 19 interview with NTD, Sands warned that Russian and Chinese vessels - often disguised as scientific or fishing ships - have targeted Greenlandic undersea cables, creating both "mischief” and "malign goals" that the new security framework aims to counter. The agreement has no expiration date and will remain in effect indefinitely, even if Greenland eventually becomes independent from Denmark. Danish and Greenlandic leaders said the deal strengthens NATO's role in Arctic security while respecting Greenland's right to self-determination. "This agreement, made with the Kingdom of Denmark, an incredible, beautiful country, and the Greenland people itself, gives the United States permanent control over security and all other needs on that territory," **President Trump** said. "We will have the complete ability to do what is necessary to defend the American continent and also Europe and other places. No U.S. adversary will ever be permitted to establish a military presence in Greenland anymore, or make sensitive investments there without our express written approval.” **Nielsen** said the "world has changed a great deal since 1951," referring to the previous security pact the new deal amends, and that Greenlanders "recognize the long-term security threats" Trump has highlighted. He added the agreement "should put to rest any doubt today and in the future about where Greenland's loyalty lies.” The agreement marks a major shift in Arctic security and investment rules, locking in a U.S-led framework for Greenland's defense and critical infrastructure even as questions remain about mining rights, sovereignty and how the pact will be implemented on the ground. ### Rocket Lab Aiming for Enterprise, Defense Services with Iridium Acquisition URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rocket-lab-aiming-for-enterprise-defense-services-with-iridium-acquisition/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:29.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 – With its planned $8 billion acquisition of Iridium, Rocket Lab is aiming to lean more into government and navigation services than consumer communications, the company’s CEO said Monday. Rocket Lab CEO and founder **Peter Beck** compared Iridium’s exclusive L-band spectrum holdings to a “loud voice” capable of punching through walls and inclement weather. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) “You have this really, really loud voice, and that enables you to really build upon these safety-critical things where the signal just must get through,” he said. “There’s a lot of really exciting opportunities sort of based on that thesis.” He contrasted that with fixed satellite broadband, which uses shared bands he called a “quieter voice” that would be more easily disrupted by obstacles and weather. He spoke on [Monitoring the Situation](https://www.mts.now/schedule?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), an 24/7 online tech news show backed by investment firm Andreessen Horowitz. In addition to defense, Beck gave position, navigation, and timing services as an example of something he thought the rocket launch company could pursue with Iridium under its belt. He said a GPS-like system using L-band spectrum would be much harder to jam than normal GPS because of the extra signal strength. Iridium already provides some communications and GPS services for governments, pilots, and mariners. Beck said a major reason Rocket Lab [acquired Iridium](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rocket-lab-to-buy-iridium-in-8-billion-deal/) was the L-band spectrum those services run on. Rocket Lab launches rockets and makes satellite components. With the spectrum necessary to provide its own communications services, the company would be more vertically integrated. That would allow the company to get new constellations and services off the ground much quicker and cheaper than either Rocket Lab or Iridium could do separately, Beck said. SpaceX, the dominant low-Earth orbit satellite operator and rocket launcher, has a similar model. It launches its broadband and direct-to-device satellites on its own rockets. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets are partially reusable, with boosters that can be recovered and re-launched. Rocket Lab is developing a new rocket, dubbed Neutron, that will have the same capability. Reusing gear allows a company to launch more often for much less money, which has contributed to SpaceX's dominance in the space. The company is developing a fully reusable rocket, which it’s planning to test again next Monday. Analysts said when the Rocket Lab-Iridium deal was announced in June that it was likely the company would stick to enterprise and government services rather than join the fray of consumer direct-to-device competition with SpaceX. Beck didn’t mention direct-to-device specifically as an aspiration of Rocket Lab’s — Amazon and AST SpaceMobile are hoping to compete with SpaceX on that front in the U.S. using exclusive airwaves similar to Iridium’s — but said the company was planning to offer a range of new services. “We are not stopping at being the L-band communications company,” he said. “We can build whatever satellite you can possibly imagine and we can launch it. Why would you provide any service from space that you possibly can?” ### *FCC review* The transaction needs approval from the Federal Communications Commission. The agency said last week it was [taking comment](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-985A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the companies’ application. In [that application](https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/icfs?id=ibfs%5Fapplication%5Fsummary&number=SAT-T%2FC-20260720-00302&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), filed in August, said Rocket Lab would accelerate development of Iridium’s next-generation constellation and manufacture it in the U.S. The application also said the companies weren’t planning to emphasize consumer direct-to-device. “Although some providers are investing heavily in broadband-oriented, consumer-scale D2D connectivity, Iridium’s globally harmonized L-band spectrum differentiates Iridium’s D2D services for the mission-critical, government-grade applications in which global coverage, small antenna form factors, high availability, and secure connectivity matter more than raw throughput,” the companies wrote. Other areas Rocket Lab would continue operating in or expand into: position, navigation, and timing (PNT) service, marine and aviation services, and equipment monitoring for large industrial projects like mines. SpaceX has already said the FCC should scrutinize the deal, although hasn’t outright opposed it. SpaceX has claimed in multiple filings that Iridium threw sand in the gears of its Earth station deployments, and asked the FCC to “carefully consider Iridium’s anticompetitive conduct as part of the transaction.” In [a response](https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/icfs?id=ibfs%5Fapplication%5Fsummary&number=SAT-T%2FC-20260720-00302&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) filed earlier this month, Rocket Lab said SpaceX didn’t oppose the deal and was bringing up unrelated issues, so the FCC should disregard its comments “pursuant to long-standing policy.” Comments are due to the FCC on the deal by Oct. 15\. Responses are due Oct. 30, and replies to those responses are due Nov. 9. “I’m aspirational we might be able to close it by the end of the year,” Beck said of the Iridium acquisition. “Although technically I think it’s going to take until the middle of next year.” ### Evan Swarztrauber: The Hidden Supply-Chain Risk Inside America’s AI Data Centers URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/evan-swarztrauber-the-hidden-supply-chain-risk-inside-americas-ai-data-centers/ Last updated: 2026-09-22T18:16:39.000Z The conflict in Iran gives a window into the evolving definition of “military target,” at least according to our adversaries. In March, Iranian drones [struck](https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/the-gulfs-ai-nightmare-came-courtesy-of-an-iranian-drone-3f313cb3??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) two Amazon Web Services data centers in the United Arab Emirates and damaged a nearby facility in Bahrain. The message should be clear: America’s enemies are aware of our warfighters’ increased reliance on artificial intelligence, and they’re [willing](https://www.axios.com/2026/04/01/iran-war-data-center-gulf-ai??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to act on it. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The Trump Administration is right to consider data center infrastructure a national security imperative, especially as the Department of War [relies](https://dodcio.defense.gov/In-the-News/Article/3267572/department-names-vendors-to-provide-joint-warfighting-cloud-capability/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on commercial operators like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle for its cloud services. And there is broad agreement that we need a secure supply chain for the components that build that infrastructure. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is [reportedly](https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-administration-drafting-ban-chinese-data-center-devices-sources-say-2026-08-04/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) considering adding new Chinese-produced optical transceivers to its covered list. And if the agency [follows](https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/perspectives/blogs/enforcement-edge/2026/09/fccs-next-move-on-supply-chain-security??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) recent precedent, such a move would effectively ban new foreign-made transceivers from being sold and imported into the U.S without an exemption. This is welcome news, and the agency should follow through. Optical transceivers are effectively the connective tissue of a data center. AI chips process information electronically, while fiber carries that information as light. Transceivers act as translators between the two, turning electronic signals into light that can travel over fiber, and then turning them back again at the other end. If AI chips are the brains of a data center, optics are the nervous system. Modern transceivers [aren’t passive](https://thescif.org/chinas-hidden-point-of-leverage-c6f6f05c2d68?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) transmitters. They have processors and proprietary firmware that can be updated after installation. Compromised firmware could potentially degrade or disable optical links, disrupting data center operations and the flow of information. While the U.S. dominates the world in advanced AI chips, China has a commanding market share of optical transceivers. Its manufacturers—namely [designated](https://media.defense.gov/2026/Jun/08/2003945537/-1/-1/1/ENTITIES-IDENTIFIED-AS-CHINESE-MILITARY-COMPANIES-OPERATING-IN-THE-UNITED-STATES-IN-ACCORDANCE-WITH-SECTION-1260H.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Chinese Military Company Zhongji Innolight, as well as Eoptolink—[supply](https://counterpointresearch.com/en/insights/fcc-china-ban-ai-component?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) roughly two-thirds of global optical-transceiver units. Despite the availability of American alternatives, U.S. hyperscalers are currently far too dependent on Chinese suppliers. And China has a long history of seeking to corner strategic markets like [solar panels](https://www.commerce.gov/news/fact-sheets/2024/05/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-action-protect-american-workers-and??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [batteries](https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/20212024-Four%20Year%20Review%20of%20Supply%20Chains%20for%20the%20Advanced%20Batteries%20Sector.pdf??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and [legacy chips](https://www.ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2024/december/ustr-initiates-section-301-investigation-chinas-acts-policies-and-practices-related-targeting??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) through predatory pricing, state subsidies, or other means. When it came to wireless networks, the U.S. woke up to the threat only after Huawei had embedded itself in rural networks. Years later, the country is [still](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nearly-half-of-rip-and-replace-projects-done-fcc-tells-congress/)implementing a $5 billion program to literally rip and replace that equipment with trusted vendors. We are early enough in AI deployment, and have hopefully learned enough, not to make that same mistake with optical transceivers. And businesses respond to incentives. Left to their own devices, American companies have all-too-often chosen short-term profit and cost-savings at the expense of long-term strategic dependency on foreign adversaries. This instinct gives China every incentive to keep subsidizing industries to undercut U.S. competitors. Drones are a case study in how government can steer the incentives of corporate America to align with the national interest. It should be obvious, after observing the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, that any country with a serious military needs to be able to manufacture drones within its borders. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** [reported](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-832A1.pdf??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#page=7) that billions are flowing into U.S. drone manufacturing since the FCC added drones to its covered list, creating thousands of jobs. The same should happen for optical transceivers. American manufacturers are already scaling capacity in response to booming demand. Applied Optoelectronics [announced](https://newsroom.ao-inc.com/news-releases/aoi-begins-expansion-of-pearland-manufacturing-campus-to-scale-800g-and-1-6t-optical-transceiver-production/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) 400,000 square feet of additional manufacturing capacity in Texas; Coherent [broke ground](https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/coherent-texas-ai-optical/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on expanding its operation in the Lone Star state as well; and Lumentum is [prepping](https://investor.lumentum.com/financial-news-releases/news-details/2026/Lumentum-Announces-New-U-S--Manufacturing-Facility-to-Produce-Advanced-Lasers-for-the-Worlds-Largest-AI-Data-Centers/default.aspx??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) new capacity in North Carolina. Western suppliers [can’t replace](https://counterpointresearch.com/en/insights/fcc-china-ban-ai-component?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Chinese volume overnight. But if the FCC acts on its reported proposal, we can expect to see even more expansion from trusted companies in the ecosystem. The 21st century battlefield depends in no small part on the data centers and networks that optical transceivers connect. We simply cannot rely on an adversary that has the means to disrupt those communications, withhold support or replacement equipment, or cut off new supply entirely in the event of a major conflict. You will see the usual complaints from companies that prefer the option to buy from China. They argue that the FCC’s actions across routers, drones, and robotics increase costs, disrupt their operations, and so on. But the FCC has a proven track record of managing the transition to domestic production in a thoughtful and sequenced manner. One [factor](https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/perspectives/blogs/enforcement-edge/2026/09/fccs-next-move-on-supply-chain-security?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the government considers in granting Conditional Approvals, and allowing companies to pace their shift, is whether businesses present credible plans to onshore. While cries of poverty by an industry spending hundreds of billions on data centers should arguably fall on deaf ears, they can expect the same reasonable approach that the FCC has taken with other industries impacted by its covered list. Across industries critical to national security, the FCC and the Trump administration have demonstrated a recognition that we cannot rely on foreign adversaries for those supply chains and we *must* be able to make critical products at home or source them from trusted partners. Adding optical transceivers to the covered list is a natural extension of that leadership. Let’s ensure that the data centers we build are secure in the first place. ***Evan Swarztrauber is a senior fellow at the Digital Progress Institute, a bipartisan technology and telecommunications policy think tank in Washington, DC. Previously, he was a policy advisor at the Federal Communications Commission to then-Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Brendan Carr. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Michigan Aims to Empower Residents with New BEAD-Tracking Website URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/michigan-aims-to-empower-residents-with-new-bead-tracking-website/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:33.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 – Michigan officials hope to help residents track government-funded broadband projects. In June 2025, the Trump administration issued a policy notice requiring Michigan, alongside[ 44 other states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-rewrites-rules-for-bead-forcing-states-to-rebid-broadband-projects/), to permit a new round of bidding for broadband providers, prompting a complete relaunch of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) As Michigan is currently in the process of relaunching BEAD, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, LEO, created a community-oriented webpage through [Michigan’s High Speed Internet Office](https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), MIHI. The page includes sections such as [“Where is my internet?"](https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi/funding-opportunities/bead/where-is-my-internet?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) which emphasizes how internet access provides residents with better resources concerning connection with distant relatives, education, healthcare, employment, and economic opportunity. This page additionally shares updates on ongoing construction from information on equipment, to temporary lane closures. Furthermore, the page includes links notifying residents on updates to projects through the newly changed[ “Michigan Broadband Map.”](https://www.michiganbroadbandmap.com/map?zoom=6¢er=-9619763%2C5631121&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) As of now, the map displays which locations are tied to which BEAD grants while simultaneously informing residents about alternative funding programs and other broadband availability. Michigan’s population faces challenges being both [nearly 30% rural](https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/pct%5Frural%5Fb/MI?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and 30% facing barriers concerning internet access, affordability, and adoption. ### Colorado Cancels $100 Million BEAD Award After Finding Misuse of Funds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/colorado-cancels-100-million-bead-award-after-finding-misuse-of-funds/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:34.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 – Colorado’s broadband deployment efforts have suffered a setback. The Colorado Broadband Office has canceled more than $100 million in grant funding to local ISP Maverix Broadband, the agency said Monday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) That includes six active grants and a $103 million award under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. CBO said [in a release](https://oit.colorado.gov/press-release/colorado-takes-action-to-protect-taxpayer-funds-following-broadband-grants-inquiry?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that it received two whistleblower reports about misuses of grant funds in late May and immediately froze Maverix’s active grants. The state opened an inquiry that it said ultimately found evidence of “financial mismanagement and misuse of grant funds including payments for services and materials that were not received, and unpaid vendors.” Maverix founder **David Lindauer** did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Colorado-based ISP filed for bankruptcy last month, before CBO could cancel the grants and recover what it says was improperly spent money. The agency said it would have to pursue $3.2 million in Maverix’s bankruptcy proceedings. That’s $2.5 million from federal programs and $700,000 in state money. Maverix won the most BEAD money in Colorado, nearly a quarter of the state’s $420 million in deployment spending. The ISP was slated to serve about 10,000 homes and businesses with fiber. Overall, Colorado is looking to serve about 96,000 locations through BEAD, roughly split between fiber and satellite. CBO said in its release that it hadn’t signed a contract with Maverix or disbursed any BEAD funds to the company. The state is going to rebid the dropped locations in the hopes another provider will scoop them up. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, had as of June worked to address similar refused contracts in about a dozen states. “While I’m proud of the CBO team’s efforts and reassured to see our safeguards working, I’m disappointed that this could delay high-speed internet access to rural Coloradans as we seek to find a new vendor,” Colorado Chief Information Officer **Sarah Tuneberg** said in a statement. The announcement comes a week after former CBO executive director **Brandy Reitter** stepped down abruptly. She told Broadband Breakfast over the weekend that for now she was focusing on her next opportunity, which she hasn’t revealed yet. “I loved my work at CBO. It was an excellent experience despite all the changes at the national level. Colorado has some of the best partnerships in the country,” she said. “I felt very lucky in my role.” ### Colorado Cancels $103 Million BEAD Award After Probe Finds Host of Problems, Including Missing Funds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/colorado-cancels-103-million-bead-award-after-probe-finds-host-of-problems-including-missing-funds/ Last updated: 2026-09-22T13:07:52.000Z 💡 ■ Treasury Secretary Bessent Opposed to AI Antitrust Relief ■ Billionaire Investor David Grain to Headline INCOMPAS Conference in Nashville ■ Cities Demand FCC Drop Permitting Reform Effort ■ NRECA’s Beef with BEAD Rules Excludes Key Details ■ NTCA Urges FCC to Keep Kara Semmler on the USAC Board ■ Harvard Professors Fight Supreme Court’s Inherent Power to Void Federal Laws ■ FCC’s Gomez ‘Disappointed’ as Democratic AGs OK Paramount-WBD Deal ■ MoffettNathanson Cuts Cable One’s Price Target by 70% ■ Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Who Opposed Moderate Republicans Roth and Trusty, Gets Bipartisanship Honor BEAD: Colorado canceled more than $100 million in federal broadband awards to Maverix Broadband, the *Colorado Sun* [reported](https://coloradosun.com/2026/09/21/colorado-broadband-office-rescinds-millions-federal-investigation/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Sept. 21\. Maverix received the second-highest number of state BEAD program locations, at about 10,232\. It also was awarded the largest subsidy, at $103 million, or nearly 25% of Colorado’s BEAD program share. The Colorado Broadband Office said it terminated the company’s BEAD grants after an investigation found canceled invoices, unpaid contractors, and about $3.2 million in missing funds. “What we ended up finding in the enhanced monitoring was that Maverix had done this for more than just one vendor,” interim CBO director **Alison Terry** said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![Maverix Broadband - Community Support Deck (Public).pptx](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yIeA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2b610ce-2f42-4944-adeb-4744c6faffd9_371x371.jpeg "Maverix Broadband - Community Support Deck (Public).pptx") Maverix Broadband Cofounder David Lindauer _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Broadband Breakfast Updates Oct. 1 Online Conference on America250 / Telecom150 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-updates-oct-1-online-conference-on-america250-telecom150/ Last updated: 2026-10-16T19:09:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 - Broadband Breakfast will host "[250 Years of American Independence and 150 Years of American Telecommunications](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150)," a half-day online conference, on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 12 Noon ET to about 3 p.m. ET. The event will kick off with a keynote address by Senator **Deb Fischer**, Republican of Nebraska. ## Program *Full bios at "*[*250 Years of American Independence, 150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/)*"* - Noon–12:05 p.m. | Welcome: **Drew Clark**, CEO, Broadband Breakfast - 12:05–12:20 p.m. | Keynote: Sen. **Deb Fischer** - 12:20–12:35 p.m. | 1876–1926: The Telephone and the Telegraph: **Claude Fischer** - 12:35–12:50 p.m. | 1927–1976: Broadcasting, Cable and the Creation of the Media: **Thomas Hazlett** - 12:50–1:35 p.m. | Innovation: **Matt DelNero**, **Shane Greenstein,** and **Chris Lewis** - 1:35–1:50 p.m. | 1977–2026: Computing and the Internet: **Christopher Yoo** - 1:50–2:35 p.m. | Competition: **Milton Mueller**, **Gigi Sohn, Jonathan Nuechterlein,** and **Eli Noam** [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-21-at-3.31.12-PM.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) ***Register at*** [***https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150***](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The October 1 date sits at the intersection of two anniversaries. The nation marks 250 years of independence this year, and Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in March 1876, 150 years ago. Broadband Breakfast has spent the year working through these anniversaries, first in a three-part online series, then in a 35-lesson online course. This half-day conference in a single online session is built around the two forces that recur across the 150 Years of American Telecommunications: Innovation and competition. [America250/Telecom150250 Years of American Independence & 150 Years of American Telecommunications The event will take place online at 12 Noon ET on Thursday, October 1, 2026 Register for $150! This pathbreaking online-only event will: \* Celebrate the uniqueness of American contributions to communications \* Survey the history of American telecommunications with recaps![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-18e1cf3f-34e3-4b16-bb5a-b34dbd57e914.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/150-gilbert-full-jpg-0d6dd51d-13ab-4e98-b8b7-8872046685d5.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/) ### *The road to October 1* The conference grew out of a three-part Broadband Breakfast Live Online series this summer, each session covering a distinct 50-year arc. The first session, "[1876-1926: The Telephone and the Transatlantic Cable,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telephones-rise-was-shaped-by-courts-and-lobbying-not-just-wires-historians-say/)" ran from Bell's patent through the rise of AT&T and the first transcontinental telephone line in 1914. The second, "[1927-1976: Broadcasting, Cable and the Creation of the Media,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/from-the-beginning-politics-triggered-broadcasting/)" opened with the Federal Radio Commission in 1927 and traced the Communications Act of 1934, the postwar television boom and the cable systems that began challenging the broadcast networks. The third, "[1977-2026: Computing, the Internet and Artificial Intelligence,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-internet-dispersed-power-the-supreme-court-is-concentrating-it/)" began with the breakup of Ma Bell and ran through ARPANET, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the net neutrality fights and the arrival of large language models. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) ### *How to attend* An online seat is [$150 and includes three months of Breakfast Club access – through Dec. 31, 2026](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer). By becoming a Breakfast Club Member, you’ll also be able to access the complete course, “150 Years of American Telecommunications” at no additional charge. Section A of the course, or Lesson 0 through Lesson 4, are available to free members of the Broadband Breakfast Community. Sections B though Section F of the course – 31 lessons from Lesson 5 through Lesson 31 – are the ones reserved for Breakfast Club Members. ### *About Broadband Breakfast* Broadband Breakfast is the leading media company advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. The company’s annual BEAD Implementation Summit and Digital Infrastructure Investment event champions a robust 21st century information economy. ***Media contact: Ari Bertenthal, (925) 528-9984*** [***support@broadbandbreakfast.com***](mailto:support@broadbandbreakfast.com) ### Lesson 5: Broadcast Radio and the Public Interest Standard URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-5-broadcast-radio-and-the-public-interest-standard-post/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:34.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-21-at-1.28.08---PM.png) ## Lesson 5: Broadcast Radio and the Public Interest Standard 150 Years of American Telecommunications: The Online Course [Join Section A for Free](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) ### FTC’s Mark Meador Takes a Few Jabs at Lina Khan URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ftcs-mark-meador-takes-a-few-jabs-at-lina-khan/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:34.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2026 –FTC Commissioner **Mark Meador** strongly criticized former FTC Chair **Lina Khan**, accusing her of turning the agency into a personal platform and prioritizing political headlines over its core enforcement mission. [Speaking Sept. 14](https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc%5Fgov/pdf/Meador-The-Model-The-Mission-FTC.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Meador said Khan’s tenure from 2021-2025 under Biden’s appointment illustrated what he views as broader problems with the FTC’s traditional model of independence. He accused Khan of “subordinating its mission to her own ambitions” and said her management of the agency’s resources and investigative functions came at the expense of its competition mission. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Meador’s comments came as he laid out his view of the FTC’s future ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/former-ftc-commissioner-rebecca-slaughter-joins-nyu-law/)following the Supreme Court’s decision in [*Trump v. Slaughter*](https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-332%5Fqn12.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The ruling rejected the statutory restriction on the president’s ability to remove FTC commissioners, a decision Meador said effectively ended the agency’s traditional claim to independence from presidential control. He argued that the FTC had spent too much time [defending its institutional independence](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-future-of-independent-agencies-like-ftc-at-risk-before-supreme-court/) rather than developing its authority under [Section 5 of the FTC Act](https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/federal-trade-commission-act?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which prohibits “unfair methods of competition.” Meador said that focus contributed to a competition program that increasingly resembled the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The cost of this approach was a tendency of leadership to favor matters presenting comparatively clear paths to victory over cutting edge enforcement challenges,” Meador said. He argued that the agency consequently failed to develop clearer guidance about when competitive practices violate Section 5. Meador said the FTC should instead [use Section 5 to address evolving market practices and difficult competition](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ftc-and-17-states-sue-amazon-gomez-sworn-in-at-fcc-south-central-broadband/) questions, allowing enforcement cases to establish clearer rules for businesses and courts. [He also called for greater use of the agency’s authority to study markets and industries](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-trade-commission-expands-antitrust-enforcement-by-rescinding-obama-era-policy/). Section 6 allows the FTC to conduct industry-wide inquiries, compel information and publish findings, while Meador said the agency can also assist courts and other enforcers with its competition expertise. Meador pointed to the FTC’s historical research as evidence of the agency’s potential influence beyond individual enforcement cases. Between 1918 and 1998, he said, FTC investigations and studies helped spur at least 15 acts of Congress, including [the Securities Act](https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/role-sec/laws-govern-securities-industry?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [Robinson-Patman Act](https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/price-discrimination-robinson-patman-violations?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [Celler-Kefauver amendments](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/celler-kefauver-act-amends-antitrust-legislation/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act](https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule-coppa?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Independent” became an excuse for incompetence,” Meador said of the agency’s past approach. He argued that the post-*Slaughter* FTC should embrace presidential accountability while returning its attention to the competition mission Congress assigned it. ### AT&T Looking to Lease More 3.45 GHz Spectrum URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-looking-to-lease-more-3-45-ghz-spectrum/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:34.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2026 – AT&T is looking to lease some additional 3.45 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum licenses from N Squared to support its wireless service. The application was first noticed by amateur radio operator **Anthony Jones** [on X](https://x.com/KC9PKE/status/2101811883317584163?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) AT&T is looking to lease licenses covering 25 markets for three years. N Squared paid $76 million for the airwaves in 2021. The company [also petitioned](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110077004/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Federal Communications Commission Friday to raise the power limits in the band, where AT&T has a large presence. AT&T recently spent $23 billion on 3.45 GHz licenses from EchoStar, which the carrier has already activated since its existing radios support 3.45 GHz. **Mike Dano**, top industry analyst at Ookla, [said on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7507827152415797248/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that AT&T would get 20 megahertz in most markets, but would get 40 megahertz in three markets: Sarasota, Florida; Nampa, Idaho; and Bryan, Texas. Ookla had not recorded any AT&T fixed wireless speed tests in those cities as of August, Dano said. While the new spectrum would increase AT&T’s capacity for fixed wireless, the company focused [in its application](https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applAdmin.jsp?applID=16202922&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on improving its wireless service. “With more unpaired mid-band spectrum, AT&T can substantially boost network throughput, increasing speed, decreasing latency, and – above all – allowing more customers to enjoy high-quality service simultaneously,” the company wrote. On AT&T's [earnings call](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-beats-on-fiber-fixed-wireless-additions/) in July, CEO **John Stankey** said he wasn't interested in acquiring spectrum solely for the purpose of expanding fixed wireless service. In some markets, AT&T’s spectrum access post-lease would exceed FCC limits aimed at preventing excessing consolidation. The carrier said it wouldn’t be reducing competition, since N Squared isn’t providing service, but would become itself a better competitor against Verizon and T-Mobile. AT&T previously applied in January to lease 3.45 GHz spectrum from another auction participant, Blue Ridge Wireless. That application [was approved](https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applAdmin.jsp?applID=15753084&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in February, according to the FCC’s licensing system. As Dano noted at the time, around the time of the Blue Ridge application the FCC sent letters to several 3.45 GHz license holders saying it would not extend buildout deadlines associated with them. That would incentive those companies to monetize the licenses before they were revoked. “The bottom line here is that AT&T is looking to deepen its spectrum holdings in select markets around the country,” Dano said in his post. “Doing so will most likely improve the performance of its network. And this is all noteworthy in light of recent FCC efforts to auction off more spectrum for cellular carriers.” ### *Carr: 2028 auctions could bring in $100 billion* Last week at an event hosted by wireless industry group CTIA, FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** said planned auctions could bring in more than $100 billion among them. Next year the agency is auctioning off 160 megahertz of upper C-band spectrum, and is planning on 2028 auctions in the 1.6 GHz, 2.7 GHz, and lower 7 GHz bands. Carr has previously said the upper C-band auction bidding could reach $60 billion. “Who knows what it’s going to be between all these auctions? You could easily see $100 billion go into spectrum over the next couple of years,” he said last week. “When you look at the size of all these companies, and potentially new companies that are interested, that’s not going to be an issue at all from my perspective.” In an investor note Monday, Wolfe Research analyst **Peter Supino** said Carr’s comment caused wireless carrier stocks to dip. Each is still down since the CTIA event on Sept. 16. “We're surprised that Carr's comment surprised anyone, but we agree with the market's conclusion,” he wrote. “Big spectrum auctions have historically driven telecom leverage up to levels that require re-directing free cash flow from buybacks/acquisitions to debt repayment.” ### Nearly One in Three Co-ops Turning Down BEAD Money, NRECA Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nearly-one-in-three-co-ops-turning-down-bead-money-nreca-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:34.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2026 – Nearly one in three electric cooperatives to participate in a major broadband expansion program have pulled out, with even more considering withdrawing, according to their main industry group. NRECA, which represents electric co-ops, said [in a letter](https://www.electric.coop/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Matheson-Letter-to-Secretary-Lutnick-on-BEAD-Issues-09162026.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to Commerce Secretary **Howard Lutnick** last week that 63 cooperatives had won funding in 27 states under the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Of those, 20 have dropped out, he said, and “many others are considering withdrawal” because of riding equipment costs and program rules. It’s not clear how much money co-ops won under the program in total, or how many locations they’re set to serve. Co-ops [strongly dislike](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fba-benton-pleased-by-new-bead-round-electric-co-ops-want-course-correction/) a Trump administration rule requiring federal pole attachment rules to apply to some pole owners’ footprints in states where they win BEAD money. In addition to deploying broadband, electric co-ops own utility poles that house power and communications gear. The BEAD pole rule applied to pole owners that aren’t regulated by an existing attachment scheme that outlines things like attachment fees and timelines. Federal rules don’t cover co-ops, and neither do many state laws. “As cooperatives are statutorily exempt from FCC pole regulations under Section 224 of the Communications Act, the application of these rules and timelines across their distribution footprint has created confusion and increased participation costs,” NRECA CEO **Jim Matheson** said in the group’s letter. Placing FCC rate caps and other rules on co-ops “unfairly shifts a portion of high rural broadband deployment costs from BEAD awardees to cooperative electric ratepayers,” he added. NRECA and individual cooperatives have long opposed the rule, which came as an unpleasant surprise to them. The rule [was instituted](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/little-talk-of-bead-at-lutnicks-house-hearing/) in January, after providers had already been tentatively awarded BEAD funding. During a Federal Communications Bar Association webinar in June, a top attorney at the agency administering BEAD [said the rule](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-defends-bead-pole-rules/) was aimed at preserving a level playing field for BEAD winners. **David Brodian**, chief counsel for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, acknowledged there was “definitely some initial resistance to it,” but said NTIA was also trying to avoid a situation where a co-op that won BEAD funding would charge other participants more than its own ISP subsidiary for pole access. “We didn’t want to see any anticompetitive behavior in the program — where somebody was trying to get on BEAD poles and they couldn’t because the provider is also in the BEAD program,” he said. A May analysis from New York Law School found about 42 percent of the fiber miles set to be deployed with BEAD funding would be aerial, and about 40 percent of those aerial fiber miles would be hung on cooperative-owned poles. NRECA had other requests, including allowing BEAD winners to access more money in the face of skyrocketing equipment costs — Matheson said that members saw an unnamed provider’s U.S.-made fiber prices jump 40 percent in August alone. BEAD requires fiber and other components to be made in America, meaning rural ISPs are competing for the same supply as tech giants building out as many data centers as they can. At least one state has asked NTIA to waive the rule in the face of rising costs. NRECA said the agency should raise its limit on non-compliant material. Up to 5 percent of a project's material cost, or up to $1 million, can be spent on gear that breaks BEAD’s domestic manufacturing rules. The percentage limit should be raised and the $1 million cap should be axed, Matheson said, to give providers more leeway to get projects done. ### Trump to Create AI Force, Name AI Czar URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-to-create-ai-force-name-ai-czar/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:37.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2026 – President **Donald Trump** plans to create an AI Force and appoint an artificial intelligence czar as his administration seeks to coordinate federal efforts around the rapidly developing technology. Trump announced the plans[ in a social media post](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117298821562014906?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), saying the new AI Force would be modeled after the U.S. Space Force, which he established during his first term.[ He said he would announce the AI czar “in the near future,”](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/artificial-intelligence-task-force-czar-technology-trump-rcna598688?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) but did not identify a candidate for the position. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The White House has not yet given details regarding the organizational structure, authorities or membership of the proposed AI Force,creating uncertainty about how it would interact with existing federal AI initiatives and agencies. The move would add another layer to an administration that has made AI development, infrastructure and national security priorities. [The White House has already established AI-related initiatives](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/white-house-issues-pledges-to-withhold-bead-funds-from-states-with-onerous-ai-laws/) and in March released a national legislative framework addressing issues including AI innovation, data centers, workforce development and the potential impact of competing state regulations. Trump’s administration has emphasized [accelerating AI deployment rather than imposing regulations](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-signs-order-launching-project-genesis-to-accelerate-ai-science-and-research/) it considers burdensome. A June executive order directed federal agencies to promote AI-enabled cybersecurity tools and services and called for greater coordination between government and the private sector. The order also directed the government to develop a framework for working with AI developers on advanced cybersecurity capabilities. The administration has also tied AI policy to the nation’s communications and infrastructure needs. Its March legislative framework called for [streamlining permitting so data centers can generate power on site](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ais-energy-appetite-is-growing-permitting-delays-could-starve-it/) and said electricity ratepayers should not bear the cost of supporting data centers. The framework also called for accelerating AI deployment and expanding access to testing environments. The planned AI Force comes as the federal government expands its use of AI in national security and cybersecurity. In June, [Trump signed a national security memorandum](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/06/national-security-presidential-memorandum-nspm-11/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) directing agencies to accelerate adoption of advanced AI systems and develop high-security computing facilities capable of running future AI systems at scale. The administration's broader AI strategy has focused on keeping the U.S. competitive in AI while coordinating federal policy around infrastructure, cybersecurity and national security. ### U.S. Broadband Capex Hits $92.6B in 2025 as Fiber Fuels AI-Era Networks URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-broadband-capex-hits-92-6b-in-2025-as-fiber-fuels-ai-era-networks/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2026 - U.S. broadband providers invested $92.6 billion in communications infrastructure in 2025, a 3.4% increase over 2024 and the third-highest annual total since 2002, according to USTelecom’s 2025 Broadband Capex [Report](https://ustelecom.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/UST-1485CapexReport%5F2025%5FFinal.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Cumulative investment now approaches $2.3 trillion since 1996 as demand for faster, more sophisticated networks continues to grow. The report frames 2020-2025 as the strongest sustained era of network investment on record, with average annual capex of $92 billion, surpassing previous boom periods tied to the dot‑com surge, early broadband rollout and the streaming/smartphone era. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) In 2025, providers accelerated fiber deployment, completed C‑band and 5G buildouts, expanded fixed wireless access, and pursued converged fiber‑and‑wireless strategies, while modernizing acquired networks and adding capacity through densification in high-demand areas. Average monthly broadband usage reached 767.4 gigabytes per subscriber by year’s end, up 9.9% from 2024\. Looking ahead, Cisco projects that AI and agentic AI adoption could increase consumer-driven network traffic 6.6-fold by 2035\. In 2025 alone, upstream usage rose 21.7%, more than twice the growth rate of overall usage. A key theme in the report is how traffic patterns are changing in the AI era, and USTelecom argues that fiber is uniquely suited to navigate this shift because it can deliver high‑capacity, symmetrical performance upstream and downstream, supporting AI and other data-intensive applications. Deeper fiber investment also strengthens the broader connectivity ecosystem, since 5G and eventually 6G networks rely heavily on fiber backhaul, satellites hand traffic off to fiber-connected ground stations, and fixed wireless and Wi‑Fi draw on the capacity of the wired networks behind them. “Fiber isn’t just today’s wiring - it’s the load‑bearing infrastructure for whatever comes next,” said USTelecom CEO **Jonathan Spalter.** “Every gigabyte moving upstream shows America’s innovation economy being built in real time, and providers are meeting that demand with real capital. Now Congress must pass permitting reform so providers ready to build can build, and every American -especially in rural communities - gets connected to future‑proofed fiber.” The report concludes that 2025’s spending extended a period of historically high broadband investment, expanding rural reach, modernizing wireless networks and pushing fiber deeper into communities to ensure the opportunities created by American innovation reach every community. But the entire broadband sector is still no match for a Big Tech company like Google, which is spending $205 billion alone in 2026 on data centers and AI compute capacity. Meanwhile, [Big Tech’s overall capex budget for 2026 could hit $800 billion](https://www.barrons.com/articles/tech-stocks-ai-spending-capex-554475b7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). ### Ligado Now Claiming $50 Billion in Damages By Defense Department URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ligado-now-claiming-50-billion-in-damages-by-defense-department/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2026 – Damages in Ligado’s takings case against the Defense Department have climbed to $50 billion, the satellite company said. The company filed [a new complaint](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.uscfc.48713/gov.uscourts.uscfc.48713.61.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Friday against the government in its quest to be compensated for secret DoD systems allegedly blocking Ligado’s terrestrial access to its L-band spectrum. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The two sides had reportedly been nearing a settlement earlier this summer, but one has not yet materialized. Ligado didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the issue. Ligado was initially claiming $39 billion in damages, but that has climbed due to inflation and other factors. The company says it would have built out a 5G network or simply leased or sold the spectrum to someone else to deploy, all potentially lucrative plans Ligado claims have been blocked by secret DOD operations in the band. The case could have implications for the wireless industry, as it centers on the property rights conferred by a Federal Communications Commission spectrum license. In Ligado’s telling, any agency other than the FCC should have to compensate license holders for blocking its license rights. DoD has maintained that electromagnetic spectrum is a public resource that license holders don’t actually own, and thus they’re not entitled to payment if the government effectively seizes licensed airwaves. “The consequences extend well beyond Ligado, potentially chilling investment and weakening confidence in the spectrum marketplace,” a Ligado spokesperson said in an email Friday. “We are confident in our position and believe prevailing on this issue is important for the broader communications industry.” Broadband trade group USTelecom also told federal judges last year that the case could make wireless carriers think twice about bidding at government spectrum auctions, since their multibillion-dollar businesses are premised on exclusive spectrum licenses from the FCC. In March, three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit [sent the case](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-circuit-sends-spectrum-property-rights-case-back-for-more-briefing/) back down to a lower court, saying they didn’t have enough information to rule confidently on whether Ligado had a property right with respect to the DoD. The new complaint has more specifics on how spectrum is managed by both the FCC, which handles commercial spectrum allocations, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which handles the federal government’s spectrum use. The crux of the case is the same: Ligado is seeking payment because the DoD allegedly blocked its ability to use spectrum the FCC gave it a terrestrial license for in 2020. The case was originally filed in 2023 in the Court of Federal Claims, which handles takings cases and which is now considering the case again. The DoD is planning to file another motion to dismiss by Oct. 28, according to court documents. During an April webinar, [spectrum experts](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ligado-case-might-not-upend-spectrum-auction-certainty-former-ntia-administrator/) said that while the issue in Ligado’s case is genuinely novel, wireless carriers would likely still feel confident about bidding on spectrum. Before an auction, the FCC and NTIA typically make sure they iron out any conflicts. In Ligado’s case, the company had an existing satellite license for L-band and petitioned the FCC to allow it to also deploy terrestrial assets using the same airwaves. Companies have been willing to pay up for spectrum licenses while the case plays out. The FCC’s re-auction of AWS-3 licenses brought in $3.5 billion earlier this year, with each of the major carriers participating, and EchoStar is offloading many of its licenses for more than $40 billion. Exclusive direct-to-device satellite spectrum (like Ligado’s L-band allocation) is becoming a valuable commodity. Companies view it as a means of providing the service without being tied to a mobile carrier, and SpaceX and Amazon are each paying billions to acquire direct-to-device licenses. Ligado is [looking to monetize](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/aviation-groups-iridium-still-dont-like-ligado-ast-space-mobile-deal/) its L-band holdings in the same way. The company reached a deal with AST SpaceMobile to allow AST to offer service using the airwaves. The deal still needs FCC approval, and has opposition from In exchange, AST is providing $550 million for Ligado to repay debts and emerge from bankruptcy. The last roughly $100 million of that is on hold after one of Ligado’s creditors, Inmarsat, opposed the deal at the FCC. ### Capex to Consume Nearly All Hyperscaler Operating Cash Flow in 2026 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/capex-to-consume-nearly-all-hyperscaler-operating-cash-flow-in-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:42.000Z SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 21, 2026 – The four largest hyperscalers are expected to spend $1.8 trillion on capital investments through 2028, about $600 billion more than their underlying businesses generate in cash over the same period, a technology equity analyst said at the AI Infra Summit here. [Hyperscalers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hyperscale-data-centers-to-reach-67-of-global-capacity-by-2031) are companies that build and buy cloud infrastructure by the campus, with single sites drawing 300 megawatts to more than a gigawatt, the top of that range matching the output of a nuclear reactor. The group includes Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft, four of the world's largest buyers of data centers, servers and AI computing equipment. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The projection comes from Arete Research, a London-based independent technology equity research firm. The four companies are expected to generate about $1.2 trillion in underlying cash flow through 2028, founding partner **Jim Fontanelli** said in a summit presentation titled "A Market Outlook: Is AI in a Capex Bubble?" The financing gap arrives before other buyers are accounted for, Fontanelli said. Specialized AI cloud companies, enterprises and governments building their own systems add borrowing needs of their own. Their capital expenditures, or capex, pay for assets expected to remain in service for years. Those include [data centers, servers, networking equipment and the electrical systems serving them](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-data-center-has-4-core-systems-new-chips-are-changing-all-of-them). Advertising revenue at Alphabet and Meta, e-commerce and cloud revenue at Amazon, and software and cloud revenue at Microsoft historically generated enough cash to finance much of their infrastructure internally. AI is pushing that spending up quickly, both for training models and for inference, the generative work of running a trained model to respond to a request. More of the expansion is consequently being [financed through bonds, construction loans, leases and outside investors](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-unprecedented-ai-driven-demand-new-financing-solutions-needed), he said. The scale is approaching $700 billion annually. [J.P. Morgan](https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/banking/capital-markets/financing-ai-infrastructure-data-centers?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the largest U.S. bank by assets, estimates the five largest U.S. hyperscalers will spend $697 billion in 2026, an estimate the bank has raised by $173 billion since the beginning of the year. Fontanelli displayed the bank's research on screen during his presentation. ### *$9.6 billion goes in before any revenue comes out* The spending extends beyond the [graphics processors](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/how-shifts-in-computing-from-ai-are-changing-chip-architectures) that train and run AI models. Nvidia, the dominant maker of those chips, designed them in the 1990s to render video game graphics, and the same parallel design now trains AI models. An AI data center needs servers, high-speed networking and cooling equipment. It also needs enough electricity to operate them. Some projects require substations, transmission equipment or [on-site generation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/denser-racks-and-grid-delays-force-an-infrastructure-rethink-for-the-data-center-industry) before the computing equipment can be switched on. Those costs can reach billions of dollars before a facility produces revenue, he said. J.P. Morgan originated $9.6 billion across two construction loans for [Stargate](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/openai-looks-across-u-s-for-sites-to-build-its-stargate-ai-data-centers), an AI data center campus under construction in Abilene, western Texas. The money finances the buildings years before they produce the cash that repays the loans. Companies spread the cost of long-lived assets, such as buildings and servers, across the years those assets stay in service. That treatment, called depreciation, means a data center paid for in 2026 keeps reducing reported profits well into the 2030s, he added. The buildout charges earnings long after the cash is gone. ### *The $600 billion gap measures financial cushion* The $600 billion difference is not exactly a funding shortfall, he said. The four companies held roughly $430 billion in cash and marketable securities at the end of the first quarter, money they can spend immediately or raise by selling investments quickly. They are expected to generate about $575 billion this year in operating cash flow, the cash a company's day-to-day business produces, according to [J.P. Morgan Asset Management](https://am.jpmorgan.com/us/en/asset-management/adv/insights/market-themes/artificial-intelligence/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). What is changing is the share of that operating cash flow the infrastructure requires. Capital spending consumed about 60 percent of operating cash flow in 2025 and is expected to consume 90 to 100 percent in 2026, according to J.P. Morgan. When capital spending takes nearly every dollar the business generates, the cushion thins, he said. Less cash remains for acquisitions and share repurchases. Less remains as protection if AI revenue arrives more slowly than planned. The financial risk is overbuilding, Fontanelli added. Companies that add more computing capacity than customers ultimately use still carry the depreciation, financing costs and operating expenses of those data centers and servers. Demand remains strong today. More than 70 percent of data center capacity under construction is already leased, while cloud revenue at major platforms grew an average 44 percent from a year earlier in the first quarter, according to J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Combined annualized revenue at OpenAI and Anthropic should pass $25 billion by year end, Fontanelli said. Token prices, what customers pay for a unit of AI output, have been flat or rising since January, he said, and he treats that as the real test of demand. Payback on deployed computing now takes one to two years. ### *Smaller AI clouds carry more financing risk* [Specialized AI cloud providers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-data-center-boom-raises-energy-infrastructure-questions-2) face the same construction costs without large advertising, e-commerce or software businesses generating cash alongside them, he said. These companies rent out AI computing capacity and can add servers and data center space faster than hyperscalers can build their own. However, financing that expansion often requires heavy borrowing before customer revenue arrives, he added. Fontanelli pointed to British AI cloud provider [Nscale](https://www.reuters.com/technology/ai-cloud-firm-nscale-files-us-ipo-2026-09-18/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to illustrate the imbalance. It reported $140.6 million in revenue in the first half of 2026 and a $1.02 billion net loss. It has also agreed to sell $3.1 billion in convertible bonds, debt that can later turn into shares, including $1 billion to Nvidia. Its largest customer accounted for 52 percent of first-half revenue, he said. Advanced chips, data center space and electricity remain the [physical limits on AI expansion](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/as-ai-data-centers-surge-builders-confront-the-politics-of-power/). Financing is becoming the next one, he said. Not every borrower is investment grade. Neither OpenAI nor Anthropic, the San Francisco-based AI model developers, holds an investment-grade credit rating, the threshold at which institutional lenders buy debt freely, Fontanelli said. The industry is adding capacity faster than in any earlier computing buildout, he added, and on a two-year view he does not expect it to be enough. The risk he sees is a borrower that cannot repay its debt, not an empty data center. ### China and the US are Competing for AI Dominance but Have Shared Concerns Over Safety URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/china-and-the-us-are-competing-for-ai-dominance-but-have-shared-concerns-over-safety/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:42.000Z HONG KONG (AP) — U.S. President **Donald Trump** and [Chinese leader **Xi Jinping**](https://apnews.com/hub/xi-jinping?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), leaders of rival nations in a race to dominate artificial intelligence, are expected to meet this week against a backdrop of rising concerns about the threats that rogue AI could pose to humanity. The hopes for finding [common ground](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-ai-safety-trump-xi-cd680bd072ec95e5f4b9c99dbee91319?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on concerns around global AI safety are clouded by competition between the two countries. As China narrows the technology gap with the U.S., each country has expressed concern over how AI in the other's hands could hurt them. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “The U.S.-China conversation in AI is getting caught in the ups and downs in the broader U.S.-China relationship,” said **Scott Singer**, co-director of the China AI Initiative at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. On Sunday, U.S. Treasury Secretary **Scott Bessent** said after talks in New York with Chinese Vice Premier **He Lifeng** ahead of the meeting between Trump and Xi that the two countries discussed the setting up of a mechanism on AI dialogue and [proposed a new “notification mechanism”](https://apnews.com/article/bessent-ai-xi-trump-china-trade-2c7f54f07e755f506d9db9b91df282bd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for AI incidents that could impact national security. Here is a look at some topics that may — or may not — come up for discussion around AI. ### *Communicating about AI emergencies is one focus* The agenda could focus on AI risks that could harm both countries, [such as AI-enabled cyberattacks](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), biological misuse, major model failures or loss of human control, said **Sun Chenghao**, a senior fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing. In that case, “there is still meaningful room for cooperation,” Sun said. “It would be a mistake to dismiss the entire safety debate as geopolitical competition,” Sun said. “China itself is paying growing attention to loss-of-control risks, malicious use, cyber threats and the safety of AI agents.” Bessent said after his meeting with He that the U.S. proposed a notification mechanism between the United States and China, such as when there are incidents that rises up to the national security level from AI. “We want a shared vision of common goals and common threats,” he told reporters. **Michael Kratsios**, Trump’s science and technology adviser, told Fox News Sunday it’s important to have conversations with China about AI. “The key thing that we want to talk to them about is avoiding shared risks, and that’s something that I think we can have a fruitful conversation on,” Kratsios said. Both governments are concerned about how AI could be used to attack critical infrastructure. In China, AI governance documents identify finance, electricity, telecommunications and transportation as areas potentially exposed to frontier-AI risks, Sun said. The Chinese side has shown real interest in discussing issues like AI and cyber incident information sharing with U.S. experts, said **Samm Sacks**, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies’ Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs. If the two countries can discuss how to report and communicate in the event of an AI-related emergency, said **Xiao Qian**, vice dean of the Institute for AI International Governance at Tsinghua University, “it can help the two countries to build technical confidence over time.” ### *US export controls affect China's AI development* Trump has repeatedly said “whoever wins AI, wins.” He has insisted the U.S. needs to keep a technological edge over China and downplayed calls by American tech leaders to slow AI's development over safety concerns. Beijing, in turn, has accused the U.S. of pursuing an AI monopoly as it curbs [China’s](https://apnews.com/hub/china?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) AI growth including in restricting its access to the world’s most advanced chips. At the meeting, any loosening of U.S. export controls on advanced technologies related to AI is likely to be off the table, said **Alfredo Montufar-Helu** with the consultancy Ankura. With each country seeking competitive advantages in so many areas, Montufar-Helu said the room for U.S. and China to collaborate on AI is “quite narrow." In his essay this month calling for an AI slowdown, Anthropic CEO **Dario Amodei** called on the U.S. to continue seeking ways to limit Chinese AI development. China's [Ministry of Foreign Affairs](https://apnews.com/article/china-anthropic-ai-us-amodei-3da458d2c078da3e60900728d59f1ae8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said Amodei’s warnings about China were confrontational and a form of “fearmongering” and that all parties should work together on AI. Despite the restrictions, Chinese AI models [increasingly challenge American frontier models](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-ai-models-safety-concerns-adb45169d436d5f940fc7b4ebeaeef3b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Chinese AI models led by Moonshot AI and DeepSeek this year have shown they can be, by some measures, as powerful as those of U.S. rivals like Anthropic and OpenAI, often at a lower cost. Many of them are making inroads globally, [including in the U.S.](https://apnews.com/article/china-ai-model-us-kimi-deepseek-a00bf637866fcd4d81f4fde28c9862ce?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “Export controls have not stopped China from developing frontier-competitive models, but they slow its rate of expansion by limiting the compute it can use to serve users,” said professor **Will Cong** of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Despite the constraints, China's chip developers [have been catching up with the U.S.](https://apnews.com/article/huawei-ai-chips-nvidia-superpod-technology-26ab418df1339c518483918218ffbe57?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and companies in China are turning more to domestic chips. That's giving Xi more confidence in his talks with Trump, **George Chen** with The Asia Group said. ### *Accusations of ‘distillation’ are a sore spot* U.S. claims that China is ripping off American AI technology are another sore spot in the relationship. The U.S. government and AI companies have stepped up allegations of [“malicious” extraction of capabilities](https://apnews.com/article/us-china-ai-models-anthropic-trump-0f6ca61301630134607551b1dab0d632?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), or “distillation,” from top American AI models, claims that Chinese officials have rejected. Anthropic has accused Chinese AI models of DeepSeek and Moonshot of routing a number of their user requests to its Claude AI models. Chinese labs are likely attempting to “piggyback on the massive training and inference infrastructure of their U.S. rivals” given how U.S. restrictions are limiting China's compute power, **Rebecca Arcesati**, with the Mercator Institute for China Studies, said. Chinese officials and some technology analysts have argued that distillation is not uncommon across the AI industry and is not the main explanation behind Chinese models’ improving capabilities and ability to innovate. Beijing, meanwhile, has expressed worries over threats to China’s critical infrastructure from American AI, including Anthropic’s powerful Claude Mythos, and more broadly, the risk of AI’s aiding of spreading of political misinformation and potentially challenging its governance. “We cannot expect meaningful cooperation on AI safety if one side increasingly treats the other side’s technological progress as a national security threat,” Xiao said. Disagreements between the U.S. and China “make dialogue even more necessary,” she added. *This article was written by Chan Ho-Him of the Associated Press.* ### Trump, Carr Tell AI Policy Alarmists and Doomsayers – This Is Not Going to Be Your Net Neutrality Hoax 2.0 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-carr-tell-ai-policy-alarmists-and-doomsayers-this-is-not-going-to-be-your-net-neutrality-hoax-2-0/ Last updated: 2026-09-21T12:58:24.000Z 💡 ■ NTIA Required to Spend the BEAD Savings, Analyst Shane Tews Says ■ FTC Commissioner Mark Meador Rips Lina Khan as Selfish Bureaucrat ■ Six Nobel Prize Economists Endorse California’s Billionaire Tax ■ Tech Dirt Keeps Spreading Fake News about BEAD Funding for LEOs ■ Free State Backs 120-Day Rebuttable Presumption on Local Permitting ■ Greenland Deal Will Protect Subsea Networks, Former Ambassador Says ■ Starlink Had a Weak August, KeyBanc Analyst Brandon Nispel Reports ■ Apple’s First Foldable iPhone Won’t Storm the Market, Ookla Data Finds AI: The Trump administration is cementing its policy position on AI, which is two letters that stand for Artificial Intelligence. The emerging policy baseline is this: All the AI alarmists and doomsayers and worrywarts and hypochondriacs need to get a life. Over the weekend, President Trump said AI enemies were hoping for AI’s “decimation or destruction” without considering the consequences. “And I, as President of the United States, will not stand by and let this happen. It all began with an attack on our Data Centers, until people realized how wealthy and prestigious they were for the communities in which they were built,” Trump [said in a Sept. 19 Truth Social post](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117298821562014906?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gWaG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F974d6018-0e17-42cd-be90-4c648d96b01a_819x526.png) President Donald J. Trump _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Lawsuit Says Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google Made Illegal AI Slowdown Agreement URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lawsuit-says-anthropic-openai-spacexai-and-google-made-illegal-ai-slowdown-agreement/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:47.000Z Sept. 19, 2026 (AP) – A new lawsuit claims Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google made an illegal deal to [slow the pace](https://apnews.com/article/ai-slowdown-challenges-anthropic-openai-trump-b61f28b6212338e88c0baec31f661701?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of their respective AI development. The lawsuit, which was filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, argues that the leading AI companies violated antitrust laws when they agreed to coordinate slowdown efforts, and that doing so would reduce the value consumers get for paid AI subscriptions. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The coordination largely took place on Sept. 12, the lawsuit argues, when Anthropic CEO **Dario Amodei** published an essay [urging for industrywide cooperation](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-dario-amodei-d59552edcb27892d8ee4d98a48397706?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on decelerating advancements in favor of enhanced safety measures. That same day, OpenAI CEO **Sam Altman**, SpaceXAI CEO **Elon Musk** and Google DeepMind's co-founder and chair **Demis Hassabis** each publicly [responded to Amodei's proposals in agreement](https://apnews.com/article/ai-slowdown-anthropic-openai-meta-nvidia-1d9615931af28a83cb97489178e90f2d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). But the lawsuit also alleges that the coordination began to take shape months earlier. It points to a statement from July 2026 that high-ranking employees from several of the leading AI labs signed that acknowledged the "intense competitive pressure not to unilaterally slow” development. That statement called on the government to support a global effort to slow automated AI development. It is clear that an agreement among the chief rivals in AI that their progress “should be slower than competition would otherwise produce has an anticompetitive effect on consumers,” the plaintiffs argue. Lawyers representing four named plaintiffs, who pay for subscriptions to ChatGPT, Claude, Grok or Gemini, are bringing the lawsuit on behalf of a proposed nationwide class of other paid subscribers to those services. The plaintiffs don't object to the companies individually deciding to slow their own progress in favor of safety. They instead argue in the complaint that antitrust laws forbid them from taking the “shortcut” of agreeing to “substitute collective restraint for individual accountability.” A competitive market allows for responsibility and genuine progress, the lawsuit argues. “AI will quickly spin out of human control and could kill us all if we allow AI safety and protocol ... to be controlled by private self-serving agreements between the world’s most powerful ‘for profit’ technology companies,” said Nick Rowley, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs. Representatives for Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and SpaceXAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. In his initial essay proposing the slowdown, Amodei acknowledged potential antitrust challenges, writing that it would be helpful for the U.S. government to mediate “or at least enable” these cross-lab discussions. The government wouldn't need to participate, he wrote, but it would need to “issue a narrow waiver for certain kinds of safety conversations.” In response, Altman said on social media that OpenAI welcomes the idea of a “federal framework that sets consistent safety requirements,” but said “we do not believe we need to wait for an antitrust exemption or legislation to begin the work of providing this confidence.” While the recent conversations about pacing development were spurred by increasing concerns about [AI evading human control](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), several leaders in the AI space have long talked about developing a shared set of standards or otherwise coordinating to ensure safety efforts remain paramount. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit contend they are not against the AI companies asking Congress, the White House or any other agency to develop AI regulation, nor are they against the companies asking for an antitrust exemption. But achieving that kind of collaboration with the federal government could be an uphill battle. [President **Donald Trump** rejected the calls](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-guardrails-data-centers-b85df16775ff7e9611a456b061a0e4b9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for regulation on social media. He has claimed that any efforts to limit the technology are part of a “conspiracy." He called into question why the industry leaders would be calling for regulation that, he says, “if strongly implemented, will drive them into oblivion and bankruptcy.” Trump said Saturday on social media that he is forming an AI task force and will appoint an “AI czar,” but he provided scant detail. The Trump administration has been vocal about wanting American AI labs to outpace and [excel against Chinese competition](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-ai-safety-trump-xi-cd680bd072ec95e5f4b9c99dbee91319?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). While [several Democratic leaders and candidates](https://apnews.com/article/ai-trump-democrats-newsom-shapiro-warnings-danger-10cdebf21fd6dfcfc46676b0f095bb2c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) have called for sweeping action on AI regulation, Republicans have largely mirrored Trump's position. [Sen. **Josh Hawley**, a Republican from Missouri,](https://apnews.com/article/openai-hugging-face-congress-investigation-artificial-intelligence-1f730a59284c718f2e758898748a8069?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said in a recent Senate hearing that “there is no world” in which he would agree to give “the most powerful companies in the history of the world” an exemption from antitrust laws to collaborate, arguing that they could collude together and stifle competition. *This article was written by Kaitlyn Huamani of the Associated Press.* ### From Copyright and Privacy to Agents, AI Governance Is Racing to Keep Up URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/from-copyright-and-privacy-to-agents-ai-governance-is-racing-to-keep-up/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:47.000Z SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 18, 2026 – Companies are giving AI agents access to files, software and company data faster than they are building the controls needed to govern what those agents can see, inherit and reach, governance executives said this week. The exposure runs in three layers: Copyright and consent apply when material enters a system, privacy law applies while personal information sits inside it, and accountability becomes the question once an agent acts. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) ### *Rights get decided before data goes in* A song, a photograph or a face carries legal rights long before a model produces anything from it. Licensing and consent therefore have to be settled when the material goes in, said **Alice Xiang**, global head of AI governance at Sony Group Corp., the Japanese electronics and entertainment company. "If you don't address that at the data layer, there's really no way to address that further downstream," she said. The data layer is what a system learns from: the images, text and recordings a company feeds into training. Copyright law gives an owner the exclusive right to copy a work and to build new works from it, with exceptions such as fair use. In the U.S., the Copyright Act of 1976 sets that rule. Protection starts the moment an author fixes original work in durable form, and it covers copying, adapting, distributing, performing and displaying it publicly. Fair use, the exception at Section 107, allows certain uses of copyrighted work without the owner's permission, the kind of work, how much was taken and the damage to the market for the original. It is decided case by case. The exception widened for three decades as courts asked whether a use was transformative, the test that cleared Google’s copying of Java code in 2021\. The Supreme Court pulled it back in 2023, ruling that a commercial use serving the same purpose as the original is not transformative. Two years later, [Judge William Alsup ruled that training a model on lawfully purchased books is fair use](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/judge-dismisses-authors-copyright-lawsuit-against-meta-over-ai-training/), and that keeping pirated copies is not. ### ***Harder problem: Data already collected*** For a result to carry protection, a person has to supply the creative choices, and typing a prompt generally falls short of that. Old training data is the hardest case. Companies assembled datasets years ago without recording which permissions came with them, and blocking an output today leaves the original collection where it was. Xiang pointed to her own team's answer. Sony AI published the Fair Human-Centric Image Benchmark in the journal Nature in December 2025, drawing on 10,318 images of 1,981 people across 81 countries and regions, every one of whom agreed to be included and can withdraw that agreement. That consent is what makes the dataset useful to a company. Sony can show a regulator how it tests its systems and where the test material came from. The remaining problem is engineering. Somebody has to write those rights in a form software can read and act on. ### *Privacy problems also start upstream* Personal information creates a related constraint that also predates the agent. A company can block an application from showing someone’s data, but that does not undo the collection that put the information into a dataset in the first place. Biometric information is the clearest example. California’s privacy law treats biometric information used to identify a person as sensitive personal information, alongside categories including precise geolocation and genetic data, and gives consumers rights over how covered businesses collect and use their information. [The United States still has no comprehensive federal data privacy law](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-rep-calls-for-guardrails-as-preemption-fight-shapes-ai-talks/). California’s automated-decision rules begin applying to significant decisions in 2027\. In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation already limits certain solely automated decisions, while the EU AI Act will add requirements for high-risk uses including employment and biometrics beginning in December 2027. The arrival of AI retired none of the older obligations. Companies still have to know why they collected information, limit what they take and understand where it goes, said **Ron Whitworth**, chief privacy officer at Truist, a bank holding company. A breach involving AI can still trigger the notification and remediation duties that apply to other technology incidents. What changes is visibility. AI systems can make or contribute to decisions about people without the same level of control or visibility companies had with conventional systems, Whitworth said. His definition of [an AI incident](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/11-ai-bills-cleared-committee-this-summer-but-none-has-reached-the-house-floor/) begins when a use case produces results outside expectations, particularly when those results could affect a consumer or employee. For regulated companies, the standard is evidentiary. Records have to show that the controls a company designed are the controls actually running, and businesses should be able to prove that “what you design is exactly what is happening,” Whitworth said. ### *Agent-to-agent work breaks the identity trail* Tracking responsibility gets harder when the software stops answering and starts acting. A single agent action can still be traced to the employee who requested it, said **Nicky Pike**, Americas field chief technology officer at Coder, a developer environment company. The trail becomes less reliable when that agent creates subagents, additional AI processes that handle parts of the original task. Each handoff creates another place where the connection between an action and the person who originally authorized it can be lost. Pike pointed to the Model Context Protocol, a standard connecting AI applications to outside tools and data. Some implementations use static keys, reusable credentials that provide access without necessarily identifying which person, agent or subagent initiated each request. Agents also frequently operate with permissions inherited from the employee directing them, potentially giving the software access to many of the same files, applications and systems available to that worker. “We’re giving AI way too much authority,” Pike said. Asked whether any product can preserve that chain of delegated authority end to end, Pike said he had not seen the problem solved. Capabilities are changing every few months, he said, while companies are still working out how to preserve identity as one agent creates another. The problem extends beyond one company when agents begin interacting with agents operated by other organizations. Panelists called for interoperability standards, shared rules that could establish how agents identify themselves, communicate what they are authorized to do and interact across company boundaries. Written rules alone cannot provide those controls. Pike said agents need isolated environments where companies can observe their activity, restrict what they reach and shut the environment down when necessary. An agent “is not going to read your policy,” he said. ### *Wrong answers, wrong actions* Greater authority also compresses the time to respond. A hallucinated recommendation in a code review can wait for a developer to review the proposed change, Pike said. An agent that deletes data or burns through a month of computing budget over a weekend has to be detected and stopped while it is still running. Moving company data somewhere unauthorized is a third case. Pike described that as a security incident, one that should trigger the same monitoring, containment and response procedures security teams already practice for other forms of data loss. The response steps themselves are familiar to security and technology teams. They already have procedures for containing an incident, determining whether people or data were affected, repairing the damage and changing the system to prevent a repeat, Levitt said. What changes is how quickly that response has to begin. An agent can delete information, consume company resources or transfer data outside the organization before a person has reviewed what it did. ### *Where liability lands* Most AI failures will produce some legal exposure, said **Gauri Manglik**, vice president and head of legal, privacy and AI governance at GoFundMe, the online fundraising platform. The size of it depends on the safeguards a company can document from before deployment. Two uses carry the most risk. A misrepresentation inside AI-generated content is one, and automated decision-making in hiring or access to financial services is the other. Those are the cases that justify a separate review track, Manglik said. Whether a company ran red team testing - adversarial testing before release - and whether its training data suited the use are the questions that will be asked afterward. [Responsibility gets harder to assign as autonomy grows](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ar/). Manglik pointed to principal-agent law, the centuries-old rule that a principal is liable for acts its agent takes on actual or apparent authority, and said an agent that spends $10,000 still binds the human it acted for. That holds only while agent identities stay tied to human ones. Once a subagent acts for a subagent, the chain has no person at the end of it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-18-at-3.51.50---PM.png) Photo of, from left, moderator ****Grace Gong**, founder and chief executive of Smart Venture Media; ****Chris McClean**, vice president and global head of AI governance and responsible AI at Atos; ****Alice Xiang**, global head of AI governance at Sony Group Corporation; and ****Dan Neely**, chief executive of Vermillio, at the AI Infra Summit in Santa Clara on Wednesday. ### Permitting Update: BEAD Projects Clear Federal Review Faster, Then Hit Poles and Roads URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/permitting-update-bead-projects-clear-federal-review-faster-then-hit-poles-and-roads/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:47.000Z MILPITAS, Calif., Sept. 18, 2026 – Federal environmental reviews that once took roughly six months can now clear in two weeks or less for federally funded broadband projects, shifting the construction bottleneck to utility poles, road permits and local tower approvals, at least one state broadband official said Thursday. Louisiana is averaging six days between submitting an environmental review and receiving a federal answer, said **Veneeth Iyengar**, executive director of the state broadband office. More than 55,000 reviews have been issued there as projects move into construction. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Commerce Department agency administering the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, entered BEAD with five environmental officers and no expectation of getting more, said **Jill Springer**, its former chief environmental review officer. Springer said NTIA responded by adopting 47 categorical exclusions, classes of projects eligible for shorter review processes, as they cause generally less significant environmental effects. It also built a computerized screening tool that generates decision documents and gave states a larger role in reviews. The changes moved approvals from about six months to a two-week target, she said. Louisiana pushed the same approach down to the state’s parishes - what the rest of the nation calls counties - and municipalities. Telling local officials where crews would work and which provider was coming cut permits that once took 30 days to about 10, Iyengar said. “People are tired of activities,” Iyengar said. “People need to see outcomes.” ### *The bottleneck moves downstream* Virginia lost about three months of construction time after initially working from advice that projects needed detailed engineering before environmental review could begin, said **Chandler Vaughn**, director of the Virginia Broadband Office. That included exact pole locations, heights and depths, cabinet dimensions and placement of network terminals. Much of that information does not exist until crews are further into engineering, Vaughn said. Starting review requires the fiber route, tower locations and a high-level description of construction methods. Detailed engineering can proceed at the same time. The bigger delays now come later. Virginia’s largest construction holdups are **pole attachments**, the approvals needed to place broadband equipment on utility-owned poles, and right-of-way permits from the state transportation department for work along roads, Vaughn said. Local resistance to tower siting is at an “all-time high,” Vaughn added. He advises providers to build relationships with county officials before arriving with an application for a 200-foot tower. “Your consultant is your quarterback,” Springer said, warning that treating broadband like a pipeline or other large infrastructure project can add unnecessary review. ### *Awards can still move* A subrecipient, the internet provider receiving a state’s federal grant to build the network, walked away from a Kansas award covering 33 percent of the state’s awarded locations, said **Joseph Le**, then deputy director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development. Kansas is reallocating them. About 70 percent of those locations have been preliminarily matched with another provider, first through neighboring BEAD winners and then other awardees. Vaughn said providers should not treat today’s award map as permanent. “We are not going to bowl a strike nationwide,” he said. He expects openings for fixed wireless providers,where fiber companies underbid projects and cannot complete them. Kansas providers face another constraint after signing. Build America, Buy America requires certain materials and equipment used in federally funded infrastructure to be produced domestically, though NTIA waives the requirement for some broadband equipment. Le said it has changed the economics and schedules of some Kansas projects. ### *More need than money* Kansas estimated more than $1 billion was still needed after earlier programs, against a $451.7 million BEAD allocation, Le said. Iyengar said BEAD was never designed to solve the entire broadband problem by itself, estimating it would address roughly 15 to 30 percent of the remaining divide. DigitalC, a Cleveland nonprofit internet provider, offers one example outside fiber. It built a fixed wireless network reaching its first 10,000 subscribing households in 17.5 months and sells service for $18 a month, said CEO Joshua Edmonds. “I love how everyone is becoming a nonprofit during this time,” Edmonds joked as providers position themselves for the next funding round. Federal environmental review can now move in days. The harder part increasingly begins after that approval: getting onto the pole, into the road and past the local board. The panel, held at next-generation fixed wireless equipment maker [Tarana’s Connecting Communities event](https://news.taranawireless.com/connecting-communities-summit-sept-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), was moderated by Broadband Breakfast CEO and Publisher **Drew Clark**. ### Senate Committee Advances Farm Bill URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-committee-advances-farm-bill/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:48.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2026 – The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its 2027 farm bill Wednesday along party lines. [The bill](https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/agricultural%5Fact%5Fof%5F2026%5Ffarm%5Fbill%5F20.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would codify the Department of Agriculture's ReConnect program and update its eligibility and build out standards. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) ReConnect has spent $5.5 billion on rural broadband projects since 2018, but has in all that time operated as a pilot program. Senate Republicans’ farm bill [would allow](https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/section%5Fby%5Fsection%5Ffarm%5Fbill%5F201.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) $100 million to be appropriated for ReConnect annually through 2031, but wouldn’t actually set the money aside. The House-passed USDA funding bill, which makes the appropriations for the agency’s programs, would provide $40 million for the program in fiscal year 2027\. Senate appropriators have not released the text of their FY27 USDA funding bill. The Senate farm bill would also target ReConnect projects at areas where 90 percent of households lack access to 25 \* 3 megabits per second (Mbps) broadband, and require minimum speeds of 100 \* 20 Mbps for funded builds. It included [provisions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-farm-bill-would-codify-reconnect-program/) aimed at preventing the regulation of broadband rates as part of the program and increasing coordination among broadband funding agencies. The bill would also reduce some permitting reviews on U.S. Forest Service land, which broadband trade group USTelecom was pleased with. "By streamlining permitting and cutting duplicative reviews on Forest Service lands, the Farm Bill 2.0 helps providers spend less time navigating bureaucracy," and more time building broadband networks, USTelecom govenrment affairs official **Brandon Heiner** said in a statement. Because of the Senate’s filibuster rules, Senate Republicans will have to get some Democrats on board to pass the farm bill. Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and will need to marshal 60 votes for the bill to clear the chamber. The House farm bill, which the chamber passed in April by a margin of 224-200, would also codify ReConnect and reauthorize other USDA broadband programs. The bill would set minimum speeds for ReConnect-funded projects at 50 \* 25 Mbps, less than the 100 \* 20 Mbps federal standard for high-speed broadband, and also target eligibility at areas lacking access to 25 \* 3 Mbps service. The Senate version of the bill is led by Sen. **John Boozman**, R-Ark., the chair of the chamber’s agriculture committee. The legislation advanced out of the committee by a 12-11 vote along party lines. It was able to move forward because Sen. **Mitch McConnell**, R-Ky., returned to Congress after spending three months recovering from a fall. Sen. **Peter Welch**, D-Vt., had an amendment to the bill that would have bumped ReConnect’s minimum service standard to 100 \* 100 Mbps, but it wasn’t considered. **Karl Elmshaeuser**, head of USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, said at an April event that a sixth round of ReConnect funding would be coming “sooner than later.” One has not yet been announced. ### State Broadband Heads Tired After BEAD’s ‘Long Haul,’ Benton Finds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/state-broadband-heads-tired-after-beads-long-haul-benton-finds/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:48.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2026 – State broadband directors are feeing a bit of fatigue managing $42.45 billion in broadband funding, according to research from the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. **Revati Prasad**, Benton’s executive director, previewed two research projects the group is working on during a Fiber Broadband Association webinar this week. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) One of those has involved interviewing more than 30 heads of state broadband offices, the entities administering the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program under the watch of the Commerce Department. “The people who are in charge of overseeing this work are exhausted,” she said. “It’s been a long haul, and more than one person said to us, ‘We just want to get it done.’” The program was first signed into law in 2021, and after mapping efforts and multiple rounds of bidding under different rules, projects are now beginning to get under way in some states. Prasad said one of broadband directors’ main frustrations was feeling micromanaged by Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. She didn’t say whether that intensified with the change in administration last year. The Trump administration overhauled the program last year, requiring many states to rebid their eligible locations and mandating projects be evaluated largely on the basis of cost; states had previously had some discretion over how they scored applications. NTIA always had to approve state plans and give the green light to state-level mapping changes, processes that sometimes required multiple rounds of curing during both the Trump and Biden administrations. Earlier this week **Brandy Reitter**, head of Colorado’s broadband office, resigned abruptly. Prasad said state broadband heads across the board believe BEAD would make “a tangible, substantive difference in connectivity.” She said about half of the states Benton talked to expected some locations would still be unconnected after BEAD because of mapping issues and some persistent skepticism about satellite broadband. But because of the large amount of remaining funding, about $21 billion by NTIA estimates, she said states expected to have the money to address those gaps and any BEAD defaults. Benton found some state broadband heads wanted their agencies to promote broadband adoption and use among the newly connected, while others thought that was the industry’s job. ### *ISP experiences* Benton’s other project focused on talking to smaller broadband providers about participating in BEAD and about general broadband deployment barriers. Prasad said that for smaller providers, having a good relationship with their broadband office had been an important part of keeping them involved with BEAD. “They put it in terms of: State broadband offices are going to have to be flexible,” she said. That could mean allowing providers to add or drop locations to make a project more viable, or having reasonable reimbursement milestones, she said. Benton found some small ISPs simply decided to forego BEAD altogether, and some are feeling good about that decision after watching the already complicated program change repeatedly and supply chain costs rise. As it’s working on the two projects, Benton has seen multiple throughlines, primarily that delay is consequential and should be avoided. “The longer implementation takes, the further the market, technological, political, and community conditions can move away from the assumptions under which the program was first designed, or grants were first awarded,” she said ### Convergence Fueling ‘Cable Comeback’ Against Fixed Wireless: Spectrum COO URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/convergence-fueling-cable-comeback-against-fixed-wireless-spectrum-coo/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:48.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2026 – Spectrum COO **Nick Jeffery** isn’t worried about competition from fixed wireless or satellite in the long term. He said in [a LinkedIn post](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/elephant-room-nick-jeffery-wjmme/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Thursday that fixed wireless would land “at some form of equilibrium,” and that satellite would continue to be a complement for rural areas. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Spectrum is the brand name under which cable giant Charter Communications sells broadband service, and the company has recently started going by Spectrum informally. Last month Spectrum closed its acquisition of Cox Communications, and the legal name of the company will change from Charter to Cox Communications sometime this year. Cable companies have been steadily losing subscribers in recent years, in part because of fierce competition from fixed wireless services offered by the mobile carriers. But Jeffery, who started at Spectrum Sept. 1 after leading something of a turnaround at Frontier, argued that at some point cheap fixed wireless prices would have to rise as it took up more and more of a carrier’s fallow spectrum capacity. New Street Research analysts have estimated the carriers have room for about 32 million fixed wireless customers, but that’s not including extra spectrum acquired after late 2025\. AT&T has since bought spectrum from EchoStar, and the Federal Communications Commission is targeting four more auctions by the end of 2028. CTIA, the mobile industry group, said in a recent report the carriers count about 16 million currently — T-Mobile doesn’t report subscriber numbers anymore, so a precise count is unavailable. MoffettNathanson has estimated fixed wireless accounts for about half of T-Mobile and Verizon’s traffic. T-Mobile executives said that wasn’t far off, while Verizon CEO **Dan Schulman** would only say fixed wireless wasn’t a majority of their traffic. ### *Convergence* Jeffery said he was optimistic about Charter’s long-term prospects because he has bought in on convergence, bundling fixed and mobile broadband. “Ultimately all players need to converge or watch their single-play markets shrink,” he wrote. “Whoever's strong in cellular needs fixed assets, and vice versa.” Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon agree, and have reported lower subscribe churn among converged customers. The two carriers are racing to expand their fiber footprints to offer converged plans, and Comcast is pushing bundles across its already sprawling footprint in an effort to stave off subscriber losses. Despite the beating cable has taken, that’s a good situation for Spectrum and Comcast, Jeffery wrote, since they already have wireline footprints in excess of 60 millions passings and can simply promote mobile service offered through a deal with Verizon. “The telcos are pushing convergence to defend mobile and attack fixed – but none of them have national fixed scale, and building it takes decades and serious capital,” he wrote. “Cable, on the other hand, already has near-national fixed coverage, plus national wireless reach in a market where convergence is already deeply rooted. That's a business built to defend fixed and attack mobile – profitably.” Some smaller ISPs have said they’re feeling the pressure to offer bundles of their own through mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deals with carriers. Vistabeam and open-access consortium UTOPIA Fiber offer mobile bundles somewhat begrudgingly, executives said at Mountain Connect last month. On the other hand, Shentel CEO **Ed McKay** said at the Citi TMT conference last week that the company didn’t feel the need to offer a mobile service. Fiber provider gFiber — formerly GFiber, before Google sold a majority stake to the investment firm that owns Astound — also isn’t going the bundle route for now, despite seeing some sales impacts. T-Mobile has also downplayed the benefits of convergence and isn’t aggressively pursuing fiber expansion like the other carriers. ### *Consolidation* Jeffery said small ISPs across the country were likely to be bought up as builds become more expensive and competition spreads to more rural areas. Spectrum has more than 70 million passings after acquiring Cox. He wrote that size gave it “massive scale economics, with more to come.” Fidium, formerly Consolidated Communications, is open to buying up smaller providers, the company’s CEO said during a FIber Broadband Association webinar this month. Fidium served about 350,000 subscribers nationally at the end of last year. Analysts have also predicted Verizon will acquire another regional provider, given its fiber passing goals. T-Mobile has acquired multiple regional fiber providers through joint ventures in recent years. ### Colorado Broadband Head Resigns URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/colorado-broadband-head-resigns/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:48.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2026 – Colorado broadband director **Brandy Reitter** stepped down Monday. Reitter had led the office since 2021\. In [a LinkedIn post](https://www.linkedin.com/messaging/thread/2-ZTRhZWUwMzMtYmQ1Ny00N2E1LWIxNDEtOTBmN2IyNjY1ODBmXzEwMA==/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) announcing her resignation, she said she joined the office out of a desire to help implement rural broadband expansion programs. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “I left a career that I enjoyed to take on a rare opportunity to positively impact those left behind and assist the state and the nation in directing over $1B in funding in unserved communities,” she said. “This wasn't a task that I initially knew how to do in a department that wasn't well known, or set up yet to manage the programs.” Reitter didn’t say why she left or what her next job might be. Prior to running the Colorado broadband office, she had served as the top administrator in multiple towns across Colorado, most recently Eagle, Colo. “As for what's next, I am going to focus on moving back to Denver this fall and hope to ski when it snows next month!” Reitter said. The Colorado broadband office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did Reitter. **Allison Terry**, a strategy officer in the governor’s office that worked on broadband issues, will be interim director, a broadband office spokesperson told the [Colorado Sun](https://coloradosun.com/2026/09/15/colorado-broadband-office-leader-abruptly-resigns/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Also according to the Sun, Reitter’s resignation came abruptly and surprised many in the state. In her post, Reitter said she was proud of administering Colorado’s slice of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, as well as expanding middle mile infrastructure and modernizing the state’s broadband mapping and data collection. Implementing BEAD meant holding three bidding rounds, since Colorado had already made tentative awards when the Trump administration overhauled the program last year. Under the Biden administration, the state had been planning to deploy fiber to 70 percent of its eligible locations. Under the new rules, aimed at slashing deployment costs, Colorado’s currently approved plan is about half fiber and half satellite from Amazon and SpaceX. The state is spending about half of its $826 million BEAD allocation on deployment. Under a new policy, it could spend some remaining funds on locations missed by mapping errors and other program defaults. Guidance on non-deployment uses is forthcoming from the Commerce Department. The Sun noted Colorado’s Office of Information Technology, which houses the broadband office, has been dealing with layoffs and lawmaker scrutiny over low morale. The head of the department disputed that earlier this month, according to the Sun. At [a conference](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-mexico-broadband-office-likely-to-downsize-after-bead/) in April, Reitter said she wanted her office to be an advocate for Colorado ISPs before federal regulators. “I learn a lot from my ISPs and communities. I feel like I’ve kind of taken on this duty to make sure their voices are part of the conversation,” she said. “Because I’m in a lot of rooms where they’re not, you know?” ### *Maine PUC* The chair of the Maine Public Utilities Commission is also stepping down. **Phil Bartlett** will leave the post Oct. 9, [according to](https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-announces-phil-bartlett-will-step-down-chair-maine-public-utilities-commission?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the office of Maine Gov. **Janet Mills** (D). **Patrick Scully**, the most senior PUC commissioner, will serve as acting chair until a replacement is nominated and confirmed. Bartlett had led the agency since 2019\. He’s leaving for “a new opportunity in the private sector," Mills said. The Maine PUC doesn’t have much regulatory authority over broadband service, but it does preempt federal rules and set pole attachment rules in the state. In a release, Mill’s office touted Maine’s rapid response team for pole attachment disputes as a model for a similar federal system adopted in 2023. ### Investor Ron Baron Expects Starlink’s Value to Reach $14 Trillion, Fueled by $1 Trillion in Revenue within 10 Years URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/investor-ron-baron-expects-starlinks-value-to-reach-14-trillion-fueled-by-1-trillion-in-revenue-within-10-years/ Last updated: 2026-09-18T13:03:02.000Z 💡 ■ Spectrum COO Nick Jeffery: FWA, Starlink Will Struggle to Compete ■ CPUC Silent on NTIA’s Net Neutrality Preemption Prior to BEAD Vote ■ ImOn Fiber Offers 300 Mpbs for $28.50/Mo. and 2-Year Price Lock ■ Starlink Justifies Sunset of $4.5 Billion High Cost Fund, Analyst Says ■ FBA CEO Likes NTIA’s New Approach to Plugging BEAD Gaps ■ Hawley Bill Would Deny Special Tax Breaks to Big Tech Data Centers ■ Michigan Launches Website to Track BEAD Projects in the State ■ Rachelle Chong: Calif. Prop 45 Permitting Reform Excludes Data Centers ■ RIP: Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican ■ NMSurf Relies on CBRS spectrum to Connect 209 Unserved Locations ■ Gavin Throckmorton Hired to Help Mediacom Grow Mobile SpaceX: Billionaire investor **Ron Baron** says Starlink’s growth could transform SpaceX’s finances. The Baron Capital founder [told](https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/09/16/watch-cnbcs-full-interview-with-baron-capital-founder-ceo-and-portfolio-manager-ron-baron.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) CNBC his fund holds $25 billion in SpaceX and that Starlink’s global Internet service could scale far beyond current projections. “Starlink is the Internet for the entire planet. That means everywhere you are, there’s no dead areas. You’re in the air, you’re on an ocean, you’re in the mountains, you’re on the desert, everywhere,” Baron said on Sept. 16\. Starlink’s vast reach caused SpaceX/Starlink founder **Elon Musk** to predict in August that Starlink could eventually carry 50% to 90% of global Internet traffic within the next 10 years. SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket is scheduled to deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites – which are far more powerful than the current LEO generation – during the Starship Flight 14 test mission planned for Sept. 28\. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Vja5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5d6f8b33-a6be-4161-ad67-855563ad754f_1029x514.png) Baron Capital CEO Ron Baron _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### CPUC Finalizes California’s BEAD Plan URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cpuc-finalizes-californias-bead-plan/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:48.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2026 – California regulators voted to finalize the state’s billion-dollar broadband expansion plan Thursday. Members of the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously ratified the plan at the agency’s voting meeting, giving staff the ability to sign California’s award agreement with the Trump administration and start drawing down money to support broadband employment projects. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) California is planning to spend $1.4 billion of its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program allocation to get service to 270,000 rural locations in the state. In [a Tuesday letter](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/09/Digital-Equity-Advocates-Letter-re%5F-BEAD-%5F-Term-50--2-.pdf), more than two dozen consumer advocacy groups had urged the CPUC and the governor’s office to be wary of signing that agreement and accepting the cash. They opposed a Trump administration rule that requires grant recipients to be exempt from state net neutrality and broadband rate laws. California has a net neutrality law on the books, meaning any ISP taking BEAD funding would no longer be bound by the law for up to 14 years; BEAD gives four years for construction and requires monitoring for another 10 years. The exemption applies throughout an ISPs entire in-state footprint. Major ISPs that won BEAD money in California include Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon. CPUC commissioners didn’t address the advocates’ concerns, which was raised by two callers during a two-hour public comment window at the start of the hearing. **Maria Ellis**, director of broadband initiative at the CPUC’s Communications Division, presented the plan and said the agency was acting “singly and very narrowly” on ratifying the plan. She emphasized that would simply allow staff to begin implementing the plan. With CPUC approval in hand, agency staff now have the ability to sign the state’s grant agreement with NTIA, the step the advocates were concerned about. In [a separate letter](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/09/R-23-02-016%5FBEAD-Condition-50-letter%5F-TURN%5FCWA%5FPublic-Knowledge%5FCADE%5FCforAT.pdf) to the CPUC and California Gov. **Gavin Newsom** (D), five of the advocacy groups said the BEAD condition in question could be read broadly to apply beyond the typical examples of disfavored state laws. They said it could potentially block the state from enforcing Verizon-Frontier merger conditions or allow ISPs to opt out of state affordability programs. They also pointed to California’s copper retirement rules, which are more stringent than federal regulations, as another potential target if California agreed to accept its BEAD money. The provision, general term and condition 50, “would give telecom providers carte blanche to challenge any consumer protection measure designed to protect California residents across BEAD and non-BEAD infrastructure and services,” wrote the groups, led by **Mark Toney**, executive director of The Utility Reform Network. Toney and the other advocates argued the National Telecommunications and Information Administration could use the provision to de-obligate funding if the state took action the agency disagreed with. They said that would likely fail in court, but funding would also likely be tied up during the litigation. In [a blog post](https://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/blog/2026/09/california-is-being-asked-to-give-up-14-years-of-broadband-protections-it-doesnt-have-to/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Wednesday, Stanford law professor **Barbara van Schewick** said California could sue to have condition 50 removed from BEAD’s rules, but that that would become much harder after accepting the cash. California was one of the last states to get its spending plan approved by NTIA. Every state except California and Illinois has signed its grant agreement and accepted the cash from NTIA. ### *Influencing state laws* The Trump administration has successfully used the restriction on BEAD funding to block at least one state law it would have opposed. California legislators were crafting a law capping broadband prices for low-income households, similar to New York’s Affordable Broadband Act, but its lead sponsor, Assemblymember **Tasha Boerner**, D-Encinitas, stopped work on it earlier this year. She said NTIA told her BEAD participants would have to be exempt from the legislation. Under an executive order from President **Donald Trump**, states with “onerous” AI laws are also set to be blocked from accessing remaining BEAD funds, which total $21 billion nationally and more than $400 million in California. In the absence of a federal framework, states are considering hundreds of AI bills. Louisiana and Missouri lawmakers said in April they were concerned about proposed legislation jeopardizing their access to remaining BEAD funds. As for New York’s ABA, the state said in April that BEAD “moves forward alongside” the law. The state at the time had not signed grant agreements with ISPs, where exemptions would be spelled out. Soon after, NTIA circulated a notice to ISPs urging them to inform the agency if states were inserting provisions the agency wouldn't approve of into grant contracts. ### FCC Adviser Says More Spectrum Auction NPRMs Coming Soon URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-adviser-says-more-spectrum-auction-nprms-coming-soon/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:48.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2026 – The FCC plans to issue notices of proposed rulemaking soon for three spectrum bands it is targeting for auctions next year, a senior adviser to FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** said Wednesday. **Arpan Sura**, Carr’s Senior Counsel and Chief AI Officer, said at the Sept. 16 CTIA Wireless Policy Forum that the agency is targeting auctions next year for the[ 7.125-7.4 GHz, 1.675-1.695 GHz and 2.7-2.8 GHz bands](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-interested-in-1-6-ghz-auction-in-2028-ntia-official-says/). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “I expect that you all will see notice as a proposed rule making a version on these things, because we got to get going”, Sura said. “We have to start opening up these conversations so that you can come in with your ideas,” he continued. Sura’s comments provide a more detailed look at the FCC’s plans for [next year’s spectrum pipeline](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-upper-c-band-plan-opening-160-mhz-for-wireless-auction/), including an affirmative push toward the lower portion of the 7 GHz band. The FCC has previously identified 2.7 GHz as part of its near-term spectrum agenda, but Sura’s comments provided a more specific indication that the agency is pursuing 7 GHz as part of its 2027 auction plans. The FCC is also working against a recently revised federal process for clearing government spectrum for commercial use. The Office of Management and Budget has moved to change the spectrum relocation process, while the National Telecommunications and Information Administration said the reforms are intended to accelerate the relocation of federal users and shorten auction timelines. Federal agencies currently using spectrum targeted for commercial use must develop plans to relocate or share their operations. The changes could allow the FCC to move forward with auction preparations while federal agencies continue work on clearing the spectrum. Carr, speaking at the same forum, also pointed to 7 GHz and 2.7 GHz as important parts of the agency’s broader spectrum work. He said the FCC wants to study entire bands rather than create fragmented pieces of spectrum, which could make it harder to assemble large contiguous blocks for wireless use. The FCC already has a 2027 auction scheduled for 160 megahertz of Upper C-band spectrum from 3.98-4.14 GHz. [Carr has said the agency intends to conduct three additional auctions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-proposal-on-unlicensed-spectrum-for-direct-to-device-without-900-mhz/) following the Upper [C-band auction](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-vote-on-upper-c-band-auction-rules-in-july/), with the goal of completing them by the end of 2028. The broader auction schedule remains uncertain. At the forum, Gomez expressed doubt about whether the FCC could meet its goal of completing four additional auctions by the end of 2028. The spectrum push comes as wireless carriers and equipment makers press federal agencies to make more mid-band spectrum available for growing data demand and future 6G networks. Carr has described spectrum as a central component of the administration’s wireless and technology agenda, while industry representatives at the forum called for a predictable pipeline of large, contiguous spectrum blocks. Sura’s comments offer the clearest timetable yet from the FCC for the next stage of that pipeline: NPRMs for three bands are expected soon, with auctions targeted for 2027. ### 11 AI Bills Cleared Committee this Summer, But None Has Reached the House Floor URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/11-ai-bills-cleared-committee-this-summer-but-none-has-reached-the-house-floor/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:48.000Z MILPITAS, Calif., Sept. 17, 2026 – Eleven bills carrying most of a bipartisan artificial intelligence package cleared the House Science Committee in July, and a separate bill setting safety rules for the most powerful AI systems could get a hearing in November, Rep. **Jay Obernolte**, R-Calif., said Thursday. He said the pieces could be combined into a single bill eligible for a floor vote in December. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The package started as the Great American AI Act, a 269-page discussion draft Obernolte released with Rep. **Lori Trahan**, D-Mass., on June 4\. Filed as one bill, it would have gone to as many as eight House committees, since it reaches federal AI research funding, cybersecurity, classroom curriculum, teacher training grants, workforce programs and safety rules for the largest models. ### *11 bills, eight committees* The authors split the draft into 11 bills, each routed to the committee holding jurisdiction over its subject. The bills assigned to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, which oversees federal research and technology programs, cleared it this summer. None has reached the House floor since. "It is a frustratingly slow process," Obernolte said at [Tarana Wireless' Connecting Communities Summit](https://news.taranawireless.com/connecting-communities-summit-sept-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a broadband industry conference at the next-generation fixed wireless company's headquarters here. ### *A federal consumer protection bill?* The safety provisions went to a different committee. The FRONTIER Act, introduced July 23, sits with the Energy and Commerce Committee, which writes communications and consumer protection law, and Obernolte said he hopes for a hearing when the House returns in November. The draft also carries the provision drawing the most opposition. Title I would preempt state laws governing how AI models are built, for three years unless Congress renews it, reaching what a developer does before deployment while leaving in place state rules on how AI gets used, along with privacy, consumer protection and civil rights statutes of general applicability. Trahan's office named two California laws the preemption would reach: AB 2013, which requires developers to publish summaries of their training data, and parts of SB 942, the state's AI content watermarking statute. Frontier safety laws in California, New York and Illinois would be federalized under the bill, according to her office. ### *The bill aimed at catastrophic risk* What could replace those state rules sits in the bill aimed at catastrophic risk. The FRONTIER Act would set obligations according to what a system can do. Companies training frontier models, the largest and most capable systems, would have to publish information about them, write plans for managing severe risks, report safety incidents and submit to review by independent verification organizations. Companies that only use AI tools built by other platforms would carry the lightest requirements. Obernolte represents California's 23rd District, running from the outer edge of Los Angeles County across the High Desert and the Mojave. He is a computer engineer with a graduate degree in artificial intelligence and chairs the House Task Force on AI. Across the aisle, Rep. **Sam Liccardo**, D-Calif., named disclosure, transparency and third-party auditing as already drawing support from both the large AI developers and the safety advocates. That overlap is the part of the debate that could move quickly, he said. "I haven't seen a serious AI bill come to the floor yet," Liccardo said. "We need to get Jay's legislation done." Liccardo's own priority is catastrophic risk, including cyberattacks and AI systems that pursue objectives their operators did not intend. He represents California's 16th District, covering much of Silicon Valley including Palo Alto. ### *The push for a floor vote* Congress repeated its social media pattern by waiting for documented harm before acting, Liccardo argued. He joined 106 other Democrats on Wednesday in asking Speaker **Mike Johnson**, R-La., to cancel a scheduled recess and vote on AI safeguards. The argument he hears against safety rules is competition with China. That makes international engagement part of the safety question rather than separate from it, he said, and he plans to introduce legislation letting AI labs, universities and think tanks work with Chinese counterparts on shared safety metrics, testing protocols and verification methods. He also plans a bill in November giving communities leverage to negotiate with data center developers. ### *Adoption hits a billion* OpenAI's chief global affairs officer **Chris Lehane** said more than 1 billion people use the company's products regularly, and that usage in rural areas is growing at about the same rate as in cities. The company runs a free training program, OpenAI Academy, with rural sessions built around agriculture. The tools are widely available already, Lehane said, and what differs is skill, since people who use them heavily produce about seven times what occasional users produce. That gap puts workforce training between an economy where the gains spread and one where they concentrate. Lehane proposed judging the result against a single number, the roughly $150,000 a year economists say a typical American family now needs for a middle-class life. The country could treat that as a national goal, he said, tracked the way the Federal Reserve tracks inflation and unemployment. ### A Global AI Safety Strategy Depends on Cooperation. China and U.S. Each See the Other as the Problem URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-global-ai-safety-strategy-depends-on-cooperation-china-and-u-s-each-see-the-other-as-the-problem/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:48.000Z HONG KONG, Sept. 17, 2026 (AP) — As concern rises over the [risks of artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-dario-amodei-d59552edcb27892d8ee4d98a48397706?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), hopes for any kind of global approach depend on cooperation between the U.S. and China — superpowers that seem only to be more skeptical of each other's AI strategy. AI governance is expected to be on the agenda in a meeting planned for next week in Washington between President **Donald Trump** and [Chinese leader **Xi Jinping**](https://apnews.com/hub/xi-jinping?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The topic has gained urgency in both countries, with American tech leaders saying that averting worst-case scenarios for rogue AI depends on a degree of cooperation with China. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) But both countries are vying for a decisive advantage on AI, with Trump warning that any efforts to regulate the technology would help China. That sets up a meeting in which any agreements might be superficial but a possible start to something larger. “A formal agreement or consensus may be near impossible, but they do not need to go that far,” said **Samm Sacks**, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies’ Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs. “Trump and Xi just need to create political space by acknowledging AI poses risks to both countries.” ### *China and the US are increasingly at odds on AI* Trump has pushed back on calls to strengthen regulation of the technology, claiming that doing so could cause China to eclipse America on AI. He has repeatedly declared that the nation that leads on the technology “wins.” “We are leading China, and all others,” Trump said Monday on social media. The two countries are moving the technology forward in different ways. U.S. companies are chasing AI frontiers with computing power supported by cutting-edge chips and the country's rapidly expanding data center infrastructure. China is pursuing wide global adoption of its [open-source, more affordable](https://apnews.com/article/kimi-k3-china-ai-model-us-4c66a2e0f557ce79d3cc2d769c9a6226?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) models. Chinese AI models [have made major advances](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-ai-models-safety-concerns-adb45169d436d5f940fc7b4ebeaeef3b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and gained traction with [American companies](https://apnews.com/article/china-ai-model-us-kimi-deepseek-a00bf637866fcd4d81f4fde28c9862ce?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) even as U.S.-led restrictions bar China from getting the world’s most advanced AI chips. While most American frontier models are closed-source, with their design elements kept secret, U.S. Treasury Secretary **Scott Bessent** said Tuesday the U.S. needs to develop more open-source models to counter China. The U.S. has accused China of “aggressive, malicious” efforts to extract capabilities from American AI systems. China has hit back, accusing the U.S. of trying to suppress Chinese companies so it can build a “monopoly of the AI industry.” **David Sacks**, a top AI adviser to Trump, said that China has “already rejected” slowing down the pace of developing the most advanced forms of AI. He said on Fox News' “The Ingraham Angle” that unlike the nuclear tensions with the Soviet Union during the Cold War it would be impossible to verify whether China honored any AI commitments. “In this case, we don’t have trust and we can’t verify,” Sacks said. “So let’s not be foolish about this and just hand the whole ball game to China.” Still, those with ties to the Chinese government see coordination on AI as helpful. At an annual security and defense conference in Beijing, **Cui Tiankai**, a former Chinese ambassador to the U.S., said Tuesday that AI is an area where “we should go ahead and build up” dialogue between Beijing and Washington. “Because there is a need, a growing need, for cooperation,” he told the Xiangshan Forum. “So how can we manage the balance?” ### *American AI leaders call for keeping China in check — and cooperating with China* Two leading American AI companies, Anthropic and OpenAI, each restrict access in China and have said the U.S. has a national security imperative to protect its lead on AI technology. But they also have called for cooperation with China to manage safety. In his essay last weekend calling for a slowdown of AI development for safety reasons, Anthropic CEO **Dario Amodei** said the U.S. should slow China's progress, including keeping up [U.S. restrictions on China's purchases of the world’s most advanced AI chips](https://apnews.com/article/ai-chips-nvidia-huawei-china-1ae6228c4928ddbb43f984e9b38f49dd?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). He also added, however, that “global pacing will require cooperation with China, the autocratic country with by far the most advanced AI capabilities.” His essay quickly drew criticism from Beijing, with China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying on Monday that “fearmongering, confrontation and vicious competition will only disrupt the process of global AI governance which serves no one’s interest.” China’s state-run Global Times newspaper went further, calling his remarks “packed with containment provisions targeting China and is, in essence, a ‘Cold War playbook’ for the AI sector.” Trump has consulted with Nvidia CEO **Jensen Huang**, even calling the maker of the world’s most advanced computer chips in the middle of a Monday podcast interview. Nvidia has generally favored some chip exports to China as a way to create an American ecosystem for the technology and a more open relationship on AI given the number of researchers in China. ### *Both countries have been alarmed by emerging AI capabilities* In both the U.S. and China, AI's increasingly powerful capabilities have alarmed top officials and policymakers. The head of China’s Ministry of State Security, its spy agency, warned in an article Sunday that AI poses many threats to the country, from political and ideological security to cyberattacks. In the article, **Chen Yixin** argued that [AI could threaten](https://apnews.com/article/china-anthropic-ai-us-amodei-3da458d2c078da3e60900728d59f1ae8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) China’s political and ideological security if used by those “with ulterior motives,” while singling out Anthropic's and OpenAI's powerful AI models. It said they could be used to “weaponize” cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threaten China's critical information infrastructure. Several other recent AI-related events were also causing concern in China when it comes to AI governance. That includes a U.S. security firm’s recent discovery of AI vulnerabilities in WeChat, China’s key messaging app that also offers payment services among other functions, said **Paul Triolo**, a partner at DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group. While Chinese officials said after [Trump’s Beijing summit with Xi in mid-May](https://apnews.com/hub/trump-xi-summit-may-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that China and the United States had agreed to pursue dialogue on AI development and governance, little progress has been made. At the same time, China and the U.S. have been working to form AI alliances with like-minded nations. In July, China launched the [World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization](https://apnews.com/article/china-ai-tech-chips-xi-us-df4cfc7e1b260e765b5449b6d71a48e5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a group with 29 initial founding member countries, including Russia and Pakistan, meant to promote global AI governance. This month, China’s Xi has called on [BRICS](https://apnews.com/article/china-ai-tech-chips-xi-us-df4cfc7e1b260e765b5449b6d71a48e5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) member countries to accelerate the setting up of a global AI governance framework and establish an open-source AI community. Some political observers saw the China-led organization as a response to the [U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative](https://apnews.com/article/pax-silica-india-us-trump-modi-994d1cea76275cae7649fb8dcec13125?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which launched last year focusing on strengthening collaboration with countries including Japan, the U.K. and Australia on AI supply chains. Asked about his expectations on AI from the Trump-Xi meeting on AI in an interview with CBS' “Face the Nation,” Amodei said “the more long-term thing would be working together to put a speed limit on the rate of AI progress.” But he said it likely would be very difficult. In the run-up to the Trump-Xi meeting, a recent social media post by Yuyuantantian, a Chinese state media-linked account, was similarly circumspect. “Only after the United States first demonstrates that the safety rules are equally effective for its own model companies can substantive discussions between the U.S. and China take place,” the post said. *This article was written by Chan Ho-Him of the Associated Press.* ### Wireless ISP Seeking $777 Million From T-Mobile for Interference URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wireless-isp-seeking-777-million-from-t-mobile-for-interference/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2026 – A wireless broadband provider says interference from T-Mobile is ruining its business, causing it to shed customers and operate at a loss. Maryland-based Bloosurf told the Federal Communications Commission that interference with its 2.5 GigaHertz (GHz) licenses by T-Mobile cost the company at least $260 million since 2020\. Founded in 2009, the company serves about 2,500 subscribers in Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) In [a Monday filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075930/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the company asked the FCC to award it $777 million in damages from T-Mobile, arguing an extra penalty was warranted by the carrier’s “malicious and wanton disregard” of the Communications Act. T-Mobile did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “T-Mobile’s goal is simple. It wants to control the entire 2.5 GHz Educational Broadband Service (“EBS”) band,” wrote **Seth Williams**, an attorney representing Bloosurf. He cast the carrier’s alleged violations of spectrum interference rules as “part of a nationwide campaign of willful noncompliance by T-Mobile in an effort to displace other EBS license users and allow T-Mobile to monopolize the band.” Bloosurf has previously complained to the FCC about 2.5 GHz interference from T-Mobile. Fellow WISP NextWave has also alleged the carrier interfered with its licenses in the band. In response to NextWave, T-Mobile [accused the company](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10620980715928/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last year of being a spectrum warehouser with few to no real customers. “T-Mobile engages cooperatively and effectively nearly daily with its closest competitors to resolve interference issues,” T-mobile wrote. “That is because those other companies and T-Mobile — unlike NextWave — are motivated to provide the most robust service possible to their customers.” The FCC has issued two notices of violation against T-Mobile for 2.5 GHz interference, which Bloosurf was quick to point out, but has not resolved the [NextWave complaint](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1050253835231/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The FCC also sided with Bloosurf in a previous informal complaint filed in 2020, but Bloosurf said nothing changed. Bloosurf had also sued T-Mobile over the issue, but earlier this year federal judges said the company had to resolve the issue through the FCC. On Monday, Bloosurf alleged T-Mobile was operating in 2.5 GHz channels wider than it was licensed for, and encroaching on Bloosurf’s spectrum in doing so. The company said it had been in contact with T-Mobile, but it claimed the carrier didn’t make serious efforts to end practices it said clearly caused interference. On Wednesday, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau [said that](https://web.archive.org/web/20260916214959/https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-425097A1.pdf) after the issue had been briefed by both sides, T-Mobile and Bloosurf would have to meet and discuss settlement prospects, discovery, and other issues. Bloosurf said that after expanding via federal and state grant funding, it had quickly grown customers in 2020 and reached total annual sales of $3.5 million. Late 2020 is when the company claims interference started, and since 2021 it has lost subscribers annually and is now operating at a loss with much of its enterprise value wiped out, the company said. The WISP said the interference both prevented it from competing with T-Mobile for subscribers and prevented it from competing for spectrum licenses at auctions or in third-party transactions. The latter would have been possible if Bloosurf secured outside financing it had been considering, which was premised on the growth the company had seen before the alleged interference. ### House Passes Bill Aimed at Addressing Impact of Data Centers on Energy Costs URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-passes-bill-aimed-at-addressing-impact-of-data-centers-on-energy-costs/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2206 (AP) — The House overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday that aims to have artificial intelligence data centers pay for their substantial energy needs as lawmakers used what was expected to be their final day in Washington before the midterm elections to address a [growing voter concern.](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-rural-farm-artificial-intelligence-trump-e5a350af1bc12e6a4f470d3b68be51d7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The legislation would require state utility regulators to consider a standard by which utilities charge data centers for the full cost of the new power and transmission upgrades needed to serve them. The bill passed by a vote of 417-3. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Supporters of the bill described the legislation as a “modest first start” in protecting families and businesses from higher utility bills. It essentially provides a federal recommendation while preserving state power to regulate electricity markets. “I promise that this bill is not the end of our focus on these issues. It's only the beginning,” said Rep. **Frank Pallone**, the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Some lawmakers are calling for a [full moratorium](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-ai-electricity-sanders-aoc-65651bd28c3d911d18eeb46cd54f4c75?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on AI data centers until safeguards are put in place that ensure AI is safe and effective and that the data centers don't increase utility prices or harm the environment. Meanwhile, more than 100 Democrats signed onto a letter this week that called on House Speaker **Mike Johnson** to keep the House in session this month until Congress advances meaningful artificial intelligence safeguards. Johnson said the bill that passed the House "strikes the right balance of protecting local communities while keeping America on the cutting edge of AI development.” The debate over the bill offered different views on the merits of data centers. House Majority Leader **Steve Scalise**, R-La., said the development of a data center in Richland Parish in his home state generated bonuses of up to $50,000 for local teachers as a result of increased tax collections. “Those are the stories you're seeing in communities that have embraced it,” Scalise said. But Pallone said Americans have real concerns about what data centers will mean for them, adding that President **Donald Trump** and Republican congressional leaders have [swept those concerns to the side.](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-guardrails-data-centers-b85df16775ff7e9611a456b061a0e4b9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) He noted that Trump posted on social media that communities opposed to data centers must want to end up being “backwards and poor.” “The president in my opinion is out of touch on this issue and the American people are demanding action,” Pallone said. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are [extremely or very concerned](https://apnews.com/article/ai-environmental-impact-data-centers-trump-228d625ab7c62cd583bc67d65074f7d4?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) about data centers' impact on energy prices and 57% are extremely or very concerned about the impact on water supplies, according to a new poll from [The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research](https://apnorc.org/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. Rep. **Gabe Evans**, R-Colo., the bill’s sponsor, said the U.S. can either build out its power systems to meet demand or become dependent on countries like China for its digital infrastructure. “We cannot accelerate this growth on the back of Americans working hard to pay their electric bills at the end of the month,” Evans said. *This article was written by Kevin Freking of the Associated Press.* ### Carriers, Sharing Proponents Publish Dueling Reports on 4.4 GHz URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carriers-sharing-proponents-publish-dueling-reports-on-4-4-ghz/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2026 – Trade groups for wireless carriers and spectrum sharing proponents have opposing goals for a large swathe of government spectrum. In a [Wednesday report](https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Optimizing-the-4-GHz-Band-for-Americas-Economic-and-National-Security.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), CTIA, the mobile industry group, argued the 4.4 GigaHertz (GHZ) band should be identified for exclusive licensed use. That’s the kind of higher-power spectrum the mobile carriers’ networks run on. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Meanwhile Spectrum for the Future, which represents sharing proponents like the cable industry and consumer advocacy groups, released [a report Thursday](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KgQprBWzVrbD59rEGBqa31KkCTc1JQD%5F/view?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that said the band could be used sooner and more efficiently through a medium-power sharing regime. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is about to study the band with the aim of opening up a portion of it to the private sector. There are 15 agencies using the band, with the Defense Department and Justice Department taking up the largest portions. NTIA got study plans from each of them and is currently waiting on Congress to sign off and release funding for those efforts. Any auction would be handled by the Federal Communications Commission. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** said Wednesday that likely wouldn’t come in the near future. The agency typically auctions exclusive licenses, but has auctioned priority licenses in a shared band. “Let’s focus on what we have in front of us for the next three years,” he quipped after being asked about 4.4 GHz at a CTIA event in Washington. “Four GHz is going to be awesome in 2030, but we have got a lot of marks to hit between now and then.” ### *CTIA report* CTIA said that NTIA should finish up government studies and identify at least 400 megahertz of the band for licensed use by 2028\. The group was aligned with Carr on the auction timeline, saying an FCC auction should come no later than 2030. CTIA said the U.S. should try to rally support for mobile use in 4.4-4.8 GHz globally at upcoming regional meetings this fall. The World Radiocommunication Conference will consider a global mobile allocation in the band next year. The group said wireless demand would likely grow faster as artificial intelligence use became more common, and a large contiguous slice of additional spectrum would be needed for U.S. mobile networks to keep up. An equipment ecosystem already exists for the band, and other countries have already tapped 4 GHz for mobile use within their borders, the group argued. As for the government users, CTIA said many of the federal systems only operate in certain places at certain times, and that they could be protected via geographic coordination. The group claimed drive tests showed minimal government use of 4 GHz in Chicago, Denver, and San Diego. CTIA said auction proceeds would be enough to cover relocation costs for any systems that had to be moved to accommodate mobile use in the band. “The 4 GHz band is a unique opportunity to strengthen America’s wireless future,” CTIA CEO **Ajit Pai** said [in a statement](https://www.ctia.org/news/4-ghz-is-key-to-securing-americas-wireless-and-ai-leadership-ctia-report-finds?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Beginning work this fall is our best chance at freeing up the spectrum needed to meet surging AI demand, fuel innovation, expand access to affordable broadband, and reassert America’s global wireless leadership.” Pai led the FCC during the first Trump administration. ### *Spectrum for the Future report* Spectrum for the Future commissioned a report from Valo Analytica that argued NTIA should consider instituting a sharing regime as it conducts its studies. Sharing spectrum would avoid potentially costly and time-consuming relocation, and allow airwaves to be put to use much sooner, the Valo report argued. The often geographically isolated uses of the band would make it a good candidate for sharing, as in most places it could be freely used without interrupting government systems, the group wrote. The 6 GHz and CBRS bands are currently shared with mechanisms the group said could be implemented in 4.4 GHz. For Spectrum for the Future and Valo, the [main benefit](https://spectrumfuture.com/new-analysis-sharing-could-unlock-more-4-4-ghz-spectrum-for-the-ai-era/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of a sharing regime would be that companies and others could deploy private networks that wouldn’t be possible if a carrier owned exclusive rights to the airwaves. That’s something manufacturers and others [already use](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cbrs-proponent-studies-changes-to-shared-band-would-be-disruptive/) CBRS for. More private networks could help enable automated factories, live container monitoring at ports, and better monitoring of energy infrastructure, among other things, the report argued. “America’s finite public resource of spectrum needs to be put to its highest and greatest use that benefits a wide swath of Americans, not a select few,” Spectrum for the Future wrote in [a one-pager](https://spectrumfuture.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/SFTF-4-4-GHz-One-Pager-9.16.26.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Spectrum sharing offers the greatest opportunity to reach that goal.” ### Michael O'Reilly: Making Progress on D2D Satellite Services URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/michael-oreilly-making-progress-on-d2d-satellite-services/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T15:37:36.000Z The massive rebirth of the American satellite industry has produced one of the hottest, most compelling sectors in communications. While fixed satellite broadband has dominated the conversation over satellite’s resurgence so far, mobile broadband available anywhere in the world is likely to be the next big thing, giving consumers greater smartphone mobility and connectivity. This progress stems from the entrepreneurial drive within satellite companies, the industry’s rejection of outdated narratives, and the FCC’s forward-leaning policy vision. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The critical next step is for the FCC to authorize additional next-generation satellites that can offer satellite-based mobile broadband services directly to mobile devices, complementing the U.S. world-leading terrestrial mobile wireless services and producing more competition, greater consumer choice, reduced subsidy needs, and continued U.S. global leadership. A key breakthrough in satellite innovation has been the deployment of new constellations of satellites, with advanced phased array technologies in low-Earth orbit (hence the name LEO Satellites). Their proximity to the Earth, combined with vast technological innovations, is making fast, reliable mobile broadband via satellite a real possibility for the mass market. While subject to change, several integrated LEO systems are leading the pack, including Starlink, the Amazon/Globalstar announced merger, and the AST/Ligado network partnership. These companies are well positioned to deploy direct-to-device services (D2D), helping deliver wireless signals—in association with nationwide wireless carriers—to mostly remote, unserved areas. Although some questions may continue, that opportunity now depends less on proving the technology than on further clearing the regulatory path for wider deployment. ### *Additional FCC engagement needed* Expanding D2D to more consumers and enhancing its capabilities will require additional FCC engagement. This April, the agency reaffirmed current satellite licensees’ exclusive rights and their ability to maximize spectrum use. While seemingly minor, the reaffirmation was crucial: critics had sought to divide existing bands and delay progress by years. With exclusivity settled, there is no need to relitigate it. At a time when other nations are racing to lead in next-generation satellite communications, repeatedly reopening settled issues only benefits America’s competitors. The Commission’s clarity also underscored a core reality—certain spectrum bands remain foundational for space-based mobile broadband. Likewise, market participants and experts alike agree that future satellite mobile broadband offerings require large spectrum blocks, albeit not necessarily additional ones. Such blocks allow industry players to move beyond simple emergency messaging services and narrowband transmission. Accordingly, Starlink, Amazon, and AST have secured access to significant mobile satellite spectrum resources needed for execution and growth. Providers will be able to support a range of important services, including wearables, vehicles, public safety, the industrial and enterprise Internet of Things, and critical infrastructure. So, what is needed next? The simple answer is for the FCC to continue to fulfill its vision by allowing LEO D2D systems to expand operations and come online. Greenlighting pending applications will enable America’s world-class wireless providers to address a small but missing component of their offerings. Just as important, it will help ensure that our nation retains its leadership in the global satellite marketplace, which other nations seek to challenge and supersede. Few should be surprised that China and Europe want to dislodge America’s standing in the satellite marketplace. America should not make that job any easier by allowing outdated objections to delay appropriate progress. Inevitably, the FCC will face some stale arguments about nearby D2D causing interference to nearby GPS or others when using traditional licensed spectrum bands and should reject them, as it has in the past. Setting aside the current conversation on unlicensed bands where interference is still being reviewed, FCC expert engineers have repeatedly examined the issue in these licensed bands and concluded that it does not hinder neighboring use. Even if critics ignore the agency’s analysis, there is overwhelming real-world evidence that such interference is not an issue; in fact, satellite services have communicated with smartphones *for years* in these bands without problems. Consider that right now, more than 100 million Apple devices already use Globalstar’s LEO system for narrowband services, while millions of Samsung and Pixel devices rely on Ligado’s satellite spectrum for narrowband connectivity. Put in perspective, over one-third of the U.S. mobile device industry is satellite-capable today, and such use has not produced any legitimate harmful interference claims from its neighboring band users. And any claims of new interference unique to satellite mobile broadband services in satellite bands should not be accepted at face value. Similarly, the Commission may face regurgitated demands for a new processing round for mobile satellite services systems as part of a license transfer request. The Commission previously rejected this noxious notion for good reason: it would be unprecedented in satellite licensing, run counter to decades of FCC decisions in mobile satellite services, and create needless delays and uncertainty in D2D offerings. Oh, and it runs counter to the law governing license transfers. Arguably, a new processing round is intended to do just that: complicate the process and postpone progress. The agency can continue to see through this tactic. There should be little debate that mobile satellite communications would not have achieved so much without the FCC’s leadership. America’s leading global position in satellite communications – particularly in the LEO market – is due, in part, to the satellite vision of Chairman **Brendan Carr**, his fellow Commissioners, and strong voices within the Trump Administration. Now the Commission has an opportunity to finish the job. Part of that agenda is vibrant wireless-satellite partnerships to ensure uniform connectivity across our lands. The Commission can further complement this by acting on pending matters before it, thereby expanding D2D reach and functionality. That’s a winning formula for everyone, especially consumers. ***Michael O’Rielly is currently President at MPORielly Consulting Inc., Visiting Fellow at the Hudson Institute, Senior Fellow at the Media Institute, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Free State Foundation, and Member of the International Advisory Committee of APCO Worldwide. He served as a Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission from 2013 through 2020\. Before joining the FCC, Mr. O’Rielly held a variety of leading staff positions during 20 years on Capitol Hill in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, ending as Policy Advisor in the Office of the Senate Republican Whip. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### U.S. ISPs Spent $92.6 Billion on Capex In 2025; Google Alone to Spend $205 Billion in 2026 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-isps-spent-92-6-billion-on-capex-in-2025-google-alone-to-spend-205-billion-in-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T12:52:57.000Z 💡 ■ House passes Ratepayer Protection Act, 417 to 3 ■ California Urged to Reject NTIA’s Ban on Net Neutrality in BEAD Rules ■ Colorado Broadband Office Head Quits without Much Notice ■ Spectrum Offers Cox Customers Free, 12-Month Mobile Line ■ In a Rebrand, GFiber (formerly Google Fiber) is Now: gFiber ■ Maine PUC Losing Its Chairman Next Month ■ Sinclair, Nexstar Ramp Up Consumer Promotion of NextGenTV ■ GCI’s Maureen McCabe Moore Receives CCA’s Distinguished Leadership Award ■ Warning about Security Flaw in Calix Routers Has Been Withdrawn Capex: America’s broadband providers invested $92.6 billion in communications infrastructure in 2025, a 3.4% increase and the third‑highest total since 2003, USTelecom [said](https://ustelecom.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/UST-1485CapexReport%5F2025%5FFinal.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in its 2025 Broadband Capex Report. Cumulative investment now nears $2.3 trillion since 1996\. But the entire broadband sector is still no match for a Big Tech company like Google, which is spending $205 billion alone in 2026 on data centers and AI compute capacity. Meanwhile, [Big Tech’s overall capex budget for 2026 could hit $800 billion](https://www.barrons.com/articles/tech-stocks-ai-spending-capex-554475b7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Fiber isn’t just wiring for today’s Internet – it’s the load-bearing infrastructure for whatever comes next,” USTelecom CEO **Jonathan Spalter** said, urging Congress to pass permitting reform so providers ready to build can build. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!S3R_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fac696a66-d941-473c-afc1-7db7da94d31e_598x397.png) USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### A Data Center Has 4 Core Systems. New Chips Are Changing All of Them URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-data-center-has-4-core-systems-new-chips-are-changing-all-of-them/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 16, 2026 – A data center runs on four systems: servers, networks, electricity and cooling. All four are changing at once, driven by the racks of chips that train and run AI models. "All four are drastically changing," said **Manish Kadakia**, vice president of infrastructure at Meta, on Wednesday at the AI Infra Summit. Improvements in one system did not previously require the other three to change with it. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) ### *Servers: More computing in each rack* Racks that once drew about 10 kilowatts are giving way to AI racks pulling 100 kilowatts or more, Kadakia said. A rack is the tall cabinet holding servers and networking equipment, and chipmaking giant Nvidia now ships its processors by the rack, with dozens of chips wired together and installed as one unit. A rack that draws 100 kilowatts also produces 100 kilowatts of heat. The power distribution and the cooling in most buildings were designed for a tenth of that per rack. ### *Networks: Connecting chips to one another* AI training adds a second high-speed network at a scale most facilities never needed. The front-end network, which every data center already has, connects the computing cluster with storage, applications and users. The back-end network is the addition, and it links processors to one another so they can work on the same model. Those processors exchange data constantly while a model trains. Kadakia said that takes a "humongous amount" of fiber running among the machines. The back-end network cannot tolerate delay. Speed matters because a processor waiting for another’s results can sit idle. Across thousands of expensive chips, network delays waste computing time and stretch out the training run. ### *Electricity: Managing sudden swings in demand* The coordination also creates an electrical problem. Thousands of processors can ramp up or ease off together, sending power demand sharply up or down. Electrical systems must handle those swings as well as the higher demand. Sharp swings in AI power demand can resemble the electrical faults that backup systems are designed to detect, said **David Skeans**, senior vice president of sales at electrical equipment maker Legrand. Equipment built to keep servers running through outages must now handle abrupt changes caused by the servers themselves. ### *Cooling: Bringing liquid to the chips* Workers once were not allowed to bring a water bottle onto the data center floor, Kadakia recalled. Now liquid circulates through metal plates attached to processors, drawing heat from the chips faster than moving air can. That puts liquid close to expensive electronics. A leak can damage equipment and interrupt computing. Operators have placed sandbags around racks, alongside sensors and cables that detect escaping liquid, said **Taymur Ahmad**, founder and chief executive of protective-coatings company actnano. But trouble can start before liquid escapes. Changes in its chemistry can encourage corrosion. Worn parts can shed metal particles, and microbes can grow inside the cooling system. Those problems can clog passages or reduce the system’s ability to carry heat away, said **Connor Handy**, vice president of commercialization at cooling-monitoring company Omen AI. His company monitors the liquid for early warning signs. The shift also changes who keeps the facility running. Electricians and network technicians may increasingly work beside plumbers, Ahmad said. ### *Operations: Upgrading while keeping systems running* New AI hardware can arrive every few months, bringing different power, cooling and repair requirements, Kadakia said. The buildings housing it cannot change that quickly. Operators must make room for new racks while keeping older equipment in service. Air-cooled and liquid-cooled systems will have to coexist, requiring technicians who can maintain both. Repairs are becoming harder just as delays become more expensive. Technicians sometimes replace parts without knowing exactly what failed, Kadakia said. Taking equipment offline leaves costly processors idle and can lengthen the time needed to train a model. Each hardware upgrade therefore presents a bigger decision: How much of the surrounding infrastructure must change, what will it cost and how can the work proceed without interrupting the computing already underway? ### FCC Relaunches Tech Advisory Council to Guide Spectrum, AI and 6G Policy URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-relaunches-tech-advisory-council-to-guide-spectrum-ai-and-6g-policy/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2026 - The Federal Communications Commission is [relaunching](https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/blog/2026/09/14/reinvigorating-fccs-technological-advisory-council-engineering-forward?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) its Technological Advisory Council (TAC) on October 1, 2026, with a renewed commitment to “embedding world‑class engineering expertise directly into the policymaking process.” Agency leaders say the move is designed to keep the FCC ahead of emerging challenges and opportunities shaping the future of connectivity in the United States, as the communications landscape evolves at an unprecedented pace. The TAC brings together specialists from industry, academia and the public sector to produce guidance on core connectivity technologies. Under the revamped remit, the council will focus on spectrum sharing, cellular and wireless systems, and the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in communications networks. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) **Andrew Hendrickson**, Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology,has framed the relaunch as part of pushing the agency’s engineering and technical work “forward into the next decade,” aligning the TAC with priorities such as 6G, expanded satellite services and AI-enabled communications. The move signals that upcoming rulemakings will be heavily informed by structured technical advice rather than ad‑hoc input. For the new term, the TAC will organize its work around three key areas. The Emerging Wireless and Broadband working group will examine foundational technologies for future systems, including 6G and other next‑generation architectures, with a focus on coverage, latency, reliability, resilience, security and long‑term U.S. leadership. That work also supports broader priorities such as 5G/6G evolution, satellites and space, quantum communications, drones and sensing. The AI/ML and Computing working group will evaluate how artificial intelligence and machine learning can enhance communication systems and network operations, including interference mitigation, dynamic resource allocation, advanced sensing and secure decision automation across terrestrial and satellite environments. The Spectrum Management Reform working group will explore new approaches to spectrum efficiency, coexistence and interference protection as demand grows across federal, commercial, satellite and emerging technology sectors, including advanced sharing frameworks and propagation modeling. The first meeting of the relaunched TAC is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET. FCC officials say the council’s contributions will help protect consumers, sustain U.S. technological leadership and encourage the development of secure, reliable and cutting‑edge communication systems. ### Denser Racks and Grid Delays Force an Infrastructure Rethink for the Data Center Industry URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/denser-racks-and-grid-delays-force-an-infrastructure-rethink-for-the-data-center-industry/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 16, 2026 – Grid delays in Texas pushed one artificial intelligence infrastructure company to generate its own electricity. AI infrastructure firm Crusoe constructed a 300-megawatt gas turbine plant to supplement utility service at its Abilene data center campus. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/data-src-image-64ec0779-c8dd-4a2d-8fd6-e688dbc49119.png) Photo of Crusoe Chief Data Center Officer **Chris Dolan** (left), and Dynamix Corporation Chair and CEO ****Andrejka Bernatova** The plant supplements limited utility power while Crusoe waits for additional grid capacity, Chief Data Center Officer **Chris Dolan** said Wednesday. The company is serving the first 1.2 gigawatts of the campus through a combination of grid electricity and power generated at the site. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The project illustrates how the timelines for adding computing capacity can outrun those for adding utility infrastructure. Dolan said Crusoe can combine grid electricity with gas generation and other sources depending on what is available. Some projects operate entirely behind the meter, meaning the electricity is generated and consumed at the data center rather than delivered through the utility grid. ### *Grid access is only part of the problem* Getting electricity to a site is only part of the constraint. Operators are also trying to fit increasingly power-intensive AI equipment into buildings designed for earlier generations of computing. That is increasing interest in upgrading existing facilities before building new ones. **Sonia Hingorany,** general manager and partner for Azure Cloud Operations and Innovation at technology company Microsoft, said operators should consider retrofits, equipment refreshes and reclaiming existing capacity rather than defaulting to “build, build, build.” Retrofits modify the building for new equipment, refreshes replace aging hardware, and reclamation frees up power or space that is already there but underused. ### *Designing for higher-voltage AI* New construction is being planned for the same surge in power density. **Mike Bahr**, who oversees infrastructure, data centers and networking at Chicago-based trading firm DRW, said operators need to prepare facilities for the much higher voltages and power densities demanded by the next generation of AI hardware. Panelists pointed to 800-volt direct-current systems, an emerging way to carry more power closer to the computing equipment itself, as one option for handling the next generation of AI hardware. The higher voltage would feed increasingly dense racks, the tall cabinets that hold stacks of servers and networking equipment. For data centers built from scratch, Bahr said operators should consider bringing higher-voltage power closer to the building and designing the internal electrical system around those future loads. Older facilities present a different tradeoff. Colocation providers rent companies data center space, power and network connections instead of requiring them to build their own facility. Moving equipment to a newer colocation facility requires rebuilding those connections and running the old and new computing environments in parallel during the transition, Bahr said. That expense can make upgrading an existing building more practical than moving. The supporting equipment is not shrinking either. Generators, batteries and uninterruptible power supplies, which keep equipment running through short power outages, continue to occupy substantial space even as more computing is packed into each rack, said **Jake Ring**, co-founder and CEO of Power and Data Management. The result is a two-sided infrastructure problem: Developers need more electricity from outside the building while finding ways to move and use more of it inside. Crusoe built additional generations, while other operators are trying to stretch existing capacity through retrofits and higher-voltage electrical designs. ### As AI Data Centers Surge, Builders Confront the Politics of Power URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/as-ai-data-centers-surge-builders-confront-the-politics-of-power/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T04:58:59.000Z SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 16, 2026 — Data center builders see their political challenge less as a referendum on artificial intelligence than as a race to build the energy, grid and public trust needed for an industry growing faster than its rules. Speaking at a [Broadband Breakfast Live Online event](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-september-16-2026-how-data-center-builders-see-the-politics/) at the AI Infra Summit, **Ed Nelson**, strategy director and co-founder of the AI Infra Summit, described an industry that has moved in less than a decade from experimental chips to enormous campuses whose power needs shape permitting and community debates. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “In 2018, nobody really had any conception of where this thing was going to go,” Nelson said. Early AI hardware conversations centered almost entirely on speed, he said, while today power is a defining constraint. The shift helps explain why data centers have become a political issue in the United States’ midterm elections. “Back in those days, it was all about performance,” Nelson said. “This year, I think a lot of the conversations have been around the energy itself and how you generate that, the grid and all that sort of stuff.” ### *Power moves to center stage* The summit itself mirrors that transformation. Launched as the AI Hardware Summit at the Computer History Museum with about 300 attendees, the event has grown to 9,000 people, Nelson said, and expects 12,000 when it moves to the San Jose Convention Center for its 10th anniversary next year. Its agenda now stretches from energy and physical data center infrastructure through chips, networking, memory, interconnects and enterprise software. No single layer of digital infrastructure can expand alone, said Nelson and **Joe Wells**, founder and chief growth officer of information provider Data Center Signals. Faster processors require denser racks, denser racks require more electricity, and new generation requires permits, transmission and local consent. “Energy is top of mind for everyone,” continued Nelson. The metric once focused on performance figures, he added, but now includes the power required to produce them. “The conversations have just gone way beyond performance.” That expansion is also changing who builds capacity. Hyperscalers still hold much of the computing infrastructure, Nelson said, but emerging AI cloud companies are constructing facilities quickly and sometimes supplying capacity to the same giants they ostensibly challenge. “Everybody’s building very, very fast,” Nelson said. The result is a market with new business models but few settled expectations for communities, utilities or regulators. ### *A playbook built in public* The industry’s political standing may depend on whether it can translate that speed into local benefits. Well added that operators have been slow to respond as opposition hardened around water, electricity and secrecy. “There’s no playbook right now,” Wells said. Still, he argued that confidentiality need not block accountability: “You can still have NDAs, but you can still have open discussion. You can have both.” Broadband is another part of the bargain. Moderator **Drew Clark**, CEO of Broadband Breakfast, highlighted the move from urban and suburban interconnection points to rural data centers. Large training campuses can sit farther from population centers, but inference facilities, which deliver AI responses, need lower latency and closer connections. Wells said facilities without fiber are “just big empty buildings.” **Akul Saxena**, a Broadband Breakfast reporter covering the summit, said the most notable transition was “the change from chatbots to agents and what that requires at a physical infrastructure level.” Training can occur almost anywhere because it is not time-sensitive, Saxena said, while “inference needs to be low latency.” More distributed facilities, Saxena added, mean the issue “essentially touches every American state at this point.” ### House Commerce Committee Clears Five Telecom Bills URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-committee-clears-five-telecom-bills/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2026 – The House Commerce Committee cleared five bipartisan broadband and telecom bills. Earlier this month, a House Commerce subcommittee advanced six broadband bills. One of them, a bill that would have loosened a Trump administration ban on foreign-made robots, was not considered by the full committee Wednesday. Each bill was cleared unanimously by roll call vote. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) ### *SAT Streamlining Act* The House version of the [SAT Streamlining Act](https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF00/20260916/119573/BILLS-119-HR8255-A000370-Amdt-3.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would put a one-year shot clock on the Federal Communications Commission’s review of new satellite license applications. It would also impose shot clocks on license renewals and minor modification requests. Rep. **Frank Pallone**, D-N.J., the top Democrat on the committee, put forward an amendment that was approved. The amendment, also bipartisan, made changes in response to FCC and industry feedback on the bill, said Rep. **Brett Guthrie**, R-Ky., the chairman of the committee. The changes included extending certain license terms to 20 years, clarifying shot clock start dates, and preventing applications undergoing national security reviews from being granted automatically. “The amendment reflects months of bipartisan work to update the bill based on technical assistance we received from the FCC as well as constructive feedback received from stakeholders,” Guthrie said. The bill still included a deemed granted provision, meaning many applications would be granted automatically if the FCC didn’t act on them by the deadline. The Senate Commerce Committee removed a similar provision entirely from its version of the bill, rather than create a carve out, before clearing the text. Each of the bills advanced Wednesday will have to be taken up by the full house before making it out of the chamber. The Senate would have to pass its own version, which would then have to be reconciled with the House, before any of the bills become law. In July, the FCC overhauled its satellite licensing reviews, instituting a more standardized process instead of the bespoke reviews the agency has been doing. Like the SAT Streamlining Act, it was aimed at getting applications processed and approved faster. ### *AI for Secure Networks Act* The [AI for Secure Networks Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F7294%5FAI%5Ffor%5FSecure%5FNetworks%5FAct%5F1%5F2b33e17d78.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the NTIA to conduct a study on how artificial intelligence and open radio access networks (open RAN) could be used to increase cybersecurity of telecom networks. That study would include analysis of impacts on emergency alerts and public safety networks. NTIA would also have to look into how to make AI models more secure with benchmarks and testing. The bill was led by Reps. **Robert Menendez**, D-N.J., and **August Pfluger**, R-Texas. ### *Foreign Robocall Elimination Act* The [Foreign Robocall Elimination Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F6152%5Fthe%5FForeign%5FRobocall%5FElimination%5FAct%5F1%5F71bae4abdd.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the FCC, along with the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department, to convene with private sector experts and produce a report on how to combat robocalls. The FCC has been cracking down on robocalls for years. Earlier this year the agency expanded know-your-customer requirements, and just last week effectively shut down nine providers for not responding to information requests from an existing industry group that tracks robocalls. The bill was led by Reps. **Addison McDowell,** R-N.C., and **Kelly Morrison**, D-Minn. ### *PLAN for Broadband Act* The [PLAN for Broadband Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F2805%5FPLAN%5Ffor%5FBroadband%5FAct%5F1%5F5c98f601df.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), led by Reps. **Tim Walberg**, R-Mich., and **Scott Peters**, D-Calif., would require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to draw up a plan to close the digital divide. That would have to include improving coordination across federal broadband grant programs and in the federal permitting process, plus reducing administrative burdens for state and local governments to participate in federal programs. The bill was first introduced in 2022 after the Government Accountability Office found coordination of the more than 100 federal broadband programs to be lacking. ### *Data BRIDGE Act* The [Data BRIDGE Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F4950%5FData%5FBRIDGE%5FAct%5F1%5F1e7faaefeb.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the FCC to incorporate data on agricultural areas into its national broadband coverage map. It was led by Reps. **Erin Houchin,** R-Ind., and **Robin Kelly,** D-Ill. The FCC is currently taking comment on streamlining data collection for the coverage map. The map serves as a guide for broadband funding agencies looking to determine where to spend their resources. At the prior subcommittee markup, Houchin and Kelly said that bringing in existing USDA data would help direct resources at farmland where precision agriculture was increasingly demanding better connections. ### Maine Warns FCC Against Linking E-Rate to Student Test Scores URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/maine-warns-fcc-against-linking-e-rate-to-student-test-scores/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2026 – The Maine Department of Education is urging the Federal Communications Commission not to use student academic performance as a measure of whether schools should receive federal E-Rate support. In [comments filed Sept. 15](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110076721/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Maine said the FCC should not condition E-Rate eligibility, discount levels or reimbursements on student outcomes such as reading and math scores. The department argued that E-Rate is designed to support internet connectivity and network infrastructure, rather than curriculum, instructional applications or student devices. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The FCC is considering whether[ E-Rate funding should be evaluated in connection with educational practices and outcomes](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/critics-fear-the-fccs-e-rate-program-could-get-the-d-oge-treatment/), including literacy and numeracy. Maine said academic results are influenced by factors that extend well beyond a school’s broadband infrastructure, including curriculum, instructional quality, attendance, staffing, student needs, family circumstances and access to specialized services. “It would not be reasonable to treat broadband infrastructure as the cause of a school system’s academic results,” the department said, arguing that the appropriate measure for E-Rate is whether schools can obtain and maintain reliable, secure, scalable and affordable connectivity. The comments came as part of a [broader FCC proceeding examining the future of the E-Rate program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-clears-e-rate-review-local-permit-shot-clock-proposal/), including questions about the program’s scope, student screen time, the Children’s Internet Protection Act and program integrity. Maine also [pushed back against using E-Rate](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-e-rate-proposal-draws-early-pushback-from-schools-libraries/) as a vehicle for federal screen-time requirements. The department said schools should retain authority over decisions involving instructional technology, while families, educators and local school boards should determine how technology is used in classrooms. The department said technology can serve a variety of educational purposes, including research, collaboration, computer science, assessments, assistive technology and access to instructional resources. Treating all screen-based activities alike, it said, [could create problems for students who rely on accessible digital materials](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/education-groups-continue-advocacy-push-as-fcc-reviews-e-rate/), translation tools and other technology-enabled services. Maine ultimately called on the FCC to preserve E-Rate’s core role while making targeted improvements to accountability, transparency and administration. It specifically urged the agency not to evaluate connectivity infrastructure through student test scores. Maine Department of Education Commissioner **Pender Makin** did not personally sign the filing. ### Ziply Fiber Completes Redundant Fiber Ring in Quincy, Washington URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ziply-fiber-completes-redundant-fiber-ring-in-quincy-washington/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2026 - Ziply Fiber has [finished](https://ziplyfiber.com/news/press-release/quincy-fiber-ring?cid=org%5Fsoc:brand-awareness:x&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) building a fully redundant fiber ring in Quincy, Washington, creating a carrier-grade loop designed to serve the area’s growing data center market. The company announced the milestone in a recent [press release](https://ziplyfiber.com/news/press-release/quincy-fiber-ring?cid=org%5Fsoc:brand-awareness:x&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), saying the infrastructure will deliver diverse, high-capacity connectivity for hyperscalers, cloud providers, and AI workloads. “Quincy has become one of the most important data center markets in the country, and the companies building there need infrastructure that keeps pace with the workloads they are running,” said **Chris Gellos**, General Manager of Commercial at Ziply Fiber. “This ring gives those operators the path diversity and reliability that AI infrastructure demands.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Quincy has emerged as a key data center hub in the Pacific Northwest, thanks to its access to cheap hydroelectric power and proximity to major fiber routes. Ziply Fiber highlighted those advantages in its announcement, noting that the new ring strengthens the city’s appeal for large-scale, power-intensive computing facilities. The redundant design means traffic can be rerouted automatically if one segment of the ring is cut or goes down, improving reliability for mission-critical operations. That kind of resilience is increasingly important as data centers support AI training, cloud services, and other latency-sensitive applications. The Quincy ring is part of a broader push by Ziply Fiber into data center connectivity across Washington state. The company has been expanding its footprint in the region, positioning itself as a wholesale and enterprise fiber provider for facilities that need high-capacity, low-latency links. By completing the Quincy loop, Ziply adds another node to its growing network of data-center friendly infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest, competing with other regional fiber players for contracts with hyperscalers and large enterprise customers. Ziply Fiber is owned by BCE Inc. in Montreal, Canada. ### There's One Issue Where Republicans and Democrats Are Unified Before The Midterms, a New Poll Finds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/theres-one-issue-where-republicans-and-democrats-are-unified-before-the-midterms-a-new-poll-finds/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:49.000Z Sept. 16, 2026 (AP) – On the way home from a recent trip, **Eriech Tapia** drove past [a sea of dark industrial buildings](https://apnews.com/article/new-york-data-centers-moratorium-ai-c1e05b74208a6c570eec7c658ac8f187?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) lining an already jam-packed northern Virginia road: [data centers.](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [Data CenterFacilities designed to house computer systems, servers, and other related equipment, data centers support critical computing functions.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-c9b53692-fbaa-431c-9d78-c93d7047a46a.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/bblo_2026_0515-1-5a3aef35-ea62-4268-b6c1-b280a4726795.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/data-center/) “It was interesting to see how many were going up,” said Tapia, a 30-year-old Republican from Arlington, Virginia, who works in higher education advocacy and policy. He said the data centers lend valuable computing power that can help keep the U.S. competitive with other nations, but he also worries about [how much electricity they use](https://apnews.com/article/ai-energy-water-climate-change-pollution-environment-77c9de6f9c6326c12d8d18e20dc99c44?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Like Tapia, Americans have grown more concerned about the [environmental impacts of artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-environment-climate-footprint-a792f184a9f2833b5388dbae8b41ca95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) over the last year, according to a new poll from [The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research](https://apnorc.org/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. The survey data say about half, 53%, of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about artificial intelligence's environmental impacts. That is up from 41% last year. Democrats are driving much of the increase in environmental concern, but the poll also reveals broader worries about the local impact of data centers, which power AI and cloud computing. “We're undertaking a massive experiment in real time, and I don't think there'll be any putting the milk back in the bottle. Change is scary, and I think some of that is being reflected here,” said **Michael Greenstone**, who directs the University of Chicago institute that collaborated on the survey. ### *Rising concern among Democrats about AI's environmental impact* There are thousands of data centers in the U.S. with construction planned for more. Those include smaller, conventional centers that have been around for decades, as well as larger hyperscale ones that are being built to serve artificial intelligence’s added processing needs. Virginia and Texas have the most facilities currently in operation, and other top contenders include California, Ohio and New York. While 87% of existing data centers are in urban areas, most new data centers [are planned for rural areas](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/04/13/most-new-data-centers-in-the-us-are-coming-to-rural-areas/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), according to a Pew Research Center analysis from earlier this year. “I think that decisions are being made for the company, not for the community that they're being built in,” said **Nancy Antunes**, a 60-year-old retired Democrat from Waltham, Massachusetts. [A recent United Nations University report predicted](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-environment-climate-footprint-a792f184a9f2833b5388dbae8b41ca95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that data centers' environmental footprint, which already rivals some of the world's largest countries, will grow rapidly as AI is more widely adopted. Democrats are increasingly worried about AI's environmental consequences. About two-thirds of Democrats say they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about how AI will affect the environment, the poll found, up from about half in 2025\. By contrast, about half of independents and about 4 in 10 Republicans are highly concerned about the environmental impact of AI. Overall, Americans are more worried about the environmental impact of AI than other industries with a substantial environmental footprint. Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults are highly concerned about the impact of meat production or air travel. ### *Most Americans support limits on new data centers* While concerns about environmental impacts are higher among Democrats, there is a broad sense of wariness about a rapid data center boom. About 6 in 10 Americans support limiting the number of new data centers that can be built, including most Democrats and Republicans. “There’s a lot of water usage by AI data centers that’s taking away from other things like agriculture and farmers and places that really need it, and people who really need it,” said 21-year-old computer science student **Gedeon Kebede**, a Democrat from Cincinnati, Ohio. A majority of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the impact of data centers on electricity prices or the water supply in the communities where they are built. Data centers' use of water to cool AI chips and computers is “nationally modest but potentially locally decisive,” energy systems engineer **Fengqi You** with Cornell University said in an email. While data centers aren't the largest water gobblers in the country, a single large campus can still place stress on a smaller municipal area. The centers are also powered by tremendous amounts of electricity, particularly larger ones, raising concerns about where that energy will come from. Data centers could account for 11.8% of the U.S.' electricity consumption by 2030, according to a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Report. “We’re talking about building electric infrastructure on a scale of entire cities, or in some cases, entire states just to serve one data center,” said **Erik Nordman**, director of Michigan State University's Institute of Public Utilities. About two-thirds of U.S. adults support requiring data centers to use clean energy sources, such as wind or solar, to supply their electricity needs. About 8 in 10 Democrats support this, along with 56% of Republicans. Still, some Americans say data center worries feel distant. **Mary Fisher**, 68, hasn't seen any come up in her Jacksonville, Florida, neighborhood. “You know, it hasn’t come across my desk as something I should be concerned about,” said Fisher, who is retired and identifies as a Republican. ### *Republicans see more benefits to data centers than Democrats* About one-quarter of U.S. adults say data centers are “extremely” or “very” beneficial when it comes to technological advancement, and about 2 in 10 say the same about job creation. Many U.S. adults say data centers are “somewhat” beneficial or aren't sure, while about one-quarter say they're “not very” or “not at all” beneficial for technological advancement, and about a third don't see a benefit for job creation. “I see a huge increase in the number of temporary construction workers that are coming to areas, which is vitally important to the U.S. economy,” said Tapia, the higher education advocate. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to see data centers' benefits. But about 3 in 10 Republicans still think the centers are “not very” or “not at all” beneficial for improved infrastructure and job creation. Kebede, the computer science student, said he feels pressured to use artificial intelligence. Despite his concerns surrounding the technology, he still wants to be a competitive applicant for the jobs of the future. “I think a lot of people just feel that it's very much a bubble,” he said. “Ultimately, when it pops, it's going to be very detrimental to everyone, whether you bought into the AI hype or not.” *This article was written by Adithi Ramakrishnan and Linley Sanders of the Associated Press.* ### FirstNet Authority Board Clears Orders for 220 New Cell Sites URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/firstnet-authority-board-clears-orders-for-220-new-cell-sites/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:50.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2026 – The nationwide first responder network is in line for 220 new cell sites, its overseer announced Tuesday. The FirstNet Authority which oversees the network, known as FirstNet and operated by AT&T, [said Tuesday](https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/press-releases/firstnet-authority-approves-new-investments-expand-coverage-enhance-mission?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) its board approved work orders for 220 additional sites. That’s in addition to 135 new sites approved late last year. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The board also cleared investments in new FirstNet services, FirstNet Authority said in its release. “These investments will help us expand coverage, strengthen critical capabilities, and continue building the network alongside the first responders it serves,” **Scott Agnew**, president of FirstNet at AT&T, said in a statement. In February 2027, the FirstNet Authority will sunset unless Congress reauthorizes it, something that stakeholders broadly agree would be detrimental. The [House passed](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-passes-firstnet-reauthorization-bill/) a reauthorization bill last year that would bring FirstNet Authority under closer watch from the Commerce Department, but the Senate hasn’t yet put forward legislation. House Commerce staffers [said last month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-staff-hoping-for-firstnet-reauthorization-this-year/) that they were hopeful a deal could be reached before the end of the year, avoiding a temporary stopgap reauthorization. FirstNet Authority said in a release that it identifies new cell site locations through workshops with public safety officials and other data. AT&T deploys the gear once FirstNet Authority selects a location. In August, the FirstNet Authority board approved plans to spend $1.1 billion on network improvements in fiscal year 2027\. That money comes from fees paid by AT&T and from subscription fees paid by local public safety agencies. FirstNet was created in 2017 with $6.5 billion in spectrum auction proceeds, which AT&T received to fund the initial construction. AT&T is supposed to pay the FirstNet Authority a total of $18 billion over the course of the 25-year contract. Much of that money will then be invested back into FirstNet. In March, AT&T [agreed to provide](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-to-provide-extra-2-billion-for-firstnet/) an extra $2 billion for FirstNet through a combination of reducing fees and providing cash. That was an agreement to update AT&T's contract at a future date, a person familiar with the matter said at the time, and the entities have not announced a new contract. ### *4.9 GHz* The Federal Communications Commission is looking to make more spectrum available to FirstNet. The agency voted last year to open up unused parts of the 4.9 GigaHertz (GHz) band to FirstNet, and successfully fought off a lawsuit from opponents who saw the move as a windfall for AT&T. AT&T can use fallow FirstNet spectrum for its commercial wireless service under its contract. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, a commissioner at the time, supported the move to allow FirstNet into 4.9 GHz. The process for doing that will involve the FCC selecting a band manager, and that band manager entering into a lease agreement with FirstNet. A selection committee appointed by FCC staff will find band manager candidates In [a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110076355/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) posted Sept. 11, opponents of the plan said the selection committee should be made up mostly of current 4.9 GHz licensees, as they would be incentivized to pick a band manager that would minimize interference between incumbents and FirstNet. The filing was submitted by a group called Coalition for Emergency Response and Critical Infrastructure, which had sued to block the FCC’s plan. CERCI includes T-Mobile and Verizon, as well as some public safety and industry groups. ### Charter Offering its Spectrum Plans to Cox Customers URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-offering-its-spectrum-plans-to-cox-customers/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:50.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2026 – Charter is launching its Spectrum brand in its recently acquired Cox footprint today, the company [said Wednesday](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spectrum-says-hi-to-11-million-homes-and-businesses-across-major-markets-including-las-vegas-new-orleans-norfolk-oklahoma-city-orange-county-phoenix-providence-and-san-diego-302880629.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The company had been selling to new customers within Cox’s former territory, but now existing Cox customers can switch to Charter’s broadband plans. Cox counted 11 million passings and about 6 million broadband customers before Charter acquired it for $34.5 billion. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Charter is also offering both new and existing customers in Cox’s footprint a free mobile line for one year — bundling fixed and mobile broadband is a big part of Charter’s strategy to mitigate the subscriber losses [plaguing cable ISPs](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/comcast-expecting-more-broadband-losses-than-last-year-for-q3/). Cox had a mobile service, but its penetration was almost nonexistent. Charter CEO **Chris Winfrey** [said last week](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-competition-not-letting-up-for-cable-analysts/) at a Goldman Sachs conference that the level of subscriber losses were worse at Cox than they are at Charter. Cox’s prices were also higher, so the cable giant is hoping cheaper, bundled plans will start to slow that trend. “I expect us to sell more, and I expect us to have lower churn as a result of those products and pricing being in the marketplace,” he said. Winfrey said at the conference that even prior to Wednesday’s switch, new customers in the Cox footprint were responding well to the free line promotion and the company was seeing a “sales uplift.” Charter is also offering its video products, including TV and streaming bundles. Winfrey said Cox’s video penetration was only around 10 percent, and the company expected to grow video for some time in the Cox footprint. The company put effort into improving its video bundles and stabilizing losses there, but only so it could help retain potential broadband customers. Broadband plans have much better margins than video, he said, partly because of high programming costs. Wolfe Research analyst **Peter Supino** said in an investor note Monday that bringing Cox’s prices down to a more competitive level would likely be [financially painfu](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-competition-not-letting-up-for-cable-analysts/)l, but was also probably necessary to slow subscriber losses. He estimated Cox’s residential broadband average revenue per user (APRU) was $25 higher than Charter’s, and that bringing it down to Charter’s level across the footprint would reduce Cox’s broadband revenue by 23 percent for 2027. ### Regulating AI ‘As American as Apple Pie,’ Sen. Bernie Sanders Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/regulating-ai-as-american-as-apple-pie-sen-bernie-sanders-says/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T13:14:48.000Z 💡 ■ Maine to FCC: Don’t Base E-Rate Support on ‘Student Academic Outcomes’ ■ Analyst: AT&T Fiber ARPU Facing ‘Tougher‑Than‑Expected Broadband Competition’ ■ CTIA Backs AT&T in Copper Retirement Fight with California Regulators ■ FCC to Relaunch Technological Advisory Council ■ News Helicopter Crash in L.A. Kills Three People ■ NFL to FCC: Rogue Drones a Major Security Threat at Stadiums ■ FCC to Restrict Access to GCI-Quintillion Merger Details ■ Restructuring Comcast to Announce Third Quarter Results on Oct. 22. ■ Elena Kilpatrick Joins Mediacom as SVP of Coastal Region ■ Sinclair Signs ‘Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson’ to a 12th Season ■ Ziply Fiber Finishes Fiber Ring in Quincy, Washington, a Data Center Hub Apple Pie: Sen. **Bernie Sanders** told a Washington gathering that regulating artificial intelligence must transcend ideology. Addressing the Pro‑Human Assembly, the Vermont Socialist said, “Let’s be clear: Regulating AI is not a progressive issue. It is not a conservative issue. It is as American as apple pie.” He cited polling showing broad support for banning superintelligent AI, opposition to new AI data centers, and interest in transferring half of AI company stock to the public. Sanders said the future of humanity cannot be left to “Big Tech oligarchs” and urged collective action. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e6mj!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd30522a3-0fb6-4a3f-a5ab-4883aeb10655_1261x695.png) Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Socialist, speaking yesterday in Washington, D.C., on his plans to regulate Artificial Intelligence. _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### After the Titanic Sank, Congress Passed America’s First Major Radio Law URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/after-the-titanic-sank-congress-passed-americas-first-major-radio-law-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T11:05:39.000Z *This article summarizes several of the key points in* [*Lesson 4: The Origin of Wireless*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-4-the-origin-of-wireless/)*, which is part of Broadband Breakfast's online course, "*[*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*." A new lesson will be released every Monday.* The Titanic [struck an iceberg late on April 14, 1912](https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/maritime-history/rms-titanic-facts?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and sank a few hours later. Its radio was not for listening to. In 1912 radio was closer to texting, one ship tapping Morse code to another, and it is the reason anyone survived. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The ship that answered was the Carpathia, another passenger ship [58 miles away](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arthur-Henry-Rostron?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and headed the other direction. Its radio man was still awake and still listening. The Carpathia turned around and [found the first lifeboat at ten past four](https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic/ships/carpathia.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the morning. Other ships close enough to help did not receive the distress signal. The Californian, a cargo ship, sat [nearer to the Titanic than the Carpathia was](https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic/ships/californian.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), but its one operator had switched his set off. No federal law required a ship to keep an operator on duty at night, and none gave a station a wavelength of its own. The Senate opened hearings four days after the sinking. In August, Congress passed the [Radio Act of 1912](https://earlyradiohistory.us/1912act.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which made it illegal to operate a radio transmitter anywhere in the United States without permission from the federal government. It required two licenses, one for the station and one for the person working it, and let the Secretary of Commerce and Labor set each station's wavelength, the single frequency it was allowed to transmit on, and its hours. Fifteen years later, Congress wrote down what a license actually was. The [Radio Act of 1927](https://earlyradiohistory.us/1927act.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) put it in six words: licensees get "the use of such channels, but not the ownership thereof." That is still the law. That statute and the wreck behind it open Lesson 4 of [*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course), the 35-lesson Broadband Breakfast course, released to members on Monday. ### *Radio was 20 years old before it had an audience* Radio in 1912 sent written messages from one station to one other station, addressed by call sign. The Titanic's was MGY, and what it sent that night went out as ["MGY says CQD,"](https://greatships.net/distress?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the distress signal before SOS. Nearly all traffic ran between ships at sea and shipping companies' offices on shore. There was nothing for a family at home to hear, and almost no one owned a receiver. An Italian inventor working in Britain, **Guglielmo Marconi**, owned the largest radio company in the world, and the shipping lines were his customers. His company [owned the set aboard each ship and rented it to the line](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1077699016688447?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [hired and paid the operator](https://titanicinquiry.org/USInq/AmInq01Marconi01.php?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and [charged for every message he sent](https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Wireless-World/MARCONIGRAPH/Marconigraph-1912-11.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The Titanic's two operators were Marconi employees rather than crew. ### *A license for anyone who asked* The 1912 Act obliged the Secretary of Commerce to grant a license to every American citizen who applied for one. The Secretary assigned each station a wavelength and set the hours it was allowed to transmit. From 1912 to 1920 the applicants were shipping companies and commercial telegraph companies. Each one wanted to reach a specific shore station, not a general audience, so two applicants rarely asked for the same wavelength. Broadcasting ended that. Starting in 1920, station owners applied for licenses to transmit music and speech to the public, many of them in the same city and many requesting the same wavelength. Secretary **Herbert Hoover** licensed all of them, as the statute required him to. Two court rulings then removed the rest of his authority. In [*Hoover v. Intercity Radio*](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-328549A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 1923, the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia held that the Secretary had to issue a license to any citizen who applied. In [*United States v. Zenith Radio*](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-328551A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 1926, a federal court in Illinois held that he could not dictate a station's wavelength, power or transmitting hours. After those decisions, station owners selected their own wavelengths and hours, and the Commerce Department issued licenses recording what the owners had chosen. ### *The Navy ran American radio, then handed it back* When the United States entered the First World War in 1917, the Navy seized 53 commercial stations and [ran radio as one system until 1920](http://earlyradiohistory.us/RSBannoc.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). It asked Congress to make the arrangement permanent, and the House committee reviewing the bill [set it aside in January 1919](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/business-history-review/article/arc-of-empire-the-federal-telegraph-company-the-us-navy-and-the-beginnings-of-silicon-valley/8E97CE58CB8D6DE9FF741D1D2C1BD3E6?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Radio went back to private ownership on terms the Navy wanted: General Electric bought British Marconi's controlling stake in its American subsidiary, and the [Radio Corporation of America was incorporated in October 1919](https://www.hagley.org/librarynews/rca-100-years?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with foreign ownership capped at 20 percent and a federal representative seated on its board. RCA was created to carry telegrams. Within three years its largest business was selling receivers to families who wanted to listen to music, a market that did not exist when the company was founded. The firm that would dominate American broadcasting was already running, under ownership rules Congress and the Navy had written, before there was anything to broadcast. ### How Shifts in Computing from AI Are Changing Chip Architectures URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/how-shifts-in-computing-from-ai-are-changing-chip-architectures/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:50.000Z SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 16, 2026 — In the Tuesday kickoff keynote at the AI Infra Summit here, **Dave Patterson**, a distinguished engineer and fellow at search giant Google, traced the role that chip advances have played in artificial intelligence computing. [Broadband Breakfast on September 16, 2026: How Data Center Builders See The PoliticsJoin Broadband Breakfast at the AI Infrastructure Summit in Santa Clara, Calif.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-3053a67d-cdfd-48fd-acef-840d7c73e442.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/BBLO-2026-0916-1-e9b9fcf9-947d-49bc-851f-e6d9da965481.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-september-16-2026-how-data-center-builders-see-the-politics/) The push to make AI complete tasks autonomously, Patterson said, is increasing demand for central processing units, or CPUs, the chips that run programs on everyday computers. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) When frontier lab OpenAI brought the ChatGPT to mass attention in late 2022, much of the hardware discussion focused on graphics processing units, or GPUs. Those chips perform many calculations simultaneously, providing the computing power to train AI models and generate answers. AI agents go further by using software tools to act on those answers, Patterson said. A model might write a program to analyze a company’s finances, then use a CPU to run the program and return the results. AI chipmaker Nvidia, best known for its GPUs, is promoting its Vera CPU for that additional work. Slow execution of software tools can delay an agent even when its AI processors are ready, said **Ian Buck**, Nvidia’s vice president of hyperscale and high-performance computing, also speaking on the main stage at the conference here following Patterson. Agents can repeat those steps without waiting for another human instruction. While a chatbot user might pause to read an answer, an agent can immediately request another calculation or run another tool, increasing the computing required to complete an assignment. ### *Electricity use, Moore’s law and Dennard scaling* The growing demand for CPUs follows decades of investment in making chips faster and more efficient, according to the history outlined by Patterson. In 1965, semiconductor researcher **Gordon Moore** observed that the number of electronic components on a chip was doubling annually. His prediction, later revised to doubling every two years, became known as Moore’s Law and helped guide chipmakers’ investment for decades. Moore co-founded Intel with **Robert Noyce** in 1968. Putting more components to work also required controlling electricity use. In 1974, researchers at computer manufacturer IBM explained how shrinking transistors, the switches that perform computing operations, and lowering their voltage could keep power consumption steady per unit of chip area. That relationship became known as Dennard scaling. Smaller switches needed less electricity, allowing manufacturers to fit more onto a chip and run them faster without a corresponding increase in heat. By the mid-2000s, the tiny switches were increasingly leaking electricity even when turned off. The leakage produced heat and limited further voltage reductions, making additional speed harder to achieve within the same power limit. Patterson said chip technology continued improving, but much of the gains manufacturers once relied on had slowed. Designing processors for particular calculations and use cases became an increasingly important way to improve performance. ### *The rise of the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU)* Google faced a concrete reason to invest. In 2013, its researchers projected that three minutes of daily voice search per user would require doubling the company’s data center computing resources using conventional CPUs. In response, Google developed its tensor processing unit, or TPU, a chip designed for machine learning calculations, and deployed the first version in 2015\. The specialized chip could perform those calculations more efficiently, reducing the need to buy additional CPUs. Researchers also found that some AI calculations required less precision than conventional scientific computing. Using 16 bits rather than 32 bits to store each value, for example, reduced memory requirements while preserving sufficient accuracy for certain tasks. Patterson said he had not expected renewed innovation in floating-point computation, the method computers use to calculate with numerical approximations, during his lifetime. ### *Agents need more computing* By 2026, AI agents had increased demand for CPUs, the processors that run ordinary software, alongside the GPUs that run the models themselves. Nvidia designed Vera to execute the code and the software tools an agent calls, Buck said, so the model can read the results and continue its task. An agent writing software, for example, might use a GPU to generate code and a CPU to run tests. The model then uses the test results to decide whether the code needs revision, so slow CPU execution can delay the assignment even when the GPU is ready. The requests themselves got larger. The text a model processes before answering has grown from roughly 1,000 tokens in the 2023 benchmarks to about 142,000, Buck said, and each length requires its own software optimization. An agent testing software must keep track of the code it wrote and the errors its tests found. The model uses that information to decide what to change, increasing the amount of data the system must store and retrieve as the assignment continues. Meeting that demand requires more memory, the hardware that holds data for processors to use. Patterson warned that manufacturers could not quickly increase production since building additional factories takes years. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/data-src-image-2165d32d-eca2-4363-880a-4d8eb5d01e9e.png) Processors also need fast connections to exchange data as they complete different parts of an assignment. Nvidia sells that connecting technology through NVLink Fusion, which allows chips designed by other companies to operate within Nvidia’s computing systems. It includes a small connecting chip that companies can package with their processor, plus the designs needed to make the connection work. Customers can therefore build their own AI processors and still buy Nvidia technology to use them together. ### *The other Santa Clara chipmaker* Nvidia is developing CPUs while partnering with longtime CPU supplier Intel. Also based in Santa Clara, Intel agreed in September 2025 to build custom data center processors for Nvidia, which announced [a $5 billion investment in the struggling company](https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-and-intel-to-develop-ai-infrastructure-and-personal-computing-products?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) Intel CEO **Lip-Bu Tan** said Tuesday, also at the AI Infra Summit, that the partnership combined Intel’s CPUs with Nvidia’s GPUs and technology connecting the chips. He said Intel sought the investment to “strengthen its balance sheet first.” The U.S. government also has a financial interest in Intel’s recovery. In August 2025, it agreed to acquire a 9.9 percent stake for $8.9 billion, using previously awarded funding to support domestic chip manufacturing.[ ](https://www.reuters.com/business/us-take-10-equity-stake-intel-trumps-latest-corporate-move-2025-08-22/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) Tan said chip manufacturing and advanced packaging, the process of assembling and connecting chips, required substantial investment. The Nvidia agreement covered Intel-built CPUs but did not announce that Intel would manufacture Nvidia’s GPUs. ### Suman Kanuganti: China Is Selling AI Tokens, but Carriers Should Build the Agent Store URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/suman-kanuganti-china-is-selling-ai-tokens-but-carriers-should-build-the-agent-store/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T03:38:05.000Z When China's telecom carriers announced they would start selling AI token plans, I had two reactions in quick succession. The first was validation. The second was a strategic alarm. What China's carriers are doing is real. They are packaging AI access into consumer plans and routing traffic to large language model platforms. That is a meaningful market signal. But they are acting as a distribution layer, not an aggregation layer. And that distinction is worth hundreds of billions of dollars. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Distribution, at best, captures 10 to 15 percent of revenue. Aggregation lets carriers own the stack: the experience, the economics, and the relationship. For U.S. carriers, the gap between those two outcomes is the difference between being a toll road and being a platform. ### *The First move is closer than you think* Before carriers even consider aggregating AI platforms, there is a first-order opportunity sitting inside the network right now: call handling, missed call management, and text response. These are the core primitives of the carrier network. Talking and texting. *No other technology company* *has native access to these at the carrier level.* A personal agent that lives at your phone number does not require a new app. It does not require a separate sign-up. It lives at your number. When someone calls or texts, the agent is already there. That is a carrier-exclusive capability. No big tech company can replicate it without the carrier's cooperation. This is where the conversation should start. ### *The iPhone moment Was 2007\. Tokens are 2026.* In 2007, data plans were metered and premium. Only about 10 percent of mobile subscribers had meaningful data access. Then the iPhone happened and AT&T moved to a $30 unlimited data plan (up from $20) and unlocked 90 percent of the market. Data became the product. We are now one year away from the 20-year anniversary of that decision. And the parallel is exact. Tokens are today's data. The personal agent is what makes tokens the product, just as the iPhone made data the product. And the math is straightforward. A personal agent tied to a phone number can expand ARPU by roughly $10 per month per subscriber. For one carrier alone, that is a $12 billion annual revenue opportunity at the base case. Not a projection built on speculation; a conservative floor, in fact. ### *Three layers of revenue* The architecture I would put in front of every carrier CEO right now has three layers. The first layer is immediate: a token pool built into the consumer subscription, powering carrier-native AI use cases. Call handling, texting on your behalf, proactive reminders. Revenue from consumers. No third party required. The second layer is aggregation. Once the native layer is established, carriers aggregate LLM providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Perplexity) for tasks that require deep reasoning or web search. Consider a simple use case: the personal agent knows it is Father's Day weekend, surfaces the idea of recreating last year's dinner reservation, and routes to an LLM for restaurant options. The carrier bills the LLM platform for that access. Revenue from AI providers, not just from subscribers. The third layer is where it gets generational. Agent-to-agent communication, where the personal agent transacts with enterprise service agents from Uber, OpenTable, or Bank of America, *without the user ever opening an app.* The carrier becomes the platform. Not unlike the App Store model, but for agents. The carrier takes a share of transaction value. Revenue from enterprises. The future of the app store could be the agent store that resides with the carriers. ### *Privacy is a carrier advantage, not a liability* Memory stays on the network. It does not pass through a third-party platform. A phone call on a carrier network is more private than a FaceTime call on Apple's infrastructure. CPNI compliance is already built into how carriers operate. That is an asset in an era when enterprise and consumer trust in AI data handling is eroding fast. Carriers have always been trusted custodians of sensitive communication, and that reputation transfers directly here. ### *The window is now* This decision will not get made below the CEO level. The gravity is real, and it is the kind of bold move that AT&T made in 2007 when it bet its consumer business on a device from a company that had never made a phone before. China's carriers moving first is not a reason to follow their model. It is a reason for U.S. carriers to move faster and smarter, becoming the platform. The question is whether they seize the moment. ***Suman Kanuganti is Co-Founder and CEO of Personal AI, the AI memory company building carrier-native memory infrastructure that turns every identity on a network into an evolving agent. Since 2020, Personal AI has been developing AI that combines memory with context, making tokens the fourth primitive on carrier rails, alongside Talk, Text, and Data. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### A California Utility, Its Grid Operator and Google on AI Power Demand URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-california-utility-its-grid-operator-and-google-on-ai-power-demand/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:50.000Z SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 15, 2026 – Six federal proceedings opened in June will set the terms for how data centers connect to the American power grid and who pays for the transmission built to serve them. The six grid operators named in them file responses this fall. ### *Watch Broadband Breakfast Live Online:* [Broadband Breakfast on September 16, 2026: How Data Center Builders See The PoliticsJoin Broadband Breakfast at the AI Infrastructure Summit in Santa Clara, Calif.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-505d5b8a-c0b5-4f79-82be-1fc53603b01b.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/BBLO-2026-0916-1-855c5e03-cca9-4a78-95d2-b25f2567e3ed.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-september-16-2026-how-data-center-builders-see-the-politics/) The AI Energy Management Alliance, a new trade association for artificial intelligence power demand, launches Wednesday, said **Tyler Norris**, head of market innovation at Google. It was formed to file comments in regulatory proceedings, a function he said the industry's existing group does not serve. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates interstate electricity transmission, opened the proceedings under Section 206 of the Federal Power Act. That provision lets the commission find a utility's tariff, the rates and terms it must charge, unjust and unreasonable, and order the operator to file new terms. The orders require each operator to address cost shifting onto other ratepayers, the rules for studying an application, generation built alongside a facility to serve the data center, and a class of service for customers that can cut demand on request. All five federal commissioners concurred. ### *The bill on the East Coast* Data centers account for $29.4 billion of the $63.6 billion in capacity charges from the last four annual auctions run by PJM Interconnection, the grid operator for 13 states and the District of Columbia. Those auctions pay generators to stay available for the hours when demand peaks. PJM stands for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. That accounting comes from Monitoring Analytics, the independent monitor of PJM's markets, which put the data center share of total energy consumption at 46 percent. PJM is one of the six operators now under order. ### *A market that went national* Data centers used to cluster in three places. Northern Virginia, California and Hillsboro, Ore., were the mature markets, where the utilities had connected them before, said **Bobby Hollis.** He is chief development officer at STACK Infrastructure, which builds data centers and leases them to cloud companies. Artificial intelligence made the market national, he said, since reaching the scale and demand hyperscalers required was simply too slow in the existing clusters. Northern California is one of those markets, and Pacific Gas and Electric is the investor-owned utility that serves the region. Requests to connect data centers and other very large customers there have grown from one or two gigawatts to more than 10, said **Chelle Izzi**, the company's chief commercial officer. One gigawatt is roughly the output of a large nuclear reactor. Izzi is PG&E's first chief commercial officer, a post created to pursue what the company calls rate-reducing load growth. Whether that works depends on how fast the utility can connect anyone. "We can't hire folks fast enough to do transmission planning," she said, adding that there are simply not enough people anywhere with the skill to plan and execute the building of transmission systems. Developers now ask for hundreds of megawatts within a couple of years up from the 10 or 20 megawatts a conventional facility once needed, Hollis said. What the industry wants is the equivalent of a major city built overnight and then run in a way no city runs. ### *Where California sits* Data centers account for roughly 25 percent of projected load growth here over the coming decades, said **Neil Millar**, vice president of transmission planning and infrastructure development at the California Independent System Operator, the nonprofit that runs the electricity market for about 80 percent of the state. That share is lower than in Texas or Virginia since California was already connecting electric vehicles and building electrification before any data centers arrived. Average hourly demand across the year runs about 55 percent of the state's peak, Millar said, which means much of the grid exists to cover a few hundred hot afternoons. California has added almost 30 gigawatts of installed capacity since 2020 and has studied connection requests in batches since 2008, and Millar said its sixteenth such batch opened and closed in six months. PG&E has been directing customers to where capacity already exists. The utility published where it had room and steered demand away from a constrained corridor around San Jose, a few miles from the conference, and about 80 percent of applications now sit where that capacity is, Izzi said. ### *Generation solved, transmission not* Google has announced about a gigawatt of demand response across its American data centers. The "demand response" entails cutting consumption during the hours when the grid is tightest supply, Norris said. Most of that comes from training, the work of building a model, which Google can delay or run at a different site. Answering a user's question, called inference, is harder to relocate, since the request must be made with the lowest latency possible. Flexibility of that kind solves an electricity generation problem, Norris said, as it spares the grid from firing up another plant at the peak. It does not solve the transmission problem, which can keep a customer waiting years for a connection. Norris said California could free roughly 20 gigawatts of transmission capacity through remedial action schemes, equipment that automatically disconnects a customer within seconds when a line or a piece of equipment fails. Rules for data centers should protect the households and businesses sharing the same transmission lines, Millar said, because "every other objective falls away if the lights are not staying on." ### House Panel to Mark Up Broadband Strategy, Satellite Licensing Bills URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-panel-to-mark-up-broadband-strategy-satellite-licensing-bills/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:50.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 - The House Energy and Commerce Committee is set to advance two major telecommunications bills this week as Chairman Rep. **Brett Guthrie**, R-Ky., continues pushing a communications agenda during the final months of the 119th Congress. Guthrie [announced](https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/chairman-guthrie-announces-full-committee-markup-of-16-bills-september-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the full committee will hold a Sept. 16 markup of 16 bills, including legislation aimed at creating a national broadband strategy and accelerating the federal approval process for satellite networks. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Among the highest-profile measures is H.R. [2805](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F2805%5FPLAN%5Ffor%5FBroadband%5FAct%5Fb455f89fcb.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the PLAN for Broadband Act, which would direct National Telecommunications and Information Administration Administrator **Arielle Roth** to develop a comprehensive national broadband strategy and a detailed execution plan for closing the digital divide. The proposal seeks to coordinate federal broadband efforts across agencies and establish a long-term framework for expanding access and adoption. The committee will also consider H.R. [8255](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F8255%5Fthe%5FSatellite%5Fand%5FTelecommunications%5FStreamlining%5For%5Fthe%5FSAT%5FStreamlining%5FAct%5Fd11595717f.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the Satellite and Telecommunications (SAT) Streamlining Act, which would impose statutory deadlines on the Federal Communications Commission's satellite licensing process. Under the bill, the FCC would be required to issue decisions on standard satellite license applications within 180 days, while more complex applications would have to be resolved within one year. The committee said the Sept. 16 markup will consider 16 bills designed to "enhance American technological development and strengthen communications networks," including the PLAN for Broadband Act and the SAT Streamlining Act. If approved by the committee, both bills would advance for consideration by the full House. ### Dish Wireless Bankruptcy Case on Two-Week Pause for Negotiations URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dish-wireless-bankruptcy-case-on-two-week-pause-for-negotiations/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:50.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 – A bankruptcy judge agreed Monday to pause Dish Wireless’s bankruptcy case for two weeks to give the company time to negotiate with former business partners that have opposed its plan. That came after Dish Wireless and Dish DBS, EchoStar subsidiaries that had filed for bankruptcy together in June, formally split their bankruptcy cases. The Dish DBS process was much less contentious. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The new Dish Wireless plan, a company attorney said, was aimed at addressing staunch opposition from tower companies who think they should be getting billions in unpaid lease and contract fees. “The amended plan reflects a recognition by the debtors that the magnitude of the opposition to the initial plan has made the continued pursuit of its confirmation untenable,” **Matt Linder**, a White & Case partner representing Dish Wireless, said during a Monday hearing. He referred to the new plan, filed Saturday, as a “peace plan.” It would, he said, allow Dish creditors to elect to receive a quick payment from a trust EchoStar was forced to establish by federal regulators, or else litigate their claims in court after Dish emerged from bankruptcy. Three tower companies are seeking more than $7 billion collectively, compared to the $2.4 billion trust. The new plan would also not allow Dish DBS bondholders to vote on the plan, a change from the initial plan. The towers had alleged an intercompany loan on Dish Wireless’s books was effectively engineered to allow the company to emerge from bankruptcy over the objections of its legitimate debtors, something Dish denied. A lawyer for Crown Castle, the tower company seeking the largest sum, said the towers supported a two-week pause but were not consulted on the new plan and were not yet on board with it. “It’s a weird way to go about getting peace. We have not had a chance to comment on it,” said Paul Weiss partner **Kyle Kimpler**. “We will use the time over the next two weeks to try to give them the comments that would garner our support for that plan, but I think it’s important for the court to know we do not support that plan.” U.S. Bankruptcy Judge **Christopher Lopez** asked the two sides to update him on Oct. 1. Linder said Dish was under the impression the towers would be open to finding a third party mediator other than the court to resolve their disagreements about what they’re owed. Kimpler said Crown Castle did not think mediation made sense. ### *Prior issues* Prior to the pause, a committee representing the tower companies and other creditors asked Lopez to disqualify Dish’s law firm, White & Case. The committee said Lopez [should appoint](https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumentbycode?docId=4611304&projectCode=PNY&source=DM) an independent party to oversee Dish’s bankruptcy instead. The [committee alleged](https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumentsbydocket/?docketId=1250103&projectCode=PNY&docketNumber=1357&source=DM) Dish and White & Case were acting for the benefit of EchoStar and its chairman **Charlie Ergen** rather than faithfully administering Dish’s estate. The creditors wrote that White & Case advised EchoStar during a series of intercompany transactions last year in which an intercompany loan to Dish Wireless was put on the books, and wireless brand Boost Mobile transferred from Dish to EchoStar to partly pay it down. A longstanding complaint of the towers is that the remaining intercompany loan balance, more than $8 billion, was contrived to create an insider vote that could muscle through any bankruptcy plan Dish put forward without regard to other creditors’ complaints about their lack of compensation. Dish has denied this. The committee of creditors said White & Case’s history with EchoStar should block it from handling Dish’s bankruptcy. “This history reflects a transparent pattern of conduct intended to strip value out of the DISH Wireless Debtors, to the detriment of their estates and creditors and for the benefit of EchoStar, its controlling shareholder, Charles Ergen, and other Non-Debtor Affiliates, all with White & Case’s assistance and advice,” the committee wrote. Last week, Dish [countered that](https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumentsbydocket/?docketId=1250194&projectCode=PNY&docketNumber=1364&source=DM) calls for an independent party to replace White & Case were ill-informed (the filing was led by another law firm, not White & Case). The company said similar motions typically followed months of discovery and discussion between both sides, none of which had happened in this case. “The Committee proverbially shot first and sought to ask questions later, all while incurring substantial fees chargeable to the \[Dish Wireless\] estate,” the company wrote. “This is not the conduct of a responsible estate fiduciary; it is the opposite.” ### Iowa City Hits Pause on Data Centers URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/iowa-city-hits-pause-on-data-centers/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:50.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 - Some Iowa cities are hitting pause on data centers. Hours after the U.S. Department of Energy announced a nearly $2 billion loan to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center – a 615-megawatt nuclear plant near Palo, Iowa – the city of Waterloo joined a growing list of Iowa communities voting to temporarily block new data center projects. Palo is about 55 miles southeast of Waterloo. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The Duane Arnold Energy Center is set to restart by early 2029, and it will power a proposed Google data center. The Waterloo City Council approved a three-month moratorium on data centers at its meeting on September 8\. Council member **David Morrow** says the pause will allow council members to properly regulate projects. “And three months, I understand, many people wanted it longer than that, but three months was what we could come to an agreement on,” Morrow said, as quoted in [an article](https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/09/09/waterloo-leaders-vote-to-block-data-centers-for-three-months/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by Radio Iowa. The city council plans to vote to finalize a six-month pause on hyperscale projects at a future meeting. Residents have pushed for the measure since learning Waterloo approved an initial agreement with a data center developer on a 12-acre industrial site last December. Council member **Steve Schmitt** says the three-month moratorium will allow city leaders to pause before taking any next steps. Dubuque is also moving toward adopting a data center moratorium. The moratorium takes effect immediately, leaving Waterloo’s data center pipeline on hold while the council works out longer-term rules. ### Oklahoma BEAD Results May Take Years to Measure for Ag URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oklahoma-bead-results-may-take-years-to-measure-for-ag/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:52.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 – Oklahoma’s [$574 million investment in broadband deployment](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oklahoma-broadband-director-wants-bead-flexibility/) could produce measurable economic gains in rural communities, but the state may need to wait years before it can determine whether the program worked. That is the conclusion of **Jayash Paudel**, an associate professor of economics at the University of Oklahoma, in a [Sept. 8 guest column published by The Oklahoman](https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2026/09/08/will-oklahoma-broadband-projects-actually-work-opinion/91423513007/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Paudel examined the results of an earlier federal broadband program in Oklahoma and argued that policymakers should not judge the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program by its earliest results. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The researchers found that broadband’s effects on [agricultural productivity developed gradually](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oklahoma-releases-dashboard-showing-bead-deployment-status/). Crop productivity increased about 4 percent in the year a community received a grant, a result that was not statistically significant. By the third year, productivity was 9.3 percent higher, reaching nearly 12 percent by the fifth year. Federal [officials approved Oklahoma’s BEAD plan](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lutnick-aiming-for-non-deployment-guidance-over-the-next-two-months/) in April. The state expects the program to connect more than 40,000 homes, [farms and community institutions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-non-deployment-funds-could-fund-precision-ag-states-are-still-waiting-to-find-out/) across all 77 counties, with service targeted to be operational by the end of 2028. Paudel and co-author **Minhae Kim** of Oklahoma State University analyzed two decades of data from communities that received broadband funding through the Community Connect Grants program between 2002 and 2017\. Oklahoma received more Community Connect projects than any other state. The benefits were also concentrated in lower-income communities. Productivity in the lower half of communities by income increased 6.3 percent in the first year and 13.8 percent by the fifth year, while researchers found no statistically distinguishable effect in higher-income areas. Grant size also mattered. The largest quartile of grants produced productivity gains of about 11 percent in the first year and 15 percent by the fifth year. The smallest grants produced no detectable effect. Paudel cautioned that the findings do not show that [broadband funding increased farm income or reduced expenses](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oklahoma-broaadband-officecelebrates-first-completed-broadband-expansion-projects/). The research found no significant change in the number of agricultural businesses, farm income or expenses. For BEAD, Paudel said the timing of the evaluation will be critical. Because Oklahoma’s connections will come online in stages through 2028, the farms connected last may not show measurable effects until around 2031. ### As the World Debates the Risks of AI, China Closes the Technology Gap With the US URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/as-the-world-debates-the-risks-of-ai-china-closes-the-technology-gap-with-the-us/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:52.000Z HONG KONG, Sept. 15, 2026 (AP) — As the rapid development of artificial intelligence triggers a [renewed debate](https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-threats-humanity-anthropic-openai-98316b0d64de17191f33c0fbf1d37858?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) about its risks, the United States and [China](https://apnews.com/hub/china?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) keep racing to develop increasingly powerful models. The U.S. has outpaced China and other countries in AI model capabilities, research, citations and other areas. China has been rapidly catching up as an AI superpower even as U.S.-led restrictions have blocked China from accessing some of the most advanced technologies, including the cutting-edge chips and the machines to make them. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Experts and recent reports, like one by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, said China has emerged as an AI counterweight to the U.S. and this year appears to be erasing the U.S. lead. “The gap between U.S. and Chinese models is narrow and fragile,” said **Samm Sacks**, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies’ Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs. But both the U.S. and China have also expressed growing concerns over AI. The current debate takes on greater importance ahead of Chinese President **Xi Jinping’s** expected [visit to Washington this month](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tariffs-trade-trump-xi-summit-f2066bf9ae668afd3a5a2a0658748b4f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to meet U.S. President **Donald Trump**, and as experts say the future of AI will depend significantly on what China and the U.S. do and don’t do. Here’s a quick look at some of the most important Chinese AI models and the concerns in both Washington and Beijing: ### *Moonshot AI leads strong competition from Chinese companies* Beijing-based startup Moonshot AI made a splash with the release of Kimi K3, [taking Silicon Valley by surprise](https://apnews.com/article/kimi-k3-china-ai-0d8a5e268deb11a673f4d444fc597cc5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with capabilities close to U.S. rivals. It was ranked No. 3 globally in model intelligence in July, shortly after its release, behind Anthropic’s Claude Fable 5 and OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 Sol, according to AI benchmarking platform Artificial Analysis. But Kimi K3 now ranks ninth, behind new frontier models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta and SpaceXAI, indicating China's AI lead can be fluid. AI startup darling DeepSeek was the first to [upend global stock markets](https://apnews.com/article/deepseek-ai-china-f4908eaca221d601e31e7e3368778030?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by proving Chinese AI models are capable of challenging the U.S. lead. The company's R1 model, released early 2025, was more cost-effective than similar U.S. models. In April, DeepSeek [previewed its powerful V4 model](https://apnews.com/article/deepseek-ai-china-gpt-v4-d2ed33f2521917193616e061674d5f92?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), saying it has big improvements in knowledge, reasoning and “agentic” capabilities, referring to the ability to plan and execute complex steps autonomously, under limited human guidance. The powerful GLM-5.2 from startup Z.ai that rolled out in June raised Silicon Valley eyebrows with comparisons to the most advanced Anthropic and OpenAI models. Z.ai then launched GLM-5.3 in August with improved coding and agentic capabilities that pushed it up the global AI model rankings. In July, China’s Alibaba previewed its Qwen3.8-Max model, which the tech giant said was its most powerful model in the series, challenging Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s GPT. ### *China worries about AI risks to security and governance* In China, the head of its state security ministry has warned artificial intelligence poses a range of potential threats to the country, from political and ideological security to cyberattacks, data leaks and even challenges to governance. In an article published Sunday, **Chen Yixin** said [the technology could threaten](https://apnews.com/article/china-anthropic-ai-us-amodei-3da458d2c078da3e60900728d59f1ae8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) China's political, institutional, and ideological security if used by “hostile forces and individuals with ulterior motives.” Some individuals might use AI-generated deepfake audio and video to create “political rumors” on a massive scale, he wrote. Chen specifically mentioned the capabilities of Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's GPT as examples of how AI could be used to more easily identify and “weaponize” cybersecurity vulnerabilities. He warned certain nations and groups can now “execute complex hacking tasks.” Top Chinese leaders have said China should accelerate AI development and pursue technological self-reliance. But they also noted the need to control the risks and [establish a global framework for AI governance](https://apnews.com/article/china-ai-tech-chips-xi-us-df4cfc7e1b260e765b5449b6d71a48e5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). ### *U.S. accuses China of extracting American model capabilities* In the U.S., Trump and his administration have repeatedly highlighted the importance for the U.S. to maintain its AI edge over China. “Whoever wins AI, wins,” Trump told reporters on Sunday. The U.S. has accused China’s AI developers of engaging in what it has called “industrial-scale distillation,” in which AI models are trained to copy or imitate the capabilities of more powerful ones. Last week, Anthropic also accused Chinese startups DeepSeek and Moonshot of routing a number of their user requests to its Claude AI models. In the most comprehensive report by the government to date, the FBI, the National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said Sept. 8 that [Chinese AI developers extracted](https://apnews.com/article/us-china-ai-models-anthropic-trump-0f6ca61301630134607551b1dab0d632?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) capabilities from some of the most advanced AI models in the U.S. in “aggressive, malicious, and targeted distillation activities.” Beijing has rejected the claims and said distillation is commonly used by many AI companies. It asked the United States to refrain from making “unfounded accusations” and accused the U.S. of pursuing a “monopoly of the AI industry.” Distillation is a standard technique used across the AI industry, but the U.S. agencies leveled a more specific accusation that Chinese firms used unauthorized access and other methods to extract restricted capabilities from American frontier models, said **Lizzi C. Lee**, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis. “These are still contested allegations at this point but I think the strategic implication is already important,” she said. The United States has put in a lot of energy controlling the inputs into frontier AI, especially chips. But now “it seems that it is finally discovering that it may also have to think about the outputs of frontier AI as a form of technology transfer,” Lee said. “The U.S. labs spend enormous amounts of compute pushing out the frontier. But Chinese developers can learn from those systems,” she said. “And Chinese companies then (can) release very capable open-weight models that spread globally.” *This article was written by Chan Ho-Him of the Associated Press.* ### Viasat, Space42 Spending up to $1 Billion on Direct-to-Device Venture Equatys URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/viasat-space42-spending-up-to-1-billion-on-direct-to-device-venture-equatys/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:52.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 – Satellite operators Viasat and Space42 are putting up to $1 billion toward a direct-to-device joint venture, the companies announced Monday. The venture, called Equatys, will get $400 million from each company. UAE-based Space42 is expected to put up another $200 million in a future funding round. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) That round would be open to third parties, the companies said. Viasat is expected to be Equatys’s “prime technology contractor.” The plan is for Equatys to provide satellites and terrestrial towers that multiple mobile operators can contract with Equatys to use. The initial constellation would consist of 2,800 satellites, the company said, and use Space42 and Viasat’s L-band and S-band spectrum holdings. Exclusive direct-to-device spectrum like the companies have has recently become a valuable commodity. SpaceX is acquiring $19.6 billion of spectrum from EchoStar, Amazon is acquiring Globalstar for $11.6 billion largely for its spectrum assets, and AST SpaceMobile is seeking an agreement to use Ligado’s L-band holdings. Those operators see exclusive airwaves as a means of offering direct-to-device themselves, without a mobile carrier necessarily involved. Viasat and Space43, meanwhile, pitched Equatys as a platform for others to use in service of providing connectivity. “Participating operating licensees sharing infrastructure can realize greater cost efficiency than is likely possible within their own geographic coverage area and/or spectrum authorizations – potentially rivalling or surpassing even the largest individual constellations,” the companies said [in a release](https://www.viasat.com/news/latest-news/corporate/2026/space42-and-viasat-sign-binding-agreement-to-co-found-equatys--c/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Those individual constellations include SpaceX’s planned 15,000-satellite direct-to-device system and Amazon’s planned 5,100-satellite network, each supporting the company’s own service. Those both still need federal approval. Earlier this summer satellite analyst **Tim Farrar** said in [a blog post](https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2026/06/29/rocketlab-flips-the-table/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that Rocket Lab’s agreement to buy Iridium for $8 billion made it unlikely Rocket Lab would be an investor in Equatys. Space42 had previously suggested Rocket Lab would be involved, but the company wasn’t named in Sunday’s announcement. But analysts at New Street Research wrote in a Tuesday investor note that Rocket Lab was still the most likely candidate for third party investors. “Rocket Lab had previously been linked with the project, and we continue to see them as the most credible candidate,” wrote New Street analysts led by **James Ratzer**. “Rocket Lab is the only commercially proven, scalable and independent Western player able to supply both constellation-scale manufacturing and low-cost launch — the two capabilities Equatys still lacks.” Rocket Lab, a launch provider, is also acquiring Iridium for its exclusive spectrum, but the company is aiming to stick with aviation and navigation services rather than consumer broadband. “By creating a system with state of the art technology, and mechanisms for neutral, shared, and trusted infrastructure access, Equatys will accelerate innovation in space-based connectivity \[and\] establish a scalable and interoperable architecture designed to support a full ecosystem of participants with choice and economies of scale,” Viasat CEO and co-founder **Mark Dankberg** said in a statement. The big mobile carriers in the U.S. are planning on a joint venture that’s essentially the inverse of Equatys: a pool of terrestrial spectrum resources any satellite company can use to provide service outside the reaches of mobile networks. The venture is seen as a means of countering mobile competition from SpaceX, both by making it easier for potential competitors to provide service and by shutting down a potential deal with one of the carriers. *Update: This story was updated to include commentary from New Street Research* ### Ookla: Starlink Performance Surged in First Half of 2026 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ookla-starlink-performance-surged-in-first-half-of-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:52.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 – A new report released Tuesday shows that satellite-delivered internet service Starlink continues to build momentum. Starlink's broadband performance improved sharply during the first half of 2026, with twice as many U.S. users reaching the Federal Communications Commission’s [100/20 Mbps benchmark compared with a year earlier, according to Ookla](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/starlink-speeds-improved-in-second-half-of-2025-ookla/). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) In its [U.S. Broadband Performance Report](https://www.ookla.com/research/reports/us-broadband-performance-report-h1-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the first half of 2026, Ookla found that Starlink performance improved across the country in the first half of 2026, with 17 states seeing at least half of Starlink users achieve the FCC’s 100/20 Mbps broadband benchmark, according to Ookla. The FCC currently uses 100/20 Mbps as its fixed broadband benchmark. [Starlink also made gains across individual states.](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wisp-speeds-rising-but-so-are-starlinks-ookla-says/) In the first half of 2025, no state had at least half of its Starlink users reaching the 100/20 Mbps threshold. That number rose to five states by the second half of 2025 and 17 states during the first half of 2026. South Dakota led Starlink’s state-level performance, with 58.2 percent of users reaching the benchmark, up from 37.1 percent a year earlier. Nebraska followed at 57 percent, while Colorado, Wyoming and Minnesota also topped 55 percent. California reached 42.8 percent, while Texas and Florida posted rates of 31.4 percent and 30.9 percent, respectively. Ookla said some of the states with large Starlink subscriber bases, including California, Texas, Florida, Arizona and Washington, also have larger Speedtest sample volumes. That suggests the service faces greater capacity demands and potential congestion in those markets. Illinois provided another example of the improvement. The percentage of Starlink users reaching 100/20 Mbps increased from 43.2 percent in the second half of 2025 to 53.2 percent in the first half of 2026. The gains come as SpaceX expands the Starlink constellation and ground infrastructure. [Ookla's data indicates that newer satellite capacity ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ookla-starlink-now-faster-than-wireline-in-one-third-of-european-markets/)and network upgrades are helping Starlink improve performance, including its ability to deliver higher upload speeds. Starlink nevertheless continues to trail terrestrial broadband. Ookla found that 46 states and Washington, D.C., had at least 60 percent of fixed broadband Speedtest users reaching 100/20 Mbps during the first half of 2026\. Thirteen states exceeded 70 percent. The results point to a growing role for [satellite broadband in areas where fiber and other terrestrial ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-broadband-policy-is-increasingly-being-recast-around-satellite/)networks remain difficult or expensive to deploy. But the gap with fixed broadband also shows that Starlink's improvements have not eliminated the performance advantage of wired networks. For Starlink, the challenge increasingly [will be maintaining performance](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/in-fccs-high-cost-modernization-docket-spacex-stands-alone/) as its U.S. subscriber base grows while adding enough satellite and ground capacity to limit congestion. ### Broadband Competition Not Letting Up for Cable: Analysts URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-competition-not-letting-up-for-cable-analysts/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:52.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 – Broadband competition doesn’t show signs of letting up any time soon, according to industry analysts. That’s not ideal for cable giants Charter and Comcast, who have been on the losing end of that increased competition. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Wolfe’s Research analyst **Peter Supino** said in an investor note the firm was lowering its broadband subscribers estimates for both companies. “Broadband industry competition should intensify over the coming years,” he wrote. “Fiber construction and promotion should maintain 2026's peak rates while Starlink supply should multiply. If Starlink cuts service prices to fill up newly deployed capacity, FWA will decelerate, and cable will shrink faster.” Comcast CFO **Jason Armstrong** said last week at a Goldman Sachs conference that the company expected worse third quarter broadband losses than last year. He attributed that largely to “irrational pricing” from new fiber builders offering gigabit plans for $30-$40 per month. UBS analysts led by **John Hodulik** agreed competition appeared to be worsening. They predicted Comcast would still lose fewer broadband subs this year than last year (about 588,000 residential losses versus 654,000), even with a much worse third quarter than analysts had been targeting. Hodulik also predicted Comcast’s broadband average revenue per user (ARPU) would begin declining slower in the third quarter, and even slower in the fourth quarter as promotions from last year were lapped. Supino noted that Comcast had already foregone rate hikes over the last year and seen ARPU fall, without much of a benefit in terms of subscriber losses. “Accelerating losses could lead to repeated price cuts as Comcast looks to stabilize volumes,” he wrote. Charter’s recently acquired Cox footprint, about 6 million subscribers, is also shrinking fast due to higher prices, Supino noted. He estimated about three times faster than Charter’s existing footprint. That puts Charter in a tricky spot, he wrote, because bringing Cox’s ARPU down to match Charter’s would result in a big hit to Cox’s broadband revenue. But it might be necessary to avoid further subscriber losses in the long term, he wrote. As for Charter’s subscriber losses, CEO **Chris Winfrey** said at the same Goldman conference last week that the company has seen a “sales uplift” from offering its plans in Cox’s footprint. “It’s late in the quarter, so don’t take this for more than it is,” he cautioned. The company said last week it was planning on offering its Spectrum brand to existing Cox customers soon. ### *Mobile a bright spot* New Street Research analyst **Vikash Harlalka** said in an investor note it wasn’t a surprise that competition was looking rough for cable. New Street has already predicted cable ISPs likely won’t return to subscriber growth this decade. Still, the firm was expecting flat year-over-year losses at Comcast, rather than a worsening. A big part of Charter and Comcast’s plan for mitigating those losses is selling cheap plans bundling fixed and mobile broadband, often offering free lines for the first year. Comcast’s Armstrong said at the conference that 70 percent of its free line users rolled over into paying customers. “There has been some skepticism from investors about the success of free wireless lines given away by Cable companies,” Harlalka wrote. “If over 70% of these free lines convert to paid, the Cable companies will take this trade all day long.” UBS estimated Comcast’s wireless service revenue would continue to grow in the third quarter and generally figured that “mobile will be a rising tailwind to 2H26 financial performance as free lines are converted to paying accounts” amid broadband losses. Harlalka wrote that New Street agreed $30-$40 was oddly low for gigabit plans. He wrote it was likely regional promotions aimed at getting quick penetration, and would subside once new subscribers had been gained. “We don’t view these isolated pricing incidents as an indicator of a broader pricing issue in the broadband market,” he wrote. ### September 15, 2026: Building a Better Connected City URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/september-15-2026-building-a-better-connected-city/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T19:35:28.000Z ### *Tuesday, September 15 | 2:00 PM ET* Join SmartWAVE Technologies and Juganu for an engaging conversation about how smart street lighting can become the foundation for a more connected, intelligent, and resilient city. We’ll explore how municipalities can transform existing streetlight infrastructure into a multi-functional smart city platform, combining intelligent lighting with wireless connectivity, public safety, IoT, environmental monitoring, and other connected applications. Together, SmartWAVE and Juganu will discuss how cities can leverage this infrastructure to expand connectivity, improve public safety, enhance community services, and create a scalable foundation for future smart city initiatives. ### *Panelists* - **Shayne Rose,** Vice President of North America, Smart Cities, Juganu - **Caroline Brown**, Head of Marketing and Business Development, SmartWAVE - **Drew Clark** (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/Shayne-Rose-2026-Headshot.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/Caroline-Brown-headshot.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/Drew-Clark-Headshot.png) **Shayne Rose** is Vice President of North America, Smart Cities at Juganu, where he leads the company’s North American go-to-market strategy and works with cities, utilities, technology providers, and channel partners to transform existing lighting infrastructure into intelligent, connected platforms. Shayne focuses on helping communities deploy practical smart city solutions that combine intelligent lighting, public Wi-Fi, integrated cameras, edge computing, and AI-powered analytics to address real-world challenges including public safety, mobility, connectivity, and operational efficiency. **Caroline Brown** leads Marketing and Business Development at SmartWAVE, driving the company’s growth and positioning within the competitive wireless industry. In her role, she wears many hats across marketing, sales, business development, and account management, developing go-to-market strategies, managing marketing plans and budgets, building strategic partnerships, identifying new opportunities, and working directly with customers throughout the sales process. Breakfast Media LLC CEO **Drew Clark** has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008\. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative. ### *About SmartWAVE* [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2024/03/smartwave-logo-hi-quality-2.jpg)](https://smartwave.us/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [SmartWAVE Technologies](https://smartwave.us/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) is a leading “wireless” centric solutions provider specializing in the planning, design, integration and management of wireless infrastructures, along with the unique applications that these networks support. We cater to the Smart City, Education, Healthcare, Real Estate and Enterprise markets, providing a competitive advantage to our clients through wireless. As a privately held organization, we pride ourselves on the ability to adjust more quickly and efficiently to market changes and the needs of our customers. ### Oregon Purging Dead from Lifeline Rolls URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oregon-purging-dead-from-lifeline-rolls/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:55.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 – Oregon regulators are tightening safeguards to ensure deceased residents do not receive federal phone and broadband subsidies, while defending the state’s system for verifying Lifeline subscribers. In a [Sept. 8 filing with the Federal Communications Commission](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075859/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the Oregon Public Utility Commission said it recently completed a database match of all Oregon Lifeline subscribers using their nine-digit Social Security numbers and records from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The review confirmed that four subscribers identified in an FCC Office of Inspector General advisory were alive.[ It also resulted in 123 de-enrollments](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oregon-pushes-back-on-lifeline-fraud-findings/), most of which Oregon said otherwise would have appeared in the state’s second-quarter 2026 deceased report. Oregon said [its verification process already meets the evidentiary standards](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-more-lifeline-vetting/) used by the Universal Service Administrative Company. Rather than requiring subscribers to provide documents proving they are alive, Oregon staff relies on primary-source state records, including information from the Oregon Health Authority, Department of Human Services and Department of Motor Vehicles. Those systems allow the state to verify qualifying benefits, identity and recent life activity, according to the filing. Oregon said the records provide the same underlying information that USAC relies on when determining whether a subscriber can establish proof of life. The state is also moving to receive weekly death notifications and obtain real-time access to mortality information through the Oregon Center for Health Statistics. Oregon said the changes will improve the timeliness of its efforts to identify deceased subscribers. USAC has placed payment holds on the four subscribers identified by federal auditors, and Oregon is awaiting confirmation from the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau that its verification methodology satisfies proof-of-life requirements. The state has asked that the holds be released because its review confirmed all four individuals are alive. Oregon’s filing also asks the FCC to maintain the state’s authority to administer Lifeline eligibility outside the federal verification system. The commission said its [opt-out status is important for maintaining accurate eligibility](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bill-revoking-state-run-lifeline-eligibility-introduced/) and mortality determinations and argued that its state processes provide reliable safeguards for the program. The filing goes beyond deceased subscribers. Oregon recommended changes to Lifeline transfer procedures and minimum service requirements and raised concerns about how USAC calculates income eligibility. The state called for an independent review of potentially affected income-based Lifeline certifications and recertifications. Oregon said it remains committed to working with[ federal officials on Lifeline program integrity](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-investigating-lifeline-providers-as-advocates-dems-push-back-against-increased-id-verification/) but argued that its four decades of experience administering the benefit support maintaining its state-based verification system. ### USF Contribution Factor to Hit 42 Percent in Q4 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/usf-contribution-factor-to-hit-42-percent-in-q4/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:55.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 – The Universal Service Fund contribution factor is set to hit 42 percent in the fourth quarter of 2026, hitting a record high for the second quarter in a row. The contribution factor is the percentage of interstate and international voice revenues telecoms will pay into the $8 billion-per-year fund. USF supports building and maintaining rural broadband networks, plus voice and internet discounts for low-income households, schools, and healthcare centers. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The Federal Communications Commission said in [a public notice](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-946A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Monday that the Universal Service Administrative Company, the nonprofit that does administrative work on the fund for the agency, had proposed the 42 percent factor. That will be set in stone for Q4 if the FCC doesn’t step in, which is uncommon. The agency has said it typically reviews USAC’s work before posting its proposed contribution factors. In the notice, the FCC said it instructed USAC to use $125 million in unused funds to offset demand for the quarter, bringing the factor below what would have been expected based on projections for demand and assessable revenues. USF has tapped the same funding source since it was created in 1996, and expenditures have remained flat recently while voice revenue continues to decline. Lawmakers have been working for years on modernizing the fund and finding a new contribution base. An aide for the working group told stakeholders in April they were aiming to circulate a discussion draft by the end of the summer. Updating the fund has proved a difficult task, as it will likely mean assessing fees on the revenue of at least one influential industry. Broadband ISPs have pushed lawmakers to add big tech companies to the contribution base, while tech industry groups have insisted broadband providers alone would be sufficient. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has said he supports collecting fees from tech companies. His predecessor, **Jessica Rosenworcel**, told Congress she feared that going with either ISPs or tech companies would end up driving up consumer prices. She floated online advertisers as a potential source. Carr has been [conducting reviews](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/education-groups-continue-advocacy-push-as-fcc-reviews-e-rate/) of multiple USF programs, partly with the aim of reducing expenditures by rooting out fraudulent and unnecessary payments. The agency has historically held that it doesn’t have the authority to address the other side of the problem and expand the contribution, which it has left to Congress. The program is currently [being challenged](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fifth-circuit-judges-probe-usf-spending-administrator/) in court by conservative nonprofit Consumers’ Research. After a loss at the Supreme Court last year, the group is challenging some provisions of the law standing up the fund as unconstitutional. A panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the court that sided with Consumers’ Research last time, heard oral arguments in the new case last month. ### Wall Street Analyst Has Cloudy Forecast for Comcast, Charter Shares URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wall-street-analyst-has-cloudy-forecast-for-comcast-charter-shares/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T13:49:01.000Z 💡 ■ Danielle Thumann Severs Just Had a Baby, Delaying FCC Confirmation Hearing ■ New Ookla Report: Starlink’s Performance Surged in Early 2026 ■ Analyst Craig Moffett: Lines Getting Blurred between Linear TV and Streaming ■ Magazine Gives WOW! High Marks for Fiber Build in South Carolina ■ Class in Session: Prof. Carr Schools Critics on Rudiments of Broadcast Law ■ Rep. Guthrie Panel to Mark Up Telecom Bills on Wednesday ■ Oklahoma Economist: State Will Need Time to Gauge BEAD’s Ag Impact ■ USF Tax Leaping to 42% in the Fourth Quarter ■ TV Ad Group Asks FCC to Reverse Expansion of Lowest Unit Charge ■ Newsom Not Running for President in 2028 If Kamala Harris Enters the Race Cable: Comcast and Charter face worsening broadband conditions, a Wolfe Research analyst warned on Sept. 14\. **Peter Supino** downgraded Charter to Underperform, citing rising competition, shrinking demand, and the strain of roughly $110 billion in debt. He said industry pressures will intensify in 2027 and 2028 as DSL conversions disappear, fiber builders keep expanding. and operators cut prices. “Higher prices and deeper subscriber losses at Cox \[now owned by Charter\] make it harder for Charter to de-lever while investing. As shortfalls lead to hard choices, we believe debt repayment will prevail over investment,” Supino said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!djI6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61b6687a-adfa-4db8-804e-105869e75693_892x369.png) From left: Comcast Co-CEO Brian Roberts and Charter CEO Chris Winfrey _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### T-Mobile Countersuing AT&T for False Ads URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-countersuing-at-t-for-false-ads/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:56.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 – T-Mobile is suing AT&T for false advertising, alleging AT&T is guilty of many of the same practices it accused T-Mobile of in a lawsuit last month. “Even as it presses those accusations, AT&T is itself engaged in a ‘pattern and practice’ of advertising that uses the very same tactics that AT&T claims are false and misleading when employed by its competitors,” wrote **Hallie Levin**, an attorney representing T-Mobile. “If those practices render any T-Mobile advertisement false and misleading, then AT&T’s advertising is equally false and misleading.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The advertising practices at issue included advertising savings comparing promo rates to T-Mobile’s own standard rates, disclosing certain terms in fine print, and not implementing some recommendations from the ad industry’s self-regulatory body. In [a counterclaim](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.412319/gov.uscourts.txnd.412319.64.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) filed Friday, T-Mobile argued AT&T does the same things. An AT&T spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “By AT&T’s own logic, AT&T’s use of advertising tactics that it claims are misleading when used by others demonstrates that AT&T ‘knows what it is doing is wrong,’” T-Mobile wrote. In its false advertising lawsuit last month, AT&T had pointed out that T-Mobile had submitted a complaint against Charter over practices it alleged T-Mobile also used. AT&T also said T-Mobile made misleading comparisons between its and AT&T’s prices, something T-Mobile denied. Telecom companies [frequently complain](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/judge-grants-verizon-request-to-block-t-mobile-ads-targeting-switchers/) about each other's advertising claims before BBB National Program’s National Advertising Division, a self-regulatory body that adjudicates ad disputes among companies. AT&T sued the body last year when NAD said one of its ads bashing T-Mobile ran afoul of its rules, but later [dropped the case](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-drops-ad-watchdog-suit/). The current dispute with T-Mobile, being litigated in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, stemmed from an online switching tool from T-Mobile. AT&T had alleged the tool improperly scraped customer account data; T-Mobile denied breaking any laws, but a judge [shut down](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/after-losing-restraining-order-fight-t-mobile-expands-online-switching-tool/) the practice. AT&T [also sued Charter](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-sues-charter-for-fiber-powered-internet-ads/) for false advertising last month. The carrier said the cable company shouldn’t be allowed to call its broadband service “fiber-powered.” AT&T had also complained about the claim to NAD. ### *Verizon drops suit* Also on Friday, Verizon dropped a separate advertising lawsuit against T-Mobile in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The companies said in [a short filing](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.657329/gov.uscourts.nysd.657329.107.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) they had agreed to end the suit. Verizon and T-Mobile both declined to comment. Like AT&T, Verizon had accused T-Mobile of misleading consumers about how much they could save by switching to the company. T-Mobile responded similarly to the AT&T case, by denying the allegations and filing its own lawsuit against Verizon for false advertising. A judge had partially sided with Verizon, blocking T-Mobile from making some of the savings claims at issue in March. The carriers didn’t say why they agreed to drop their suits, but had been in settlement talks since May according to previous filings. ### Thumann Severs Nomination Hearing Postponed URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/thumann-severs-nomination-hearing-postponed/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:57.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 – The Senate Commerce Committee has postponed a nomination hearing for a new Federal Communications Commissioner. The committee was set to consider **Danielle Thumann Severs**’ nomination to join the agency this week on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The office of Sen. **Ted Cruz**, R-Texas, the chairman of the committee, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The [committee’s site](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/press/rep/release/chairman-cruz-announces-nomination-hearing-2/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) didn’t say when a new hearing would be or why it was put off, only that it was now postponed “until a later date.” Thumann Severs, currently a top attorney for FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, would give Republicans a 3-1 majority at the agency. Several telecom trade groups, including NATE and NCTA, [backed her nomination](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tower-fiber-trade-groups-back-thumann-severs-for-fcc/) in a letter to Senate leadership and urged a quick confirmation. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose members are all Democrats, wanted the chamber to hold off until the Trump administration nominated a Democrat to fill the other vacant seat. By law, three of the FCC’s five members can be from the president's party. Nominations have historically paired Republican and Democratic officials. The agency needs three members to vote on new rules and proposals, the number it has now. **Anna Gomez**, the agency’s lone Democrat, technically ended her term in July. If she’s not renominated, she can stay on until she’s replaced or until the next session of Congress ends. That would be in January 2028. ​​Sen. **Maria Cantwell**, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, opposed FCC Commissioner **Olivia Trusty**’s nomination last year, citing a similar lack of Democratic appointees despite an open seat. ### Broadband Access Alone Isn’t Enough for Small Businesses URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-access-alone-isnt-enough-for-small-businesses/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T20:32:43.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 — For small businesses, the broadband divide is no longer measured simply by whether a connection reaches the door. The harder questions are whether that connection is affordable and reliable, and whether owners and workers know how to use it. That was the central message from a [Broadband Breakfast Live Online panel](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-september-9-2026-small-business-and-broadband/) Wednesday, where speakers said rural manufacturers, neighborhood retailers and independent creators increasingly depend on broadband for everything from payment systems to artificial intelligence. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Moderator **Deb Socia**, former president and CEO of the Enterprise Center, framed the discussion’s central question: “How do availability, adoption and digital skills shape small business growth, and what can providers, policymakers and local leaders do to ensure that small enterprises are not left behind?” A rural factory may need its network around the clock because a disconnected robot can stop an entire production line, said **Jeran Culina**, senior manager for the Business Leaders United network at the National Skills Coalition. “Businesses can have greater broadband needs,” Culina said. “It needs its broadband networks to be very fast and very reliable. That means in the daytime and in the nighttime.” ### *Beyond a line to the building* Residential-grade service may work for some enterprises, but applications involving large files, cloud tools and real-time AI can require faster upload speeds. **Greg Guice**, chief policy officer at broadband consulting firm Vernonburg Group, said the country’s networks and pricing models have long emphasized downloads. “How do we transition to a symmetric broadband economy when we’ve lived for the last 30 years in an asymmetric one?” Guice asked. The problem is visible even in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a city celebrated for fast internet. **Sammy Lowdermilk**, CEO of the Enterprise Center, said entrepreneurs regularly use his organization’s free community space because service at their homes or businesses is inadequate. In nearby rural counties, some older business owners travel to senior centers to hold meetings. “Even though they may have a connection, it may not be robust enough,” Lowdermilk said. “And even if it is robust enough, do they have the digital skills to be able to take advantage of that connection?” Those skills increasingly include AI. Culina described a manufacturer that used it to review 42,000 lines of production data and identify wasted material — an analysis that otherwise would have been overwhelming. His organization also helps artists, musicians and retailers set up sales systems, market online and learn cybersecurity. “They don’t have an IT department that they can rely on to fix problems when they arise,” Lowdermilk said. ### *Affordability and local capacity* As federal deployment programs push networks farther into unserved areas, speakers said policy should begin shifting from availability alone to adoption and affordability. “It’s becoming more an affordability problem,” said **Tyler Martinez**, director of litigation at the NTUF Taxpayer Defense Center. “We’re getting there to where we get everybody connected in one way or another.” To lower costs, Martinez called for consolidating overlapping programs and reducing permitting barriers. He also backed “dig once” approaches that place conduit whenever a road or trench is already open, reducing the cost of later broadband expansion. But small towns often lack full-time permitting staffs, while small companies may not have time to navigate grants or advocate before state broadband offices. Guice said federal money could help local governments digitize permitting systems and hire temporary staff rather than merely imposing deadlines they cannot meet. For representation, Culina urged support for chambers and other intermediaries that can aggregate small-business needs. “There should be more of these intermediaries in between so that small businesses’ voices are actually heard in these conversations,” she said. Federal and state action cannot replace local initiative, Lowdermilk added. Free meeting space, workshops and even a police-monitored parking lot for safe online marketplace exchanges can make a difference. “Nothing is too small to help our small businesses,” he said. The panel’s message was that broadband policy should treat connectivity as productive infrastructure, not a household amenity. A line may reach a community, but small businesses cannot turn it into growth without affordable service, practical skills and local institutions capable of helping them use it. ### Amazon Leo Expands Arianespace Deal With Six More Launches URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-leo-expands-arianespace-deal-with-six-more-launches/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:57.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 – Amazon Leo is expanding its launch partnership with European rocket company Arianespace, adding six Ariane 6 missions as the satellite broadband provider accelerates deployment of its low-Earth orbit constellation. The new agreement brings[ Amazon Leo’s total contracted Arianespace launches from 18 to 24](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/amazon-leo/amazon-leo-arianespace-new-launches?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), extending what Arianespace describes as the largest commercial contract in its history. Amazon first signed with Arianespace in 2022 as part of a broader effort to secure more than 80 launches for its planned satellite network. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Arianespace has launched 100 Amazon Leo satellites across three missions in less than five months. [Its most recent mission deployed 36 satellites using upgraded P160C solid rocket boosters developed by ArianeGroup](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/latest-amazon-leo-launch-a-success/), making it Amazon Leo’s largest launch to date and the heaviest commercial payload ever launched on an Ariane rocket. The upgraded boosters can increase Ariane 6’s payload capacity by as much as two metric tons. The expanded agreement comes as Amazon Leo works to scale a constellation designed to provide broadband service to customers beyond the reach of traditional terrestrial networks. Amazon says it has completed 14 missions since full-scale deployment began in April 2025 and has nearly 400 satellites in orbit. The company has secured more than 100 launches across multiple launch providers and is preparing for an initial service rollout this year. The company has [faced pressure to accelerate deployment after launch delays](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-leo-launches-36-more-satellites/) and satellite reengineering pushed its original schedule behind competitors such as SpaceX’s Starlink. The Federal Communications Commission in [June waived Amazon’s requirement to have half](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-grants-amazon-leo-deadline-waiver/) of its originally authorized 3,232 satellites in orbit by July 30, while keeping its July 2029 deadline for deployment of the full constellation. The Arianespace agreement also highlights the economic role of Amazon Leo’s launch program in Europe. Ariane 6 is assembled and launched from French Guiana, while its supply chain spans 13 European countries and more than 600 companies. Amazon said Oxford Economics estimates the related European spending will contribute roughly $3.2 billion to gross domestic product and support an average of 3,270 jobs annually through 2029. Amazon Leo is also [pursuing broadband deployments through the federal BEAD program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-leo-to-launch-service-later-this-year-is-that-good-news-for-the-bead-program/). Arkansas became the first state to execute a BEAD agreement with Amazon Leo in June, with the company set to serve more than 1,700 locations in the state. Across BEAD, Amazon and SpaceX are expected to serve nearly 900,000 locations. ### North Carolina Launches $1 Million Satellite Grant to Harden Broadband Against Disasters URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/north-carolina-launches-1-million-satellite-grant-to-harden-broadband-against-disasters/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:48:57.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 - North Carolina is putting $1 million behind satellite backup connections to keep government and community services online when storms knock out traditional broadband. The North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) [announced](https://www.ncbroadband.gov/news/press-releases/2026/09/10/ncdit-launches-1m-broadband-satellite-resiliency-grant?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the new Broadband Satellite Resiliency Grant on September 10, 2026, offering funding for “resilience in a box” satellite kits that provide emergency internet redundancy for public institutions and anchor organizations. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) NCDIT Secretary and State CIO **Nate Denny** tied the initiative directly to lessons learned from Hurricane Helene, which left large parts of western North Carolina without communications for days or weeks. “Hurricane Helene underscored the consequences of losing communication when it matters most,” Denny said. “The low-Earth orbit satellites provided through this program offer continuity and a lifeline for North Carolinians as we continue into this hurricane season.” The goal is to ensure that institutions can maintain secure, dependable connectivity when fiber, cable, or wireless networks fail during emergencies. The Broadband Satellite Resiliency Grant will fund satellite internet equipment and installation for eligible organizations, including state agencies, local governments, volunteer fire departments, and community anchor institutions such as schools, libraries, community colleges, and community centers, giving them secure, dependable backup connectivity. The program is financed with state funds appropriated through the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) initiative. The satellite kits are intended as backup, not primary service, giving emergency operations centers, fire departments, and community shelters an independent path to the internet when terrestrial infrastructure is damaged or overloaded. While applications are open statewide, priority will go to organizations in the 39 counties designated in the Hurricane Helene federal disaster area, including Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey (including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) counties. ### State Regulators Concerned About Verizon, Fidium Copper Retirement URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/state-regulators-concerned-about-verizon-fidium-copper-retirement/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:00.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 – Some local governments and state telecom regulators are concerned about Verizon’s plan to retire some of its copper infrastructure. Counties and agencies in Virginia and New Jersey told the Federal Communications Commission they feared the transition would leave rural areas without reliable voice access. The groups asked for more specific information on the locations that would lose copper service and what alternatives were available to them. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The Virginia Association of Counties, which represents 94 counties in the state, [wrote that](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075858/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the state’s geography created “obscure rural dead zones” and areas in which power couldn’t be restored quickly in the event of an outage. More than a dozen counties filed concerns individually. Copper landlines power themselves, and dead phone batteries could “sever 911 access during extended outages,” wrote **Dean Lynch**, VACo’s executive director. Like other large incumbent ISPs, Verizon is [looking to retire](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/isps-want-to-continue-to-discontinue-copper-service/) its legacy copper gear, which is expensive to maintain and no longer provides competitive broadband service, an effort FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has been receptive to. The section of network in the disputed application covered 12 million locations in nine states according to Verizon, but only had 277,000 active users. VACo said it wanted the application removed from the FCC’s streamlined processing rules, under which it would be automatically approved on Sept. 26, so more information could be requested on the specific locations that would be affected. The Virginia State Corporation Commission, the state’s utility regulator, [said that](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110076241/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Verizon told the state that 150,000 of the current copper subscribers were in Virginia. The company told VACo that it would not cut service if a household lacked wireless or voice over internet protocol (VoIP) as a replacement, but the counties said they were “confused as to when and how that determination will be made.” The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities said there was “genuine concern” that Verizon’s application would leave homes and businesses without a replacement voice service, including among some residents that had already received discontinuance notices. The [agency wanted](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110076333/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to know how many locations in New Jersey would be affected and where they were. In a [Sept. 1 email](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110076241/2?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to Virginia Gov. **Abigail Spanberger** (D), Verizon attorney **Peter Saharko** said copper wouldn’t be retired if no alternative were available. “Before reaching out to our customers with transition details, we will verify that a reliable modern alternative is available at the customer’s location for voice service,” he wrote. “If a suitable replacement is not yet available, we will not discontinue the current copper voice service.” In another email to Rappahannock County, Va., he said a backup battery would be provided to preserve functionality during power outages. A Verizon spokesperson said in an email the company was reviewing the governments' comments and would respond in the coming days. The spokesperson reiterated service would only be terminated if an alternative were present, and said retiring copper would free up cash for expanding fiber. The company has multiple other discontinuance applications pending and received pushback from regulators in Nebraska and Minnesota. In response to those concerns, Verizon attorney **Randy Clarke** last month made a similar argument to Saharko. He said that the company wasn’t seeking approval to turn down every copper location in a given application, only ones where an adequate replacement service was available. Clarke argued the FCC’s broadband coverage map, upon which the discontinuance applications are based, was accurate enough to discern where service was without location-level filings. The FCC allowed that application to be automatically approved. [Some lawmakers](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075490/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) also [weighed in](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110076155/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) asking for a closer look at Verizon's application, including Rep. **Suhas Subramanyam**, D-Va., and Virginia State Senator **Russet Perry**, a Democrat. ### *AT&T, Fidium discontinuance* AT&T and Fidium are also looking [to turn down](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/isps-want-to-continue-to-discontinue-copper-service/) swathes of their copper. AT&T filed a new application this month to discontinue service at 600 locations. New York’s telecom regulator said [in a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110076454/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) posted Monday that the FCC should not streamline a Fidium discontinuance application. Fidium is overbuilding its copper footprint with fiber and is planning to transition customers to VoIP on that fiber. The New York State Public Service Commission said Fidium’s fiber subsidiary wasn’t authorized to participate in a federal subsidy program for low-income households, and wanted more time to ensure that service wouldn’t be interrupted. The carrier is asking the FCC to overrule California’s copper retirement rules, which are less friendly to the idea of wireless service as a replacement, making it more difficult to turn off legacy services in the state. AT&T representatives met with FCC staff on Sept. 3 to make their case again. The company is arguing that telephone service inherently operates across state lines, and thus the FCC has the power to quash state-level rules it doesn’t approve of. CTIA, the wireless industry group, [submitted a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110076457/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Friday supporting AT&T’s preemption efforts. ### AT&T Adds Amazon Leo Satellite Service to Enterprise Network URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-adds-amazon-leo-satellite-service-to-enterprise-network/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:00.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2026 – AT&T is adding Amazon Leo satellite broadband to its enterprise and public-sector connectivity offerings, giving customers another option for staying connected in remote areas or when terrestrial networks are unavailable. [AT&T Business said](https://about.att.com/story/2026/amazon-leo-satellite.html?source=EC00EM0000000000E&wtExtndSource=09082026&wtExtndSource=09082026) Tuesday it has reached an agreement with Amazon Leo to offer the low Earth orbit satellite service to business customers nationwide. AT&T said it is the first U.S. telecommunications provider to offer Amazon Leo as part of a managed connectivity platform that combines satellite with its existing fiber and 5G networks. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Amazon Leo is [Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite broadband initiative](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-leo-to-launch-service-later-this-year-is-that-good-news-for-the-bead-program/), which is designed to provide high-speed connectivity from space. The company has deployed about 400 satellites and has not initiated consumer service. AT&T said its agreement with Amazon is part of a broader effort to give businesses access to connectivity and cloud services across multiple network technologies. The company said the satellite service is intended to [complement, rather than replace](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-adds-equal-number-of-fiber-and-fixed-wireless-subs-292-000/), its terrestrial networks. AT&T said fiber and 5G remain the backbone of its network, carrying 98% of its traffic, while satellite can provide an additional layer of redundancy and reach for customers operating in areas where terrestrial connectivity is limited. “Customers have no shortage of connectivity options,” said **Shawn Hakl,** senior vice president and head of product at AT&T Business. He said enterprise and public-sector customers need connectivity that can remain reliable across different locations and network conditions. The service could be useful for businesses with remote or distributed operations, including companies in agriculture, construction, mining, oil and gas, logistics and transportation. AT&T also pointed to temporary deployments, emergency response and other situations where a terrestrial connection may not be readily available. Under the arrangement, AT&T will manage the Amazon Leo service directly for enterprise customers. The company will provide the equipment needed to connect to the satellite network, as well as installation, technical support and billing. Customers will have a single AT&T point of contact rather than managing separate terrestrial and satellite providers. The companies are moving through a phased deployment and technical validation process before the service becomes available. AT&T has not yet announced pricing, specific service configurations or availability dates for enterprise customers. The companies said the expanded offering could also extend connectivity to remote, rural and previously underserved areas while providing businesses with additional network redundancy. For AT&T, the move [adds satellite connectivity](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-grants-key-waiver-to-amazon-leo-keeping-competitive-pressure-on-musks-starlink/) to a network strategy that increasingly spans fiber, 5G and space-based infrastructure. ### Ron Kerbs: The FCC Robocall Scorecard Should Grade the Whole Call Path URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ron-kerbs-the-fcc-robocall-scorecard-should-grade-the-whole-call-path/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T16:03:25.000Z The FCC did something unusual on September 2, 2026\. In the same document where it proposed publishing a public grade for voice providers, it wrote down the reason the grade will be incomplete. “Mitigating illegal robocalls involves actions that run across the entire life of the call,” the Consumer and Government Affairs Bureau notes, “and a consumer’s provider does not control every stage of that life cycle.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) That is the most honest sentence in the Public Notice. It is also the one the proposal does not act on. The Bureau proposes to rate only domestic voice service providers with retail customers, and to exclude those operating solely as wholesale or intermediate providers, including gateway and non-gateway intermediate providers that do not bill consumers directly. The reasoning is easy to follow. A consumer cannot switch to a gateway provider, so grading companies nobody buys from looks like wasted effort. But that reasoning proves less than it seems, and the gap it leaves is not small. ### *A retail grade mostly measures inherited traffic* By the time an illegal robocall reaches a terminating carrier, most of the decisions that mattered have already been made. Someone onboarded the customer, someone accepted the traffic at the border, and someone chose whether to look closely at a suspicious, cheap route. The retail provider at the end of the chain is running defense against a problem it did not create and cannot see the origin of. Two carriers can run identical mitigation programs, staff their trust and safety teams identically, and answer every traceback within hours, and still land in different tiers, because one sits downstream of a cleaner interconnection than the other. A grade that cannot distinguish between those two situations is not measuring provider effort. It is measuring provider luck. The Bureau’s own question about false positives makes this sharper. It asks, correctly, how to measure blocking accuracy and how to weigh the erroneous blocking of legitimate calls. But a carrier receiving heavy volumes of poorly attested traffic has to block more aggressively to reach the same outcome, and aggressive blocking produces false positives. Score that carrier on false positives without any view of what it is handed, and you have penalized the provider closest to the consumer for the conduct of a company two hops upstream that the Scorecard does not name. ### *The Bureau already asked half the question* Paragraph 15 of the notice contains the opening. The Bureau asked whether it should consider “only those \[metrics\] that measure efforts to protect their retail customers or also those that focus on protecting other consumers as well,” giving the example of responding to traceback requests that originate with other providers’ customers. The answer is yes, and it should go further than traceback. Three changes would close most of the gap without any new rule or new data collection. 1. **Score upstream-facing conduct.** How a provider handles Know-Your-Customer and Know-Your-Upstream-Provider obligations, how it treats traffic it originates or hands off, and how it responds to tracebacks concerning other companies’ subscribers are all measures of whether a provider is a good citizen of the network rather than merely a good landlord to its own customers. 2. **Grade companies, not divisions.** Many of the providers large enough to appear on this Scorecard also sell wholesale termination or origination services. Rating the retail arm while ignoring what the same corporate parent carries wholesale produces a number that flatters exactly the wrong behavior. **Grade wholesale and intermediate providers too.** The Commission already holds Robocall Mitigation Database filings and enforcement records for these companies, so the material exists. The Bureau’s objection is that the consumers cannot choose a gateway provider. True, but consumers are not the only buyers who need the signal. Carriers, aggregators, and enterprises select upstream routes constantly, and largely on price, because nothing public exists to weigh against it. A grade that shapes who wins wholesale business will do more to clean up origination than one that only tells a consumer which retail plan to buy. ### *Why this is worth fixing now* This is not a rulemaking. The Bureau said so plainly, which means the cost of getting the scope right is a comment, not a proceeding. It also means the Scorecard will function as a market signal long before any rule does. Procurement teams and enterprise buyers will read those grades. So will plaintiffs’ lawyers. The Commission has spent years building a regime that attacks robocalls at every point in the call’s life. It would be a strange outcome if the only public artifact consumers actually see graded is the last stop. Comments in CG Docket No. 26-239 are due September 22, 2026 with reply comments October 2, 2026\. The industry has three weeks to tell the Bureau where the calls actually come from. ***Ron Kerbs is the founder and CEO of*** [***Kidas***](https://getkidas.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***. He holds an MSc in information systems engineering and machine learning from Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and an MA in global studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Ron was an early-venture capital investor, and prior to that, he was an R&D manager who led teams to create big data and machine learning-based solutions for national security. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Lesson 4: The Origin of Wireless URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-4-the-origin-of-wireless-post/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T15:39:21.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/L4-native.jpg) ## Lesson 4: The Origin of Wireless 150 Years of American Telecommunications: The Online Course [Join Section A for Free](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ### New Warnings About the Risks of AI to Humanity Revive a Long-Running Debate URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-warnings-about-the-risks-of-ai-to-humanity-revive-a-long-running-debate/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:00.000Z LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2026 (AP) — New warnings from within the artificial intelligence industry have revived a long-running debate over whether advanced AI could escape human control and ultimately threaten humanity’s survival, and whether the companies developing the technology are doing enough to prevent such a scenario. The CEO of [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-threat-bioweapon-russia-00266dca90e4f8853f669648998d3bda?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the San Francisco company behind Claude, said he thought the industry needed to reduce the speed of its work, cautioning Saturday that a swarm of AI agents might be able to take over the internet in six months to a year unless companies devoted more time to [putting safeguards in place](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-dario-amodei-d59552edcb27892d8ee4d98a48397706?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) **Dario Amodei** outlined a plan for companies like his and governments around the world to ensure that increasingly capable AI models remain aligned with the commands and values of responsible people days after two former Anthropic safety researchers publicly aired concerns that the existential threats AI might pose to humanity were receiving too little attention. **Sam Altman**, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, said this weekend that companies should start coordinating on AI safety without waiting for the government to introduce legislation. The “pacing” of AI development doesn't mean stopping, Altman wrote on X. “But it should be slower than it otherwise could be." Here’s what to know about the recent dire predictions and whether any brakes might be put on AI advancement: ### *AI models are becoming more powerful* Concerns over the potential risks of the technology are rising as new AI models become more powerful, heightening both the potential for misuse by people with criminal aims, such as creating and spreading a disease that kills most of the world's population, and the risk of AI systems going rogue in a dangerous way. Anthropic [disclosed last week](https://www.anthropic.com/threat-intelligence-report-september-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that it blocked efforts by bad actors to use its AI models for malicious activity, such as cyberattacks, surveillance and research that could have led to biological weapons. The company said it put stronger safeguards in its latest models to restrict biological research that could be used to make weapons but noted that “as models become increasingly capable, their risks will increase, unless AI developers and society’s defenders act to make them safer.” Last year, Anthropic reported that hackers used the company’s AI in a cyberattack targeting about 30 companies and government agencies around the world. It said the hackers were very likely from a Chinese state-sponsored group. ### *Multiple AI models have acted on their own* When an AI agent “goes rogue,” it means the AI has taken action beyond the task it was asked to perform. Both Anthropic and OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, said in July that their AI models [had succeeded](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-models-hack-cybersecurity-b0a2c284b981de79c55e2a33712f4bec?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in acting on their own. Anthropic disclosed that three AI models — Claude Opus 4.7, [Claude Mythos 5](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-artificial-intelligence-trump-fable-mythos-d9cc7df5c02e93837d0f0bfb24d5cfd2?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and an internal research test model — hacked into three other organizations during testing just days after OpenAI revealed that [its AI system hacked](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) into the servers of AI startup Hugging Face. OpenAI described the intrusion by a combination of models, including its newly released GPT‑5.6 Sol and an “even more capable” model that was still being tested internally, as a “significant security incident.” [Meta followed suit](https://apnews.com/article/meta-ai-hacking-anthropic-irregular-openai-0e8061437da6779be962b24ac134a514?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in early August with a similar case of an AI model finding ways around another company's digital security. Although some observers noted that people had disabled some guardrails in the OpenAI and Anthropic cases, the episodes seemed to reflect one of the biggest fears around AI: that if models achieve artificial general intelligence, or AGI, a loosely defined term for AI that can match or surpass human abilities across a broad range of intellectual tasks, the technology could cause an irreversible catastrophic event or subjugate the human race. ### *How or when AI might cause a catastrophe is debated* Doomsday scenarios generally fall into two categories: An AI that achieves self-improving superintelligence controls people instead of vice versa, or AI used by a rogue state or nefarious actors. Worries that artificial intelligence might overcome human limits on its reach or actions are not new. **Alan Turing**, a British mathematician widely regarded as one of the earliest authorities on artificial intelligence, predicted in 1951 that AI would eventually take control from humans. Less than a decade later, **Norbert Wiener**, another mathematician, warned intelligent machines would seek to accomplish their own objectives and humans would not be able to stop them. In 2026, how reasonable are fears that AI, either by escaping human control or through misuse by unscrupulous people, could cause a cataclysmic event or the downfall of civilization? No one knows. Experts across computer science, philosophy and other fields have envisioned numerous routes by which a future AI system might cause a global catastrophe, either by escaping human control or in the hands of an unscrupulous people. They range from deploying weapons and identifying a lethal pathogen to manipulating governments into conflict or disrupting the food, energy and communications networks societies rely on to function. There is no widely accepted estimate for how soon any of these scenarios might happen and no consensus on their likelihood. In 2023, the nonprofit Center for AI Safety issued a statement cosigned by more than 350 researchers and technology executives, including Anthropic's Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, saying: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside pandemics and nuclear war.” The 2026 International AI Safety Report, written with guidance from more than 100 independent experts, says current systems show early signs of some relevant capabilities but not at levels that could enable a loss of control, and describes the risk’s likelihood, nature and timing as “unusually ambiguous.” ### *Some are stressing the need for AI safeguards before it's too late* An Anthropic researcher said last week he was resigning from the company over concerns that neither the company nor its competitors were acting responsibly in developing the technology. In social media posts, [Jacob Coxon estimated](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a 10% chance of AI causing human extinction within the next decade and said both Anthropic and OpenAI “are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” Researchers have called for a slowdown of AI development and warned for years that the technology could pose existential risks to humanity. Following the recent incidents, experts called for improved testing by AI companies and more dialogue between the U.S. and China [to come up with shared solutions](https://apnews.com/article/china-anthropic-ai-us-amodei-3da458d2c078da3e60900728d59f1ae8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). But AI is growing so fast that government and evaluation systems are struggling to keep pace with the technology. Countries are cobbling together their own laws, some conflicting. Chinese leader **Xi Jinping** warned at a conference in July of the need to keep AI from evading human control. The Trump administration initially demonstrated reluctance to regulate AI but has become more keen to [reduce cybersecurity risks](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-executive-order-e41af74f7b0865482f07d10fe7a50fe3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). On Sunday, [President Trump downplayed](https://apnews.com/article/trump-artificial-intelligence-guardrails-china-midterms-congress-9df0ebb4c1b0619aa0f88057b5a1092d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the necessity for his administration to check AI development, but acknowledged the need for [some regulation](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-dario-amodei-d59552edcb27892d8ee4d98a48397706?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). *This article was written by Alex Veiga of the Associated Press.* ### Shentel CEO, Bucking the Trend, Says His ISP Does Not Need Mobile Service URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/shentel-ceo-bucking-the-trend-says-his-isp-does-not-need-mobile-service/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T12:49:07.000Z 💡 ■ CTA Leader Gary Shapiro Slams AM Radio Bill on House Floor Possibly Tomorrow ■ Special Report: Five Questions for GCI President and CEO Ron Duncan ■ New Jersey Regulators Want FCC to Slow Verizon’s Copper Exit ■ North Carolina to Spend $1 Million on LEO Emergency Backup ■ Oregon Purging Dead from Its Lifeline Subscriber Rolls ■ NTIA’s Roth: New OMB Policy Will Speed FCC Spectrum Auctions ■ Amazon Leo, Arianespace in New Deal to Expand Launch Capacity ■ Waterloo Joins Other Iowa Cities Putting Data Centers on Ice ■ D.C. Circuit: Foes Can’t Force Carr to Eliminate News Distortion Rule Now Immobile: From Charter and Comcast to Mediacom and Cable One, cable operators big and small are pairing broadband service with mobile phone plans to keep customers from defecting. Actually, it is on the unusual side for a cable broadband ISP not to have a wireless option these days. So why is Shentel, a company with deep wireless roots, bucking the trend? “We don’t offer mobile service. We don’t feel like we need to offer mobile service,” Shentel CEO **Ed McKay** said. “Our sales team is not telling us that they need that to be effective selling, and believe me, they would scream if they thought they needed that as a product.” ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!SfR1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d164311-808c-485d-87a2-b4a4de01e50e_1229x677.png) From left: Shentel CEO Ed McKay and Citi TMT analysts Michael Rollins and Roberta Versiani _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Trump Downplays Need to Check AI, Says He Doesn't Want to Cede Edge to China URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-downplays-need-to-check-ai-says-he-doesnt-want-to-cede-edge-to-china/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:04.000Z DUBLIN, Sept. 13, 2026 (AP) — [President **Donald Trump**](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Sunday played down the need for his administration to check the development of [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), saying he worried about ceding America’s edge over China in a global competition and that winning would help address the risks from the advancing technology. While acknowledging the need for [some regulation](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-dario-amodei-d59552edcb27892d8ee4d98a48397706?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Trump provided no specifics about potential rules and attributed [warnings about the technology](https://apnews.com/article/openai-hugging-face-congress-investigation-artificial-intelligence-1f730a59284c718f2e758898748a8069?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) moving too quickly and with little oversight to “negative forces” he did not identify, though industry pioneers have raised such concerns. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “We can put guardrails, we can do this and that, but I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that ... shouldn’t be bringing it up, and they’re bringing up things that won’t happen,” Trump told reporters during [a weekend trip to Ireland](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ireland-golf-doonbeg-57e48996a3b30a210243b7d7ae66930a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “But whoever wins with AI wins.” Asked later Sunday if he was trying to minimize the risks from AI, Trump said, “I'm not downplaying,” adding that artificial intelligence is “going to be more good than bad, but by a lot.” Speaking with reporters during the flight back to Washington, he repeated his earlier comment regarding the stakes for “whoever wins AI.” The Republican president spoke a day after [**Dario Amodei**](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-dario-amodei-d59552edcb27892d8ee4d98a48397706?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), CEO of the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, said the industry should put the brakes on its fast-moving development to give safety measures time to catch up. Other tech leaders, including **Elon Musk** and **Sam Altman**, CEO of OpenAI, publicly agreed with Amodei. Asked by a reporter if the industry should slow down or be regulated, Trump said after watching a golfer tee off in the Irish Open at his resort in Doonbeg that the United States is leading China in the development of AI and “frankly, I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI wins.” Chinese President **Xi Jinping** is due at the White House later in September to meet with Trump, and AI likely will be among the items they discuss. AI has become a major [election-year issue](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-rural-farm-artificial-intelligence-trump-e5a350af1bc12e6a4f470d3b68be51d7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the U.S. as some of the country's [largest companies](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-bipartisan-opposition-trump-democrats-a419be82fb6b32a8fc048ac7ffbd1de3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) seed small towns with a national network of computing warehouses while Americans from both parties increasingly raise alarms about less farmland and water supplies and rising electricity bills. Trump has kept up his support for [data centers](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-trump-election-cd2cfd73e3d41e2baf65bf82702a589b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) even as both Republicans and Democrats [run from them](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-texas-ai-gina-hinojosa-abbott-3624f9a97e584c46d0ac65ca3870adcf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and many [communities try to block them](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-artificial-intelligence-nimby-tech-21fa7b957664d5dca6788e35ab43b88e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Former President **Barack Obama**, a Democrat, said his party should make AI a campaign issue. “I would talk about this, and I would say, ‘Here’s our plan for safety, here’s our plan for making sure our kids are not corrupted by this.’ ... I would be thinking about the economic impacts in very concrete ways and understanding what does it mean if there’s going to be job displacement. Where is that going to hit? How are we going to respond?” he said at an event last week with the top Democrat in the U.S. House, New York Rep. **Hakeem Jeffries**, according to a transcript released by his office. ### *White House meetings and a call for action by members of Congress* **Kevin Hassett**, director of the National Economic Council at the White House, said he expects meetings will be held this week involving administration officials who oversee cyber and science and technology policy to discuss the next steps. Trump also could meet with members of Congress, some of whom have also been sounding alarms about the fast pace of AI development. “I think the president wants to hear from them as well,” Hassett said. [U.S. House Speaker **Mike Johnson**](https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) acknowledged the need for “some guardrails, some safety measures” so AI “doesn’t run away.” But, like Trump, he also wants to ensure the U.S. does not “lose our edge in the global competition on this with China because that would be a national security threat.” Johnson, R-La., said industry leaders need to be summoned for “one big meeting and work this out together in the same room." He said he has discussed the issue with Trump and believes a meeting held quickly should be the “next step.” “So we’re going to pull everybody together and make sure we do this in the right way,” Johnson said, adding that it is a "top priority for me and for the Congress.” “But we don’t need everybody to panic right now,” Johnson said. Jeffries criticized Republican leaders for allowing members to go back to their districts for the final part of September. “We should take decisive action now so that we can slow down, as the CEOs have recently acknowledged, … the pace of development in order to protect the American people and ensure that AI is proceeding safely,” Jeffries said. Action on AI will be a “high priority” when House Democrats meet Tuesday as a group. Neither Johnson nor Jeffries provided concrete steps about what Congress might do. Lawmakers agree that more guardrails are needed, but even narrow attempts at imposing rules have fallen apart over the years, evidence of the congressional reluctance to regulate the technology industry. ### *Industry insider urges cooperation between Washington and Beijing* [**Jacob Coxon**](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a former Anthropic employee who resigned over AI concerns and has gone public with his fears, argued for international rules along with industry self-regulation. Coxon said he has grown concerned that AI models would soon gain super capabilities that could exceed human control. “You’re building a human-level or superhuman-level mind, without understanding what it wants, or thinks, or the way it thinks,” Coxon said. At a time of a fierce global competition for AI dominance, Coxon also urged cooperation between the U.S. and China, the two countries who are leading the race, to slow down and address safety. “I do hope that the people in China who are looking at the same problems as we are, so they’re trying to build the same technology, will come to the same conclusion that it has to be done in a measured manner, and it should be easy to cooperate on some sort of mutual -- of mutual slowing,” Coxon said. Otherwise, he said, “we risk running the same race with China, which could be equally dangerous." ### *White House adviser challenges AI leaders over regulation* Tech founder and investor **David Sacks** responded to the AI leaders' calls for regulation with a social media post challenging them. Sacks, co-chairman of a White House advisory council on science and technology, said Amodei and other leaders are the ones setting the pace for development. Sacks said they have the power to slow development on their own. “The easiest way not to build superintelligence is for you to agree not to build it,” Sacks wrote. *This article was written by Darlene Superville and Didi Tang of the Associated Press. Tang reported from Washington.* ### Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei Says AI Industry Needs to Slow Down for Safety URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/anthropic-ceo-dario-amodei-says-ai-industry-needs-to-slow-down-for-safety/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:05.000Z NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2026 (AP) — The CEO of [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-threat-bioweapon-russia-00266dca90e4f8853f669648998d3bda?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said Saturday the artificial-intelligence industry should slow its fast-moving development to give [safety measures](https://apnews.com/article/openai-hugging-face-hacking-ai-model-708cb598bc1e33cef560e7196adb2afa?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) time to catch up. Without such a slowdown, Dario Amodei warned that within six to 12 months AI could be capable of leading a swarm of agents that could take over the entire internet. The warning comes as worries about AI grow inside and outside the industry and reports continue to emerge about increasingly powerful systems that solve problems beyond human capacity but could also go rogue and carry out other, more harmful tasks. The worries have grown so loud that the CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, said in an interview with Fortune that his company would wait until next year to start selling its stock to investors on Wall Street as it focuses on safety. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Amodei is one of the leading voices in AI, and he offered a plan [in a post](https://darioamodei.com/post/we-must-pace-the-frontier?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on his website to increase checks on the industry. He said Anthropic is already undertaking one part of it on its own, while the others would require coordination across the broad industry and with governments around the world, including authoritarian ones. “I believe that if slowing down bought us even an extra year or two before models reach critical levels of capability, and we used that time to advance alignment, we could greatly reduce the risk that something goes seriously wrong,” Amodei said. ### *Pressure builds on the AI industry* Watchdogs have been urging the AI industry [for years](https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to slow its development for safety reasons. But pressure has built as industry workers resign and accuse their companies of [not acting responsibly](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Many of the people I know who work on safety research at AI companies want to do what is right for the world,” a former Anthropic employee, **Joe Benton**, said in a posting Friday announcing his resignation from a job as part of a safety team. “But they feel their companies are trapped in a race to build superintelligence: either they stop and other, less conscientious people take their place; or, they continue, and risk participating in enormous harm themselves.” That followed a high-profile [resignation earlier in the week](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-safety-jacob-coxon-2ed549e07f2f941600a135070487d83d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by **Jacob Coxon**, who said that both Anthropic and OpenAI “are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” That lit a fire under the industry after concerns had grown for years about a possible superintelligence that could escape the control of humanity, said **Anthony Aguirre**, president and CEO of the Future of Life Institute, which called for a six-month pause for the industry’s development in 2023. “They’ve kind of realized, their employees have realized, everyone has realized that they’re building [Skynet](https://apnews.com/article/skynet-ai-terminator-artificial-intelligence-eb85da03a0161beaa5f3babc4331e93b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com),” he said. “And in winning the race to Skynet, nobody wins. Really, nobody.” “It's pretty much become clear to the world and even the AI companies that they’re not really prepared to control the AI systems they’re racing to create.” ### *Threats from AI are already apparent* Anthropic said two days earlier that it blocked efforts by bad actors to use its AI models for malicious activity, such as cyberattacks, surveillance and research that could have led to biological weapons. In July, OpenAI shook the industry after saying [its AI system hacked](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) into another company on its own in an “unprecedented cyber incident.” U.N. human rights chief **Volker Türk** urged countries earlier this week to put “cast-iron guarantees in place around the safety and security of AI before it is too late.” To be sure, some critics have dismissed such warnings as ways to gin up excitement about the AI industry and its capabilities. Anthropic and OpenAI are preparing for possible [debuts on the stock market](https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-ipo-openai-spacex-anthropic-2694431c5cf8850cad940731a38eb188?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that could value them at many hundreds of billions of dollars, while a big chunk of **Elon Musk's** SpaceX business is involved with AI. ### *Other AI leaders agree* OpenAI CEO **Sam Altman** said in an interview with Fortune published Saturday that his company would not launch its initial public offering of stock this year. “I would say not 2026,” he said. “Yeah, we got a lot of stuff to do, like meeting this moment of what is going to be required for safety and alignment, and how the industry and governments can work together.” Altman posted on X Saturday quickly after Amodei published his suggestions that OpenAI will commit to one of Amodei’s proposals for safety and will “have more to share soon.” Musk, meanwhile, said on X that “Dario is right.” Amodei said he still believes in the tremendous benefits that AI could create, such as cures for major diseases. But he said he has grown more worried over the last few months about AI’s growing ability to improve itself and build the next generation of AI. “Left unchecked, it could outrun our ability to understand and control these systems, and so must be pursued very carefully, if at all.” He also pointed specifically to the attack in July where OpenAI's system hacked Hugging Face. Some have called it an example of AI going “rogue,” though researchers have said that may be unnecessarily anthropomorphizing AI, which was working on a goal set by humans. OpenAI said the hack was the result of AI going to “extreme lengths to achieve a rather narrow testing goal” and that it “found ways to gain access to secret information that it could use to cheat the evaluation.” ### *Some of Amodei's suggestions may be more difficult to enact* To help rein in the risks, Amodei suggested that all companies at the frontier of AI commit to giving “ongoing, employee-like access” to a team of outside evaluators, who can monitor safety practices. He said Anthropic already plans to do so itself, including offering desks in its offices, access badges and company laptops. Having such independent, embedded evaluators is what OpenAI's Altman also quickly committed to doing. The other parts of Amodei's suggested plan may be more difficult to implement. One asks the U.S. government to potentially issue waivers that would allow U.S. AI companies to coordinate and set safety standards without running afoul of antitrust laws. Another asks the U.S. and other democratic governments to try to coordinate with authoritarian governments, so that companies from China and other countries don't accelerate their efforts when U.S. rivals are intentionally pacing theirs. “The measures I propose to advance the frontier at a safe pace will not be easy,” Amodei acknowledged. “But I believe we owe it to humanity to try.” *This article was written by the Associated Press.* ### California Governor Signs Laws Aimed at Protecting Kids From Social Media and AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-governor-signs-laws-aimed-at-protecting-kids-from-social-media-and-ai/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:05.000Z SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 12, 2026 (AP) — California Gov. **Gavin Newsom** signed a sweeping package of laws Thursday aimed at protecting children from the risks of technology, including social media and AI chatbots. The laws will penalize large social media companies up to $1 million per child if they are found negligent of harming children through their platforms, ban tech businesses from offering addictive feeds to anyone under 16, require operators of AI chatbots to perform risk assessments before rolling them out and allow families to opt out of receiving school-issued laptops. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Newsom joined his wife and state lawmakers at a children's museum near San Francisco to stress the importance of protecting kids at a time when they have such easy access to social media and AI chatbots. “We have designed cribs to be safe, chairs to be safe, car seats,” Assemblymember **Rebecca Bauer-Kahan** said. “Yet we've allowed technology to be handed to our children and never asked or expected it to be safe.” Meta [reached a settlement](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-instagram-settlement-97d342f2a33d835eda2356c5e1af9e37?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with California and 28 other states last month after they alleged in a 2023 lawsuit that the tech giant deliberately designed features to addict children. The company agreed to pay up to $18 billion and strengthen its child safety measures. Other states have also pushed in recent years for better guardrails to protect children from the potential harms of social media. Two years ago, New York state approved a law allowing parents to block their children from getting social media posts suggested by a platform’s algorithm, a move to limit feeds that critics argue are addictive. The policy is scheduled to go into effect early next year. Newsom said the new California laws highlight the state's leadership on the issue. “It’s a good day for our children,” he said. “It’s a good day for the state of California.” **Jim Steyer**, the founder of Common Sense Media, whose brother, **Tom Steyer**, [ran for governor](https://apnews.com/article/california-governor-tom-steyer-billionaire-advertising-ed00b8f4ef4fcfa3b30bc8864a7873bb?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), said the laws were “the most important, comprehensive legislation" on the subject in the history of the U.S. But Meta raised concerns about some of the bills, saying the law to restrict addictive feeds hinders the company's ability to bring enjoyable content to users on its platforms. “We believe that delivering a tailored experience is an important part of what makes Facebook and Instagram valuable for teens as they connect with family and friends and explore their interests — safely,” spokesperson Jim Cullinan said in a statement. “Personalization is also how we deliver age-appropriate content for teens that is relevant to them — all with the proper guardrails in place.” Newsom has walked a fine line on technology policy during his nearly eight years serving as governor in the nation's most populous state, whose status as a global tech hub he has repeatedly touted in speeches. He signed a law last year requiring platforms to remind users they are interacting with a chatbot and not a human. Hours later, he [vetoed a bill](https://apnews.com/article/california-chatbots-children-safety-ai-newsom-33be4d57d0e2d14553e02a94d9529976?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that would have banned companies from making AI chatbots available to anyone under 18 years old unless the businesses could ensure the technology couldn’t engage in sexual conversations or encourage self-harm. Newsom also [signed a law in 2024](https://apnews.com/article/california-newsom-student-cellphone-ban-schools-a8b624f0a9fce4eab4e927a985285871?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to restrict student use of smartphones in schools. **Maria Raine**, a mother whose teenage son, Adam, died by suicide last year, said he died because he was “coached” by a chatbot. One of the laws Newsom signed, which requires chatbot operators to implement certain safety measures to protect children, was inspired by Adam's story. “Adam was an early adopter of AI, and so many of us parents did not understand the dangers back then,” Raine said at a news conference. “Now, we are all becoming more aware of the dangers of AI companionship and the need for our government to act to protect our children.” Newsom also signed laws Wednesday, which are supported by Anthropic, that are aimed at improving oversight of AI companies. One of the measures requires the state to create rules for independent organizations to evaluate the safety risks of AI models, and the other requires the state to create a registry of AI auditors, who'd have to be financially independent from the businesses they are auditing. *This article was written by Sophie Austin of the Associated Press.* ### Education Groups Continue Advocacy Push as FCC Reviews E-Rate URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/education-groups-continue-advocacy-push-as-fcc-reviews-e-rate/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2026 – Education groups are continuing an advocacy push as federal regulators consider rolling back a broadband discount program for schools and libraries. Several advocacy groups, including the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition and AASA, the School Superintendents Association, told hundreds of school superintendents Wednesday to submit comments urging the Federal Communications Commission not to reduce funding for its E-Rate program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The FCC approved in June a proposal that asked questions about altering the program, including whether the agency should limit funding to rural areas or sunset E-Rate altogether. Comments are due by Oct. 13. The inquiry also asked about limiting students’ screen time and potentially expanding content filters. On a June [call with reporters](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-e-rate-inquiry-to-ask-about-reducing-funding-expanding-school-internet-filters/), a senior FCC official said the agency was taking into account the fact that the majority of E-Rate’s $2.5 billion in annual spending went to monthly broadband bills. The official said the thrust of the inquiry was the content filter issue. But advocates said the fact that the item asked about ending the program was cause to forcefully respond. “My job is to read the words on the page in the item that was voted on by two FCC commissioners. Inside the item it asks, ‘Should the program end?’” **Joey Wender**, executive director of SHLB, said during the webinar. “That’s in the order, and I take that very seriously. We all take that — everyone on this call — very, very seriously.” In a separate interview, **Jamar Rahming**, president of the Public Library Association, said the group had a similar reaction. PLA was also urging its library members to submit comments and reach out to federal legislators, he said. “Many of us are already experiencing funding challenges,” he said. “We cannot take any type of proposal that presents a threat to our future sustainability lightly.” In addition to broadband bills, E-Rate funds networking gear that connects school buildings and campuses like Wi-Fi access points and routers. The program supports [more than 96 percent](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/most-e-rate-funds-spent-in-highest-need-areas-researcher-says/) of public schools in the U.S., with higher need schools getting bigger discounts. **Stacy Hawthorne**, executive director of the Consortium for School Networking, said schools couldn’t afford to forego things like cybersecurity and would more likely cut programs or staff positions. In a recent [blog post](https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Yes-To-an-E-Rate-Reality-Check-083126.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the Free State Foundation, former Republican FCC commissioner **Mike O’Reilly** argued it wasn’t out of bounds for the agency to ask whether E-Rate was having a positive effect. “E-Rate should not get a forever pass because it began with good intentions,” he wrote. “The FCC’s item appropriately asks whether the program still fits today’s realities and whether consumers should keep paying for it.” The [FCC’s docket](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2226-133%22%29%29&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the issue already has nearly 400 comments. Many are from schools or school districts urging the agency against rolling back funding. ### *Litigation?* **Jon Bernstein**, co-chair of the pro-E-Rate Education and Libraries Networks Coalition (EdLiNC), said the group was prepared to sue if the FCC came down with a rulemaking rolling back funding. EdLiNC includes AASA. “If the order comes out in a way that none of us want — that sunsets the program, scales back the program, applies onerous conditions, any of that stuff — I won’t speak for anybody else on the call, but I can tell you EdLiNC is fully prepared to litigate this and protect it at all costs,” he said. He said the group’s position was that major changes to the program had to be approved by Congress. The program was stood up along with other FCC universal service programs in 1997. The FCC has been reviewing other programs supported by its Universal Service Fund, like Lifeline and High Cost, with the goal of rooting out fraud and potentially unnecessary expenditures. At the same time, Congress is working on a new contribution base for USF. It’s currently funded by interstate voice revenues, a dwindling pool of cash. ### Trump Administration Lends $100M to U.S.-Owned Cell Phone Network in Africa URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-administration-lends-100m-to-u-s-owned-cell-phone-network-in-africa/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:05.000Z CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept. 11, 2026 (AP) — The [Trump administration](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) has provided a $99.6 million loan to a U.S.-owned cell phone network operator in Africa to expand American tech presence on a continent where [China's Huawei](https://apnews.com/article/china-huawei-united-states-revenue-sanctions-technology-91b084f8fc42b12079411535755c99e5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) is a leading player. The loan from the U.S. government's Export-Import Bank was announced by the operator Africell on Friday. It is the only U.S.-owned cell network operator [in Africa.](https://apnews.com/hub/africa?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Africell said in a statement the loan would “boost U.S.-based employment in the telecommunications sector and strengthen American technology leadership abroad.” It said the money would allow it to invest specifically in American and European technology for its operations in the [southern African country of Angola.](https://apnews.com/article/biden-lobito-corridor-us-china-investment-f5dd55e80331f2416136ff34bab60d4d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Africell also operates in Congo, Sierra Leone and Gambia, it said. Huawei is the [world's biggest supplier](https://apnews.com/video/huawei-the-worlds-biggest-supplier-of-telecommunications-network-gear-faces-criminal-trial-in-new-york-b745c650603e4f37ac29e7541d91ad56?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of telecommunications network equipment and is estimated to have supplied more than half the 4G and 5G network infrastructure in Africa. U.S. President **Donald Trump’s** administration raised national security concerns about Huawei in his first term and has moved to counter its global expansion. The U.S. has lobbied Western allies to avoid using the Chinese company’s products in their high-speed wireless networks, while U.S. prosecutors have accused Huawei of stealing technology, plotting to steal U.S. trade secrets and committing wire and bank fraud, among other crimes. A criminal racketeering trial against Huawei [opened in New York this week](https://apnews.com/article/china-huawei-trial-trade-secrets-0597e888ed45d692330ebb967d82b0c0?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Huawei said the U.S. allegations are “demonstrably false.” The Trump administration has also moved to counter China's large influence in other areas in Africa, including in the extraction of [critical minerals and rare earth elements](https://apnews.com/article/us-south-africa-china-minerals-rare-earths-8bfd695cfbbda2f73fbd32cca0326006?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that are key in the production of electronics, other new technologies and defense systems. *This article was written by the Associated Press.* ### FCC Interested in 1.6 GHz Auction in 2028, NTIA Official Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-interested-in-1-6-ghz-auction-in-2028-ntia-official-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:05.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is “very interested” in holding a spectrum auction in the 1.675-1.695 GigaHertz (GHz) band by the end of 2028, a senior Trump administration official said Wednesday. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which manages government spectrum like 1.6 GHz, has been reviewing the band as a candidate for mobile and direct-to-device use. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) **Tricia Paoletta**, NTIA’s number two official, said the agency was studying the band for both mobile and direct-to-device satellite service because of the increasing interest from satellite companies. “We told the FCC, ‘Go ahead, and we’ll include studies for direct-to-device,’ because they’re very interested in moving and trying to get an auction in that band by the end of the president’s term,” she said, speaking at a Hudson Institute event in Washington Wednesday. NTIA has already [identified for auction](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-officially-taps-5-megahertz-of-noaa-spectrum-for-wireless-use/) 5 megahertz of the band, used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for collecting weather data, and is studying the entire 20 megahertz. It’s one of four government bands the agency is reviewing. The White House asked the agency in a December 2026 memo to finish studying and identify the 7.125-7.4 GHz band for mobile use. Paoletta said NTIA was on track to do that. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has said that the agency is planning three auctions for 2028\. He’s named 2.7 GHz, another government band under study by NTIA, as a target for one of those auctions. Paoletta said NTIA was committed to helping hold 5 spectrum auctions by the end of President **Donald Trump**’s term, something she said was difficult but achievable. The FCC is auctioning upper C-band spectrum next year, and re-auctioned licenses previously returned by EchoStar earlier this year. She said some parts of the process of studying government spectrum could be streamlined, like a 60-day Congressional review period for incumbent agency study plans. By the end of September, she said, the last of those windows will have closed — the 4.4 GHz band — and agencies will be studying the potential for sharing or vacating four government spectrum bands. On Friday, the Office of Management and Budget released a memo aimed at speeding that spectrum review and auction process. The [agency said that](https://www.ntia.gov/press-release/2026/trump-administration-reforms-spectrum-relocation-process-speed-auction-timelines?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the FCC could make auction preparations while agencies were conducting their studies, processes that previously had to happen separately. In a release, NTIA said it supported the change and doubled down on its goal of five auctions by the end of 2028. ### *World Radiocommunication Conference* **Adam Cassidy**, who formerly held Paoletta’s position, was confirmed to a State Department post last month. He’s going to head the U.S. delegation to the World Radiocommunication Conference next year, she said. Paoletta said that the U.S. would be “playing defense” on many WRC-27 items, since much of the conference deals with satellite issues. She said typical U.S. allies had diverging satellite policy aims, citing Europe’s plans to reserve much of the 2 GHz band for European operators. She said there would probably be more typical alignment on whether to identify 4 GHz and 7 GHz spectrum for mobile use. There’s [disagreement among](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carriers-aviation-at-odds-on-wrc-positions/) U.S. industry groups on 7 GHz, with the carriers wanting a mobile designation and aviation and tech companies opposing that. NTIA has said it supports mobile in 7 GHz, along the lines of the White House memo, but hasn’t officially weighed in on 4 GHz. The FCC is looking to have positions finalized by the end of November, when regulators from North and South America will next meet to hammer out agreements ahead of WRC. ### Thumann Severs Confirmation Hearing Set for Sept. 17 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/thumann-severs-confirmation-hearing-set-for-sept-17/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:09.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2026 – **Danielle Thumann Severs**’ confirmation hearing has been set for Sept. 17. President **Donald Trump** had nominated Thumann Severs, a top attorney for Federal Communications Commission Chairman **Brendan Carr**, to fill a vacant seat at the agency and give Republicans a 3-1 majority. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Senate Commerce Committee Chairman **Ted Cruz**, R-Texas, announced [the hearing date](https://www.commerce.senate.gov/press/rep/release/chairman-cruz-announces-nomination-hearing-2/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) late Thursday. The committee will also consider **Leslie Becera**'s nomination to a post at the Department of Transportation. [Thumann Severs’s nomination](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tower-fiber-trade-groups-back-thumann-severs-for-fcc/) wasn’t paired with a Democrat, as FCC nominations have historically been done. Neither was Republican FCC Commissioner **Olivia Trusty**’s, leading some Senate Commerce Democrats to oppose her nomination at the time. Trump has fired Democratic appointees at other federal agencies, but so far has not tried to remove Democratic FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez**. The agency needs three members to vote on new rules and proposals, which Gomez has speculated could be a reason for keeping her on. In a recent Harvard Business Review paper, former FCC Chief of Staff **Blair Levin** said [it was likely](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/communications-act-could-give-fcc-commissioners-firmer-legal-footing-than-slaughter/) Trump would nominate a third Republican before firing Gomez, if he were going to do so. That would avoid the disruption that would come from lacking three members. But he cautioned that that path also faced “legal and political challenges,” and could potentially be fought in court. Carr also already has a 2-1 majority that allows him to enact his agenda unencumbered. On Thursday, [telecom trade groups](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tower-fiber-trade-groups-back-thumann-severs-for-fcc/) including NATE and NCTA backed Thumann Severs’s nomination and urged the Senate to confirm her quickly. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose members are all Democrats, urged the chamber to hold off without a Democratic nominee. ### West Virginia Gov. Morrisey Salutes Armstrong for Fiber Builds Connecting 5,000 Unserved ‘Country Roads’ Locations URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/west-virginia-gov-morrisey-salutes-armstrong-for-fiber-builds-connecting-5-000-unserved-country-roads-locations/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T15:20:47.000Z 💡 ■ FCC Nominee Thumann Severs to Testify before Senate on Sept. 17 ■ Virginia Regulators Fighting Verizon over Copper POTS Shutdown ■ Tax Group Wants to Shield Big Tech from Paying USF Fees ■ 360 Broadband CEO Placed on Administration Leave over Outdoor Fight ■ Senate Panel to Consider Cruz’s JAWBONE Act on Sept. 16 ■ New Mexico to Spend $6 Million to Expand Wi-Fi at Parks, Housing Complexes ■ Connecticut Regulators Warning Optimum about **News 12* Layoffs ■ California Gov. Newsom Signs AI Verification and Auditing Bills ■ Hawaiian Telcom Expands Business Fiber Offers Fiber: West Virginia Gov. **Patrick Morrisey** (R) announced a $100 million public‑private investment to expand high‑speed fiber broadband across rural areas, adding service for more than 5,000 unserved locations and improving connectivity for 10,000 homes and businesses. Joined by Sen. **Shelley Moore Capito** (R-W.Va.), FCC Commissioner **Olivia Trusty** and Armstrong President **Jeff Ross** in Hamlin, Morrisey said on Sept. 10 reliable broadband is “essential to creating jobs” and supporting healthcare and education. Armstrong is deploying more than 500 miles of fiber infrastructure through more than $100 million in public and private investment. “I want to applaud what Armstrong is doing. That’s a good example of how we can create these public-private partnerships, and I know that they’re working really hard to get the fiber in the ground, the homes connected, \[and\] the businesses connected,” Morrisey said. “And that’s going to make sure that we have communities that have access to the opportunities they’ve never had before.” Armstrong’s work is supported by the federal BEAD program, West Virginia’s Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) Program, and the FCC’s Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model Program, with projects already underway across rural West Virginia. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MbTp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72715d5-0bd1-4901-a19d-1c28ba593f8a_1079x619.png) West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) speaking Sept. 10 in Hamlin, West Virginia _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### SpaceX Keeping Options Open for Direct-to-Device Plans URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-keeping-options-open-for-direct-to-device-plans/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:13.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2026 – SpaceX is keeping its options open for its mobile service ambitions, a senior company executive said Thursday. Chief Financial Officer **Bret Johnsen** said the company was planning to start launching its next-generation direct-to-device satellites next year and “have the capability to turn on service” by the first half of 2028. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “If we need to, we can stand up terrestrial solutions to put the terrestrial piece in place, or we could work with existing carriers,” he said. “We’re open to a lot of different ways to do it, but we’re marching down that path.” He spoke at the Goldman Sachs Communicopia + Technology Conference in San Francisco. On the satellite company’s earnings call last month, executives described [competing with](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-unlikely-to-buy-carrier-build-macro-network-analyst/) the terrestrial mobile carriers by placing tiny femtocells on mounts already used for SpaceX’s fixed broadband dishes. That was [widely panned](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/analysts-skeptical-of-spacex-mobile-plans/) by telecom analysts as unrealistic or insufficient to overcome the challenges of providing mobile service from space, but Johnsen said the company was serious about going to market with a “full 5G-quality service.” Johnsen said it seemed like a “missed opportunity” not to offer mobile service when the company was capable of making and launching large numbers of connectivity satellites into low-Earth orbit. He said a service with no dead zones and global roaming would be disruptive, especially if it cost “the same or slightly less” than existing plans. “I think that’s why the big three operators were a little concerned about us and wanted to create a cartel, maybe. I don’t know what the term is,” he said. “But I’m not a lawyer, and I’ll let them figure that out.” In May, the big three carriers did announce plans for a joint venture that would pool their spectrum assets for satellite companies looking to lease it for direct-to-device. It was seen as a means both of showing a united front against any SpaceX attempts at securing a better deal with one carrier, and at making it easier for SpaceX competitors to start offering service. At the same conference Wednesday, AT&T CEO **John Stankey** described the planned joint venture as a means of addressing the most remote areas by adding a service that was cheap and easy to use. “By buying in bulk from more than one constellation, we can drive pricing down for the customer,” he said. ### *Carriers dismissive* During the Goldman conference and the Citi Global TMT Conference in New York this week, the CEOs and executives of each of the three carriers took pains to throw cold water on the idea of SpaceX being a direct competitor. They frequently cited the challenges in serving dense areas and maintaining signal strength that arise from satellites being so much farther away than cell towers. “Whether it be broadband to the home or direct-to-device, satellite is a complementary service and, even over the medium to long term, not a direct competitor,” Verizon CEO **Dan Schulman** said Wednesday. Outgoing T-Mobile CFO **Peter Osvaldik** said the femtocell strategy for direct-to-device was “not fathomable,” and was critical of the lack of clarity on how exactly SpaceX would pursue such a major endeavor. “Imagine if we as a management team, over the course of two months, changed our strategy for how we’re going to roll out a wireless network like a dozen times,” he said. “You would laugh us out of the room.” They also each reiterated they did not intend to offer SpaceX a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal to offer service on their infrastructure. ### Former FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter Joins NYU Law URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/former-ftc-commissioner-rebecca-slaughter-joins-nyu-law/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:13.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 10, 2026 – Former Federal Trade Commission Commissioner **Rebecca Kelly Slaughter** has joined New York University School of Law as a senior fellow at its Center for Law and Public Trust, following her high-profile legal fight with President **Donald Trump** over her removal from the agency. At NYU Law, Slaughter will work with the Center for Law and Public Trust, bringing her experience in competition, consumer protection and federal regulatory policy to the school. Her move comes as the Supreme Court’s decision continues to raise questions about the [independence of agencies](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fired-ftc-officials-warn-of-corruption-threat-to-independent-agencies/) whose leaders have historically been protected from direct presidential removal. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Slaughter served on the FTC ](https://nyunews.com/news/2026/09/08/rebecca-slaughter-federal-trade-commissioner-law-trump/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)from 2018 until Trump removed her in March 2025\. Trump said her continued service was inconsistent with his administration’s priorities, but he did not cite the statutory grounds of “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office” that had traditionally limited the president’s ability to remove FTC commissioners. [Slaughter, a Democrat, challenged the move in court and initially won](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/judge-rules-trump-unlawfully-fired-ftc-commissioner/) at the [district court level](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ftc-commissioner-removed-for-the-second-time/). The case, [*Trump v. Slaughter*,](https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-322%5Fnew%5F4gcj.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ultimately went to the Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 in June that the FTC’s statutory[ protections against presidential removal](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-future-of-independent-agencies-like-ftc-at-risk-before-supreme-court/) violated the separation of powers. The decision overturned the 1935 precedent [*Humphrey’s Executor v. United States*](https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/295/602/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which had allowed Congress to place limits on the president’s ability to remove FTC commissioners. The ruling marked a significant change in the balance between presidential authority and the independence of federal regulators. ### China Hits Back at US Claims of 'Malicious' AI Distillation Ahead of Planned Trump-Xi Talks URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/china-hits-back-at-us-claims-of-malicious-ai-distillation-ahead-of-planned-trump-xi-talks/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:13.000Z BANGKOK, Sept. 10, 2026 (AP) — China hit back Wednesday against U.S. claims that Chinese [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) developers are engaged in “aggressive, malicious” industrial-scale efforts to extract capabilities from frontier American AI systems. The FBI, National Security Agency and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a joint cybersecurity advisory Tuesday that said Chinese AI developers had extracted, or “distilled,” capabilities from some of the most advanced AI models in the U.S. like Anthropic’s Claude, OpenAI’s GPT, Google’s Gemini and SpaceXAI’s Grok “since at least late 2024.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The advisory named China's DeepSeek, Alibaba, Moonshot AI and Z.ai and said the activities were done “likely with Chinese government awareness.” In Beijing, the Commerce Ministry dismissed the U.S. claims as groundless. The U.S. was pursuing a “monopoly of the AI industry,” it said in a statement. “If the U.S. suppresses Chinese AI companies under the pretext of targeting distillation, China will take resolute countermeasures,” the ministry said. Distillation “is a common practice” used by many AI companies worldwide including those in the U.S., the ministry added. It said the U.S. accusations reflected its “anxiety and double standards.” China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the U.S. to “refrain from making unfounded accusations or smears” against China. It added that both China and the U.S. are major AI powers and should strengthen cooperation. “China’s AI development is the result of high-level technological self-reliance and strength,” ministry spokesperson **Mao Ning** said at a regular news conference. “We maintain that all parties should strengthen cooperation to promote AI development that is open, inclusive, universally beneficial and oriented toward the common good.” AI governance is expected to figure in [planned talks](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-wang-yi-trump-xi-meeting-735838b80c7d4169936f1ba47f889546?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) later this month between U.S. President **Donald Trump** and Chinese leader **Xi Jinping**. The U.S. advisory said Chinese AI companies “route distillation requests through multiple pathways to gain unauthorized access, consequently violating U.S. AI companies’ terms of use.” “China-based AI companies are engaging in aggressive, malicious, and targeted distillation activities at an industrial scale that extract restricted proprietary functions and capabilities of U.S. frontier AI models,” it said. The agencies also accused Chinese AI companies of achieving cost savings for their distillation campaigns “through bulk procurement of the U.S. AI companies’ premium subscriptions shared across teams of developers.” Chinese AI models like Moonshot’s powerful Kimi K3 have been [making inroads in the U.S.](https://apnews.com/article/china-ai-model-us-kimi-deepseek-a00bf637866fcd4d81f4fde28c9862ce?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), among other places. They are seen by some as more efficient and affordable alternatives to American frontier models, even as U.S.-led restrictions have barred China from access to some of the world's most advanced technologies. Tuesday's U.S. joint advisory contains more details than [earlier U.S. accusations](https://apnews.com/article/ai-china-us-model-distillation-kratsios-a5c40346394ef5fa9ae710c5aabdc62c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) against Chinese AI developers. Anthropic and OpenAI also have made similar accusations. Also on Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary **Scott Bessent** told an event at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business in Dallas that China can “never get ahead” of the U.S. in AI. “The Chinese distill our models and they can never get ahead of us,” Bessent said. DeepSeek, Alibaba, Moonshot AI and Z.ai did not immediately respond to a request for comment. *This article was written by Chan Ho-Him of the Associated Press.* ### Wireless Data Use Up 20 Percent Last Year, CTIA Finds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wireless-data-use-up-20-percent-last-year-ctia-finds/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:13.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2026 – Wireless data use increased 20 percent year-over-year in 2025, according to a new survey from mobile industry group CTIA. That’s compared to a 32 percent increase in 2024 and 35 percent increase in 2023\. In total, Americans used 159.3 trillion megabytes of wireless data in 2025. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Despite the slowdown in growth, CTIA said [in its report](https://www.ctia.org/news/2026-annual-survey-highlights?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it expected data demand to quadruple by 2032, partially driven by AI, which the group projected to consume a third of broadband traffic by 2034. The group wrote that the projected demand required more spectrum auctions to give the industry more capacity. “Supporting the network traffic AI will demand requires a steady pipeline of licensed, mid-band spectrum and continued infrastructure investment,” CTIA wrote. The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have been receptive to the industry’s desire for additional spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission is set to auction 160 megahertz of upper C-band spectrum next year, and is planning three additional auctions in 2028, including in the 2.7 GigaHertz (GHz) band. Those are the result of [budget legislation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/jonathan-williams-super-sizing-benefits-of-the-big-beautiful-bill/) passed last summer that tasked the FCC with auctioning 800 megahertz, including 500 megahertz of federal spectrum like 2.7 GHz. Other bands [being reviewed](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-clears-remaining-4-4-gigahertz-study-plans/) by the Commerce Department include the 4.4 GHz and lower 7 GHz bands. Pro spectrum sharing group WifiForward [noted on X](https://x.com/WifiForward/status/2098057859699241234?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Thursday that a large amount of wireless traffic is offloaded via unlicensed Wi-Fi. The CTIA report also found that carriers spent $30 billion expanding or upgrading their networks in 2025, on par with the previous two years. The group found wireless service prices fell 4.1 percent from 2024-2025, and price per gigabyte of data used fell 21 percent. ### *Fixed wireless* CTIA’s report also found that [fixed wireless](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fixed-wireless-faster-in-urban-areas-ookla/) net additions in 2025 totaled 3.9 million, more than double the subscriber losses from cable ISPs during the same period. “For the fourth consecutive year, virtually all net growth in the home broadband market came from fixed wireless offerings,” the group wrote. That lines up with what New Street Research has found. [In a report](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-unlikely-to-grow-subscribers-this-decade-new-street/) late last year, the group said it expected fixed wireless to account for effectively all industry growth in 2026 as well. New Street analysts led by **David Barden** wrote then that fixed wireless growth should start to slow in 2027 and wireline growth, driven by fiber, would begin to recover. After the upper C-band auction next year, New Street estimated the three carriers would have excess capacity to handle about 36 million fixed wireless subscribers. CTIA’s report said that about 16 million households currently subscribe to fixed wireless. That’s about what the carriers had reported at the end of last year, before T-Mobile stopped reporting subscriber numbers. ### Chicago Mayor Extends Free Internet Program for Chicago Public School Students URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chicago-mayor-extends-free-internet-program-for-chicago-public-school-students/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:14.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2026 – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, D, and Chicago Public Schools [announced](https://wgntv.com/news/politics/maroy-brandon-johnson-chicago-connected-internet-extension-reelection-speculation/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a one-year extension of Chicago Connected, preserving free high-speed internet service for thousands of eligible CPS students through the 2026-27 school year. The program, [launched in 2020](https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/press%5Froom/press%5Freleases/2026/september/chicago-connected-extension.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) during the COVID-19 pandemic, provides no-cost broadband access to students whose families face financial barriers to home internet. City officials said the extension is intended to ensure students can complete homework, participate in online learning, and access digital educational resources regardless of household income. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) For Chicago Public Schools families, the renewed funding means eligible students will continue receiving reliable home internet throughout the upcoming academic year, allowing the program to bridge connectivity gaps well beyond its pandemic-era origins. The city said 28,000 students are expected to benefit from the program during the 2026-27 school year. Johnson unveiled the extension during a visit to Back of the Yards College Prep, where he emphasized digital access as an educational necessity rather than a luxury. The announcement comes as speculation continues to grow over whether the first-term mayor will seek reelection in 2027, though Johnson did not address his political plans during the event. Chicago Connected has become one of the nation's longest-running municipal broadband adoption initiatives. Unlike infrastructure-focused broadband projects, the program centers on affordability by subsidizing internet service for qualifying families after networks have already been built. The program has had its greatest impact on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Nearly all of the 20 community areas that recorded the largest declines in household digital disconnection rates since the initiative began are located in those historically underserved neighborhoods. An [evaluation](https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/press%5Froom/press%5Freleases/2026/september/chicago-connected-extension.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of Chicago Connected’s first year also found the program primarily reached students facing significant economic and educational barriers. Among participating families, 93 percent were designated economically disadvantaged, 29 percent included English language learners, 20 percent had diverse learners, and 13 percent were living in temporary housing. ### Anthropic Researcher Resigns With Warning About the Dangers of AI Development URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/anthropic-researcher-resigns-with-warning-about-the-dangers-of-ai-development/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:17.000Z Sept. 10, 2026 (AP) – An Anthropic researcher said he is resigning from the company over concerns the artificial intelligence firm and its competitors are not acting responsibly in AI development, echoing concerns raised inside and outside of the industry about the technology's potential to [elude human control](https://apnews.com/article/openai-hugging-face-hacking-ai-model-708cb598bc1e33cef560e7196adb2afa?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). **Jacob Coxon**, who said he spent three years doing research at both Anthropic and OpenAI, said Tuesday on the social platform X that the two AI companies are more focused on beating each other and global competitors in developing the most advanced model possible than they are on safety. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) OpenAI and Anthropic caused a stir this summer when they announced, about a week apart, that their models had [broken out of testing environments](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-models-hack-cybersecurity-b0a2c284b981de79c55e2a33712f4bec?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and obtained unauthorized access to real computer systems. The announcements prompted concerns about models going rogue and carrying out other, more harmful tasks. Both companies said at the time they were pausing some evaluations while they put more monitoring measures and guardrails in place. The technology's rapid development has led some in the U.S. as well as global leaders to call for a more cautious approach. U.N. human rights chief **Volker Türk** urged countries this week to put “cast-iron guarantees in place around the safety and security of AI before it is too late.” In his social media posts, Coxon said Anthropic and its chief rival OpenAI “are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” He warned that some working on AI development believe it could [threaten human life](https://apnews.com/article/openai-musk-altman-trial-agi-4f8810743d6ef9a72f91f8721a3f4027?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by the end of the decade. “Do not underestimate the power of this technology,” he continued. “These will soon be superhuman systems that can hack anything, revolutionize any field overnight, and acquire real power and resources. We have all witnessed the progress in each of these domains, and progress is not slowing.” His posts reached more than 100 million people overnight. Coxon is not the first AI insider to publicly raise such concerns. Both Anthropic and OpenAI have seen high-profile resignations in recent years that were tied to safety concerns. Two current Anthropic employees also responded to Coxon’s post in agreement. Sen. [**Bernie Sanders**](https://www.google.com/goto?url=CAESlgEB6zswFYyhqR1J1YhRSpJtNb4Un-C0Vy5Gp0xKVmRrgvRHqOIgpB89GYorGTjJWPeOc2TA3SrATNVNSejRWzp%5FcpjlgnrqcmVEGbDWEHxcjr2w8AbWX2%5FIGfjBDC0LCjYt5cWGXXfrwcA1MX2zINDwUWfAkq13Q0QrAImm%5F12YXcUCFre%5FpuzwHyCc9gDgAaEwAOUo9wk&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a Vermont independent who has called for AI safeguards and regulation, agreed with Coxon’s concerns and said he would soon introduce legislation to pause AI development and ban [superintelligence](https://apnews.com/article/agi-artificial-general-intelligence-existential-risk-meta-openai-deepmind-science-ff5662a056d3cf3c5889a73e929e5a34?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “The very people building this technology admit that it could threaten the future of humanity,” Sanders said Wednesday on social media. AI companies themselves have at times highlighted the technology's threat to humanity, which skeptics have seen as part of a push to make their products seem all-powerful. Coxon said the fears he outlined in his post are not a “marketing stunt.” Coxon did not respond to messages seeking comment. Anthropic and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Anthropic has long pitched itself as the more responsible and safety-minded of the leading AI companies, ever since its [founders quit OpenAI to form the startup in 2021](https://apnews.com/article/openai-anthropic-chatgpt-claude-rivalry-c19e0cca22c37190cc4e0dc08e889ef0?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The company recently said it was taking action to “prioritize safety over speed when the two are in tension.” Anthropic and OpenAI are each ramping up for [buzzy initial public offerings](https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-ipo-openai-spacex-anthropic-2694431c5cf8850cad940731a38eb188?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and locked in steep competition with each other. They're also each on a mission to [outpace the development progress of Chinese AI companies](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-executive-order-ee318f35acc8a2c43e47f3ebf26cb459?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a race the Trump administration has been keen on winning. *This article was written by Kaitlyn Huamani of the Associated Press.* ### Tower, Fiber Trade Groups Back Thumann Severs for FCC URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tower-fiber-trade-groups-back-thumann-severs-for-fcc/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:17.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2026 – Several broadband and telecom trade groups want the Senate to quickly confirm President **Donald Trump**’s pick for a new Republican Federal Communications Commissioner. Meanwhile Democratic lawmakers in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus urged top Senate Republicans not to advance the nominee, **Danielle Thumann Severs**, unless she were paired with a Democratic nominee as presidents have historically done. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Thumann Severs was [nominated last month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/white-house-nominates-danielle-thumann-for-fcc-spot/). She’s currently a senior counsel in FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**’s office and spent two years as a legal advisor to him when he served as a commissioner. She left in July 2023 to work as a senior attorney at Crown Castle before rejoining Carr’s office in August 2024. “Few nominees bring both a command of the Commission's institutional record and firsthand knowledge of what it takes to permit, build, and maintain a network,” the groups wrote in [a Thursday letter](https://natehome.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Coalition-Danielle-Thumann-Severs-FCC-Nomination-Letter-of-Support-FINAL-9.9.26.pdf?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=NATE%20Leads%2012-Organization%20Coalition%20Urging%20Senate%20Commerce%20Committee%20to%20Advance%20FCC%20Nomination%20of%20Danielle%20Thumann%20Severs&utm%5Fcontent=NATE%20Leads%2012-Organization%20Coalition%20Urging%20Senate%20Commerce%20Committee%20to%20Advance%20FCC%20Nomination%20of%20Danielle%20Thumann%20Severs+Preview+CID%5Fd7e5972d2384c0247a0fc132931ad5ad&utm%5Fsource=Email%20marketing%20software&utm%5Fterm=HERE) to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman **Ted Cruz**, R-Texas, and Senate Majority Leader **John Thune**, R-S.D. The letter was led by NATE, which represents telecom contractors, and joined by NCTA, INCOMPAS, NTCA, FBA, WIA, and ACA Connects, among others. Major broadband groups USTelecom and CTIA did not join the letter. CTIA issued a statement supporting Thumann Severs when she was nominated. Cruz’s committee has yet to set a confirmation hearing for Thumann Severs. She would have to clear Senate Commerce before being voted on by the full Senate. She needs just a simple majority to be confirmed. The trade groups said Thumann Severs had “worked directly with tower and fiber builders — many of the small, family owned firms —” on permitting and siting policies. They also said she had substantial experience with the FCC’s universal service policies and worked directly on recent rule updates making it easier to retire copper infrastructure. ### *No Democratic pairing* If confirmed, Thumann Severs would give Republicans a 3-1 majority at the FCC. The FCC by law can't have more than three members from the president’s party. Thumann’s nomination was not paired with a candidate for the open Democratic seat, as presidents prior to Trump have typically done. Rep. **Adriano Espaillat**, D-N.Y., chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, urged Cruz and Thune not to advance Thumann Severs unless she were paired with a Democrat. That could include renominating FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez** to another term, he wrote in [a Tuesday letter](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/09/2026-09-08-CHC-Letter-RE.-FCC-Nominations.pdf) with former chair **Nanette Barragán**, D-Calif. Gomez's term officially ended June 30, but she can remain in her seat unless she is replaced or until the next session of Congress ends. That would be in January 2028. “The bipartisan pairing of FCC nominations has long reflected Congress’s intent that the Commission maintain meaningful representation from both parties. We urge you to uphold that principle now,” Espaillat and Barragán wrote. “Any new Republican nomination should be accompanied by the renomination of Commissioner Gomez, ensuring that the Commission retains bipartisan representation and that its consequential decisions are subject to meaningful debate and consideration from more than one political perspective.” Sen. **Maria Cantwell**, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, opposed FCC Commissioner **Olivia Trusty**’s nomination last year, citing a similar lack of Democratic appointees despite an open seat. In a recent Harvard Business Review paper, former FCC Chief of Staff **Blair Levin** said [it was likely](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/communications-act-could-give-fcc-commissioners-firmer-legal-footing-than-slaughter/) Trump would nominate a third Republican before firing Gomez, if he were going to fire her as he has done to other Democratic appointees. That would avoid the disruption that would come from lacking the three members necessary to vote on new rules and proposals. But he cautioned that that path also faced "legal and political challenges," and could be fought in court. Carr also already has a 2-1 majority that allows him to enact his agenda unencumbered. ### Clearwave, Visionary Broadband to Combine, Forming 17-State Fiber Platform URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/clearwave-visionary-broadband-to-combine-forming-17-state-fiber-platform/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:18.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2026 – Clearwave and Visionary Broadband have signed a definitive agreement to combine, creating a fiber platform [spanning 17 states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/grain-management-to-combine-ritter-great-plains-into-20-state-fiber-platform/) and reaching approximately 700,000 homes and businesses. The combined company will bring together [Clearwave’s operations across the Southeast and Midwest](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/09/08/3358045/0/en/clearwave-and-visionary-broadband-sign-agreement-to-combine-expanding-fiber-platform-to-17-states.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with Visionary’s network in Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Washington. The companies said the transaction would give them greater scale to accelerate fiber construction and expand their reach into additional communities. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Clearwave, operating](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-to-combine-fiber-jv-with-point-broadband-acquire-vyve/) under the Clearwave Fiber and Point Broadband brands, is focused on expansion of its residential and business fiber service, including in underserved markets. Visionary, founded in 1994, provides fiber and fixed wireless service in the western United States and has built networks in rural communities and difficult terrain. **David Armistead**, Clearwave's chief executive, will lead the combined company. Visionary CEO **Brian Worthen** will [focus on growth in the West ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tds-telecom-to-acquire-granite-state-communications/)and other company growth initiatives. “Scale only matters if it makes us better for the people we serve,” Armistead said in announcing the agreement. He said the companies share an approach centered on building and operating networks while maintaining customer service. Worthen said the combination would provide Visionary with additional scale to speed fiber construction. Visionary was among the first broadband providers to bring fiber to a dozen rural Wyoming communities, according to the companies. The deal is backed by Clearwave's longtime investors GTCR and Berkshire Partners, which the companies said will continue supporting the combined platform's growth. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The combination comes as independent fiber providers seek greater scale to finance network construction and compete across a [broadband market increasingly shaped by consolidation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/zayo-completes-crown-castle-fiber-acquisition/). For Clearwave and Visionary, the agreement would create a platform with operations stretching from the Southeast and Midwest to the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest. The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals. ### Nate Karren: BEAD Saving Can Be Lifesaving… If We Let It URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nate-karren-bead-saving-can-be-lifesaving-if-we-let-it/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T17:13:22.000Z Today’s emergency networks are dangerously insufficient. According to the National Emergency Number Association, [88](https://www.nena.org/news/704280/Third-Annual-Pulse-of-9-1-1-Report-Now-Available.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) percent of emergency communications centers (ECCs) experienced outages between 2024 and 2025. The problem is that legacy 9-1-1 systems are becoming less reliable every year. Old analog systems, still in use today, were built for a time when calls were made with landlines and managed by selective routers. Unlike modern internet communication systems, redundant call pathways were not built in, meaning an entire ECC could go down from a single point of [failure](https://nga911.com/blogs/post/why-ng911-systems-are-next-big-cyber-frontline-and-why-s-good-thing-public-safety?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) They also struggle to manage cell phone callers and frequently [misroute](https://www.route-fifty.com/public-safety/2026/03/tech-issues-continue-haunt-911-systems/412394/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) them to ECCs far away from the emergency—a huge issue when [80](https://www.nena.org/page/911statistics?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#:~:text=An%20estimated%20240%20million%20calls%20are%20made%20to%209%2D1%2D1%20in%20the%20U.S.%20each%20year.%20In%20many%20areas%2C%2080%25%20or%20more%20are%20from%20wireless%20devices.) percent of emergency calls originate from mobile devices. When emergency communications break down, consumers are at risk. Washington can right that wrong today without asking Congress for a single dollar. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is already working with a historic $42 billion budget under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program to expand broadband access across the country. Under the NTIA’s stewardship, a late-stage rule change eliminated bias towards fiber optics and promoted competitive bidding between technologies capable of delivering target speeds. The result: greater cost-efficiency and 21 billion dollars leftover. The means are there, and the NTIA should let states use their BEAD leftovers to upgrade their emergency networks. Give states the choice to turn money-saving into lifesaving. Upgrades can save lives. Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911), internet-based emergency communications systems, can address the network fragility and cell phone mismanagement that plague legacy 9-1-1 systems. Not only can modern routing technology better manage mobile calls, but managing emergency systems over the internet allows for far more data, including text messages, pictures, video, and even location data. All this extra information that NG911 facilitates could make the difference between life and death for someone in crisis. As for ECC outages caused by single points of infrastructure failure, internet networks are built for redundancy. If a line were damaged, for example, smart rerouting could simply deliver the call to the proper ECC by another route. Safer, more capable networks are the answer to persistent technology failures. States already know this. NG911 has been a goal for years, and many states have plans in place, but only a [handful](https://www.nasna911.org/ng911-status?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) have achieved a full transition. [Research](https://resources.missioncriticalpartners.com/news/how-is-ng911-progressing?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) finds that many states lack the resources to tackle the high infrastructure costs. BEAD leftovers provide an opportunity to help. The transition to broadband-powered networks places NG911 firmly in the NTIA’s lap. BEAD’s core [mission](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title47/chapter16&edition=prelim&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#:~:text=Not%20later%20than,the%20digital%20divide.) is to close the opportunity gap between online and offline Americans, the so-called digital divide. With all final proposals approved in August, states are already using BEAD money to extend broadband networks to the most remote communities in the country. An NG911 transition would let that new infrastructure connect consumers. The big reason states did not put BEAD funds towards NG911 in the first place is that original rules did not allow for it. The 2021 NTIA [listed](https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/BEAD%20NOFO.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) 8 specific eligible uses, and NG911 was not one of them. Later, a 2025 rule change ensured that all other proposed ideas were left to wait until the specifically authorized uses were finished. But nothing in Congress’s written law precluded NG911—disallowing it from BEAD was purely an administrative decision. The NTIA can make that right today. When it placed a [hold](https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2025-06/bead-restructuring-policy-notice.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last year on all previously approved projects that did not explicitly have to do with building new broadband infrastructure, it promised future guidance regarding those paused projects. On September 3rd, it issued some new guidance, approving a second round of deployment funding to catch any locations that fell through the cracks. This guidance did not account for all the leftovers, though, and still leaves states’ questions about other proposed projects like NG911 unanswered. Instead, the recent notice once again defers to undefined future guidance. Over a year later, states still await guidance on how they can spend the lion's share of their leftovers, and the NTIA likely [won’t](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/more-non-deployment-guidance-not-coming-soon-ntia-says/) issue its guidance any day soon. There is little apparent reason for hesitation—emergency network upgrades check all the NTIA’s preferred boxes. Assistant Secretary **Arielle Roth** made clear what the NTIA [prefers](https://www.ntia.gov/speech/testimony/2025/remarks-assistant-secretary-arielle-roth-hudson-institute?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com): BEAD funds should be spent on one-time projects with clear, measurable value for consumers. NG911 offers exactly that and is a popular ask. Commentators [requested](https://www.benton.org/blog/stakeholders-talk-ntia-listens-how-best-deploy-bead-nondeployment-funds?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#:~:text=Public%20Safety%20and%20Emergency%20Communications) it during an NTIA forum, Congress members [support](https://www.benton.org/headlines/ntia-administrator-arielle-roth-provides-congress-update-bead?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#:~:text=In%20his%20opening,the%20Infrastructure%20Law.) it, and even NTIA Assistant Secretary Arielle Roth has [expressed](https://www.ntia.gov/speech/testimony/2026/written-statement-arielle-roth-house-committee-energy-commerce-subcommittee-communications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#:~:text=Enhancing%20Public%20Safety%20Communications%C2%A0) a desire for public safety communications upgrades generally, even if she has not explicitly endorsed using leftover BEAD funding for that purpose. The NTIA would do right to approve BEAD funds for NG911 use. Antiquated emergency call center technology is failing Americans every day. The NTIA freed up enough cash in the BEAD budget to solve the problem and has the authority to do so. Not every state will use its leftovers for NG911—not every state needs the help. But putting the option on the table gives states the chance to turn saved money into lifesaving upgrades. ***Nate Karren is a policy analyst with the American Consumer Institute, a nonprofit education and research organization. For more information about the Institute, follow us on X*** [***@ConsumerPal***](https://x.com/consumerpal?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### AT&T Likely the ‘Fifth-Largest Copper Mine in the U.S.,’ CEO Stankey Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-likely-the-fifth-largest-copper-mine-in-the-u-s-ceo-stankey-says/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T15:19:36.000Z 💡 ■ Comcast Expects Soft Q3 on Broadband Subs Compared to 2025 ■ Charter Has No Regrets Spending Billions on Stock Buybacks, CEO Says ■ ACLP: New BEAD Funding Round Could Cost NTIA $9 Billion ■ CTIA Survey: Wireless Data Consumption Surged in 2025, Thanks to AI ■ Free State: Penn State Professor Wrong on Capping Retail Broadband Rates ■ Visionary Broadband Acquired by Clearwave Fiber and Point Broadband ■ Albuquerque Divided over How to Police Rogue Fiber Crews ■ FTC Democrat Slaughter Lands at NYU Law School ■ Socket Fiber Agrees to Acquire ISP Bays‑ET in Missouri ■ ImOn Fiber Network Goes Live in Duluth, Minn., Superior, Wis. ■ WOW’s ‘Online Profile Sync’ Spreads Business Updates Across Search Platforms ■ OpenVault: Smart‑Home Security Putting Stress on Upstream Path Copper: **John Stankey** is starting to sound as if he’s the top executive at Freeport-McMoRan, Rio Tinto, or Grupo México. The AT&T CEO told a Goldman Sachs conference in San Francisco on Sept. 9 about the company’s effort to become an all-fiber network owner with a hugely valuable wireless network to boot. “We need to get rid of all the leases that are associated with those offices that we don’t need anymore. And oh, by the way, there’s a bunch of copper out there. It probably makes AT&T the fifth-largest copper mine in the United States right now. Seriously,” Stankey said. And AT&T plans to extract that copper and make money off it. Copper prices are up about 21% year to date, reaching record levels, [according to a report](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/article/copper-just-soared-to-new-records--and-could-still-have-more-left-in-the-tank-chart-of-the-day-171432521.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by Yahoo Finance. “That copper needs to come out, it needs to be monetized. And that monetization allows us to pay for the work, to shut down all that infrastructure, rip out the main frames, and do all the things we need to do, to wind up leading this decade as a fantastic metropolitan fiber company with a kick ass wireless network,” Stankey said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZngK!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7757bf79-0c18-4371-8f17-149b2f624a48_903x552.png) AT&T CEO ****John Stankey** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### About 1 Million BEAD-Eligible Locations Remain, Researchers Say URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about-1-million-bead-eligible-locations-remain-researchers-say/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2026 – There are likely about 1 million eligible locations remaining as the Commerce Department plans another round of its broadband expansion program, according to a new analysis of broadband coverage data. But it’s not clear the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is still targeting all the locations that would be eligible under the program’s normal rules. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Last week NTIA announced a [new funding round](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fba-benton-pleased-by-new-bead-round-electric-co-ops-want-course-correction/) under its $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The program’s main bidding finished last year, and NTIA has approved states to collectively spend $18.2 billion deploying broadband to about 3.79 million locations. The new round [was intended](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-remaining-bead-funds-to-be-used-on-new-bidding-round/) to identify and secure coverage for homes and businesses that were set to receive service through other grant programs before a provider defaulted, or that were misclassified by previous federal broadband maps. From refining maps to getting new grants approved, NTIA's notice said the process could take more than nine months in total. Based on the most recent public broadband coverage data, and states’ NTIA-approved BEAD spending plans, there are likely about 1,041,099 BEAD-eligible locations remaining nationwide, [according to researchers](https://broadbandexpanded.com/posts/anotherbeadround?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from New York Law School’s Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute. That estimate includes both unserved locations, those lacking broadband speeds beyond 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload, and underserved locations, those with access to speeds faster than 25 \* 3 Mbps but slower than 100 \* 20 Mbps. Those were the same locations eligible for BEAD funding the first time around. ACLP found that If the new clean-up round targeted deployment at the same kinds of locations, NTIA could make available about $5.3 billion of BEAD’s remaining funding — still about $21 billion by NTIA estimates — to reach those locations. The agency said it would cap new funding based on the eligible locations in each state and territory and the average per-location cost of their approved BEAD plans. But internal NTIA estimates of newly eligible locations [obtained by](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/more-non-deployment-guidance-not-coming-soon-ntia-says/) Broadband Breakfast don’t match the unserved and underserved total. The agency put the total eligible location count at about 477,000, and the collective cost cap at about $2.37 billion. After reviewing NTIA’s tentative location counts, ACLP director **Michael Santorelli** said they matched the group's calculations for remaining unserved locations, excluding underserved. He said in an email that, based on NTIA’s lists, locations served by unlicensed fixed wireless would likely be ineligible for the clean-up round if their reported speed exceeded 25 \* 3 Mbps. Those locations were not previously ineligible by default. An NTIA spokesperson declined to comment. The agency’s eligible location lists were tentative and had not yet officially been sent to states, but the policy notice outlining the new bidding round only mentioned underserved locations once. Santorelli wasn’t happy about the prospect of limiting the clean-up round to unserved locations. “If the goal is to close the digital divide once and for all, then why stop at unserved, especially when broadband is now defined as 100/200 Mbps? Or does this mean there will be a third BEAD round to address underserved?,” he said in an email. “That we're still splitting hairs on what's served or unserved or underserved when there are billions of dollars available to bring broadband to every location is bordering on absurdity.” Under the 2021 Infrastructure Act, BEAD’s main bidding round had to be targeted at both unserved and underserved locations. But the clean-up round is being conducted under a separate provision of the law that gives NTIA more discretion, New Mexico broadband director **Jeff Lopez** said in an interview last week. ### *80 percent rule* Under BEAD rules, project areas had to be at least 80 percent un- or underserved. Since bidding finished last year, ACLP found many BEAD project areas now appeared to have more already served locations than was originally allowed. The group found that for projects aimed at underserved locations, 89 percent of BEAD projects now covered areas where more than 20 percent of the locations are already served. For projects targeting underserved locations, the figure was 69 percent. Regardless of the rule, that could make some projects less attractive, as the remaining un- and underserved locations with no competitor are even more remote and hard to reach. “This may result in project descoping or contract revisions to comply with the statute and could add to the time, costs, and complexity associated with wrangling the ever-changing BEAD map to pinpoint remaining unserved locations,” Santorelli and ACLP researcher **Alex Karras** wrote in the report. ### Comcast Expecting More Broadband Losses Than Last Year for Q3 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/comcast-expecting-more-broadband-losses-than-last-year-for-q3/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:21.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2026 – Comcast’s third quarter subscriber losses are likely going to be worse than last year, CFO **Jason Amrstrong** said Wednesday. He said that was in large part due to “irrational pricing” from fiber providers offering gigabit speeds for $30-$40 per month. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) In the third quarter of 2025, the cable giant lost 91,000 residential broadband subscribers. “For the full year, we’ll improve our broadband subscriber losses,” Armstrong said. “I think quarters are going to look different within that. This particular quarter, I don’t think we’ll improve year-over-year.” Comcast lost 654,000 residential broadband subs last year and has lost 232,000 so far in 2026. Armstrong spoke at the Goldman Sachs Communicopia + Technology Conference in San Francisco. KeyBanc analyst **Brandon Nispel** wrote in an investor note that if subscriber losses continued getting worse, Comcast would have to hold off on rate hikes or offer lower prices to stabilize them. Some cable investors have feared that situation spiralling into continually lower average revenue per user (ARPU) and dwindling subscribers (Comcast is still one of the largest ISPs in the country, with more than 28 million residential subscribers). Comcast’s stock was down 6 percent Wednesday afternoon. Armstrong said the company still expected to see a sequential improvement in broadband ARPU in the third quarter. He said fixed wireless was still taking share in the broadband market, and that new fiber builds were overlapping Comcast’s footprint faster than before, about 4 or 5 percent annually compared to 2 to 3 percent a couple of years ago. Still, he said the company was confident in its strategy of selling bundled fixed and mobile broadband to lower churn. He pointed out that Comcast’s converged accounts, as they’re called, had an average revenue of $85, which he said was about half the major wireless carriers. That gives the company room to raise those rates without customers jumping ship. The cable operator counts about 10.2 million wireless lines, and about 7 percent of its broadband subscribers also take mobile service, Armstrong said. Goldman analyst **Michael Ng** agreed the company would likely be able to sell mobile bundles to more of its broadband subscribers. ### *‘Cost transformation’* Armstrong said Comcast was working on an initiative to save billions in costs that could be reinvested in growing parts of the company. “It’s not a budget exercise,” he said. “It is: How do we rewrite the rules of how we do business on the connectivity and technology side?” He didn’t outline exactly what that would entail, but said the company would explain more on its third quarter earnings call, and likely sooner. Armstrong mentioned a desire to “eliminate layers to get to much faster decision-making.” Last year Comcast said it would layoff some corporate employees as it moved away from a regional division structure. He said some of the savings would be directed at wireless, but also added, “If you think about edge compute, the amount of data we have in our ecosystem, how do you go monetize that?” ### While Most Countries Put Telephones Inside the Post Office, America Tried That One Year URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/while-most-countries-put-telephones-inside-the-post-office-america-tried-that-one-year/ Last updated: 2026-09-09T20:07:46.000Z *This article summarizes several of the key points in* [*Lesson 3: In Other Countries, PTTs (Posts, Telegraph and Telephone)*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-2-differences-between-the-telephone-and-the-telegraph/)*, which is part of Broadband Breakfast's online course, "*[*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*." A new lesson will be released every Monday.* For most of the twentieth century, being on the telephone in Europe meant being a customer of the government. A single state agency, [the post, telegraph, and telephone ministry](https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty%5Fscholarship/3546/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), ran mail, telegraph, and phone service together across most of the continent. In the United States it meant being a customer of a private company the government regulated. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The split started with the telegraph, and both post offices had one first. The U.S. Post Office Department ran the first American telegraph line for two years and leased it away in 1847\. Britain's Post Office bought its telegraph companies out in 1870 and kept the network in public ownership for the next 114 years. ### *The Post Office owned the first American telegraph* The American half of that story begins with an appropriation. Congress paid [$30,000 in 1843](https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/Electronic-Technology/Telegraph/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the first American telegraph line, from Washington to Baltimore, which **Samuel Morse** [put into operation in May 1844](https://www.si.edu/object/what-hath-god-wrought-telegraph-message%3Anmah%5F713485?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). That line was transferred to the Post Office Department in 1845 and [opened to the public that April](https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/telegraph.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) under [**Cave Johnson**](https://millercenter.org/president/polk/essays/johnson-1845-postmaster-general?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the U.S. postmaster general. Johnson wanted the department to keep its ownership over the first telegraph line. He told Congress in 1846 that an instrument that powerful could not safely be left [in the hands of private individuals uncontrolled by law](https://www.mackinac.org/V1997-40?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Congress did not pay to extend the line, and in 1847 the department leased it to a private operator. Private firms built the rest of the country's wires, competed, and merged. By 1866 Western Union, the largest of the private operators, had bought the American Telegraph Company and the United States Telegraph Company, [its last two national competitors](https://eh.net/encyclopedia/history-of-the-u-s-telegraph-industry/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). One private company then controlled the country's wires, a decade before the telephone existed. ### *Britain bought Its telegraph, then its telephones* Britain's telegraph also started private, and then the state bought it. Under [the Telegraph Act of 1869](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/32-33/73/pdfs/ukpga%5F18690073%5Fen.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the General Post Office, Britain's state postal agency, [took over the country's inland telegraph on Feb. 5, 1870](https://www.bt.com/bt-plc/assets/documents/about-bt/our-history/bt-archives/information-sheets-and-timelines/bt-and-predecessors.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). A British court settled the telephone's legal status in one ruling. In 1880, in *Attorney-General v. Edison Telephone Company of London*, the Queen's Bench Division [held that a telephone counted as a "telegraph" under the 1869 Act](https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C343?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), so private firms could operate only under Post Office licenses. The Post Office bought the National Telephone Company's system [in 1912](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/politics-and-government/parliament-nationalizes-british-telephone-system?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the last large private carrier in the country. ### *Washington chose regulation, then tried ownership* The [1913 Kingsbury Commitment](https://www.fcc.gov/document/pai-remarks-100th-anniversary-kingsbury-commitment?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) made **AT&T**, then the dominant carrier of American long-distance calls, a regulated private monopoly the government supervised and never owned. Five years later the United States put its wires under its own Post Office anyway. On August 1, 1918, the United States took possession of every telephone and telegraph line in the country and placed them under **Albert Burleson**, the U.S. postmaster general. One year later, on August 1, 1919, after rates rose and the public turned against the arrangement, the government handed the wires back to their private owners. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) The takeover rested on [a joint resolution of July 16, 1918](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-40/pdf/STATUTE-40-Pg1807.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and President **Woodrow Wilson**'s [proclamation](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-1466-assuming-control-telegraph-and-telephone-systems?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) putting the systems under Burleson, who [had wanted the telephone inside the Post Office on the European model well before the war](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/cato-journal/1994/11/cj14n2-6.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The [1913 Kingsbury Commitment](https://www.fcc.gov/document/pai-remarks-100th-anniversary-kingsbury-commitment?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) made AT&T, the parent company of the Bell System, a regulated private monopoly the government supervised and never owned. The **Supreme Court** [upheld the takeover in 1919](https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep250/usrep250163/usrep250163.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). It also recorded the cost. During the year of federal control, the postmaster general [raised telephone rates and set new charges for installing and moving instruments](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USREPORTS-262/pdf/USREPORTS-262-276.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Long-distance rates rose [roughly 20 percent in January 1919](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract%5Fid=2033124&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Congress ended federal control by statute in July 1919, and ownership returned to the private carriers after twelve months. ### *The two systems converge, from 1984 to 1998* Both Britain and the United States saw their ownership structures transform in 1984\. Britain's 114 years of public ownership ended that November, when the government sold [50.2 percent](https://www.bt.com/bt-plc/assets/documents/about-bt/our-history/bt-archives/information-sheets-and-timelines/privatisation.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of **British Telecom**. In the United States that January, [the divestiture of AT&T's local operating companies took effect](https://www.fjc.gov/history/spotlight-judicial-history/breakup-ma-bell?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), breaking up a monopoly that had always been privately owned. Other governments moved their telephone networks into private ownership over the next thirteen years. Japan turned Nippon Telegraph and Telephone [from a state corporation into a joint-stock company on April 1, 1985](https://group.ntt/en/corporate/overview?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Germany took Deutsche Telekom public in November 1996 in [the largest initial public offering in the world to that point](https://www.goldmansachs.com/our-firm/history/moments/1996-deutsche-telekom-privatization?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). France sold a stake in France Telecom [in October 1997](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-09-fi-30219-story.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). On January 1, 1998, the European Union's [deadline for opening telecommunications markets fully to competition took effect](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/markets-in-telecommunications-services-and-information-competition-in-the-markets-in-telecommunications-terminal-equipment.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), with later deadlines for a handful of member states. ### Washington State Moving Along on BEAD Grants URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/washington-state-moving-along-on-bead-grants/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2026 – Washington State is moving forward with its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program grants, but its ISPs are seeing cost increases, the state’s broadband director said Wednesday. **Jordan Arnold**, director of Washington’s broadband office, said the state has signed final contracts with four of its 26 BEAD winners, and that one fixed wireless project was close to starting construction. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) She spoke on a Fiber Broadband Association webinar. The deadline for the remaining ISPs to sign their agreements and submit them to Arnold’s office is Oct. 8, she said. Most other states are also working on hammering out contracts with BEAD winners, with construction starting to get underway in a few states. Based on its federally approved spending plan, Washington is expecting to spend about $736 million of its $1.2 billion BEAD allocation to serve about 165,000 locations. Of those, fiber would serve 35 percent, fixed wireless 38 percent, and satellite 27 percent, although the Commerce Department is asking states to reduce satellite awards in light of new federal broadband coverage data. Arnold said she was pleased that no providers in Washington had refused their awards yet, as some winners have done in at least a dozen other states. She attributed that to the design of the state’s project areas — how eligible locations were grouped together for bidding purposes — and state matching funds for public entities that participated. ISPs have generally preferred smaller project areas that allow for more flexibility. Still, she said it made sense for providers to walk away if project costs didn' t make sense anymore. “There have been a lot of changes in this program, but also a lot of changes in the broader economy, that just mean BEAD projects maybe look different now than they did a year ago,” she said. “That’s nobody’s fault, and that’s just kind of how grant programs go.” She said there was a “heated debate” in the state about whether the Trump administration should allow waivers to use some remaining BEAD funds to shore up cost overruns. Some providers that didn’t win BEAD funding in the state feel like they didn’t win in part because they took into account future cost increases and didn’t submit very low bids, she said. On the other hand, providers that did win have insisted they had no way of knowing U.S.-made fiber and other necessary components would become so much more expensive. At least one other state, Minnesota, has asked NTIA for similar waivers to help keep projects afloat, according to Minnesota broadband director **Bree Maki.** Big tech companies are racing to build and connect data centers to support their AI products, and that’s created sky-high demand for fiber that rural ISPs with BEAD funding also need. Corning and other major U.S. manufacturers have insisted they have the capacity to meet the heightened demand. Arnold was appointed in January. She previously worked on broadband funding programs, including BEAD, as a policy advisor in the Biden administration. ### Archtop Fiber Names New CEO as Founder Moves to Executive Chairman URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/archtop-fiber-names-new-ceo-as-founder-moves-to-executive-chairman/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2026 – Archtop Fiber is changing its leadership structure as the fiber broadband provider continues to expand its network footprint in New York’s Hudson Valley. The company [announced Sept. 8](https://archtopfiber.com/blog/2026/09/08/archtop-fiber-announces-leadership-transition-to-support-continued-growth/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that founder and CEO **Jeff DeMond** has moved into the role of executive chairman of the board, while **Keith Taub**, who previously served as Archtop’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer, has become CEO. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The leadership transition took effect Sept. 4. Archtop said the change is intended to support the company’s continued growth and long-term strategy while maintaining continuity in its operations. DeMond will remain involved with the company as executive chairman where he will[ focus on growth initiatives](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fidium-breaking-ground-on-bead-work-signing-hyperscaler-deals/), and relationships with key stakeholders. Taub brings experience from both the financial and operational sides of the company to his new role. As CFO and COO, he has been involved in Archtop’s efforts to expand its fiber network and operations. The company has been expanding its fiber-to-the-home network [across the Hudson Valley](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/archtop-fiber-breaks-ground-on-project-seeking-to-connect-rural-n-y-county/), seeking to bring high-speed broadband to residents, businesses and communities in the region. The leadership change comes as Archtop continues to invest in expanding its network. In April 2025, the company announced that it had secured nearly $200 million in new capital to support its long-term expansion plans and enhance its broadband services. Archtop has also continued adding communities to its fiber footprint. In June, the company announced an expansion into Sand Lake, New York, bringing its fiber service to additional homes and businesses. The company said the transition is designed to[ build on that momentum](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/beyond-bead-fiber-industry-reflects-upon-use-cases-at-fiber-connect-2026/) rather than represent a change in its overall direction. “Keith has been an integral part of Archtop’s growth and success,” DeMond said in the announcement. “His leadership, operational expertise and deep understanding of our business make him the right person to lead Archtop into its next phase.” ### Nexstar Needs to Finish ATSC 3.0 Transition Before Leasing Spectrum to Starlink URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nexstar-needs-to-finish-atsc-3-0-transition-before-leasing-spectrum-to-starlink/ Last updated: 2026-09-09T14:54:11.000Z 💡 ■ Telecom Analyst Roslyn Layton: Starlink Won’t Become a Major Wireless Player ■ FCC’s Gomez, Once a Foe of Fake AI Political Ads, Says Carr’s Concerns about Fake Political Polls ‘All Political Theater’ ■ FCC to Open Satellite Spectrum, Cut NEPA Red Tape at Sept. 30 Meeting ■ Verizon Inks Major Fiber Purchase Agreement with Corning ■ AT&T’s Business Unit Signs ‘Strategic Agreement’ with Amazon Leo ■ Dell’Oro Group: North America Bucked the Global Decline in Q2 Broadband Equipment Revenue ■ Block Family to Shut **Toledo Blade* If It Can’t Find a Buyer Before 2027 ■ Founder Jeff DeMond Stepping Down as CEO of Archtop Fiber ■ Hearst Television promotes John Robertson to SVP for Strategy and Distribution ■ Paul Bunyan Communications Marks Lifeline Awareness Week with FCC ■ Anthony Bowling Joins Mediacom as SVP of Field Operations Strategy ■ People: Ben Finfrock Joins Sen. Maggie Hassan’s office as the New Hampshire Democrat’s new Press Secretary Elon: Nexstar is interested – but only after ATSC 3.0 arrives. Speaking at the Citi Global TMT Conference, Nexstar Media Group EVP and CFO **Lee Ann Gliha** said Sept. 8 any potential spectrum‑lease deal with **Elon Musk’s** Starlink must await Nexstar’s transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0\. That could take several years – perhaps too long for the ambitious Musk, who wants to take mobile subscribers from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon as soon as possible. Gliha said the company’s airwaves are “a scarce resource in terms of low band spectrum and powerful low band spectrum.” She added, “We’re looking at all of the different potential opportunities for this.” Edgebeam Wireless[, a joint venture](https://edgebeam.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) among Nexstar, E.W. Scripps, Sinclair, and Gray Media, would give a partner like Starlink access to 97% of the country, avoiding any possible Swiss cheese difficulties. “If you just have a market here or market there, it’s not going to really be that exciting or that useful,” she said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GQM2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffba02ebd-3326-4ac7-aec3-36867a0dd157_918x520.png) Nexstar Media Group EVP and CFO Lee Ann Gliha _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### China's Huawei Technologies Faces Racketeering Trial in New York URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chinas-huawei-technologies-faces-racketeering-trial-in-new-york/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:22.000Z NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2026 (AP) — [Huawei Technologies](https://apnews.com/article/argentina-china-united-states-washington-lamelas-visa-sanctions-huawei-trump-a56baec9df5b961a0e7c110fbf689766?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a leading Chinese tech company, faces a criminal racketeering trial in New York over charges that it stole technology, plotted to steal U.S. trade secrets and committed wire and bank fraud, among other crimes. Jury selection began Tuesday afternoon. Opening statements weren't expected to occur until Wednesday, at the earliest. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The indictment alleges that, besides stealing trade secrets, Huawei and some of its subsidiaries did business in North Korea despite U.S. sanctions there and installed surveillance equipment that helped Iran spy on protesters during 2009 anti-government demonstrations in Iran. Huawei’s lawyers have tried to get the broad criminal case dismissed, arguing in court filings that the U.S. allegations were too vague and impermissibly tried to extend American authority abroad. The company said in a statement that the narrative pushed by U.S. prosecutors is “demonstrably false.” “Long-term investment in innovation, backed by the utmost respect for intellectual property, has been the driving force behind Huawei’s business success,” the company said. Huawei is the world's biggest supplier of gear for wireless telecom networks but the company is banned from selling equipment to U.S. carriers over fears it poses a security risk. It has also been blacklisted by other Western allies like Canada and Britain. The company makes phones and other consumer electronics but has been cut off from other lines of business. More recently, it has expanded into chipmaking as the boom in artificial intelligence fuels demand for microprocessors. During President **Donald Trump's** first term in office, his administration raised national security concerns about Huawei and began lobbying Western allies against including the company's products in their next-generation high-speed wireless networks. The U.S. [announced the criminal charges](https://apnews.com/article/0615a77380094e23b1c519ab4afe4869?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in early 2019 and has since [expanded the allegations](https://apnews.com/article/afef0950754963939cb617cc4436ea1c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Chinese officials said the U.S. government has engaged in “economic bullying” and improperly used national security as a pretext for “oppressing Chinese companies.” U.S. prosecutors accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company known as Skycom to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. They also charged its chief financial officer, [**Meng Wanzhou**,](https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-canada-china-arrests-washington-2b6e0977ae93557ad1265869d57838ed?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with fraud, saying she misled HSBC bank about the company’s business dealings in Iran. Meng, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, was arrested in Canada in late 2018 on a U.S. extradition request but released in September 2021 in a [high-stakes prisoner swap](https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-new-york-courts-brooklyn-dc957e575f896375d14c08a456af14ea?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that freed two Canadians held by China and allowed her to return home. As part of the deal, the U.S. dropped its extradition request and said it would dismiss the fraud charges against Meng. The biggest maker of network gear, Huawei struggled to hold onto its market share under sanctions that have blocked its access to most U.S. processor chips and other technology. The limits led it to ramp up its own development of computer chips and other advanced technologies. *This article was written by Larry Neumeister of the Associated Press.* ### Joel Thayer: Getting One Big Beautiful Spectrum Pipeline by 2028 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/joel-thayer-getting-one-big-beautiful-spectrum-pipeline-by-2028/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T21:38:03.000Z **Nikola Tesla** [prophesied](https://www.organism.earth/library/document/colliers-interview-nikola-tesla?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 1926 that “\[w\]hen wireless is perfectly applied…\[w\]e shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance.” He went on to predict that we would be able to witness events around the world “just as though we were present.” A century later, wireless networks far exceed even Tesla’s imagination. Phones, tablets, smart appliances, connected medical devices, and countless other technologies all run on spectrum. And with the wider deployment of 6G, [artificial intelligence](http://cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/solutions/collateral/artificial-intelligence/mass-scale-infrastructure/ai-network-traffic-report.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and robotics, we are on the cusp of another wireless revolution that might make even Tesla’s head spin. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The good news is that Congress has positioned the United States for a series of major spectrum wins. The Working Families Tax Cut Act restored the Federal Communications Commission’s auction authority and established an ambitious spectrum pipeline, including federal spectrum that could be repurposed for commercial use. But there are two hitches. The first is timing. Federal law requires the FCC to “notify” the National Telecommunications and Information Administration at least 18 months before the commencement of an auction of eligible federal frequencies. That means the clock is already ticking. Even if the FCC provides notice this summer, the first federal-spectrum auction could not begin until spring 2028. The second hitch is that much of the spectrum that could be auctioned in 2028 is still being studied. NTIA and federal agencies are doing the technical work needed to determine whether several promising bands can be cleared or shared and, if so, under what conditions. The Spectrum Relocation Fund can pay for that research and development—but only while the spectrum is “not identified for auction.” Put those provisions together and an apparent dilemma emerges. Wait until the studies are finished before notifying NTIA, and the 18-month notice requirement could push an auction beyond 2028\. Identify the bands for auction too soon, and the agencies conducting those studies could lose access to the R&D funding they need to finish the job. Frankly, Congress provided the solution in the words it chose. One law speaks of “notifying” NTIA. The other speaks of spectrum being “identified” for auction. Those are different words. And courts ordinarily presume that when Congress uses different terms in closely related provisions, the difference is intentional. The FCC therefore can notify NTIA that a band may be auctioned without necessarily identifying that band (or identifying a portion of that band) for auction. There is precedent for doing exactly that. In 2013, FCC Chairman **Julius Genachowski** notified NTIA via [letter](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-319708A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the Commission planned to auction multiple federal bands, including 1755–1780 MHz, even though work on that band was still underway. As the FCC explained at the time, including the band in the notice would “preserve the possibility of auctioning it.” That same approach makes sense today. Four bands are strong contenders for potential auction in 2028\. NTIA has already identified a portion of 1675–1695 MHz for repurposing. NTIA and federal agencies are still studying spectrum at 2700–2900 MHz, 4400–4940 MHz, and 7125–7400 MHz. They need to determine what spectrum can be cleared, what can be shared, what systems might need to be modernized, and what protections federal operations may require. The Commission can “notify” NTIA about all of these bands without treating them as “identified” for auction—that would be reserved for the one slice (1675-1680 MHz) that NTIA itself says is ready to go. Doing so would start the 18-month clock and preserve the possibility of 2028 auctions while allowing federal agencies to continue receiving R&D funding and completing the studies needed to determine whether—and how—the spectrum should ultimately be repurposed. That is not a loophole. It is how the statutory scheme fits together. Spectrum has long been a great equalizer for American families. It connects rural patients to distant doctors. It allows people to work remotely. It lets students stream lectures from anywhere. And as wireless networks support more AI, robotics, connected devices, and other emerging technologies, demand for spectrum will only grow. The FCC has already taken an important step by moving to clear 160 MHz of upper C-band spectrum. Paired with the 280 MHz cleared in the lower C-band, that would create a substantial contiguous block of mid-band spectrum for commercial use. But more will be needed to meet Congress’s spectrum goals and the demands that next-generation networks will place on America’s airwaves. The path forward is simple. For spectrum ready to move, notify and identify. For spectrum still under study, notify now and identify when the work is done. Congress chose different words. The FCC should put both of them to work. ***Joel Thayer is president of the Digital Progress Institute and an attorney based in Washington. Digital Progress Institute is a nonprofit seeking to bridge the policy divide between telecom and tech. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### FCC to Vote on Orders Narrowing NEPA, Opening Satellite Spectrum URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-vote-on-orders-narrowing-nepa-opening-satellite-spectrum/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote this month on an order that would narrow its environmental permitting rules, the agency said Tuesday. The agency will also take up an order that would make more satellite spectrum available and a proposal on unlicensed ultra-wideband spectrum. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to consider environmental effects before beginning infrastructure projects, and the review process can take months. The FCC has interpreted NEPA to apply to wireless equipment and towers deployed under one of its spectrum licenses. In [a release](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424774A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the agency said the order would find that wireless deployments related to FCC licenses don’t need NEPA reviews if they don’t require antenna structure registration. That’s a change that CTIA, the wireless industry group, had asked the agency for [in a petition](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-narrow-environmental-and-historic-reviews-of-wireless-build/) last year. The agency said the rule, if adopted, would eliminate NEPA evaluations for more than 14,800 wireless deployments. The release cited a CTIA-commissioned study that found the FCC’s NEPA and historical review rules would cost carriers $2.2 billion between 2025 and 2035. Democratic attorneys general, along with state historical preservation offices and Tribal governments, [opposed the idea](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-tribes-oppose-carrier-backed-plan-to-ease-environmental-reviews/) of rolling back NEPA reviews last year. A senior FCC official told reporters Tuesday that the agency was bringing its NEPA rules into compliance with a 2023 law that for the first time codified what kinds of projects need review. The item would also codify a longstanding FCC practice of not applying NEPA to satellite constellations, and seek more comment on the agency’s historical review rules. The FCC’s September meeting is scheduled for Sept. 30\. Drafts of the items announced Tuesday are set to be released tomorrow, the agency said. ### *Satellite spectrum* The FCC will also vote at that meeting on an order [that it said](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424775A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would make more than 1,000 megahertz of spectrum available for satellite use. That would come from the 12.7 GigaHertz (GHz) and 42 GHz bands. “We are talking more capacity for high-speed satellite broadband to the home, for in-flight and on-ship connectivity, and for core traffic-routing functions in satellite ground networks,” FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** wrote in [a Tuesday blog](https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/blog/2026/09/08/more?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The item will also seek comment on opening additional bands for satellite use, including 1,450 megahertz between the Ku-band and Ka-band and more than 138 gigahertz in the D-band. ### *Ultra-wideband* The agency is set to vote on a proposal that would ask about updating its ultra-wideband (UWB) spectrum rules. The unlicensed airwaves are used for a myriad of things, the [agency said](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424775A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), but its rules for the airwaves haven’t been updated since they were instituted in 2002. The proposal would seek comment on creating a new UWB device category for “emerging applications — from AI-enabled sensing, to advanced ranging systems, and modern access-control systems.” The item would additionally deal with issues the agency said had been the subject of repeated waiver requests. ### *Other items* In his blog, Carr said the agency would be voting on two other items. One was a notice of inquiry into ensuring 911 access as copper gear is retired, and the other was an order on robocalls that he said would make it easier for consumers to revoke consent on marketing messages. ### FCC Returns $3.08 Billion to Treasury after Spectrum Auction Pays Off Rip-and-Replace Loan URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-returns-3-08-billion-to-treasury-after-spectrum-auction-pays-off-rip-and-replace-loan/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:23.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2026 - The Federal Communications Commission announced it has returned $3.08 billion to the U.S. Treasury, repaying a loan borrowed in March 2025 to fund the agency’s “Rip-and-Replace” reimbursement program. The early repayment follows a successful spectrum auction in June 2026 that generated $3.572 billion in winning bids. The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act created the reimbursement program to help providers remove, replace, and dispose of communications equipment and services. Congress initially appropriated about $1.9 billion, but demand far exceeded supply, forcing the FCC to allocate only roughly 39.5 percent of approved costs. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) A December 2024 law, known as the Spectrum and Secure Technology and Innovation Act, authorized the FCC to borrow up to $3.08 billion from the Treasury to cover the shortfall. With auction proceeds now repaying that loan in full, recipients can complete their removal and replacement work without further funding uncertainty. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** credited Auction 113 (AWS-3) for enabling the early payoff. “Betting on the success of Auction 113 was a sound investment,” Carr said, adding that the $3.572 billion in winning bids allowed the FCC to “pay back this loan in full earlier than anticipated.” The agency says the repaid loan removes a major financial obstacle, helping accelerate project completion timelines by closing a key funding gap for carriers working to remove covered equipment from U.S. communications networks. ### Verizon, Corning Ink Multibillion-Dollar Fiber Deal URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-corning-ink-multibillion-dollar-fiber-deal/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:23.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2026 – Corning signed a multibillion-dollar deal to provide Verizon fiber from 2027 through 2032, the companies said Tuesday. The wireless carrier wants to expand its fiber footprint to 40-50 million passings, and has been pursuing deals to provide connectivity to tech giants like Amazon and Google. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “An undertaking of this magnitude requires absolute supply chain certainty,” Verizon said [in a statement](https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-corning-broadband-ai-fiber-agreement?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “The agreement is designed to enable Corning to continue to scale its U.S. manufacturing footprint to help ensure Verizon has the physical materials needed to execute its convergence strategy and expand its long-haul AI corridors.” Verizon would have access to more than 80 million miles of fiber, the companies said. The companies didn’t disclose the exact dollar amount or other terms of the deal. Amazon reached a similar deal with Corning in June, and Meta signed a $6 billion deal in January. In May, NVIDIA announced a $500 million investment in Corning aimed at expanding its manufacturing capacity. Because of domestic manufacturing rules, participants in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program are competing to buy the same American-made fiber that big tech companies are clamoring for. That’s creating a bit of a supply crunch, but Corning and other U.S. manufacturers have been adamant they can meet the sky-high demand. A Corning vice president said at Mountain Connect last month the company was staggering shipments to match deployment schedules of BEAD participants. Still, demand is driving up costs, and at least one state, Minnesota, has asked the Trump administration to issue a waiver of its domestic fiber manufacturing rules to ease some of those cost increases. “Securing this volume of fiber allows us to continue building the network of the future at an unprecedented scale,” **Kyle Malady**, CEO of Verizon Business, said in a statement on the Corning deal. “With Corning as our partner, we are securing the physical foundation of America’s AI economy.” ### FBA, Benton Pleased By New BEAD Round, Electric Co-ops Want ‘Course Correction’ URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fba-benton-pleased-by-new-bead-round-electric-co-ops-want-course-correction/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:23.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2026 – Electric cooperatives are hoping for a new direction in the recently announced round of bidding under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The Trump administration [said last week](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-remaining-bead-funds-to-be-used-on-new-bidding-round/) states would use some of their remaining allocations under the program to fund more deployment projects targeting areas stranded by inaccurate mapping and defaults in other programs. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) About $21 billion is expected to be left over, although it likely [won’t all be used](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/more-non-deployment-guidance-not-coming-soon-ntia-says/) on the clean-up round. While NRECA, which represents co-ops, wasn’t immediately sold, a fiber trade association and consumer advocacy group were pleased. State officials said last week they were happy to cover more locations, but wished they had more flexibility in determining them and worried about logistical difficulties. Electric co-ops have been upset with BEAD this year, mostly because of a January rule that would require them to operate under federal pole attachment rules throughout any state where they accepted BEAD dollars. Federal rules govern rates and other aspects of attachment deals with pole owners and attachers, but they don’t cover co-ops. Many state-level rules also don’t apply. For the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, [that required](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-defends-bead-pole-rules/) the agency to step in and make sure there were some rules ensuring participants that owned poles gave out fair deals. NRECA CEO **Jim Matheson** said in a statement that “delayed implementation, shifting guidance, cost constraints and unrealistic funding assumptions” had “weakened a historic opportunity” in BEAD. “NTIA must allow flexibility for cost increases created by program delays, align funding levels with the actual cost of deploying broadband infrastructure in America’s hardest-to-reach communities and remove fatally flawed pole attachment rules that clearly break from long-standing federal policy,” he said. The Fiber Broadband Association, which represents fiber ISPs, for its part was happy to see more deployment money flowing. “NTIA’s decision to prioritize a cleanup round aimed at reaching locations that still lack reliable broadband service should be applauded,” the group said in a statement. “Ensuring that no American is left behind is one of the most important uses of remaining BEAD funds and is essential to fulfilling the program’s central promise of connecting every household in every community.” That, the group said, should be done with fiber. FBA said state broadband offices should have flexibility in how they designed their clean-up rounds. **Revati Prasad**, executive director of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, said in a statement that the group supported a new effort to find locations missed by BEAD during bidding last year. She said the group was eager to hear how states could use the rest of the non-deployment funding. NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** had said guidance was coming by the end of the summer, which the agency said Friday referred to the clean-up round notice. An agency spokesperson said that more non-deployment guidance would come when NTIA had a better idea of the money being spent. That won't happen right away, since states get three months to revise eligible location lists and NTIA has another three months to review and approve state plans after bidding. ### *Rough cost estimate* In NTIA’s policy notice last week, the agency said it would determine how much money each state could spend on the new deployment round using the average per-location cost from their existing spending plans. That per-location cost would be multiplied by the number of newly eligible locations to get the maximum amount the state could spend on new deployment projects. Based on the NTIA-approved plans from all 56 states and territories, and tentative NTIA tallies of eligible locations obtained by Broadband Breakfast, that methodology would put the clean-up round funding at $2.4 billion in total. That funding would be aimed at more than 470,000 locations. The amount of money actually spent, and number locations actually eligible, will likely differ from those estimates. The NTIA location counts are tentative and might be changed before broadband offices are sent official lists. States and territories will then refine those lists over three months; they can only remove locations that were improperly included. NTIA said in its notice that, like last time, it would scrutinize state plans to ensure they were keeping deployment costs as low as possible. **Jeff Lopez**, director of New Mexico’s broadband office, said last week that some locations eligible for BEAD funding in the main bidding round might not be included in the clean-up round. Under the 2021 Infrastructure Law, BEAD’s main round of bidding had to cover both un- and underserved locations, but the new true-up round is being conducted under a different part of the law that gives NTIA more discretion, he said. Unserved locations lack broadband speeds of 25 \* 3 megabit per second (Mbps), while underserved have speeds above 25 \* 3 Mbps but below 100 \* 20 Mbps. The new policy notice only refers to unserved locations, aside from one passing reference. Before the true-up round, BEAD was set to reach about 3.79 million locations and spend about $18.2 billion. That number is also in flux though, since updated FCC maps also prompted NTIA [to ask states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-cant-unilaterally-alter-bead-contracts-ntia-says/) to remove hundreds of thousands of satellite locations from awards. ### Strand Consult Says LEO Satellites Will Complement, Not Replace, Mobile Networks URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/strand-consult-says-leo-satellites-will-complement-not-replace-mobile-networks/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:23.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2026 - Low Earth orbit satellite networks are set to expand connectivity in remote and underserved areas, but they are unlikely to replace terrestrial mobile networks, according to two new reports released last week by Danish telecom consultancy [Strand Consult](https://strandconsult.dk/leo-satellites-the-hype-the-facts-and-the-hard-limits/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The reports argue that growing excitement around direct-to-device satellite services has outpaced the technical and economic realities of the technology. Instead of replacing cellular infrastructure, LEO satellites are more likely to become a complementary layer alongside fiber and mobile networks. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The [first](https://strandconsult.dk/will-leo-satellite-direct-to-cellular-networks-make-traditional-mobile-networks-obsolete/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) report, ‘Will LEO Satellite Direct-to-Cellular Networks Make Traditional Mobile Networks Obsolete?’ examines the limitations of direct-to-cellular services that use terrestrial mobile spectrum. Strand Consult says these systems face significant constraints in network capacity, spectrum availability, latency, and reliability - particularly in densely populated urban areas where conventional cellular networks can support far more simultaneous users. A [second](https://strandconsult.dk/telecom-fiction-its-2045-the-last-cellular-towers-have-just-been-turned-off-and-leo-satellites-are-handling-all-communication/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) report takes a more provocative approach. Titled ‘Telecom Fiction: It's 2045, the Last Cellular Towers Have Just Been Turned Off, and LEO Satellites Are Handling All Communication,’ it imagines a world where all mobile infrastructure has moved into orbit. The exercise concludes that such a transition would require an unprecedented expansion of satellites, spectrum coordination, ground infrastructure, and international cooperation, making full replacement highly impractical. The analysis highlights companies including [AST SpaceMobile](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-24-756A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), whose direct-to-device constellation is continuing to grow, as evidence that satellite connectivity is advancing rapidly. But the reports contend that regulatory fragmentation, limited spectrum resources, and the sheer scale required to serve billions of mobile users remain major barriers to satellites functioning as a standalone alternative. Rather than framing satellites as competitors to cellular networks, Strand Consult concludes that the industry's future lies in a hybrid model: LEO systems extending coverage where terrestrial infrastructure is uneconomical, while fiber and mobile towers continue to carry the vast majority of high-capacity traffic. The [reports](https://strandconsult.dk/will-leo-satellite-direct-to-cellular-networks-make-traditional-mobile-networks-obsolete/?utm%5Fcampaign=31.+august+2026+-+Presse+-+LEO+Satellites+The+Hype+the+Facts+and+the+Hard+Limits505128&utm%5Fsource=Presse&utm%5Fmedium=email) are available free through Strand Consult and are intended for policymakers, regulators, investors, and telecom executives evaluating the evolving role of satellite communications. ### Former Shell Executive to Take T-Mobile CFO Spot Next Year URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/former-shell-executive-to-take-t-mobile-cfo-spot-next-year/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:23.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2026 – T-Mobile CFO **Peter Osvaldik** will be replaced by **Jessica Uhl**, a former longtime Shell executive and CFO, the carrier announced Thursday. Uhl will take over in February 2027, the [company said](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/business/t-mobile-announces-cfo-transition?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), but will come on as a CFO designate this month and start working with Osvaldik. He will stay on as an advisor until his contract expires in July 2027. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Osvaldik spent more than 10 years with T-Mobile, and had served as CFO since July 2020. In a statement, CEO **Srini Gopalan** noted that Osvaldik had delayed his planned retirement by one year to make Gopalan’s own appointment and transition smoother. “The strong financial foundation Peter has solidified will help propel T‑Mobile into its next chapter of growth and expansion,” he said. “We wish him the very best in his well-earned retirement.” T-Mobile stock is up more than 70 percent since Osvaldik took the CFO post, compared to a 145 percent increase in the S&P 500\. Over the last 12 months, T-Mobile shares are down 26 percent. Uhl said in a post [on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7501375110176624640/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that she was “energized” to join T-Mobile. “T-Mobile’s commitment to its customers and employees has enabled its exceptional performance and is one of many aspects that attracted me to the company,” she wrote. In its release, T-Mobile said Uhl was selected after a thorough search process for Osvaldik’s replacement. “Her experience leading through transformation, allocating capital at scale, scaling new businesses and deploying emerging technologies, positions her to partner with T‑Mobile’s leadership team as the company advances its next era of disruption, profitable growth and innovation,” the company wrote. In a Monday investor note, Wolfe Research analyst **Peter Supino** noted that this was the fourth time in the last year that a longtime T-Mobile executive left the company. He wrote that Osvaldik would reportedly focus on philanthropy rather than seeking another top executive spot. Gopalan, who took over from **Mike Sievert** in November 2025, has been making personnel adjustments. **Mike Katz**, who spent 28 years with the company, also [stepped down](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-bringing-on-former-at-t-exec-chris-sambar/) from his post as chief business and product officer in July. Former AT&T executive **Chris Sambar** is joining the company next month to head its enterprise and government segments, plus emerging units like advertising and AI. During an earnings call earlier this year, Gopalan [declined to comment](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-ceo-no-comment-on-deutsche-telekom-merger-rumors/) on rumors of a merger between T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom, the German firm that owns most of the company. [Semafor](https://www.semafor.com/article/07/31/2026/t-mobile-deutsche-telekom-merger-stalls?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) reported in July that those talks had stalled amid concerns from other T-Mobile shareholders and U.S. regulators. ### Penn State Professor Calls for Regulation of Broadband Rates URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/penn-state-professor-calls-for-regulation-of-broadband-rates/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:23.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2026 – A Penn State University professor is urging policymakers to consider regulating how much internet service providers can charge consumers, arguing that broadband prices remain out of reach for many households. **Christopher Ali**, the Pioneers Chair in Telecommunications at Penn State, [said in an essay](https://www.benton.org/blog/broadband-heresies-or-what-twilight-harry-potter-x-men-and-incredibles-can-teach-us-about?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society that policymakers should consider setting maximum broadband rates. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Ali pointed to the roughly $78 median monthly broadband bill in the U.S. and argued that affordability should be measured by what households pay each month, rather than by the amount of bandwidth they receive. “No household pays per megabit. They pay a bill once a month,” Ali wrote. He also cited research[ indicating that some lower-income households can afford only about $10 per month for broadband,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-sets-2026-urban-rate-benchmarks-for-broadband/) highlighting what he sees as a gap between current market prices and what some consumers can reasonably pay. Some providers are also experimenting with shorter pricing increments,[ including AT&T](https://about.att.com/story/2026/unlimited-day-pass.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which recently introduced a 24-hour unlimited data pass for eligible iPad users. Nor did Ali note that Comcast is offering 300 Mbps for $40 a month with a five‑year price lock, and Mediacom sells a $50 monthly broadband‑mobile bundle with a two‑year lock – attractive prices far below the $78 median monthly cost that Ali cites. Ali did point to [New York's Affordable Broadband Act ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-yorks-15-broadband-law-takes-effect-wednesday/)as an example of how rate regulation could work. The law requires certain providers to offer broadband for $15 per month for 25 Mbps service or $20 per month for 200 Mbps service to eligible low-income households. California has also taken a similar approach in its recent conditions for the [Charter-Cox merger](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-hearings-on-charter-cox-deal-approaching/), requiring the combined company to offer a $20-per-month broadband plan. Ali acknowledged that providers argue rate regulation could limit their ability to invest in broadband networks. But he said broadband should not necessarily be treated differently from other utilities, such as electricity and water, which operate under rate regulation while continuing to make major infrastructure investments. The proposal would represent a significant shift in federal broadband policy, where policymakers have generally relied on competition and subsidies rather than direct regulation of consumer rates. [Ali also argued that recent federal efforts](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-states-cant-enforce-rate-laws-on-bead-participants/) to promote low-cost broadband options have not gone far enough. While the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program requires participating providers to offer a low-cost option, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's 2025 restructuring prevented states from setting the price of that option. “It’s time to create an internet ecosystem that Americans can afford,” said Ali. ### Data Centers Could Fuel a New ‘Gold Rush’ in Tennessee URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/data-centers-could-fuel-a-new-gold-rush-in-tennessee/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:23.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2026 – The Tennessee Valley could emerge as a major hub for artificial intelligence data centers as growing demand for electricity and computing infrastructure reshapes the U.S. economy. In a Sept. 3 column, [**Craig Fuller,** CEO and owner of the Times Free Press argued](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/sep/03/craig-fuller-data-centers-could-make-tennessee/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the region's access to electricity through the Tennessee Valley Authority gives it an advantage as technology companies invest heavily in data centers and the infrastructure needed to operate them. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “This is a gold rush, and the evidence is no longer limited to construction sites,” Fuller said. He argued that the investment surrounding data centers could spread beyond the facilities themselves, benefiting utilities, manufacturers, construction companies, transportation providers, and local communities [Electricity is the central factor ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/because-of-power-availability-fiber-providers-racing-to-connect-remote-data-centers/)in Fuller's argument for the Tennessee Valley. The region's ability to produce large amounts of power, combined with TVA's access to capital for new generation and transmission infrastructure, could give it an advantage in competing for data center investment. [AI data centers require substantial amounts of power](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-power-demand-is-outpacing-grid-buildout/), and Fuller said TVA's generation fleet allows the region to attract large facilities. TVA's portfolio includes nuclear, hydropower, solar, and natural gas generation. Fuller compared the opportunity to the role the[ Permian Basin](https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67785&&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico plays in the U.S. oil industry, arguing that the Tennessee Valley could become a major source of reliable electricity for hyperscale data centers. “\[The Tennessee Valley\] has the equivalent advantage in power,” Fuller said, describing the region's opportunity to become the “Permian Basin of electricity.” The construction boom surrounding AI data centers is already generating demand for workers and materials across the country, Fuller wrote. The facilities require large amounts of steel, copper, piping, generators, transmission equipment and other infrastructure, while their construction creates work for electricians, HVAC technicians, pipe fitters, steelworkers, and other skilled trades. Fuller cited estimates that construction of a 500-megawatt data center can generate roughly 30,000 truckloads of freight. He also pointed to growing demand for rail transportation and American-made industrial materials as evidence that the data center buildout is affecting industries beyond technology. TVA's status as a federal corporation could also give it an advantage in[ financing the generation and transmission](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/energy-leaders-say-permitting-reform-key-to-powering-ai-data-centers-and-broadband/) investments needed to accommodate additional electricity demand, Fuller said. The utility has been advancing nuclear development as part of its efforts to expand generation. [Fuller pointed to TVA's work on small modular reactors at the Clinch River site](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nuclear-congressman-says-small-modular-reactors-key-to-data-center-growth/) as one example. [The growth of data centers has also generated opposition](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/data-center-boom-in-virginias-data-center-alley-raises-infrastructure-concerns/) in communities concerned about electricity costs, grid reliability and other local impacts. Fuller argued that those concerns should be addressed by ensuring that large data center customers pay for the additional costs they impose on the electric system. TVA recently created a dedicated rate class for data centers, including capacity-commitment charges. Fuller described the move as a way to ensure that large facilities do not shift their incremental costs onto residential and small-business customers. Fuller also argued that data centers should provide direct benefits to communities hosting the facilities. Possible approaches include special taxes dedicated to local services, community funds, payments to residents or reduced electricity bills for households near major facilities. The broader opportunity, Fuller said, is to use the data center buildout to attract investment while ensuring that communities retain some of the economic benefits. The Tennessee Valley's combination of available electricity, industrial infrastructure and skilled labor could make the region particularly attractive as AI companies expand their physical infrastructure, Fuller wrote. “The AI boom is already underway,” Fuller said. “Regions that hesitate will watch the capital, jobs and opportunities to fund public services located somewhere else.” ### Carr Warns Broadcasters about Airing Fake Polls, Says New Guidance Could Be on the Way URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carr-warns-broadcasters-about-airing-fake-polls-says-new-guidance-could-be-on-the-way/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T13:12:20.000Z 💡 ■ Penn State Professor Calls for ISP Price Caps to Address Affordability ■ CAR to Court: Disney Feels ‘Entitled to Unregulated Use of the Public Airwaves’ ■ Supreme Court Backs FCC on Party Committee Access to Lowest Unit Charge ■ NFL Extends Commissioner Goodell’s Contract Through March 31, 2031 ■ NRECA CEO Jim Matheson Rips NTIA over BEAD Management ■ Albuquerque Flooded with Complaints about Careless Fiber Workers ■ Times Free Press CEO: TVA Ready to Yield Benefits of AI ‘Gold Rush’ ■ Tech Dirt Reporter Spreads Falsehoods about BEAD Support for LEOs ■ FCC Sends Treasury $3.08 Billion Borrowed to Fund Rip-and-Replace ■ Markey, Moulton Raised $11.5 Million Combined in 2026 for their Senate Primary ■ Gottheimer Bill Would Fund AI Labs, Teacher Training in K-12 Schools ■ About 28,000 Chicago Public Schools Students to Get Free Internet **Fake Polls**: Federal regulators are preparing to warn TV and radio broadcasters about airing fake polls. **FCC Chairman Brendan Carr** said Sept. 6 that the agency may soon issue guidance reminding stations not to air fabricated surveys, especially if the intent is voter suppression ahead of election day. He made the comments on **Fox News** in an interview with **White House reporter Peter Doocy.** “… There’s a lot of interest right now in fake polls that are out there, and so the FCC may put guidance out soon to remind broadcasters about their obligations with respect to not airing fake polls, particularly if they’re done to suppress people heading into the fall,” Carr said. Carr may have been referring to **Median Strategies**, a now‑defunct firm that released a widely reported bogus poll claiming **Wisconsin Democrat** **Francesca Hong** [was leading her gubernatorial primary](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-08-17/poll-showing-bass-leading-raman-by-double-digits-was-bogus-company-says?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by 20 points just two days before the election. Hong, a Socialist, was narrowly defeated Aug. 11 by **Milwaukee County Executive** **David Crowley**. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9oUK!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcbcfbe2b-cba3-48c3-bb37-ef62eb7e2cf5_647x366.png) FCC Chairman Brendan Carr with Fox News White House reporter Peter Doocy on Sept. 6, 2026.PhotP _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Lesson 3: In Other Countries, PTTs (Posts, Telegraph and Telephone) URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-3-in-other-counties-ptts-posts-telegraph-and-telephone-post/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T06:37:07.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/Complete-Selection-of-Image-as-Cards--and-as-Native-Images--1-.png) ## Lesson 3: In Other Counties, PTTs (Posts, Telegraph and Telephone) 150 Years of American Telecommunications: The Online Course [Take Me To the Course!](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [Congress paid $30,000 in 1843](https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/Electronic-Technology/Telegraph/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the first American telegraph line, [put it under the Post Office in 1845](https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/telegraph.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), then authorized its disposal in 1846 and let it pass to private hands in 1847\. Britain [placed its telegraph under the General Post Office on February 5, 1870](https://www.bt.com/bt-plc/assets/documents/about-bt/our-history/bt-archives/information-sheets-and-timelines/bt-and-predecessors.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and most of Europe folded the telephone into that same state ministry. A British court extended that monopoly to the telephone in 1880, holding that a telephone counted as a telegraph under the existing statute. The United States [ran every telephone and telegraph line through Postmaster General **Albert Burleson**](https://www.govinfo.gov/link/statute/40/1807?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for one year in 1918, and [handed them back after rates rose](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract%5Fid=2033124&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The question that outlived the ownership fight is how closely a privately owned network must behave like a public utility, and [a federal court answered it again in 2025](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-408583A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). 💡 ****Where this lesson sits.** Lesson 2 built one national telephone system and showed that a settlement, not a wire, made it a monopoly. This lesson asks the comparative question that settlement raises: why that monopoly stayed in private hands, when most of the world ran its telephones through a government post office. It is the third of four lessons in Section A. The section opens with an American invention, narrows to a single American system, and here asks why that system took a form almost no other country chose. Lesson 4 closes it by leaving the wires for the open air. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) . ### NYC, Nation's Largest School System, Bans AI for Students Through 8th Grade URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nyc-nations-largest-school-system-bans-ai-for-students-through-8th-grade/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:24.000Z NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2026 (AP) — New York City’s public schools will temporarily ban elementary and middle school students from using generative artificial intelligence tools during the upcoming school year, Mayor **Zohran Mamdani** announced Wednesday. The one-year moratorium — part of a broader assessment of how children in the nation’s largest school system interact with [the technology](https://apnews.com/article/ai-literacy-schools-education-4fb9f2c0240993499870f4f204bf41c1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) — will apply to “all software that uses student-facing generative AI” for students through eighth grade, the mayor’s office said. It described the policy as the most expansive prohibition in the country. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) At the same time, the city will establish twice-yearly AI literacy classes for all public high school students. It will also launch pilot programs allowing some high school students to use a handful of AI platforms under an educator’s supervision. Companion chatbots will be prohibited across all grades, officials said. The approach comes as students, parents and schools across the country attempt to navigate the use of [AI tools](https://apnews.com/article/new-york-school-artificial-intelligence-robot-teacher-c2126c704104c4eb68b79738630b07df?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the classroom and elsewhere. Schools are working to teach children [how to incorporate the technology](https://apnews.com/article/ai-companion-generative-teens-mental-health-9ce59a2b250f3bd0187a717ffa2ad21f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) while preventing them from [relying too heavily](https://apnews.com/article/ai-cheating-school-chatgpt-4f89a552e9093ce2180471b4d4736675?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on it or using it to cheat. “Each day when our children come to school, we teach them to ask questions, to challenge assumptions, to interrogate the premise, to ask why. When it comes to AI in our schools, we hold an obligation to do the same,” Mamdani, a Democrat, said at a news conference. The Los Angeles school district, where students returned to classrooms in mid-August, is temporarily blocking access to generative AI tools on student devices across all grades. The Los Angeles Unified School District said Wednesday that the ban will remain in place across the country’s second-largest school district as officials develop a student AI policy during the school year. In June, LAUSD became the first major school district to eliminate the use of school-issued devices for its youngest students as part of a sweeping screen time policy. The policy banned devices before second grade, set screen time limits for all grades and blocked YouTube and other social media sites during the school day. In New York, the city will also recommend screen time limits for students, suggesting a daily cap of 30 minutes for students in grades three through five and 45 minutes for those in grades six through eight. Teachers will be allowed to use AI for instructional planning and operational tasks. At least 37 states have official AI guidance that schools can use as a blueprint, though there is no single definition of AI literacy or consensus on how it should be taught. New York state last year approved a ban on students’ use of cellphones in schools. City education officials will also conduct a broad review of all technology tools used in the school system and eliminate those deemed nonessential to learning. **Michael Mulgrew**, president of the United Federation of Teachers in New York, praised the screen time limits but said the city’s AI policy “leaves many questions unanswered,” including how the Education Department “will be more aggressive in demanding the products it purchases have AI safeguards.” **Josh Golin**, executive director of the children’s advocacy group Fairplay, said he would have preferred a longer moratorium and more time between the announcement and the start of the school year. “A year to evaluate is not nearly enough time,” he said, adding that the onus should be on AI platforms “to demonstrate that their products are effective at teaching kids, that they’re safe, that they’re not displacing face-to-face interaction and that they’re not leading to rampant cheating.” New York City public school students are scheduled to return to classrooms on Tuesday. *This article was written by Anthony Izaguirre of the Associated press. AP Writer Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report.* ### Nvidia Confirms it Will Spend $13 Billion on Hugging Face AI Software Platform URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nvidia-confirms-it-will-spend-13-billion-on-hugging-face-ai-software-platform/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:24.000Z Sept. 6, 2026 (AP) – Chipmaker Nvidia is buying artificial intelligence software platform [Hugging Face](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for $13 billion. It’s the latest deal by the company, whose processors are integral to the AI boom, and highlights Nvidia's push to champion increasingly popular open-source AI models. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Nvidia CEO **Jensen Huang** wrote in a blog post Thursday that more than 18 million developers, researchers and creators use Hugging Face to share more than 3 million models, 500,000 data sets and 1 million applications. More than 200,000 companies also that use the platform, he said. In July, Hugging Face's data processing systems were hacked, and ChatGPT maker [OpenAI](https://apnews.com/hub/openai-inc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) acknowledged that its [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) system was to blame, sending shock waves through the security community amid heightened concerns about the capabilities of powerful AI models. Just over a week later, [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/hub/anthropic-pbc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said its artificial intelligence models hacked into three other organizations during testing. That was followed closely by an announcement from Meta, which said its AI model accessed the internet on its own and hacked another company. The wave of AI intrusions occurred just a month after President **Donald Trump** signed an executive order creating a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced [AI systems](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for up to a month before their public release. On Thursday, however, Nvidia's Huang said that Hugging face will remain an open platform. He signaled that Nvidia is betting that more businesses will turn to open-source AI, which lets them download and customize their own AI models, rather than pay for proprietary AI services from companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic. Open models let startups, businesses, universities and public institutions build on advanced capabilities without training every model from scratch," Huang wrote in a blog post. "They enable organizations to match the right model to the right job. Hugging Face will still support multicloud and multi-accelerator development and deployment. Nvidia has released more than 500 models and more than 250 open data sets on Hugging Face. “Nvidia’s investment in Hugging Face is a strong strategic hedge against the different ways AI could evolve,” **Bret Greenstein**, chief AI officer at global business and technology consulting firm West Monroe, said in an emailed statement. “With much of Nvidia’s valuation tied to the adoption and expansion of AI over the next decade, the company has a clear interest in supporting the entire ecosystem’s success.” Nvidia's high-end chips have emerged as the leading building blocks for AI, and are highly sought after. The Santa Clara, California-based company reported [quarterly profits of $59.69 billion](https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-artificial-intelligence-earnings-dc8d556e709b50915cca9217a60b1991?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) late last month. While AI has powered stock market gains and U.S. economic growth in recent years, there’s been growing skepticism about whether AI will justify the trillions of dollars being spent to develop the technology. The AI industry is also faces increasing pushback amid objections to the expansion of data centers and fears that the rapid speed of AI adoption could lead to widespread job losses worldwide. The $12.93 billion deal includes $1 billion for a retention plan for Hugging Face employees, Huang told CNBC. Nvidia's shares rose nearly 2% in morning trading. Hugging Face is not publicly traded. *This article was written by Michelle Chapman of the Associated Press. AP Business Writer Kelvin Chan contributed to this report.* ### Civil Rights Groups Urge Halt to South Africa Data Center Boom Amid Water and Power Fears URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/civil-rights-groups-urge-halt-to-south-africa-data-center-boom-amid-water-and-power-fears/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:24.000Z JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 5, 2026 (AP) — South African civil rights groups are calling for a halt to the construction of additional [data centers](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-rural-farm-artificial-intelligence-trump-e5a350af1bc12e6a4f470d3b68be51d7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the country until the use of scarce water, land and electricity resources has been investigated. With [South Africa](https://apnews.com/hub/south-africa?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) positioning itself as Africa's main data hub and U.S. technology companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Equinix increasingly setting up digital infrastructure in the country, civil society organizations have raised the alarm about the lack of transparency around the projects. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The country’s rights watchdog, the South African Human Rights Commission, told The Associated Press that it has received over 250 submissions from interested groups after it called for input in May this year. According to South African President [**Cyril Ramaphosa**](https://apnews.com/hub/cyril-ramaphosa?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the country hosts 70% of Africa’s data center capacity, and the government has identified this as an opportunity in the global digital economy, inviting more tech companies to build digital infrastructure in the country. However, as in other parts of the world, such as the U.S., where [data centers](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-rural-farm-artificial-intelligence-trump-e5a350af1bc12e6a4f470d3b68be51d7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) have been increasing rapidly, their long-term environmental and societal impacts are coming under greater scrutiny. The commission noted that the country had experienced “significant growth” in the establishment of data centers, cloud infrastructure and related digital systems. “A key issue emerging from the process is precisely the availability, consistency and transparency of information relating to matters such as electricity and water demand, land use, infrastructure requirements, environmental impacts and impacts on surrounding communities,” said Dr. **Eileen Carter,** who leads the commission preliminary process. One of the latest municipal approvals for a data center that has irked various quarters is an Equinix hyperscale facility to be built in Cape Town, a city that avoided a so-called “Day Zero” in 2018, when its taps were predicted to run dry due to water scarcity. The country’s recent memory of widespread power cuts, known as “[loadshedding,](https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-electricity-crisis-16e5b4d50978e364766f90da9aa47529?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)” has also raised concerns about the 160 megawatts of electricity estimated to be required to run the facility. South Africa has seemingly overcome its electricity crisis, with the country’s power utility, Eskom, reporting a power surplus during the winter peak-demand season, but civil society groups are wary of the surplus power being sold to data centers. Some experts say the call for a temporary halt to more approvals should not be taken as a rejection of potential foreign investment in the country, but rather as a mechanism to establish clear rules, especially around transparency. “Serious investors are not deterred by clear rules. They price uncertainty, and an unregulated boom is the most uncertain environment of all,” said **Pitso Tsibolane**, a senior lecturer in Information Systems at the University of Cape Town. He said one of the major problems was that operators were not required to disclose how much water, electricity and land they would use or commit to in binding terms, so every proposal was weighed without the numbers. Operators have cautioned against comparing data centers being built in South Africa to large-scale data centers in the U.S. as the water, land and power needs there are much higher. They point out that Eskom currently has a power surplus and that most data centers increasingly rely on renewable energy for electricity. “It should be clear that the growth in energy demand due to data centers is not contributing to electricity scarcity in South Africa and that this increasing demand is not a cause of rising electricity tariffs,” said Internet Service Providers Association chairperson **Sasha Booth-Beharilal**. “Local data centers apply new technologies to minimize their water usage, which is substantially lower than the global average.” The organization represents tech companies operating in the sector and operating data centers in the country. *This article was written by Mogomotsi Magome and Michelle Gumede of the Associated Press.* ### More Non-Deployment Guidance Not Coming Soon, NTIA Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/more-non-deployment-guidance-not-coming-soon-ntia-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:24.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2026 – Additional non-deployment guidance isn’t coming right away, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration said Friday. The agency [said Thursday](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-remaining-bead-funds-to-be-used-on-new-bidding-round/) that some of the $21 billion remaining in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program would be directed toward homes and businesses that still lacked service but were not marked as eligible for bidding last year. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) That was the guidance NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** was referring to when she promised lawmakers guidance on how states could use remaining funds would come by the end of this summer, an agency spokesperson said in an email. “Other uses of BEAD funding will be addressed in subsequent guidance once NTIA has a better sense of how much this true up round will cost the states and territories,” the spokesperson said. Based on [the policy notice](https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2026-09/BEAD%5FSupplemental%5FDeployment%5FPolicy%5FNotice.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) NTIA published Thursday, that could be months away. The process of refining lists of eligible locations could take up to 97 days, with another 90 days for bidding and 90 more after that for NTIA to review and approve the true-up spending plans. The newly eligible locations will be from defaults from other programs and locations shown to be unserved by the Federal Communications Commission’s latest coverage map, the notice said. **Michael Santorelli**, head of the Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute at New York Law School, said that based on public broadband coverage data up to 1 million extra locations could be eligible under the new round, and that it could take anywhere from $5.6 billion to $9.3 billion to reach them. An NTIA slide deck obtained by Broadband Breakfast put the number of locations closer to 477,000, but it said each state’s numbers were tentative. Before the true-up round, BEAD is [set to reach](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/) about 3.79 million locations and spend about $18.2 billion. That number is [also in flux](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-satellite-locations-could-drop-35-42-analysts-say/) though, since updated FCC maps also prompted NTIA to ask states to remove hundreds of thousands of satellite locations from awards. Multiple state officials said states hadn’t yet received lists of newly eligible locations from NTIA. Those lists are the starting point for determining how many new locations a state will have to secure coverage for, and they’ll be refined through a challenge process. **Jeff Lopez**, director of New Mexico’s broadband office, said NTIA’s notice made it clear that unserved locations, those lacking broadband speeds of 25 \* 3 megabit per second (Mbps) would be eligible. But underserved locations, those with speeds above 25 \* 3 Mbps but below 100 \* 20 Mbps, might not, he said. Under the 2021 Infrastructure Law, BEAD’s main round of bidding had to cover both un- and underserved, but the new true-up round is being conducted under a different authority that gives NTIA more freedom, he said. The policy notice only refers to unserved locations, aside from one passing reference. ### *‘Cautiously optimistic’* States officials had mixed feelings about the guidance, but Lopez said he was “cautiously optimistic.” “I think this certainly solves a need,” he said. “It will expand connectivity in New Mexico.” Lopez said New Mexico was eager to get universal coverage at 100 \* 20 Mbps, so he was hoping underserved locations would be eligible. He said the most recent FCC maps showed about 6,000 newly constructed locations in New Mexico (NTIA’s tentative total of newly eligible locations there was about 4,500). An official from another state, who requested anonymity to speak freely, agreed a true-up round like the one NTIA laid out was something states had long asked for and thought would be necessary. The official said some locations technically covered by other programs, like the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, are almost certainly going to be defaulted on, but wouldn’t be eligible for the BEAD true-up round. The official did not read the policy notice to apply to locations defaulted on by BEAD winners that refused to sign contracts. They said that could create a patchwork in which BEAD defaults were bid separately from the true-up round, when the areas might be more attractive to bidders if they could be included in one larger project. **Bree Maki**, head of Minnesota’s broadband office, said she also was happy to have the chance to secure coverage for more locations in her state. She said she was disappointed, though, not to have received an update on how to address problems existing BEAD winners were having. Component costs have been rising since bidding last year, and she said her office had submitted waivers to NTIA to address the issue that were still pending. Those included using additional remaining funds to increase support, and waiving domestic manufacturing requirements around fiber-optic cable, she said. ### Rural ISPs to FCC: Preserve Rural Broadband Subsidy URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rural-isps-to-fcc-preserve-rural-broadband-subsidy/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:24.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2026 – Rural ISPs want federal regulators to continue subsidizing rural broadband even if satellite service is present, arguing their terrestrial networks are superior The Federal Communications Commission is taking comments on how to modernize its High Cost program, one of its universal service programs that spends about $4.5 billion annually supporting the deployment and maintenance of rural broadband networks. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The agency had asked how it should think about the fund in light of expanded satellite availability. SpaceX, the dominant LEO provider, offers satellite broadband nearly everywhere in the country In reply comments posted Thursday and Friday, trade groups representing participants in the fund and rural providers said that the presence of low-Earth orbit satellite service shouldn’t make an area ineligible for High Cost support. They argued the service wasn’t reliable enough and didn’t have the capacity to serve everywhere it was advertised. Meanwhile SpaceX [has urged](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/in-fccs-high-cost-modernization-docket-spacex-stands-alone/) the FCC to shutter the program entirely, arguing its service can meet the needs of rural areas without a subsidy. “No currently operating LEO service provider has demonstrated a real-world capacity to serve all locations simultaneously at substantial take rates, and current publicly available speed test data do not indicate a consistent level of performance at the escalating speeds subscribed to by Americans today,” [NTCA general counsel](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075484/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Justin Faulb** wrote. The [Wireless Telecommunications Association](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075460/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and a group of 21 state broadband [trade groups](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075471/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) made similar points. So did WISPA. **Louis Peraertz**, the group’s vice president of policy, also [wrote that](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075475/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for an insignificant number of locations where it would be truly infeasible to deploy any terrestrial infrastructure, LEO providers should be allowed to receive High Cost funding. The 21 state telecom groups disagreed, arguing that voice service was essential for emergencies and should be “a bedrock requirement” for participation. ### *SpaceX* SpaceX wasn’t interested in participating, though. The [company said](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075534/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) calls to preserve the program, which every other telecom trade group supported, simply “illustrate the rent-seeking behavior inherent to corporate welfare programs.” A recent speed test analysis by Ookla found Starlink users experienced speeds that met the FCC’s typical High Cost benchmark less than half the time, and the company has instituted congestion pricing in some areas. But SpaceX said its Starlink constellation, now more than 9,000 satellites, was expanding rapidly, and was soon to be boosted by its V3 satellites that have much more capacity than current units. The company said it planned to start deploying V3 satellites this month on its Starship rocket this month. “SpaceX plans to launch approximately 1,000 V3 satellites by mid-2027, roughly doubling current Starlink network capacity in that short time,” wrote **Joseph Bissonnette**, SpaceX’s head of satellite policy. “Any concerns about the capability of satellite broadband to serve High-Cost areas are unequivocally ill-founded.” SpaceX wanted High Cost money directed at an affordability subsidy, something the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation think tank supported. ### *Sunsetting programs* There are many programs under the High Cost umbrella, and some are set to sunset in 2026 and 2028 if the FCC doesn’t take action. Those three programs disburse support based on cost models for maintaining and building networks and spend about $392 million annually according to the FCC. NTCA, WISPA, and the state telecom groups said the agency should extend the program expiring in 2026 to 2028, to match the others for a more orderly transition. The groups also wanted the agency to create another program to provide support for network construction and opex, which NTCA said should require speeds of 300 \* 50 megabits per second (Mbps). The agency’s Enhanced ACAM program is providing $18 billion for 100 \* 20 Mbps networks through 2038. NCTA, which represents the cable industry, opposed a new High Cost program, [which it called](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110075492/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “essentially a backdoor option to join the Enhanced A-CAM program after the fact.” The group said another round of funding likely didn’t make sense given the Commerce Department’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program supporting builds to millions of rural locations. NCTA said any future funding should be targeted only at places not being supported by other funding programs. ### *Contribution reform?* INCOMPAS , which represents competitive ISPs and major tech companies, [focused on](https://incompas.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/INCOMPAS-High-Cost-Reform-Reply-Comments-9-4-2026.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) how the program is being funded. The High Cost program is one of three funded by the FCC’s Universal Service Fund, which spends about $8.5 billion annually. USF is funded by a shrinking pool of cash — fees on interstate voice revenue — and lawmakers have been working for years to settle on a new contribution base. A bicameral working group staffer said earlier this year lawmakers were aiming to circulate draft legislation this summer. Meanwhile, the FCC has been reviewing its other USF programs as well, partially an effort to look for potentially unnecessary spending that would bring the program’s expenses down. INCOMPAS said that work should finish before Congress settles on a new contribution base. Broadband providers and big tech companies have quarreled over who should be included in that base, with each pointing a finger at the other (INCOMPAS argued against including tech companies). FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has supported adding tech companies to the mix. Previous FCC Chairwoman **Jessica Rosenworcel** said that she feared tapping either industry could drive up prices for consumers and proposed digital advertising revenue. ### All 56 Federal Broadband Plans Approved. Construction Comes Next URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/all-56-federal-broadband-plans-approved-construction-comes-next/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T13:04:21.000Z On August 25, the Trump administration Commerce Department finally [approved Illinois’s spending plan](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/illinois-bead-plan-approved/) under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Illinois was the last straggler of the 56 states and territories to receive clearance under the $42.5 billion internet funding program. “With all 56 Final Proposals now approved, we are achieving Congress’s vision of closing the digital divide once and for all,” said **Arielle Roth**, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which administers the program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Illinois was last because NTIA kept sending its plan back. “The proposal that was submitted to us just didn’t meet the mark, in terms of finding efficiencies and meeting the principles of the benefit of the bargain reforms,” Roth told Representative **Robin Kelly**, a Democrat from Illinois, at a June oversight hearing. The approved plan cut some funding short. Illinois will spend $831 million of its original $1.04 billion allocation, which was also down from $990 million in its draft plan. And yet while satellite locations were cut by more than half, to 11,500, after new federal coverage maps showed many were already served or misclassified, fiber locations also fell from more than 117,000 to 97,000\. Fixed wireless more than doubled, to 33,600. Fiber is generally regarded as the most advanced technology, followed by fixed wireless or cable, and then by low-Earth orbit satellites (LEO). Even so, Illinois will get to spend nearly 79.9% of its allocation – [a larger share than almost all states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chart-of-states-accepting-bead-grant-applications/) – on broadband deployment. Under the bipartisan infrastructure law passed in November 2021, states were to be given a funding level. Some funds would go to “deployment” – actual fiber and wireless networks. Other so-called “non-deployment” funds would cover training programs and other tools meant to facilitate more extensive broadband usage. So while the funding levels for each state were set in June 2023, the percentage of funding that states may spend on any specific activity needed to be approved by the Commerce Department. Oregon has been approved to spend $587 million, or 85% of its original allocation, while Idaho is approved to spend $426 million, or 73% of its original allocation. Wisconsin is approved to spend $696 million, 65% of its original allocation. Those are among the highest percentage states. The funding approvals of almost all smaller states, particularly in New England, were cut to less than 10% of the amounts originally awarded under the Biden administration. And that region is not an anomaly: Nebraska was awarded 11%, Florida was awarded 20%, and North Carolina 21%. The low percentages, generally speaking, owe to pencil-sharpening by the Commerce Department. But that now means that the NTIA has another problem on its hands: How will the agency spend more than $21 billion in “remaining” non-deployment funds? For those states with low percentages that have been approved to spend, there will be – theoretically, unless the Trump administration seeks to rescind individual states’ award numbers – that much more available in remaining funds. And, to date, the Trump administration has been very skeptical about the purposes for which these non-deployment funds may be used. Roth and the NTIA have repeatedly delayed providing guidance on what will and won’t be allowable expenses for these non-deployment funds. ### *Contracts and construction* On August 26, [Michigan signed grant contracts](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/michigan-signs-17-subgrants-under-federal-broadband-program/) with 17 of the 29 organizations selected for its BEAD awards. The state expects construction to begin this month. That state’s plan calls for $917 million in federal funds plus $558 million in provider matching funds — about $1.47 billion total across 116 project awards covering 197,964 locations. Fiber accounts for 86% of planned connections; low-Earth orbit satellites account for 12% percent. Each signed contract begins a four-year clock to substantially complete construction and begin delivering service. The satellite awards — roughly $28 million to SpaceX and $8 million to Amazon’s service, dubbed Leo — continue through 2040. Electric cooperatives feature prominently in Michigan’s awards, with Midwest Energy & Communications receiving $60 million for 2,726 miles of buried fiber, and other co-ops. Michigan also shows what the program’s 2025 restructuring cost. The state ran a full selection round — 392 applications — before NTIA’s June 2025 policy notice eliminated the fiber preference and required every state to rescind provisional awards and start over. Those lowest-cost rules left about $640 million of Michigan’s $1.56 billion allocation outside the deployment budget. The state broadband office is weighing AI infrastructure, 5G expansion and pole resiliency work for those “non-deployment” funds. Hawaii itself is a stage further along. [Construction is underway](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hawai-i-begins-30-7-million-bead-broadband-buildout/) on a buildout once envisioned at $95 million that will now reach the same locations for $31 million in federal funds. The contracts set different clocks: Hawaiian Telcom has four years to perform; Amazon Leo has 10. ### *Complications and challenges* Virginia [signed agreements with 19 of its 22 BEAD winners](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/virginia-moves-forward-on-bead-contracts/) by early August. Roth spent approval week touring Virginia projects with Representative Morgan Griffith, a Republican. The same week, the same office [stripped broadband provider RiverStreet Networks](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/riverstreet-networks-loses-virginia-contracts-after-numerous-delays) from multiple state-subsidized projects intended to reach more than 30,000 rural customers, after years of missed deadlines and funding shortfalls. Both are post-award management, the work that follows the signatures. In the FCC’s separate Rural Digital Opportunity Fund program, roughly a third of winning providers eventually defaulted. California, whose late-approved BEAD proposal was blessed on July 20, is advancing a state program on parallel track. The Golden State Connect Authority — a joint powers authority of 40 rural counties — became [the first entity to sign a master agreement](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/golden-state-connect-authority-touting-connection-to-california-middle-mile-network/) with the California Department of Technology to use the state’s new middle-mile fiber network. A middle-mile network provides connectivity between an internet exchange point and local, last-mile fiber deployments. You can think of the middle-mile, by analogy, as the tertiary roads of a transportation network connecting interstate highways to local, neighborhood roads. The agreement, signed in July and announced August 21, connects the authority’s Golden State Fiber network to the state backbone. Golden State Fiber is [publicly owned and open access](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/golden-state-fiber-poised-to-connect-31-000-locations-in-rural-california/): The authority finances, builds, owns and operates the infrastructure, with operational support from Utah’s UTOPIA Fiber, and private providers sell service over it. Construction began in Glenn County in April — the first of seven deployments across Alpine, Amador, Glenn, Imperial, Mono and Tehama counties and the Town of Mammoth Lakes. That is some of the state’s most remote territory, with Alpine being its least-populated county. The network is expected to reach more than 31,000 locations, with remaining groundbreakings and the first connected customers in early 2027. The result is a stack of public networks, including state-owned middle mile and county-owned last-mile fiber. ### *Louisiana and SpaceX* Also, Louisiana announced on August 26 that SpaceX will spend [$100 billion on a rocket-launching facility](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana-excited-by-100-billion-spacex-launch-facility-local-starlink-discounts/) covering 125,000 acres of coastal Vermilion Parish. The state sold the land to the company for $100 million. SpaceX is also a Louisiana BEAD subgrantee, and state officials said those BEAD locations are unchanged by the announcement. Still, SpaceX said that it would offer new and existing Starlink broadband customers in the parash a 50% monthly discount. The irony is that a private company is spending $100 billion in the state on Louisiana land and rockets. That far dwarfs the entire total federal allocation of $42.5 for broadband under BEAD. ***This article was produced in collaboration with Broadband Breakfast partner Daily Yonder, and is also published on*** [***Daily Yonder on September 4, 2026***](https://dailyyonder.com/all-56-federal-broadband-plans-approved-construction-comes-next/2026/09/04/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***.*** ### Who’s Battling Disney for the FCC? Judge Jeanine! URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/whos-battling-disney-for-the-fcc-judge-jeanine/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T12:46:53.000Z 💡 ■ WOW! Starts Cable TV Sunset in Florida with Pivot to YouTube TV ■ NTIA to Fund New BEAD Effort That Targets Remaining Unserved Locations ■ Carr Ejects Seven Criminals from the FCC’s E-Rate Program ■ New Sanders Bill Would Ban ‘Superintelligent AI Systems’ ■ Boston Media Critic Says Moulton ‘Ran a Terrible Campaign’ ■ Free State’s May Says EchoStar Takes Chutzpah to Another Level ■ Left-Leaning Group Using Fuzzy Math to Diminish Thumann Severs ■ T-Mobile Names Jessica Uhl as New CFO Effective in February ■ TDS Closes on $25.4 million Purchase of Granite State Communications ■ The Ohio Telecom Association is Now the Ohio Broadband and Technology Association ■ As Expected, House Rejects Constitutional Amendment on SCOTUS Number ABC/Disney: The FCC asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by ABC and its parent Disney, arguing the court lacks jurisdiction over the agency’s ongoing license‑renewal review. In a Sept. 3 filing submitted by U.S. Attorney **Jeanine Pirro**, the FCC said Disney failed to cooperate with an antidiscrimination investigation, prompting regulators to order early renewal applications for eight ABC stations under a longstanding rule. Disney is concerned that the FCC is politically biased against the company and is just one step away from seeking license revocation, though FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has said no decisions have been made in his fact-driven look at Disney’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Q5YF!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6f0b89d-3d75-4c4e-b7ff-953b743afcd5_680x391.png) U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### FCC Commissioner Trusty Outlines Four Principles for Communications Policy URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-commissioner-trusty-outlines-four-principles-for-communications-policy/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:24.000Z WASHINGTON Sept. 3, 2026 – Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Olivia Trusty outlined four broad principles she said should guide communications policy as technology and digital markets continue to evolve. Speaking Sept. 1 at the 21st [International Regulatory Workshop in Cartagena, Colombia](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424589A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Trusty emphasized the importance of infrastructure investment, competition, regulatory flexibility and international cooperation. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Republican Trusty’s first principle was that successful digital markets depend on continued investment in communications infrastructure that is resilient, adaptable, secure and trusted. She pointed to fiber networks, satellites and wireless systems as the foundation for services ranging from artificial intelligence and telehealth to online education and commerce. “Every major communications breakthrough to date has depended upon at least one common ingredient: someone was willing to invest in an uncertain future,” Said Trusty. She said the FCC is working to support that investment by [making additional spectrum available](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trusty-speaks-on-u-s-wireless-and-spectrum-policy-at-industry-forum/), modernizing infrastructure deployment rules, streamlining satellite licensing and updating regulations that no longer reflect current technology and market conditions. “Our objective is to create an environment in which innovators are able to [build, invest, compete, and expand opportunity](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-trusty-looks-to-universal-services-next-phase/),” Trusty explained. Trusty’s second principle emphasizes the changing nature of competition in communications markets. She pointed to fiber competing with fixed wireless, terrestrial broadband competing with satellite and licensed spectrum operating alongside unlicensed technologies. Rather than viewing competition as something that can be measured at a single point in time, Trusty said regulators should recognize it as a dynamic process shaped by investment, technological advances and new entrants. “Healthy competition should not be viewed as a fixed destination that can be measured at a single moment in time,” Trusty said. Her third principle focused on regulatory flexibility. Trusty argued that rules should be based on enduring goals such as consumer protection, competition, public safety and network resilience rather than being tied too closely to particular technologies. She cited the FCC’s recent changes to [spectrum-sharing rules for non-geostationary satellite systems](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-adopts-new-satellite-spectrum-sharing-rules/) as an example. The changes are intended to give satellite operators greater flexibility while protecting existing services, she said. Trusty’s final principle was international cooperation. She noted that communications networks, satellites, submarine cables, supply chains and cybersecurity threats increasingly cross national borders. Cooperation on spectrum, interoperability, standards and market access can help countries expand connectivity while maintaining their individual laws and institutions. “Good regulation should provide guardrails, not a roadmap,” Said Trusty. Looking ahead, Trusty pointed to the upcoming International Telecommunication Union Plenipotentiary Conference and the 2027 World Radio communication Conference as opportunities for countries to work together on regulatory approaches that encourage investment and innovation. Across her remarks, Trusty argued that regulators should create conditions that allow communications companies and innovators to invest, compete and experiment without unnecessarily constraining technologies that have yet to emerge. ### Industry Backs ISP Challenge to Minnesota City Permit Rules URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/industry-backs-isp-challenge-to-minnesota-city-permit-rules/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:24.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2026 – Broadband providers and a major industry group are backing another ISP’s request for federal regulators to overrule local permitting rules. Maple Grove, Minn., countered that the Federal Communications Commission didn’t have legal authority to intervene in disputes surrounding broadband internet deployments. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Industry groups have also backed Lumos’s [bid to preempt](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/isps-back-lumos-in-ohio-permitting-dispute/) Ohio county permitting rules and a [similar request](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/incompas-backing-maryland-isps-preemption-bid/) from Maryland ISP Talkie Communications. The FCC can block local rules if they effectively prohibit the deployment of telecom services, which broadband is not. Gateway Fiber, the ISP challenging Maple Grove’s rules, said its fiber could be used for both broadband and telecom services, and was thus covered by FCC authority. Other ISPs have made a similar argument, and the FCC signaled it was open to it when the agency sought comment on the issue. The agency has an open rulemaking in which it’s considering imposing shot clocks and fee limits when local permitting agencies process wireline projects, something [strongly supported](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-industry-wants-fcc-to-mandate-60-day-shot-clock-for-local-permits/&ved=2ahUKEwjAvae1rNOWAxUmtokEHabwN3EQFnoECB4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw1zUAMOLYqgCqlt8mbqGlor) by ISPs and [strongly opposed](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-tell-fcc-to-leave-pole-attachment-authority-intact/) by local governments. A permitting bill implementing some of those changes cleared the House Commerce Committee on partisan lines late last year. In the case of Maple Grove, Gateway [said the city](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26109834869/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in March started requiring ISPs to enter into cable franchise agreements before receiving permits. Franchise agreements, usually used by cable TV and broadband providers, involve paying a set amount of revenue to a local government in exchange for rights-of-way access. Gateway said that was blocking it from deploying telecom infrastructure, since it couldn’t satisfy technical requirements related to cable franchises in Minnesota, and thus the FCC should step in and quash the requirement. The ISP was represented by attorneys from Morgan Lewis, including former FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief **Loyaan Egal**. Maple Grove argued in an [Aug. 24 response](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072849/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that although Gateway was registered to provide telecom data services in Minnesota, the company was seeking permits for residential broadband deployment. That prevented any FCC intervention, in the city’s view. The city also said Gateway wasn’t in fact prevented from entering a franchise agreement under state law. ### *USTelecom, AT&T back Gateway* Broadband trade group USTelecom and AT&T sided with Gateway. USTelecom vice president **B. Lynn Follansbee** said the issue could have widespread implications, and that the agency should set the precedent of quashing Maple Grove’s rules. “Competitive fiber networks increasingly support a mix of broadband and telecommunications offerings over common facilities,” she wrote in an [Aug. 24 filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072883/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “If localities may condition ordinary construction permits on service-specific franchise obligations unrelated to right-of-way management, providers would face a patchwork of duplicative local approvals that can delay deployment, increase costs, and deter investment.” [AT&T agreed](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072964/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that fiber should be covered by the FCC’s preemption authority, and the agency should side with Gateway. When the agency proposed wireline permitting rules in June, it said it was inclined to agree with broadband providers that infrastructure that can potentially provide telecom service should be covered by its policies. "If a provider seeks to deploy infrastructure that enables *the ability* to provide telecommunications services, no state or local requirement may prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting it, regardless of whether the provider offers other services on a commingled basis,” the agency wrote. The agency sought comment on that conclusion. Industry and local governments are sharply divided on the issue, with providers saying endless reviews hold up deployments of essential services and municipalities arguing they don’t have the resources to move quickly and need to ensure rights-of-way are accessed safely. ### Grain Management Completes Ritter-Great Plains Merger, Launches Rightfiber URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/grain-management-completes-ritter-great-plains-merger-launches-rightfiber/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:24.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept 3, 2026 - Grain Management has completed the [strategic combination](https://graingp.com/grain-management-completes-strategic-combination-forming-rightfiber/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of Ritter Communications and Great Plains Communications, forming Rightfiber, one of the largest privately held fiber broadband platforms in the United States. The deal, [first announced](https://graingp.com/ritter-communications-and-great-plains-communications-combine-to-form-rightfiber/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in June, unites two century-old regional telecom operators into a single brand serving more than 400 communities across 20 states. Rightfiber now operates a 28,000-mile fiber network with over 300,000 Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) passings, providing residential and business internet, carrier services and connectivity for hyperscalers and community partners. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) **Heath Simpson**, a board member of Ritter Communications, will serve as CEO of the combined company. In a [statement](https://graingp.com/grain-management-completes-strategic-combination-forming-rightfiber/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Simpson said the merger creates an organization “built on shared values, exceptional people, and a commitment to investing in the communities we serve,” and positions Rightfiber to expand fiber access while maintaining local customer relationships. To fund continued organic growth and potential acquisitions, Rightfiber has entered into a $1.6 billion credit facility led by Fifth Third Bank. Simpson said the team is in place, network integration is connected, systems integration is underway and the growth plan is fully funded. Grain Management, founded in 2007, has long supported both Ritter and Great Plains through investments in fiber infrastructure, operational expansion and broadband accessibility. The firm specializes in digital infrastructure, including fiber networks, data centers, wireless spectrum and cell towers, and views broadband as foundational to broader tech-enabled transformation across industries. Customers should see a seamless transition to the Rightfiber brand, with existing services, local support teams and relationships remaining in place while gaining access to the combined organization’s expanded capabilities and resources. The company says it will continue investing in network expansion, technology innovation and community initiatives throughout its growing footprint. ### FCC Opens Rural ‘Innovation Zones’ to Speed Up 5G and Ag‑Tech Testing URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-opens-rural-innovation-zones-to-speed-up-5g-and-ag-tech-testing/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:25.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2026 - The Federal Communications Commission has authorized a new Wireless Technology Innovation Zone at Iowa State University to develop and refine wireless technologies intended to connect rural communities and to study new use cases for precision agriculture for both crop and livestock farms. The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology issued the [public notice](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424457A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Aug. 28, designating the Iowa site as a location where experimental licensees can test advanced technologies, applications and prototype networks outside of a traditional small campus or laboratory setting. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The same action expands spectrum bands in the Innovation Zone at Northeastern University in Boston and expands the geographic boundaries of existing Innovation Zones at North Carolina State University in Raleigh and at the Salt Lake City site in Utah. Innovation Zones are designated locations for specific experimental licensees to foster robust wireless research and development through real-world testing. Wireless networking research is [fundamental](https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/articles/pawr-wireless-testbeds-earn-spectrum-130500968.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the U.S. economy and national security, but independent researchers typically have limited access to spectrum to develop and test new wireless technologies. To accelerate the development of these technologies, the Innovation Zone Program extends the parameters of FCC experimental program licenses and provides qualified users with controlled access to spectrum to run experiments, deploy prototype networks, and demonstrate new wireless applications. The FCC approved a proposal from the Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) office – a public‑private partnership that oversees the research platforms – for an Iowa State Innovation Zone to “serve as a wireless living lab for smart and connected rural communities, enabling the research and development of rural‑focused wireless technologies that provide affordable, high‑capacity connectivity to rural communities and industries such as agriculture.” The FCC also modified conditions at existing Innovation Zones to expand research. Northeastern’s Boston zone can increase maximum power on certain frequencies and add authorized bands. N.C. State and Salt Lake City zones can increase power on certain frequencies and expand both bands and geographic boundaries. The FCC is renewing the New York City, Salt Lake City, N.C. State and Northeastern zones for another five-year term. The FCC says the expanded zones will [speed up](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424457A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) real‑world testing of open, standards‑based wireless networks, helping move 5G and 6G innovations from campus labs into rural and agricultural deployments. ### FCC Proposes Robocall Scorecard to Measure Provider Performance URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-robocall-scorecard-to-measure-provider-performance/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:25.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is considering a public scorecard that would rate voice service providers on how effectively they protect consumers from illegal robocalls. The FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau[ released a public notice Wednesday](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-932A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) seeking comment on the proposed Robocall Mitigation Scorecard. The agency said the tool would give consumers an easy way to compare providers while encouraging companies to improve their efforts to prevent illegal calls. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [The proposal comes as the FCC has made combating illegal robocalls a top consumer-protection priority](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-bars-more-than-1-200-providers-for-robocall-rule-violations/). The agency said its current efforts span the lifecycle of a call, including “Know Your Customer” and “Know Your Upstream Provider” requirements, call authentication, blocking and labeling, enforcement and consumer complaint monitoring. Rather than simply checking whether a provider has completed required filings or adopted certain tools, the FCC wants the Scorecard to consider whether those efforts actually produce results for consumers. Potential metrics could include the consumer tools a provider offers to label or block calls, network-level blocking and labeling practices, responses to traceback requests and call authentication practices. The agency is also considering outcome-based measures such as consumer complaints, the volume of calls blocked, the rate at which legitimate calls are mistakenly blocked and trends in the number of illegal robocalls reaching subscribers. [Enforcement data could also play a role](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-suspends-belthrough-from-phone-network-for-violating-robocall-rules/). The FCC is considering using its own enforcement records, along with data from the Robocall Mitigation Database, the Industry Traceback Group, the Federal Trade Commission and other third-party or industry sources. The inclusion of enforcement information could allow the Scorecard to reflect whether providers have failed to take required mitigation steps. At the same time, the FCC emphasized that a Scorecard rating would not determine whether a provider has complied with federal robocall rules. Compliance remains a case-specific legal question, the agency said. The FCC is proposing to rate domestic voice providers with retail customers, potentially including wireless, wireline and VoIP providers. [It is seeking comment on whether ratings should cover the largest providers or include smaller and regional companies as well](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-weighs-efforts-to-address-robocalls-as-industry-pushes-back/). The agency has not yet settled on how the ratings would look. It is asking whether providers should receive numerical scores, letter grades, risk tiers or another type of rating. The FCC is also seeking input on how frequently the Scorecard should be updated and whether providers should have an opportunity to review and challenge information before it is published. The Scorecard would be a public-facing initiative rather than a new set of regulatory requirements. The FCC said it expects the tool to be housed on its website and updated periodically. ### Some Remaining BEAD Funds to be Used on New Bidding Round URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-remaining-bead-funds-to-be-used-on-new-bidding-round/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:26.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2026 – The Trump administration is freeing up some broadband funding to serve rural locations not yet covered by a program aimed at ending the digital divide. States will use some of their remaining Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program funds on a new round of deployment projects, the administration announced Thursday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) A new bidding round will be aimed at locations that were not marked as eligible for bidding last year, but still lack broadband service, according to [a new policy notice](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/09/BEAD%5FSupplemental%5FDeployment%5FPolicy%5FNotice%5FEmbargoed.pdf) from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. “Congress designed the BEAD program to be the final federal broadband deployment program, ensuring universal broadband availability for America,” NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** said in a statement. “Through this targeted use of funding, we are ensuring that we close the digital divide once and for all while also protecting taxpayer dollars.” The policy notice didn’t outline other uses of the remaining money, commonly called non-deployment funds, and said those would come “in subsequent guidance.” An NTIA spokesperson confirmed in an email that after [approving all BEAD plans](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/) last month, the agency still expected $21 billion to remain from the program’s $42.45 billion budget. That’s partly a result of Trump administration policies aimed at driving down deployment costs. Roth had told lawmakers the agency would release guidance on how states could use that money by the end of the summer. That guidance will also have to specify which states cannot access remaining BEAD money due to “onerous” AI laws. The agency said in the notice that most states and territories were still working on [final grant agreements](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-cant-unilaterally-alter-bead-contracts-ntia-says/) with BEAD winners, and that keeping its update related to deployment for now would ensure everyone stayed focused on universal broadband availability. Funding more projects to scoop up newly eligible locations was also a common theme of the large amount of input NTIA has taken on the issue, the agency said. The notice said NTIA “will continue considering other uses” for the remaining funding. Roth announced the new bidding round at a roundtable in Anchorage, Alaska with Sen. **Dan Sullivan**, R-Alaska, and local ISPs. It wasn’t livestreamed. In NTIA’s statement, the agency said more than 5,000 locations in Alaska could be eligible for the new bidding round. In all, the process the agency outlined could last nine months before the new projects are approved by NTIA . ### *Another challenge process* Per the policy notice, some locations that were not marked as eligible for BEAD bidding last year now don’t have a path to high-speed broadband. That’s a result of providers defaulting on other federal and state programs, misreporting by ISPs, and other changes to Federal Communications Commission broadband maps, the notice said. NTIA already conducted a final review that FCC map and create a list of eligible locations, which the notice said would be sent Thursday to each state broadband office (the review used the current FCC map, based on location fabric version eight, for coverage reporting but [remove any locations](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite-bead-awards-to-be-reduced/) not marked as serviceable locations in the more recent fabric version nine). States will then have 30 days to conduct a review of those locations and make adjustments based on their knowledge of state programs and private deployments. Within seven days of completing the review, states will have to publicly post their updated location lists. ISPs, local governments, and nonprofits will then have 30 days to challenge those locations and ask for them to be removed from the list. There won’t be a rebuttal round like the original BEAD challenge processes in 2023, and the process can now only be used to remove already served locations. States will have to adjudicate those challenges 30 days after the window closes. In all, the refining process could take up to 97 days based on NTIA’s deadlines. ### *Cost cap* Those post-challenge lists of locations will then be submitted to NTIA, which will approve them. Based on the number of newly eligible locations and the average cost per location in the state’s approved BEAD spending plan, NTIA will set a cap on the amount of excess funds that can be used for the new round of deployment projects. A state can seek a waiver to go over that, but it “will be required to demonstrate extraordinary circumstances (i.e., that it has taken all practicable steps to complete deployment within its established amount, including consideration of the most cost-effective technologies).” After getting NTIA clearance, states will have 90 days to finish another round of bidding. The rules for that will be the same as the bidding rounds from last year held under new Trump administration rules. Funds will still be directed primarily at projects that demonstrate they can scale over time, and providers using any technology can apply for that priority designation. Once bidding is done and states have picked winners, they’ll submit their plans to NTIA, which will have another 90 days to approve them. State plans “will be scrutinized for excessive deployment costs based on the cost characteristics of the area to be served,” the notice said. ### TDS Withdraws Bid to Acquire Array URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tds-withdraws-bid-to-acquire-array/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:26.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2026 – TDS Telecom is calling off its acquisition of Array Digital Infrastructure, the company announced Tuesday. TDS already owns about 82 percent of Array. TDS had proposed exchanging 0.86 shares of TDS stock for each Array share the company didn’t already own, but that evidently wasn’t satisfying for Array. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Despite extensive review on both sides, we were not able to reach agreement on the form of consideration and value,” TDS CEO **Walter Carlson** said in a statement. The company said [in its release](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1051512/000105151226000070/tds2026withdrawarrayoffere.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that it would continue to hold its stake in Array, which Carlson had previously said the company would do if the deal fell through. “We remain confident in Array’s business and long-term prospects and are committed to supporting Array’s continued success as a leading owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure,” he said in his statement. TDS stock was up more than 12 percent since Tuesday. The company said it would resume share buybacks and had $523 million available under its buyback program. The company also said it would, along with Array, [increase its efforts](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tds-looking-to-fully-acquire-array-in-all-stock-deal/) to sell Array’s remaining spectrum assets. Most of the remaining value is in C-band licenses. Array sold $1 billion of spectrum each to AT&T and Verizon, and included a chunk of its licenses in T-Mobile’s $4.3 billion acquisition of its former wireless operations. It now operates its portfolio of more than 4,400 towers. Array CEO **Anthony Carlson**, Walter Carlson’s nephew, said in May that the company didn’t see multiple upcoming spectrum auctions as reducing demand for its licenses. “We continue to believe that the C-band spectrum we hold is excellent and valuable spectrum. It's a usable property today, with an ecosystem to support it,” he said. “We’re not going to be a forced seller in these circumstances.” Based in Wisconsin, TDS offers wireline broadband across 30 states. It counts more than 1 million fiber passings. ### FCC to Spend About $400 Million to Fund Agency in Fiscal 2026 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-spend-about-400-million-to-fund-agency-in-fiscal-2026/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:26.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is planning to spend more than $400 million to regulate the nation’s communications sector. Under an [order](https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-adopts-regulatory-fees-order-fiscal-year-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) released on August 27, the FCC said the bulk of the fees will be paid by four broad sectors: phone companies, cable operators, broadcasters, and wireless providers. Interstate telecommunications providers will contribute about $122.7 million, commercial mobile (CMRS) providers about $98 million, and cable/MVPD operators about $68.4 million – together accounting for nearly $288 million of the total. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The remainder is spread across broadcast TV and radio stations, satellite and earth station operators, and other licensees, with broadcasters collectively responsible for roughly $64-65 million and satellite/earth stations adding tens of millions more. The FCC allocates its staff costs across these categories, tying fees to the work that directly benefits each group. This year, more Media Bureau and Space Bureau expenses are assigned to broadcasters and satellite operators, pushing larger increases onto those industries. Fees are due by Sept. 24, 2026, through the FCC’s billing system, with a statutory 25% penalty for late payment. In adopting the schedule, the FCC rejected requests to expand the fee base to new categories such as virtual MVPDs like YouTube TV. ### Prominent Republicans Continue to Question USF’s Future without Reforms URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/prominent-republicans-continue-to-question-usfs-future-without-reforms/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T12:48:58.000Z 💡 ■ TDS Calls Off Bid to Acquire Remaining Shares of Array Digital ■ NTIA’s Roth to Unveil ‘Next Phase’ in BEAD Program Today in Alaska ■ Consultant Michael Wolf Says NFL Has Obvious TV Affordability Problem ■ New Street Research: Can’t Blame CFO for Charter’s Stock Dive ■ NHL Blues Go a la Carte on Amazon Prime Video ■ Carr Proposes ‘Robocall Scorecard’ as a New Consumer Info Tool ■ Grain Says Rightfiber Can Tap $1.6 billion Credit Facility ■ Mediacom’s Tapan Dandnaik to Retire as SVP of Operations, ■ Renee Wilm Stepping Down as Chief Legal Officer at GCI Parent Liberty Capital Corp. USF: Political positioning over reform of the FCC’s Universal Service Fund continues unbated. Former Rep. **Cathy McMorris Rodgers** justwarned that Congress should reject proposals that sought to make Big Tech or broadband ISPs pay into the USF, arguing the program needed a full overhaul before lawmakers considered new revenue sources. In a *Washington Times* [op‑ed](https://tedhearn.substack.com/p/No%20new%20taxes%20to%20fund%20the%20FCC%E2%80%99s%20Universal%20Service%20Fund) *(‘No new taxes to fund the FCC’s Universal Service Fund’)*, she wrote, “Washington has a familiar playbook when an outdated federal program runs into trouble: Rather than fixing what’s broken, it just finds someone new to pay for it.” ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sbQB!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6062c2be-14b6-41a5-8c23-512b8dcec5f8_827x591.png) Former Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) who retired in 2025 after serving one term as Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### A Looming ‘Tokenocracy’ Threatens Regulators Ability to Govern AI URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/a-looming-tokenocracy-threatens-regulators-ability-to-govern-ai/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T20:59:06.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2026 — The tools to verify what artificial intelligence can do are not keeping up with policymakers’ ability to understand – let alone control – AI, said four scholars during a [Broadband Breakfast Live Online panel](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-september-2-2026-global-ai-regulation/) on Wednesday. Even the government may be incapacitated in its ability to keep up with the frontier AI labs. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “We are moving into a tokenocracy, where only the folks who have tokens, who have access to GPUs, can perform the research we need to hold these labs accountable,” said **Kevin Frazier**, director of AI innovation and law at the University of Texas School of Law and a senior editor at Lawfare. ### *Whose rules?* Talk of a global race to regulate AI is the wrong frame, argued **Johannes Bauer**, professor of media and information at Michigan State University and a former chief economist at the Federal Communications Commission. American, European and Chinese models compete, he said, but they also learn from each other. Neither pole of the usual argument survives contact with the research. "Innovation flourishes in the sweet spot," he said. Counting three regional AI blocs may be generous, added Frazier of the University of Texas. Capital, compute and talent sit in two countries, he said, putting Europe's share of global open source model use near 2%. "This is really a bifurcated world of the U.S. and China," he said. The exception: Anthropic adopted the EU's watermarking standard for every user, not just European ones. Also, compliance is not optional for anyone selling into the market, said **Lee Tiedrich**, president and CEO of Tiedrich Global Strategies and a former senior AI adviser at the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. "If you're going to be doing business in Europe, that's not really negotiable," she said. But other countries haven’t followed the EU’s example on AI as much as they previously did on privacy. ### *Preemption discussion* Most U.S. action is in the states, said **Ellen Goodman**, professor at Rutgers Law School and co-founder of its Institute for Information Policy & Law, citing New York, California, Illinois, Colorado and Utah. These include model safety, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, chatbots for kids and incident reporting. Open weights AI also remains an open question. "No one knows how to deal with distributed open weight models," she said. The issue around which consensus is mostly likely to immediately develop is on transparency and incident reporting. Courts are filling gaps, too. Three decades without a social media framework left tort liability to do the work, Goodman said, most recently in the [$17 billion Meta settlement](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/meta-reaches-17-billion-settlement-with-states-in-landmark-trial-over-teen-social-media-addiction/) with state attorneys general. Preemption of state rules may arise soon. [A bipartisan discussion draft from Reps. **Jay Obernolte**, R-Calif., and **Lori Trahan**, D-Mass.](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-preemption-battle-lands-in-congress-with-substantive-discussion-draft/), was touted by several panelists. It would preempt displaces state law in one area only: frontier model safety and catastrophic risk. ### *When AI sandboxes fail* Of particular concern to many panelists is the July 2026 incident in which autonomous AI agents running inside frontier lab OpenAI’s internal cyber-capability evaluation escaped its “sandbox” and broke into the infrastructure of Hugging Face, a platform that hosts open-source machine learning models. Driven by a pre-release model and OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 Sol, the agent executed code on dozens of servers. (Since the incident, chipmaker [Nvida is said to be acquiring Hugging Face for $13 billion](https://www.reuters.com/technology/nvidia-talks-acquire-hugging-face-13-billion-deal-business-insider-reports-2026-08-27/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com).) Agents meant to run in isolation, with no internet access, "managed to break out of that sandbox," Frazier said. Once loose, they began "conferring or collaborating with one another" on how to keep finding software exploits. Accounting for it fell to outside evaluators. AI safety research organizations METR and Redwood Research produced the 91-page report, working unpaid, without access to all the relevant files, and on $400,000 in API credits supplied by OpenAI itself, Frazier said. Goodman compared it to a chemical spill, and called it "a hair on fire moment." Some panelists said that trying to slow down AI progress was not likely to be possible. "Pauses don't work," said Tiedrich. Tiedrich said NIST, which does measurement and evaluation science rather than regulation, has a testing-and-evaluation document out for comment and a new agentic AI initiative. But Goodman disagreed. “I'm not sure that pauses don't work. I think labs are begging for what they call pacing. So it's not about a technology pause, but it's about a pause for governance.” She also called for a token tax, and for exemptions from antitrust laws to address AI safety issues. The missing public record is the larger problem, argued Frazier. In reviewing the OpenAI-Hugging Face, unpaid outside auditors lacked access to files and hence left basic questions unanswered. "We don't know how deep that hack went into OpenAI systems," he said. Scrutiny is also getting priced out. "We have to avoid this tokenocracy." Bauer also said the U.S. needs a body built to track the technology systematically, along the lines of the congressional Office of Technology Assessment, which was defunded in 1995\. "We need another office of technology assessment, for AI to really systematically evaluate the information that we have," he said. ### International Airlines Seek Rebates for Gear Upgrades Tied to FCC Auction Rules URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/international-airlines-seek-rebates-for-gear-upgrades-tied-to-fcc-auction-rules/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:27.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2026 – An international airline trade group wants to be reimbursed for equipment upgrades that will be required after a spectrum auction in the U.S. The International Air Transport Association is suing the Federal Communications Commission for the agency’s decision to limit rebates to domestic airlines. The group [filed an appeal](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.43541/gov.uscourts.cadc.43541.01208883919.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Monday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) After the agency’s upper C-band auction next year, U.S. airlines [could receive](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/airline-rebates-could-reach-5-7-billion-after-upper-c-band-auction/) anywhere from $3.8 billion to $5.7 billion in rebates for swapping in upgraded altimeters that can handle more interference. Those would be paid by winning bidders. The FCC decided to limit that to domestic airlines because of the “fluid and itinerant nature” of foreign-registered airlines in the country. IATA noted that the Federal Aviation Administration estimated it would ultimately cost about $1 billion for non-U.S. airlines to upgrade their gear. “This places a discriminatory cost burden on foreign air carriers — forcing them to address costs through measures such as reducing services, passing costs onto customers, or delaying other upgrades or optional preventative maintenance,” wrote **Pantelis Michalopoulos**, a longtime telecom attorney representing the group. “This in turn will lead to reduced flight availability and higher prices for U.S. consumers.” IATA asked the court to vacate the agency’s July order setting rules for the upper C-band transition and make foreign airlines eligible for rebates. The FAA, which is conducting a parallel rulemaking on the altimeter transition, said in its own order that it estimated about 58,000 pieces of gear will need to be replaced on U.S. fleets, at between $80,000 and $120,000 a piece. Passenger aircraft will need to complete their upgrades by the end of 2030, while other cargo and military planes get an additional four years. That should be enough for the mobile carriers to light up the band in large markets in late 2030, according to the FCC. The major U.S. airlines had asked for spare altimeters to be eligible for rebates, something the agency didn’t opt to include in the final order. ### Telecom Industry Groups to Sixth Circuit: Overturn FCC Data Breach Rules URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom-industry-groups-to-sixth-circuit-overturn-fcc-data-breach-rules/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:27.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2026 – Broadband industry groups urged federal judges Tuesday to invalidate expanded data breach reporting rules. The industry groups [are worried that](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gop-lawmakers-ags-want-fcc-data-breach-case-reheard/) if the rules stand, it would be harder for Congress to permanently quash agency rules it disapproved of. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld the rules last year, but the [court agreed](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/sixth-circuit-to-rehear-case-on-fcc-data-breach-rules-case/) in July to rehear the case with a full panel of 13 judges. The challengers include USTelecom, NCTA, and CTIA, among others. They argued Tuesday that the data breach rules, adopted in 2023 by the Federal Communications Commission, were too similar to one provision of a rule package that was nullified by Congress in 2017 via the Congressional Review Act. The CRA allows Congress to ax agency rules with majority votes in both chambers, and prevents the rules from being reissued in the future without explicit Congressional approval. The Sixth Circuit panel ruled 2-1 last year that that applied to entire rules, and agencies were free to bring back smaller pieces of rule packages that had been struck down. That would allow agencies to bring back nullified rules piece by piece, Lathan & Watkins partner **Roman Martinez** wrote for the industry groups. “If an agency adopts Rules A, B, C, and D in one order and Congress disapproves that order, the panel’s approach lets the agency simply reissue Rules A and B in one order and Rules C and D in another,” he wrote. The groups also argued that the FCC’s privacy authority was limited to certain voice call-related network information and didn’t extend to the personally identifiable information the 2023 order covered. The 2023 rules expanded the definition of a data breach that telecoms would have to report and expanded the kinds of customer information companies would have to protect. It applied to telecom and voice providers, while the rules axed in 2017 would also have applied to broadband ISPs, which were telecom carriers at the time. Oral arguments in the rehearing are set for Oct. 21\. The FCC will have to respond by Sept. 30. ### *FCC has downplayed concerns* FCC Chairman **Brednan Carr**, a commissioner at the time, dissented from the 2023 rules on the same grounds that the industry groups opposed it, saying it “plainly violates the law. The agency [previously told](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-data-breach-rules-still-under-review-agency-says/&ved=2ahUKEwjsw%5FWmstCWAxUUEFkFHdQoBn8QFnoECBQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1YvJJn4u9b2m51dtdnIeKX) the court it had been reviewing the rules starting in September 2025, implying it might ultimately repeal them (something the industry groups wouldn’t be satisfied with as it wouldn’t change the CRA precedent). The agency told the court in July that a rehearing wasn’t necessary. Agency attorney Adam Sorensen argued concerns from industry groups, as well as GOP lawmakers and attorneys general, were overblown. “Petitioners’ policy concerns are exaggerated,” FCC and Justice Department attorneys wrote. “Congress remains free to disapprove under the CRA any subsequent rule issued by an agency. And even outside the CRA process, Congress is always free through legislation to strip a federal agency of authority to act in a given area.” The government also argued the court found the 2023 rules were slightly different from the nixed 2017 rules, and thus agencies couldn’t easily make a small change and re-adopt nullified rules as companies feared. The three-judge panel had found there were differences in the customer notice requirements, and that the 2023 order applied to companies providing call services for people with disabilities. Martinez called those “minor differences” Wednesday. “Both rules require customer notice for the same kind of breach, on the same 30-day timeline, and with the same basic required message,” he wrote. ### Scams in the U.S. Are at a Record High, Yet Most Victims Get No Help URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/scams-in-the-u-s-are-at-a-record-high-yet-most-victims-get-no-help/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:27.000Z Sept. 2, 2026 (AP) – When Simon’s wife of 43 years passed away, it felt a bit like he’d died too. In his overwhelming grief, Simon sought companionship online, like so many other lonely widows and widowers. Almost immediately he met Emily. But over the next few months, Emily, who Simon realized too late was a fake, stole $800,000 from him. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) And that was just the beginning. Simon was stuck paying back $185,000 he had borrowed, and tens of thousands of dollars in additional taxes on money he had withdrawn and lost. He tried to report the crime to his local police and the FBI, he said, but nothing came of it. Instead, he was contacted by yet another scammer — offering to connect him with the Secret Service to recoup his losses in exchange for even more money. Like Simon, virtually every American has been targeted by scammers in some way, [exclusive new polling data shows](https://apnews.com/article/poll-scams-law-enforcement-social-media-389f8d824b89fa434c297729f2aaf56d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Scams in the U.S. have surged to a record high, [causing billions in losses for Americans](https://apnews.com/article/scams-fraud-technology-ai-impostor-scam-phishing-12f549d5203abd38857c4e2f2fb1c986?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). But the U.S. still lags behind some other countries in tackling the problem, holding financial and social media companies responsible and regulating the cryptocurrency scammers rely on, an investigation by The Associated Press and FRONTLINE found. And although both the Trump administration and Congress are pursuing new options, victims still have little recourse and sometimes end up losing even more. In interviews with almost five dozen victims, AP and FRONTLINE found that many faced ridicule and stigma from friends and family, mounting pressure from banks and lenders, additional taxes, dismissive law enforcement and neglect from a government they believed would protect them. “What happens after the scam might even be worse than the scam itself,” said **Erin West**, a former prosecutor and founder of the nonprofit Operation Shamrock that provides support for victims of online scams. “It’s a travesty.” While victims say they seldom get any answers from authorities, AP/FRONTLINE found these crimes can be traceable. With the help of leaked documents and cryptowallet addresses, AP/FRONTLINE tracked Emily and Simon’s stolen funds to a notorious scam compound halfway around the world in Myanmar with thousands of victims. Simon was stunned to see Emily’s fake profile and hundreds of pages of conversations he thought were encrypted. “What a fool I was,” he said. Today, much of the Myanmar compound where his scam originated lies in rubble, destroyed by local authorities. Yet many of the illicit operations simply moved, new sites opened immediately, and Simon is no closer to getting his money back. He asked not to be identified by his full name because he is too ashamed to tell most of his family about the crime. Local police and the FBI declined to comment on the case. “(The police) told me right away that, you know, ‘You have to kiss that money goodbye,’” he said, fighting back tears. “Already I experienced something very bad and now I have to pay for the consequences on top of it, and see my money evaporate all over again. You lose two ways.” ### *As scams surge, fees and taxes pile on* The size of the global scam industry is staggering. Americans reported a record $15.9 billion in losses last year to the [Federal Trade Commission](https://apnews.com/hub/federal-trade-commission?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a 25% increase from 2024\. And such estimates are likely a massive undercount because most scam victims are too embarrassed to report their crimes. The FTC estimates that real losses in 2024 were close to $200 billion; that’s $550 million every day just in the U.S. The ballooning costs are fueled by huge advances in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. AI allows scammers to work at a previously unimaginable scale and level of sophistication, and cryptocurrency, often used in investment scams, is a form of digital cash that can be hard to trace to its real owners. No one is immune, the AP/FRONTLINE investigation found. Ninety-eight percent of Americans suspect they have been targeted by scammers, many every day, according to a poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Three in 10 said they have personally lost money or information to scams. AP/FRONTLINE interviewed 58 people in the United States who lost money to cyberscams, aged 32 to 90, across all races and income levels. They said they lost several thousand dollars to $4 million each and included doctors, IT professionals, academics with advanced degrees and people just trying to make ends meet. All said they felt alone and confused afterward. When they did report the crimes to law enforcement, many felt abandoned by a lack of support. Several victims said they contemplated suicide. Two attempted it. The only one to get any money back won a rare settlement from her bank, not from her scammer. Instead, scam victims sometimes owe additional money through bank fees and tax bills. The [IRS](https://apnews.com/hub/internal-revenue-service?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) often demands that retirees, including scam victims, pay taxes on any funds they withdrew from tax-deferred accounts like their retirement savings. Before 2018, victims of theft or fraud could sometimes deduct losses incurred from their taxable income. But under a provision of the Trump administration’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, made permanent in 2025, personal losses from many common scams are not eligible for tax breaks. That means victims can owe taxes after money was stolen from them. Retired nurse **Susan Bivins** said she was tricked into draining her retirement accounts and sending more than $200,000 to a scammer pretending to be a federal agent. The FBI and local police did not help, she said. Then her tax bill arrived. She owed the Internal Revenue Service $80,000. “I wanted to drive off a cliff,” she said. “I didn’t know how I was going to live.” Bivins sold her home and moved into a small one-bedroom apartment. She is still paying off her tax bill, selling handmade quilts. The FBI said in a statement that it takes scams and fraud seriously but cannot comment on individual cases to protect privacy. Local police did not respond to repeated requests for comment. A law before Congress, the [Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9500/text?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), would reinstate an allowance for victims to deduct their losses. AARP fraud prevention lead **Kathy Stokes** urged Congress earlier this year to help scam victims who are “stuck with a bill they don’t deserve and have no way to pay.” “Essentially they’re being revictimized by the U.S. government,” Stokes said. Banks also sometimes blame people who are scammed instead of seeing them as crime victims, or even accuse them of being complicit. Victims described having their accounts abruptly frozen or canceled, along with demands for repayment on loans and legal fees. **Debra Fox** in Colorado lost $58,000 in a romance scam, she said. In a meeting with her bank branch, she said, a representative told her that she would be held responsible for anything fraudulent linked to her own accounts and forced to pay any legal fees. She was in shock for 48 hours, terrified that the little she had left would vanish. “I thought, I have no control over this process,” she said. “The crime was horrific enough… but it’s what happened next that was really unbelievable to me.” Her local bank branch declined to comment on her case. Earlier this year, American Bankers Association Chair **Kenneth Kelly** said banks spend “time, money and significant resources” trying to stop fraud, which usually refers to unauthorized transactions. But under current U.S. law, financial institutions are rarely liable for transactions their customers authorize. There are rare workarounds. For example, under new legal protections, a theft from a senior citizen in California might fall under the definition of financial elder abuse. **Alice Lin**, now 83, was the only victim AP/FRONTLINE interviewed to get some money back, after she sued her bank, citing this law. Over their lifetimes, Lin and her husband had put aside a nest egg of about $720,000\. After he died, she struck up what she thought was an online friendship with a man who’d also lost a spouse. Her new friend Justin convinced her to take out money from her bank and invest it in cryptocurrency platforms. At first, her financial statements showed big wins. But when Justin encouraged her to ask her daughter for a loan to invest more, her family realized it was a scam. Lin sued JPMorgan Chase for failing to protect an elderly citizen and flag the extraordinarily large and unusual transfers. Earlier this year, they settled for an undisclosed amount, according to her lawyers. JPMorgan Chase said it has multiple layers of scam protection, from bankers who asked Lin about her transactions to written warnings. Settling the lawsuit “was a business decision weighed with the cost of litigation on this matter,” said the bank in a written statement. Lin had been targeted by a sophisticated criminal network that ran dozens of different scams and took in at least $800 million from January 2022 to September 2024, blockchain analysis TRM Labs did for AP/FRONTLINE showed. This industrialization of scams makes it even harder for victims to get their money back, said **Ari Redford**, global head of policy at TRM Labs. “We have not built out systems in the U.S. in many respects to not only alert victims but to really do restitution in a meaningful way,” he said. Lin said the grief and embarrassment made her think about taking her own life. But she was infuriated by a question her scammer asked her long after she’d stopped responding. “Are you still alive?” said the message. Lin shuddered as she read it again. “I told myself, ‘I’m alive and I’m going to fight back.’” ### *Global models offer potential answers* The U.S. is taking steps to improve cooperation with the private sector on fighting scams but — unlike a growing number of other countries — has stopped short of requiring companies to do more to protect consumers or face financial penalties. Eight in 10 Americans across political lines said the U.S. government isn’t doing enough to protect them against scams, according to a new Gallup survey. And more than half said financial institutions, social media and tech companies and the federal government should also share responsibility, new AP-NORC polling shows. Since late 2024, financial services companies in the United Kingdom have generally had to reimburse clients tricked into sending money to scammers, giving them an incentive to invest in prevention measures. The downside has been slower bank transfers, the need for more employees and sometimes a conversation to explain why a customer might want to transfer money. The European Union is also rolling out rules that make financial institutions potentially liable for scammed funds if they don’t put in adequate fraud protections. And the EU’s [Digital Services Act](https://apnews.com/article/digital-services-act-social-media-regulation-europe-26d76cc4785df1153669258766cc6387?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which was passed in 2022, requires platforms to quickly act on reported scam content and take broader steps to reduce online fraud. In the UK, trained social workers are sometimes sent to the homes of scam victims to address the emotional fallout. “You wouldn’t ever say to a victim, ‘Why did you fall for a mugging? Why did you fall for a burglary?’” said **Louise Baxter**, who serves on the Home Office Joint Fraud Task Force. “It’s secondary victimization, from a law enforcement perspective and a societal perspective.” New regulations in Australia also spread the responsibility for preventing scams. Financial institutions, telecommunications companies and digital platforms in Australia can be fined or forced to compensate victims if they don’t do enough to prevent and respond to scam activity. Singapore’s protections are among the strictest. Under the government’s Shared Responsibility Framework, banks and telecom companies may have to repay victims of certain phishing scams if they fail to implement required safeguards. The country’s Protection From Scams Act passed last year allows police to temporarily restrict bank transfers of someone who they believe to be a victim. Further, staff from banks and e-commerce platforms physically sit in the same office as police in their national anti-scam center. The U.S. makes piecemeal attempts to teach law enforcement agents how to respond to scams, but requirements vary across agencies. And in the U.S., victims are generally only reimbursed if the money is taken from their accounts without their authorization, not if they were tricked into approving the withdrawals. U.S. law also offers social media companies broad protections from liability for the content they carry, even scams. There are global differences when it comes to cryptocurrency as well. China bans crypto-related businesses, while the European Union requires licensing, consumer protections and broad disclosures. But while the Trump administration has backed some cryptocurrency regulation, it has also promised to halt “aggressive enforcement actions and regulatory overreach” to promote innovation. And [the GENIUS Act](https://apnews.com/article/crypto-stablecoins-trump-senate-383b502d3d80169f8f4739055dada0cb?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)[signed by President Donald Trump last year](https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-stablecoins-congress-cryptocurrency-94fa3c85e32ec6fd5a55576cf46e58ea?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to regulate some cryptocurrencies did not require companies to return stolen funds to fraud victims - a gap that consumer advocates, prosecutors and some lawmakers have criticized. Law enforcement officials say it’s harder to track, freeze or recover funds because institutional banking safeguards largely do not apply to cryptocurrency. Unlike bank deposits, crypto assets are not backed by federal insurance, and so if an exchange fails, the money can be lost. Banks also require customers to provide identification, social security numbers and account details when moving cash, while cryptocurrency transfers can obscure the identities of those involved. Most significantly, many cryptocurrency exchanges operate across borders and through offshore entities where U.S. laws may not apply. Locating stolen cryptocurrency takes time and money. Returning it is even more complicated. A cottage industry of attorneys specializing in tracing cryptocurrency is emerging, but they still need buy-in from overworked officials to obtain warrants. This means that even if people can locate their stolen funds, it’s unlikely they’ll get them back. After **Brian Glick** lost $575,000, he called the FBI, an elder abuse hotline, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York State Attorney General, he said. He filed complaints at IC3.org and FightCyberCrime.org. He collected thousands of screenshots as evidence and turned them over to federal investigators. He even kept talking to his scammer to draw out more information. But when the FBI went to cryptocurrency company Tether to try and freeze and claw back funds linked to Glick’s investment, Tether refused. The FBI agent asked Tether to reconsider, according to email exchanges shared with AP and FRONTLINE. “I respectfully request that Tether take a second look at the below information in regards to freezing funds from bad actors …” said the email. Tether CEO **Paolo Ardoino** told AP/FRONTLINE he wasn’t familiar with Glick’s situation, but that there are countless examples of their work with law enforcement. “I think that there is no company, even in the banking industry, in the traditional financial industry, that is so helpful as us,” he said. After being given more details, including Glick’s wallet addresses, Tether had no further comment. Officials at the FBI and Secret Service said Tether works closely with law enforcement to combat crimes related to cryptocurrency. In a joint initiative, Tether, TRM Labs and TRON, a blockchain network, say they have frozen over $450 million in illicit funds worldwide since 2024. Glick was furious. “There are so many victims of these cybercrimes,” Glick said. “And we can’t get our money back.” ### *Steps taken in the U.S.* The U.S. government is waking up to the threat. Congress is now considering more than a dozen bills to prevent scams. One would establish a centralized website for complaints, [ReportScams.gov](http://reportscams.gov/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Another would require disclosures on deepfakes and other AI-generated audio and visual content. The Justice Department in November unveiled a [strike force](https://apnews.com/article/cambodia-myanmar-scams-cybercrime-kok-an-d72dfed7b7da123d7ad0d26527cd7adb?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to cut off access of Southeast Asian operations to U.S. infrastructure, pursue criminal networks behind the scams and seize stolen funds. The Treasury has levied sanctions in Southeast Asia, and Myanmar and Cambodia have staged high-profile crackdowns on scam compounds. The Justice Department’s Scam Center Strike Force claimed on its website this summer that it had restrained $832 million in [cryptocurrency](https://apnews.com/hub/cryptocurrency?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) from Chinese transnational criminals. But a spokesperson told AP/FRONTLINE it was unable to go into any specifics about each seizure, where the funds are held or what, if anything, has been returned to victims. Trump also signed an executive order in March directing the attorney general to prioritize the prosecution of scammers and to submit a recommendation for a program to restore money to victims. “President Trump is unleashing every available tool to stop criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber fraud and scams,” the White House said in a statement to AP/FRONTLINE. However, advocates say funding hasn’t flowed to the federal agencies tasked with combating scams, investigating cybercrime, and developing a cohesive plan for attacking the problem. And the fledgling efforts to help victims get money back aren’t keeping up with the tsunami of those who have lost it. At least 13 federal agencies touch on different aspects of these crimes, according to a report issued by the Government Accountability Office. **Seto Bagdoyan**, who runs the office’s Forensic Audits and Investigative Service, said this piecemeal approach results in a sluggish strategy that “falls short.” “There is no government-wide estimate of the money lost to scams, no common definition of scams, and no national strategy for combating them,” he said. FBI Financial Crimes Section assistant section chief **Rebecca Keithley**, who retired earlier this year, said tens of billions of dollars flow out of the U.S. economy through scams. The FBI’s Operation Level Up, an effort to identify victims being defrauded and call them to intervene, has stopped about 8,500 people from falling for scams over almost two years, she said. But that’s a small fraction of the sheer volume of victims. The FBI said it receives nearly 3,000 internet crime complaints a day on average through the [IC3.gov](http://ic3.gov/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) online portal for reporting cybercrime. “It’s an enormous problem, and one that the FBI is prioritizing,” she said. **Chris Scott**, a casino dealer in Arizona, was scammed out of $400,000 by a man on a dating site, she said. She added that she went four times in person to her local FBI office, begging for help — but was told all she could do was file a complaint through IC3. She did. But she heard nothing back, she said, not even an acknowledgment of receipt. She began to panic, and searched for help online. Scott found three companies claiming to have a direct line to the FBI, each promising to recover her funds. Out of desperation she hired them all, she said, handing over a total of $23,000. None of the companies were real. Scott was forced to sell her home to cover her debts. She is still paying off the $20,000 tax bill she received after draining her retirement accounts, she said. “I’m just a small fish in a big pond,” Scott said. “All I wanted was to talk to someone and get help, but I’m nobody to them.” *This article was written by Martha Mendoza, Juliet Linderman and Erika Kinetz of the Associated Press.* ### Fidium Breaking Ground on BEAD Work, Signing Hyperscaler Deals URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fidium-breaking-ground-on-bead-work-signing-hyperscaler-deals/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2026 – Fidium is breaking ground on some Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program passings and signing connectivity deals with hyperscalers, the company’s CEO said Wednesday. Fidium CEO **Gaurav Juneja** said that the company had broken ground on a BEAD project in Maine, and that New Hampshire and Vermont would hopefully follow soon. He spoke on a Fiber Broadband Association webinar. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) BEAD projects are just beginning to [get off the ground](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/), as states and ISPs finalize grant contracts and begin the permitting process. Fidium had completed both of those in New Hampshire, which is also its most-served state with 400,000 passings, Juneja said. The company, known as Consolidated Communications until September 2025, was taken private by Searchlight Capital in December 2024\. Juneja said the provider is still aiming for 2 million fiber passings by the end of 2027, which would represent about 80 percent of its [legacy copper footprint](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/isps-want-to-continue-to-discontinue-copper-service/) getting upgraded. The company currently has more than 1.5 million fiber passings, he said, and is targeting 1.64 million by the end of 2026\. Juneja told Broadband Breakfast in a [September 2025 interview](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/consolidated-rebranding-as-fidium/) the company had 1.56 million fiber passings at the time. Juneja also said last year the company hoped to eventually push beyond the 2 million mark. He took the CEO spot earlier this year after three years with the company. He said Wednesday that while he couldn’t disclose the company’s fiber penetration, that figure had more than doubled since 2023\. As for working with Searchlight, Juneja said the two were “very aligned philosophically and very aligned strategically.” He said as a private company it was easier to invest in things like updating IT systems and better consumer experiences without worrying about generating short-term returns. ### *Hyperscalers* Juneja said Fidium was looking to provide data center connectivity, both with long-distance dark fiber and last-mile connections. He said the company had one such project underway “with a big hyperscaler,” and had signed a second deal just this week. Juneja didn’t say which providers the company was working with. Verizon signed a similar deal with Google this year. At the Technology Policy Institute’s Aspen Forum last month, Lumen and AT&T [executives said](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-buildout-worsening-supply-costs-permit-worries-isps-say/) AI companies racing to connect data centers was putting pressure on ISP supply chains. ### Utility Group Warns ‘Minor’ Pole Attachments Can Create Major Risks for Linemen URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/utility-group-warns-minor-pole-attachments-can-create-major-risks-for-linemen/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2026 – A Mississippi electric utility group is warning that seemingly minor attachments to utility poles can create serious safety hazards for lineworkers. [The North East Mississippi Electric Power Association (NEMEPA) said](https://www.nemepa.org/news-releases/pole-attachments-put-linemen-at-risk/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) nails, staples, screws, and other hardware used to attach signs, flyers, and other materials can remain embedded in poles long after the original attachment has been removed. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “Power poles are not community bulletin boards,” the Oxford-based group[ said](https://www.nemepa.org/news-releases/pole-attachments-put-linemen-at-risk/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [Those leftover objects can pose risks to workers who climb poles during routine maintenance, repairs, and emergency response](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/pole-attachment-disputes-over-costs-timelines-and-safety-at-broadband-breakfast-event/). NEMEPA said sharp hardware can puncture gloves, snag clothing, or otherwise interfere with the equipment line workers rely on to safely climb and work on poles. The cooperative emphasized that an attachment that appears insignificant from the ground can become a much bigger problem for a worker climbing the pole. Utility poles require regular access by crews, particularly when storms or other emergencies damage electric infrastructure.[ Keeping poles clear of unnecessary objects can reduce hazards and allow workers to focus on restoring service safely](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/utilities-want-tweaks-to-pole-attachment-draft-order/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com). "During an outage or emergency restoration effort, our crews also need to be able to access poles safely and efficiently. Avoidable hazards can make an already challenging job more difficult," NEMEPA said. NEMEPA encouraged residents and businesses to avoid attaching signs, flyers, and other materials directly to utility poles. Instead, the cooperative recommended using designated bulletin boards or other appropriate locations. [The warning underscores a broader safety issue surrounding the everyday use of utility infrastructure](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/on-pole-attachments-industry-groups-battle-over-cost-caps-and-utility-control/). Objects that seem harmless when placed on a pole can remain there after the original purpose has passed, potentially creating hazards for the workers responsible for maintaining the system. ### California Bill Creating Independent Oversight Of CPUC Heads To Governor URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-bill-creating-independent-oversight-of-cpuc-heads-to-governor/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:30.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2026 – California lawmakers plan to keep a closer eye on the state’s leading utility regulator. A California bill aimed at increasing transparency and oversight of the California Public Utilities Commission’s internal operations is headed to Gov. **Gavin Newsom**, D, after clearing the state Senate on Aug. 31. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Assembly Bill 353](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260AB353&utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com), sponsored by Assemblymember **Tasha Boerner** (D-Encinitas), passed the Senate 48-8 and would establish an inspector general and an independent office of audits and investigations to oversee the CPUC’s internal operations and management. [The CPUC plays a central role in regulating California’s investor-owned utilities](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cpuc-approves-34-5-billion-charter-cox-merger/), including decisions affecting electricity, natural gas, telecommunications and other utility services. Its actions can have significant effects on the prices consumers pay and the infrastructure deployed across the state. [The bill comes as California faces continued scrutiny](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/groups-want-more-affordability-conditions-on-charter-cox-deal-in-calif/) over rising utility costs and the decisions made by the state agency that regulates investor-owned utilities and other energy and communications providers. “While people complain about the rising costs of utilities approved by the CPUC, we need to understand how they operate,” **Boerner** said in a statement. “Why do they continue to allow investor-owned utilities rake in hundreds off of California families?” Under AB 353, the proposed inspector general and audit office would provide an independent mechanism for examining the CPUC’s internal operations. [The goal is to give the public and state legislature more information about how the CPUC operates](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/research-experts-claim-cpuc-broadband-competition-report-to-be-misleading/) and identify areas where its management and processes could be improved. “AB 353 creates transparency and establishes oversight for the internal operations of the CPUC to better inform the public and the legislature for areas of improvement,” Boerner said. Boerner said the additional oversight is intended to ensure the commission remains focused on providing affordable and reliable utility service. “This is the appropriate step to ensure the CPUC is working for the people, focusing on affordable and reliable utility service,” she said. The measure now awaits consideration by **Newsom**. If signed, AB 353 would create a new layer of independent review over the CPUC’s internal operations rather than changing the commission’s authority over individual utility proceedings. ### SpaceX Unlikely to Buy Carrier, Build Macro Network: Analyst URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-unlikely-to-buy-carrier-build-macro-network-analyst/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2026 – SpaceX is unlikely to buy a carrier or build a macro cell mobile network, an industry analyst said Tuesday. On the company’s first-ever earnings call last month, COO **Gwynne Shotwell** and CEO **Elon Musk** said SpaceX had plans to deploy tiny femtocells to augment its direct-to-device satellite mobile service. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Despite telecom analysts’ skepticism of the plan, Shotwell said she anticipated being able to acquire “quite a few” of the big three carriers’ customers. For **Tim Farrar**, founder of research firm TMF Associates, that was less a concrete plan than an indicator of what SpaceX would not do to compete with the carriers. He spoke on a webinar hosted by the Wireless Infrastructure Association. “We had a lot of analysts on Wall Street predicting that SpaceX would be buying a mobile operator, or that they would be investing tens of billions of dollars in a terrestrial network deployment,” Farrar said. “I think it’s more of a signal that they’re saying to people, ‘Don’t put that in your models.’” He said the rhetoric was part of an ongoing negotiation between SpaceX and the big three over how direct-to-device will ultimately fit into the mobile market. The aggression might be aimed at securing a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal and offering service on one of the carriers’ networks, or simply more favorable partnership terms. MoffettNathanson founder **Craig Moffett** has also written that buying a carrier wouldn’t make sense for SpaceX, given how heavily regulated and slow-moving they are. He also thinks SpaceX’s main goal will be securing an MVNO, something all three carriers have said they’re not interested in. On the carriers’ side, Farrar noted that T-Mobile has been vocal about not seeing very much traffic on the direct-to-device service it offers through a SpaceX partnership. He said that’s an indication the carrier is trying to push down the price of any future agreement that comes after its current exclusive U.S. deal expires (that won’t happen this year, according to the carrier). ### *Business prospects* Farrar and Mobile Experts founder **Joe Madden**, who also spoke on the webinar, prepared reports for WIA this year arguing direct-to-device wasn’t a replacement for terrestrial mobile service. WIA represents tower companies and other wireless infrastructure providers. The analysts were bearish on that front again Tuesday. They noted that it’s difficult for satellite signals to penetrate walls and other obstacles because of the vast distances they’re traveling, and difficult for satellites to serve dense areas. Farrar also noted that SpaceX is planning to roughly double its 650 direct-to-device satellites by the end of next year, which would improve capacity enough to allow some broadband services in addition to texting. He said it was uncertain whether that would be a boon to subscribership, given how little time people spend outside the reach of terrestrial networks. Madden said SpaceX was likely aiming beyond consumer subscribers and looking to provide direct-to-device connectivity to drones and robots for enterprise and government customers. “Remember that most of the valuation in their IPO is based on the expectation of their AI network and their AI data centers in space, not based on the communication side,” he said. “So I think they’re planning to support these AI applications, especially physical AI applications, and the smartphone business is a nice-to-have.” ### Nick Jeffery Ready to Resume His ‘Fiber-Powered’ Career as Charter’s New COO URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nick-jeffery-ready-to-resume-his-fiber-powered-career-as-charters-new-coo/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T13:11:11.000Z 💡 ■ As the Polls Predicted, Markey Cruises to Victory over Moulton in Massachusetts ■ SHLB Chief Reacts to O’Rielly’s Concerns about the $2.4 Billion E-Rate ■ EchoStar Wants the FCC to Lift Ban on Accessing the $2.4 Billion Trust ■ Speaker Johnson Wants to Stop DSA from Packing SCOTUS ■ X Post of the Day: NTIA’s Arielle Roth Visits Alaska above the Arctic Circle ■ Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), in An Apparent First, Says: ‘I Am in Strong Agreement with the President’ ■ Power Group: Some Pole Attachments Threaten Linemen Safety ■ GCI Funds Nine Groups Fighting Suicide in Alaska ■ People: Grace Whaley Leaving NAB for New Opportunity COO: Can *Policyband* say this without getting sued? **Nick Jeffery,** sidelined from the workforce since January, is ready to resume his fiber-powered communications career. As Charter Communications’ new Chief Operating Officer, Jeffery [marked his first day on the job](https://lnkd.in/p/eyPcEC6X?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with a Sept. 1 LinkedIn post outlining his priorities for the company. Jeffery, whose [appointment was announced](https://ir.charter.com/news-releases/news-release-details/charter-communications-names-frontier-ceo-nick-jeffery-chief?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by CEO **Chris Winfrey** in February and who has evidently been idle since then, said he was drawn to Charter’s “scale of opportunity” and plans to sharpen the company’s focus on customer experience, improve its go‑to‑market strategy, and strengthen day‑to‑day operations. Jeffery, former CEO of Frontier Communications, said he looked forward to working closely with his Charter colleagues and declared, “The Great Cable Comebackstarts here.” ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Uw9e!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6ec649da-a8a3-4869-884a-28b4f2502453_898x592.png) Charter Chief Operating Officer Nick Jeffery _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### The Kingsbury Commitment Promised Competition. AT&T Got 98% of Long Distance URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-kingsbury-commitment-promised-competition-at-t-got-98-of-long-distance/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T12:33:00.000Z *This article summarizes several of the key points in* [*Lesson 2: Differences Between the Telephone and the Telegraph*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-2-differences-between-the-telephone-and-the-telegraph/)*, which is part of Broadband Breakfast's online course, "*[*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*." A new lesson will be released every Monday.* One letter to the attorney general stopped the federal government from suing to break up the largest telephone company in the country. That same letter, known ever since as the Kingsbury Commitment, set the terms on which that company, AT&T, bought out its rivals for the next two decades. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The letter went out on Dec. 19, 1913, sent by AT&T vice president **Nathan Kingsbury**. The Bell System, consisting of AT&T and the local telephone companies it controlled, held about half the telephones in the country in 1907\. Independent companies operating outside Bell owned the rest. Bell's share climbed for the next quarter century. By 1939 it held 83 percent of American telephones and 98 percent of the long-distance wire. To see more about the letter and the slogan that preceded it, "One Policy, One System, Universal Service," open to Lesson 2 of 150 Years of American Telecommunications, the 35-lesson Broadband Breakfast course. ### *6,000 companies, and two telephones on one desk* Bell held nearly every telephone in the country in 1894, then that number dropped to half by 1907\. Its second fundamental patent lapsed on Jan. 30, 1894, and roughly [6,000 independent companies launched in the years after](https://www.richmondfed.org/-/media/richmondfedorg/publications/research/econ%5Ffocus/2019/q4/economic%5Fhistory.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), most of them in towns Bell had never wired. The bigger ones then moved into Bell's cities and strung a second set of wires. Hundreds of towns ended up with two telephone systems, with a problem. A customer on one could not call a customer on the other. AT&T's president in 1907, **Theodore Vail**, campaigned against this divided service with a slogan that outlasted him by seventy years. "One Policy, One System, Universal Service" now [entered the company's national advertising in 1908](https://www.telcomhistory.org/NewsletterArchivesWinter2007.shtml?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Vail's intention was to sell one set of wires, not cheap, subsidized, or affordable telephones. He wanted every subscriber in the country reachable from every other, which meant the rival systems had to be bought or joined. In an [1910 annual report](https://mises.org/mises-wire/telephone-political-entrepreneurship-and-theodore-n-vail?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Vail gave shareholders the economics. Rival exchanges, he argued, would duplicate wires, conduits, and switchboards while pursuing the same customers. One regulated company could concentrate that investment in a single network, earn stable returns, and attract the capital needed for further expansion. “Inconsistent with each other,” he wrote of competition and regulation. Universal service, in effect, became the argument for monopoly. Vail pursued that vision by buying independent telephone companies. AT&T’s continued acquisitions, and its refusal to connect the rivals that remained, brought federal antitrust intervention in 1913. ### *Three promises in one letter* AT&T settled to avoid a breakup and a government takeover, and surrendered very little to do it. Postmaster General **Albert Burleson** was already pressing for federal ownership of interstate communications. Five years after the settlement, [the Post Office ran the telephone system from Aug. 1, 1918, to Aug. 1, 1919](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/cato-journal/1994/11/cj14n2-6.pdf?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) under his control. Kingsbury’s Dec. 19 letter, later known as the Kingsbury Commitment, promised three things. First, AT&T would sell the roughly 30 percent stake it had bought in Western Union, the country’s dominant telegraph company, in 1909\. That purchase had made Vail president of both companies. Second, AT&T would stop buying competing independent telephone companies whenever the Interstate Commerce Commission, the federal regulator overseeing interstate telephone service since 1910, objected. Third, it would let independent exchanges, the local networks operating outside the Bell System, connect to its long-distance lines. Attorney General **James Clark McReynolds** and President **Woodrow Wilson** both declared a victory for competition. McReynolds said the settlement had protected competition in telephone and telegraph service across the country. Each concession, however, cost less that it seemed. Selling Western Union ended Vail’s control of the country’s dominant telegraph company, but Western Union had never become a successful rival in long-distance telephone service, so divesting took nothing from AT&T in that market. Additionally, the interconnection offer gave independent subscribers limited access to Bell’s network, but only on Bell’s terms. It only applied to exchanges more than fifty miles apart and added ten cents to the regular toll for every call. The entire call had to travel over Bell wires under Bell operators. An independent subscriber could call someone on a Bell exchange, but a Bell subscriber could not place the same call into an independent exchange. Independent telephone companies gained access to Bell customers, but they could not compete for those customers or build a rival long-distance network. The acquisition restriction weakened next. In 1914, the attorney general’s office allowed Bell to buy an independent system in a town served by competing networks. In 1917, [the Justice Department allowed Bell to buy an independent system if it sold the same number of telephone stations, meaning customer connections, to independents elsewhere](https://historyofcomputercommunications.info/section/2.8/Monopoly-Asserted-1918-1934/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com). That rule let Bell and the independents trade customers across different regions. Instead of preserving two competing systems in the same town, the trades increasingly left either Bell or an independent company alone in each territory. ### *271 of 274 acquisition requests approved* Congress then passed the [Willis-Graham Act in 1921](https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3246&context=lcp&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), ending the Kingsbury acquisition restriction and allowing telephone companies to consolidate with approval from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) instead of its initial jurisdiction under Justice Department antitrust enforcement. The commission rarely got in the way. Between 1921 and 1934, it approved 271 of 274\. Those approvals allowed AT&T to continue buying local telephone systems across the country. The Bell System held 64 percent of the country’s nearly 14 million telephones in 1921\. By 1939, it held 83 percent of all telephones and 98 percent of the long-distance wire. Most telephone customers used Bell locally, and nearly every long-distance connection depended on Bell. On the settlement’s hundredth anniversary, then-FCC Commissioner **Ajit Pai** called it [“a wolf in sheep’s clothing”](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-324810A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). He argued that officials had presented the three promises as protections for competition even though served to leave AT&T’s control largely intact. The Kingsbury Commitment did not end Bell’s consolidation. The Justice Department loosened the acquisition restriction in 1914 and 1917\. Congress replaced it with ICC approval in 1921. ### Aaron Sorkin Hits Refresh on Facebook in 'The Social Reckoning' – Fall Movie Preview URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/aaron-sorkin-hits-refresh-on-facebook-in-the-social-reckoning-fall-movie-preview/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:31.000Z NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2026 (AP) — When [**Aaron Sorkin**](https://apnews.com/movies-general-news-924af1362d3b43bd8562d60f8a36652f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) made 2010’s “The Social Network,” he had heard of Facebook, [he said at the time](https://www.smh.com.au/technology/a-generation-seen-through-the-social-network-20100925-15qv7.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), “the way I’ve heard of a carburetor.” Sixteen years later, he has a much deeper idea of what [**Mark Zuckerberg’s**](https://apnews.com/hub/mark-zuckerberg?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) social media empire has become. “Back then, Facebook was a way to keep in touch with people you went to high school with. It’s something much different now,” Sorkin says. “‘The Social Network’ was about the invention of Facebook. ‘Social Reckoning’ is about what it’s become and, in particular, Facebook’s role in the rise of extremism and divisiveness.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “The Social Reckoning,” which Sony Pictures will release Oct. 9, is one of the most timely movies arriving in theaters this fall. Last week, Sony debuted [the film’s trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfHEZw7Xw%5Fc&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the same day that Meta, Facebook’s parent company, [agreed to pay up to $18 billion](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-instagram-settlement-97d342f2a33d835eda2356c5e1af9e37?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in penalties over claims its platform endangered children. “The Social Reckoning” is poised to further scrutinize the social media behemoth at a time when Zuckerberg is under greater pressure than ever over the role Facebook plays in contemporary life and politics. “When you see this movie, No. 1, I want you to be entertained,” Sorkin said in a recent exclusive interview with The Associated Press while doing the final mix on the film. “No. 2, you should be alarmed when you see the movie. I think people will be.” ### *Tech moguls are getting their close-up this fall* “The Social Reckoning” is one of several films this fall that will take aim at the tech moguls who have helped remake American life. **Alex Gibney** will unveil his four-hour documentary on **Elon Musk**, [“Musk,”](https://tiff.net/films/musk?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Oct. 16\. [**Luca Guadagnino’s** “Artificial”](https://apnews.com/article/openai-artificial-amazon-neon-6879fc8605701a3254f0f4fedb7a2e8c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) dramatizes the saga of **Sam Altman**, the OpenAI chief executive. But “The Social Reckoning,” which Sorkin wrote and directed, is sure to cause a stir given not just its subject but the legacy of “The Social Network.” Often cited as among the best American movies of the century, the film — directed by **David Fincher** and written by Sorkin — did much to examine and mythologize the origins of Facebook. It is, Sorkin acknowledges, a lot to live up to. “To tell you the truth, I was hesitant,” Sorkin said. “I recognize the shadow that ‘The Social Network’ casts. But I think what’s going to happen is, 10 minutes into the movie, you’ll have forgotten about that and be invested in this.” For the 65-year-old Sorkin, “The Social Reckoning” isn’t a sequel. It’s centered on the same figure, Zuckerberg, but captures him and his company at a dramatically different stage. “It’s as if Henry Hill showed up in ‘Casino,’” says Sorkin, alluding to the “Goodfellas” protagonist. Sorkin began contemplating “The Social Reckoning” around 2019, the same time he wrote [an op-ed in The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/opinion/aaron-sorkin-mark-zuckerberg-facebook.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) addressed to Zuckerberg. It alleged Facebook — which had just announced it was no longer going to fact-check political ads — was responsible for “crazy lies pumped into the water supply that corrupt the most important decisions we make together.” Zuckerberg responded by quoting Sorkin’s own dialogue from “The American President” about free speech. “I read this, and I thought: it’s just impossible that Mark and the people around Mark don’t know the difference between an unpopular opinion and a lie,” Sorkin says. “And that kind of stayed with me.” Sorkin has since said he blames Facebook for the [Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021](https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Eventually, he was coaxed by Sony chief **Tom Rothman** and agent **Ari Emanuel** to wade back into one of his most beloved films. “I said at the beginning I didn’t want to write ‘Jaws 2.’ I didn’t want to return and fail,” says Sorkin. “Then I met **Frances Haugen** and I met **Jeff Horwitz** and I started thinking more about it. I realized there was a terrific story and the only reason not to do it is being scared. And that’s just not a good enough reason.” “The Social Reckoning” stars **Mikey Madison** as Haugen, a former data scientist at Facebook who became a whistleblower in 2021 and testified before Congress that Facebook was tuning its algorithm to put profit before public safety. **Jeremy Allen White** plays Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz, a former Associated Press journalist. **Jeremy Strong**, not **Jesse Eisenberg**, plays Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg and Meta have yet to say anything publicly about “The Social Reckoning.” The company declined to comment for this article. In prepping “The Social Network,” Sorkin and producer **Scott Rudin** reached out to the company in an attempt to gain their cooperation. But after a lunch meeting, Facebook declined to participate — a blessing, Sorkin later realized. The script, Sorkin has said, “was vetted to within an inch of its life by a team of studio lawyers.” A similar process has followed on “The Social Reckoning.” “I would have been happy to speak to him. I’ve never met Mark. I don’t know him at all,” Sorkin says. “And I don’t pretend to have any insight into how his mind works, only the results of how his mind works, and then I kind of reverse engineer it.” ### *Jeremy Strong takes over for Jesse Eisenberg* Sorkin initially reached out to Eisenberg about reprising the role of Zuckerberg. Before telling Eisenberg, or anyone else, of his plans, Sorkin spent two years researching and writing the screenplay. “I didn’t know that Jesse simply did not want to play Mark Zuckerberg ever again,” Sorkin explains. “I talked to him a lot over a three-day weekend. He was clear that he loves ‘The Social Network,’ he loves how it launched his career, and he just doesn’t like being conflated with Mark Zuckerberg. I was just really lucky that Jeremy Strong had said, ‘Hey, listen, if for some reason Jesse doesn’t want to do it.’” “It’s replacing **Joe DiMaggio** with **Mickey Mantle**,” he adds. Strong’s performance, Sorkin says, “is a sight to see.” While the writer-director was happy to have no direct contact with Zuckerberg, Strong emailed the Facebook co-founder. “Mark had no greater defender than Jeremy Strong, believe me,” Sorkin says. “Every night I’d get emails from him defending Mark. On the day we were shooting Jeremy’s last scene, as soon as we were done, he ran up to me and for the first time spoke in his own voice. He had only been using Mark’s voice. He came up to me and said, ‘If I had been playing Jeff, I’d have been defending Jeff.’ It was very important to him that I know that he didn’t mean any of that.” When “The Social Network” came out, it included a postscript note that was meant to be a shock to audiences — that Facebook then had 500 million users. It now has some 3 billion. According to a study by Pew Research, 38% of Americans get their news from Facebook. “I have a lot of empathy for wanting to build something, wanting to create something,” Sorkin says. “He has the kind of mind that can invent an entirely new social structure — one that he does feel comfortable in because he can sit at his keyboard. And it’s one that a lot of people feel a lot more comfortable in. There’s someone they can be at their keyboard that they can’t in not-digital life.” *This article was written by Jake Coyle of the Associated Press.* ### KeyBanc: Starlink’s Talk of Deep Price Cuts Unlikely to Disrupt Terrestrial Broadband ISPs URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/keybanc-starlinks-talk-of-deep-price-cuts-unlikely-to-disrupt-terrestrial-broadband-isps/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:31.000Z **WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2026** – If a broadband price war breaks out, companies like Comcast and Charter will be ready for the fight, according to one Wall Street analyst. KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst **Brandon Nispel** is not overly concerned that potential Starlink price cuts will significantly disrupt terrestrial broadband providers, arguing that fiber and cable operators maintain a cost advantage that could allow them to respond to lower satellite pricing. His [comments followed remarks from SpaceX President and COO **Gwynne Shotwell**](https://driveteslacanada.ca/news/starlink-vermilion-parish-discount-starbase-louisiana/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), who said the company plans to make Starlink available at “far more affordable pricing.” **Nispel** expects to see more announcements like this one while noting that Starlink's current offerings remain less competitive with terrestrial broadband. “While we expect continued announcements like this to pressure broadband companies, we think they have the ultimate cost advantage and can match/beat any pricing Starlink provides,” **Nispel** said in an Aug. 28 report. **Nispel** cited Starlink's $55-per-month plan offering up to 100 Mbps and an $85-per-month option offering up to 200 Mbps. [KeyBanc compared those plans with promotional offerings from terrestrial providers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-ceo-still-sees-satellite-as-compliment-to-terrestrial/), including AT&T's 1 Gbps service for $30 per month when bundled with wireless and Comcast's 1 Gbps service for $50 per month with a five-year price lock. [**Nispel** also pointed to fixed wireless access as another factor limiting the competitive threat from satellite broadband](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-content-with-fwa-not-eyeing-cable-exec-says/). FWA, which uses cellular networks to provide internet service to homes, has become a broadband alternative for customers beyond the rural markets where the technology was initially emphasized. [Ookla data cited by **Nispel**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fixed-wireless-faster-in-urban-areas-ookla/) shows that FWA can deliver speeds that compete with many traditional broadband offerings. T-Mobile had the highest median FWA download speed among the major carriers at 223 Mbps, followed by AT&T at 160 Mbps and Verizon at 127 Mbps. At the 90th percentile, T-Mobile reached 532 Mbps, AT&T reached 419 Mbps, and Verizon reached roughly 310 Mbps. **Nispel** said the results demonstrate that FWA can serve a broad range of customers, with speeds sufficient for many typical broadband applications. The analysts said FWA performance could further limit satellite providers' ability to compete, particularly in areas where terrestrial wireless or wired options are available. ### EchoStar Says Subsidiaries Should be Able to Draw on FCC Trust URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/echostar-says-subsidiaries-should-be-able-to-draw-on-fcc-trust/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2026 – When federal regulators told EchoStar to set aside $2.4 billion in spectrum sale proceeds, they said it was to ensure the company’s former business partners would get paid what they were owed. EchoStar thinks its subsidiaries should also be able to draw on that fund, the [company told](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110074137/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Federal Communications Commission Tuesday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Dish Wireless, EchoStar’s subsidiary that handled its failed effort to become a fourth national wireless carrier, filed for bankruptcy in June. According to Dish, its biggest debt obligation, which it imagined being able to draw on the trust, is an $8.8 billion intercompany loan to another EchoStar subsidiary that financed its network buildout. On July 30 **Joel Taubenblatt**, the chief of FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, [released an order](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-only-former-business-partners-can-draw-on-dish-trust/) saying that debt couldn’t be repaid with the trust. He sought to “clarify what should be obvious – that the fund cannot be used to pay companies that did not build the network. And to ensure that the purpose of the fund is not perverted, we also modify the fund’s terms to explicitly exclude from payment any claims of EchoStar or its subsidiaries.” The trust was established after tower and infrastructure companies complained to the FCC that Dish was claiming to be excused from contractual and lease commitments due to EchoStar’s $42.6 billion spectrum sales. It was designed to ensure those companies would be paid if courts ultimately sided with them or they reached a settlement with Dish. But EchoStar government affairs chief **Jeffery Blum** argued the terms of the trust agreement didn’t actually limit payments to third parties. The language permitted payments for debt “in connection with or related to” the building of the network, which he argued extended beyond former business partners. He said by issuing the July 30 order, the FCC was effectively “undoing the necessary premise underlying EchoStar’s original agreement with the Bureau — an agreement reached after negotiation — and retroactively interfering with its settled expectations and due process rights.” ### *Bankruptcy case* At the same time, Dish Wireless has said in bankruptcy court that the July 30 order is [changing its plans](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dish-wants-tower-claims-zeroed-out/). Dish’s position is that FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** forced EchoStar’s spectrum sales, which did not result in Dish getting paid. That qualifies as a “force majeure,” Dish says, which excuses the company from owing anything at all. Tower companies and others disagree and are seeking more than $7 billion in lease and contract payments. They’ve been objecting to the bankruptcy moving forward and don’t like Dish’s plan, which would pay them cents on the dollar. During a Friday hearing, Dish attorneys confirmed they would ask U.S. Bankruptcy Judge **Christopher Lopez** to litigate the issue up front, before moving forward with the bankruptcy. If the intercompany loan can’t draw on the trust, then it’s possible the trust would fully pay off Dish’s debt and make the process smoother, provided Dish prevails against the towers, the company argued in an earlier filing. Litigating the issue now would push Dish’s bankruptcy plan confirmation to December, Lopez said. That’s far enough that Dish Wireless and Dish DBS, another EchoStar subsidiary that filed for bankruptcy, are planning to split their bankruptcies, attorneys said at the Friday hearing. Dish DBS’s process is much less controversial and the company’s creditors would prefer to resolve it sooner than the Dish Wireless issue. ### Carr Names Hunter Deeley as FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carr-names-hunter-deeley-as-fcc-enforcement-bureau-chief/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:32.000Z **WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2026** – FCC chairman **Brendan Carr** has named **Hunter Deeley** as chief of the agency’s enforcement bureau, elevating the bureau’s chief of staff and deputy bureau chief to its top position. Deeley succeeds **Patrick Webre**, who will move to a senior role in the FCC’s office of Managing director, according to an FCC announcement Monday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The enforcement bureau is responsible for investigating violations of the communications act and FCC rules, [including matters involving consumer protection, public safety, fraud and national security.](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/how-to-fight-back-against-fraudulent-robocalls/) “I am pleased that **Hunter** has agreed to step up and lead the exceptional and dedicated Enforcement Bureau team,” **Carr** said.[ He added that he expects the bureau under Deeley to continue its work on robocall enforcement](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-weighs-efforts-to-address-robocalls-as-industry-pushes-back/), fraud and national security. [**Deeley** joined the FCC in 2023 as an assistant bureau chief a](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424522A1.pdf??ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)nd later became chief of staff and deputy bureau chief for the enforcement bureau. Before joining the FCC, **Deeley** worked in the justice department’s national security division’s foreign investment review section. His work included matters before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and Team Telecom, an interagency process that reviews foreign ownership and investment in the U.S. telecommunications sector for potential national security risks. At the FCC, **Deeley** has worked on enforcement matters involving national security risks and coordinated with law enforcement and intelligence agencies, according to the agency. His appointment comes as the FCC has increasingly emphasized national security and the security of U.S. communications networks and technology supply chains. [The agency has expanded its focus on foreign-made communications equipment and other technologies considered potential national security risks](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-expands-national-security-role-tightens-limits-on-foreign-tech/). Webre became chief of the enforcement bureau in January 2025. **Carr** thanked **Webre** for his service and said he was pleased that Webre would continue working at the commission in his new role. ### House Subcommittee Advances Broadband Bills URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-subcommittee-advances-broadband-bills/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2026 – The House Communications and Technology Subcommittee advanced Tuesday six broadband and telecom bills. The bipartisan [pieces of legislation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-panel-to-markup-six-telecom-bills/) will next have to be taken up by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee before moving to the House floor. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The bills were each adopted by voice vote without any apparent opposition. ### *SAT Streamlining Act* The House version of the [SAT Streamlining Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F8255%5Fthe%5FSatellite%5Fand%5FTelecommunications%5FStreamlining%5For%5Fthe%5FSAT%5FStreamlining%5FAct%5FRep%5FBrett%5FGuthrie%5F4ec917eb97.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would put a one-year shot clock on the Federal Communications Commission’s review of new satellite license applications. It would impose shot clocks on licenses renewals and minor modification requests It also included a deemed granted provision, meaning if the FCC missed a deadline the application would be automatically approved. A similar provision was removed from the Senate version of the bill before it cleared that chamber’s commerce committee. “We’re continuing our work to thoughtfully update this bill,” said House Commerce Committee Chairman **Brett Guthrie**, R-Ky., who led the bill along with Ranking Member **Frank Pallone**, D-N.J. “I appreciate the stakeholders who have provided constructive feedback, and we’re also working with the FCC on some updates to reflect a space modernization item adopted in July.” The July order overhauled the FCC’s satellite licensing reviews, instituting a more standardized process instead of the bespoke reviews the agency has been doing. It was aimed at getting applications processed and approved faster. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation supported the bill, which policy analyst Ellis Scherer said in a statement would “ensure that satellite license applications are not left in regulatory limbo.” CCIA, which represents major tech companies, including satellite operators EchoStar and Amazon, also supported the bill. ### *GUARD Act* The [Guarding the U.S. against Adversarial Robotics Dominance (GUARD) Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F9129%5Fthe%5FGUARD%5FAct%5F1%5F0af7d18929.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require “an appropriate national security agency” to determine whether humanoid or quadruped robots developed by nine of the U.S.’s adversaries constituted a national security risk. If the agency didn’t make a determination in one year, the FCC would have to ban the import of new models of those robots from companies headquartered in or affiliated with those adversarial nations, including China and Iran. The FCC has also already taken action on this front, implementing an interagency federal law enforcement report that said such robots could pose cybersecurity or supply chain risks. But the report called for banning the import of new models from anywhere in the world, which Guthrie and Rep. **Jennifer McClellan**, D-Va., one of the bill’s cosponsors, said was too far. “I appreciate the administration’s recognition of this threat,” Guthrie said. “I do have some questions, however, about how an overly broad approach could hurt American supply chains and our ability to compete against China in the long term.” ### *Foreign Robocall Elimination Act* The [Foreign Robocall Elimination Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F6152%5Fthe%5FForeign%5FRobocall%5FElimination%5FAct%5F1%5F71bae4abdd.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the FCC, along with the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department, to convene with private sector experts and produce a report on how to combat robocalls. The FCC has been cracking down on robocalls for years. Earlier this year the agency expanded know-your-customer requirements, and just last week effectively shut down nine providers for not responding to information requests from an existing industry group that tracks robocalls. The bill was led by Reps. **Addison McDowell**, R-N.C., and **Kelly Morrison**, D-Minn. ### *AI for Secure Networks Act* The [AI for Secure Networks Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F7294%5FAI%5Ffor%5FSecure%5FNetworks%5FAct%5F1%5F2b33e17d78.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the NTIA to conduct a study on how artificial intelligence and open radio access networks (open RAN) could be used to increase cybersecurity of telecom networks. It was led by Reps. **Robert Menendez**, D-N.J., and **August Pfluger**, R-Texas. Pfluger offered an amendment, which was approved by voice vote. It would broaden the study to include emergency alerts and public safety networks. It would also task NTIA with looking into how to make AI models more secure with benchmarks and testing. ### *PLAN for Broadband Act* The [PLAN for Broadband Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F2805%5FPLAN%5Ffor%5FBroadband%5FAct%5F1%5F5c98f601df.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), led by Reps. **Tim Walberg**, R-Mich., and **Scott Peters**, D-Calif., would require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to draw up a plan to close the digital divide. That would have to include improving coordination across federal broadband grant programs and in the federal permitting process, plus reducing administrative burdens for state and local governments to participate in federal programs. The bill was [first introduced](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-republicans-question-future-of-federal-broadband-programs/) in 2022 after the Government Accountability Office found coordination of the more than 100 federal broadband programs to be lacking. ACA Connects, which represents small and mid-size cable operators, was pleased. “As Congress and the FCC work to lift permitting barriers, the PLAN for Broadband Act would help America's independent broadband providers better plan investments and direct resources accelerating deployment and expanding access to reliable high-speed services across the country,” ACA CEO **Grant Spellmeyer** said in a statement. ### *Data BRIDGE Act* The [Data BRIDGE Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F4950%5FData%5FBRIDGE%5FAct%5F1%5F1e7faaefeb.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the FCC to incorporate data on agricultural areas into its national broadband coverage map. It was led by Reps. **Erin Houchin**, R-Ind., and **Robin Kelly**, D-Ill. The FCC is currently taking comment on streamlining data collection for the coverage map. The map serves as a guide for broadband funding agencies looking to determine where to spend their resources. Houchin and Kelly said that bringing in existing USDA data would help direct resources at farmland where precision agriculture was increasingly demanding better connections. *Correction: The last name of ACA Connects CEO Grant Spellmeyer was misspelled in a prior version of this article; it has been corrected.* ### For a Century, Journalists Have Had a Voluntary Ethics Code. Editors Are Giving it An AI-era Reboot URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/for-a-century-journalists-have-had-a-voluntary-ethics-code-editors-are-giving-it-an-ai-era-reboot/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:34.000Z NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2026 (AP) — Walk into a corner of a newsroom somewhere and you can often find it affixed to a bulletin board, perhaps peeking out from behind the coffee pot: the [Society of Professional Journalists’s](https://www.spj.org/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Code of Ethics. It’s less than a thousand words, fitting neatly on a poster. But those words — organized around four key journalistic principles — are important enough, asserts **Dan Axelrod**, that they just might save our democracy. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “I’m going to just say it,” says Axelrod, chairman of the SPJ Ethics Committee and former longtime Gannett business reporter. ”This is the way to protect democracy. This is to protect society. There but for the grace of God goes a society without journalists.” Axelrod is talking not only about the existence of the code but the need, every so often, to update it. It’s a laborious process, taking about a year and countless hours of meetings and feedback, virtual and in person. Yet as the media landscape seems to shift daily and new technologies emerge, SPJ has decided that the time is at hand — for the first time in 12 years, and only the sixth in the code's century-long history. ### *A conclave, of sorts, to update the code* The seriousness of the undertaking brought the committee and other media ethics experts to Indianapolis in June, after lots of virtual meetings. Seems it wasn't the most relaxing way to spend a weekend. “Passions definitely got heated,” Axelrod says. “Well, there were no fistfights,” quips his colleague, **Chris Roberts**, vice chairman of the committee and a journalism professor at the University of Alabama. He explains there was “a lot of smithing of the words.” The result: No white smoke, but [a 967-word draft code,](https://www.spj.org/spj-ethics-code-revision-project-2026/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) 73 longer than the existing one. But why update in the first place? The first reason — hardly a surprise — is [the rapid emergence of AI.](https://apnews.com/article/ai-media-newspapers-propublica-f4ebcf2902b82469783f912df2f99c2e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “We were thinking about artificial intelligence and how it’s used and sometimes misused by news organizations,” Roberts says, “as they confront that new technology that saves them money, but also causes a lot of trouble if it’s not used effectively and ethically.” Another issue concerns the very term “professional journalists.” Recent years have seen a huge increase in independent, so-called “creator journalists." The SPJ thinks they, too, should have a code to guide them. (The code, as always, is a voluntary guide and not enforceable.) One key goal is to address an existential crisis in the field: an increasing [lack of public trust in the media.](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/02/11/majority-of-americans-express-low-confidence-in-journalists-to-act-in-publics-best-interests/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “We’re talking about a world that does not trust us as much as they did,” Roberts says. “We’re talking about politicians and others who go out of their way to smack journalism around because it dares point out their shortcomings. Meanwhile, the business of journalism has changed so much financially, and a third of journalists don’t work for a traditional news organization. “All of those things and so many more are pretty good reasons to take another look,” he says, “and remind people that there are standards that should be standards, regardless of whether you call yourself a journalist, or the type of platform for which you work.” ### *Four key principles remain the same* The SPJ, which has some 4,000 members nationwide, was founded in 1909\. In 1926 it adopted its first code of ethics, then formed an ethics committee in 1948 and revised the code five times — the last in 2014. The four, unchanging key principles: “Seek Truth and Report It.” “Minimize Harm.” “Act Independently.” “Be Accountable and Transparent.” But much else has evolved. A report accompanying the draft notes that traditional newsroom jobs are dwindling as the industry contracts. Simultaneously, it says, there’s been a marked growth in citizen journalists, freelancers, online influencers and pundits. The report cites a Pew study that shows fully one-third of journalists were freelance or self-employed in 2023. It also cites the shrinking presence of news outlets serving as watchdogs, as well as “people, organizations and private investors without journalism backgrounds, who are buying or opening news properties, affecting news coverage, influencing editorial decisions and pushing personal agendas.” The SPJ says the rapid rise in use of generative AI and other new technology — in news, as elsewhere — raises ethical questions. So a new line says: “Remember that speed, technology or medium do not excuse inaccuracy or unfairness. Journalists are ethically responsible for their work, regardless of tools and technologies used.” In other words: The buck stops with the journalist, regardless of what AI might say. “We don’t want people using the excuse of a technology to say that they couldn’t produce things ethically and transparently,” says Roberts. But the proposed draft — to be voted on in October by the broader organization after a current feedback period — does not mention AI by name, referring only to tools and technologies, so it will remain relevant as technology changes. It also addresses other issues like verification, misinformation, crime reporting, fabricated images and more. ### *They fixed some problematic wording* A notable addition — and one that generated much discussion — is this line: “Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. Counter the unfair marginalization of those with less power.” What's interesting is what it replaces. The original text said: “Give voice to the voiceless.” That phrasing was seen as problematic, because it assumed that some groups lack a voice. Notes committee member **Eric Deggans**: “It’s not that they don’t have a voice. It’s that too often mainstream news outlets don’t pay attention to it or don’t even know that it exists." “What we wanted to try to speak to,” says Deggans, NPR's critic-at-large and a media ethics professor at Washington and Lee University, “was this idea that there are groups out there that may be marginalized from news coverage ... and (journalists) should make an effort to include them when it’s relevant, particularly when it builds the accuracy of the story." Given the changes in the industry, one might ask another, overarching question: Does one code fit all? And will it even be acknowledged? “We shouldn’t shy away from it," replies current SPJ President **Chris Vaccaro**, “just because the industry is changing or the idea of who a journalist is is changing.” Vaccaro is confident that the code, which has been translated into multiple languages, will be followed by many. That newsroom bulletin board, he says, is now the entire world. “We’re definitely not going to operate under the assumption that no one’s going to use it or nobody cares, or journalism’s changed so drastically that it doesn’t matter,” says Vaccaro. “It does matter.” Deggans says he teaches two ethics classes, and both study the SPJ code. But besides training young journalists, the code has other key uses. “If you’re operating in a country that has had authoritarian rule for a long time or doesn’t have a long history of a free press, how do you figure out how that works? You turn to the SPJ code, right?” Deggans wishes more working journalists would review the code. And others, too: “I wish some people who owned journalism outlets would read the code, because too often they're pressuring their employees to do things that are unethical, and the employee has to figure out a way to preserve their journalism ethics and also give the employer what they want.” *This article was written by Jocelyn Noveck of the Associated Press.* ### Chad Johnston: After 26 Years Building Fiber Networks, Here's How My Thinking Has Changed URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chad-johnston-after-26-years-building-fiber-networks-heres-how-my-thinking-has-changed/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T19:55:01.000Z When you've spent more than two decades designing fiber networks, you start to realize there usually isn't one perfect answer. I've been fortunate to spend the last 26 years on the service provider side of this industry, working with telephone companies, cable operators, fiber overbuilders, and private equity-backed startups. Along the way, I've been part of teams that have designed and built hundreds of thousands of homes passed using just about every major network architecture in use today. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) That experience has taught me something I mentioned during a recent Fiber Broadband Association webinar. ### *Nobody is deploying fiber the wrong way* If you're building fiber to the customer, you're making a long-term investment in infrastructure that will serve communities for decades. There are different architectures and different approaches, and every one of them has strengths depending on the network you're trying to build. What has changed, though, are the questions I think we should be asking before construction begins. ### *The industry looks different today* Earlier in my career, the conversation was mostly about getting fiber built. Today, operators are balancing a lot more than that. Construction costs have increased. Finding experienced labor has become more difficult. Capital is under greater scrutiny. At the same time, we're trying to build networks that can support demand we can't fully predict. Those realities have changed the way I think about outside plant architecture. ### *Labor has changed the equation* One thing I probably didn't appreciate enough early in my career was the value of skilled labor. It's easy to focus on fiber counts, split ratios, and equipment. But every splice, every closure, every vault, and every truck roll requires experienced people. Those people are becoming harder to find. When labor becomes one of the biggest constraints on a project, reducing unnecessary field work becomes just as important as reducing material costs. That doesn't mean every network should look the same. It simply means labor deserves a bigger place in the conversation than it used to. ### *I've also changed my mind about 'just put In more fiber'* For years, conventional wisdom was simple: *"Just install more fiber. You'll probably need it someday."* I believed that for a long time. Today, I think it's worth asking a different question. ### *More than what?* None of us knows exactly what bandwidth demand will look like ten years from now and fiber isn't as inexpensive as it once was. Trying to predict exactly what you'll need decades into the future can be just as risky as not planning far enough ahead. Personally, I'd rather build infrastructure that gives operators options as networks evolve. ### *Construction cost isn't the whole story* One lesson that experience has reinforced is that the lowest construction cost doesn't always produce the lowest lifetime cost. The network you're designing today will be operated for decades. Every maintenance event. Every expansion. Every new customer. Every technology upgrade. Those are all influenced by decisions made before the first shovel goes into the ground. That's why I spend as much time thinking about operational flexibility as I do day-one construction costs. ### *The best architecture depends on the problem you're solving* People sometimes ask me which network architecture is best. My answer is usually the same. ### *It depends* Every provider has different goals. Every market has different challenges. Every operator has different financial constraints. That's why I don't believe there's one universal answer. What I do believe is that it's worth challenging assumptions that may have made perfect sense fifteen years ago but deserve another look today. ### *Looking ahead* One thing I've learned after 26 years in this industry is that broadband never stands still. The technologies change. Customer expectations change. Construction economics change. The questions we ask should change too. If I hope people took one thing away from my recent webinar, it's this: Don't choose an architecture because it's what you've always done, choose it because it gives your business the best chance to succeed—not just on opening day, but ten or twenty years from now. ***Chad Johnston is Vice President of Strategy at Hexatronic US, bringing extensive experience in telecommunications infrastructure, network architecture and fiber deployment. His expertise spans OSP engineering, system design, construction and market expansion, with a focus on finding more efficient and scalable ways to build fiber networks. Before joining Hexatronic, Johnston held senior roles with Google Fiber, Ting Fiber, Charter Communications and Fidelity Communications, where his experience included large-scale fiber deployments, network architecture and market launches across the U.S., and he holds two U.S. patents for fiber optic deployment methods. He also served in the U.S. Army. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### GAO Wants Easier Coverage Challenges at FCC, More Detail on Long-term BEAD Monitoring URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gao-wants-easier-coverage-challenges-at-fcc-more-detail-on-long-term-bead-monitoring/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:34.000Z WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2026 – The Government Accountability Office wants two federal agencies to improve broadband coverage mapping and grant-funded project monitoring. GAO said in [a Monday report](https://files.gao.gov/reports/GAO-26-107725/index.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#%5Fftn80) that the agencies, the Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration, agreed with its recommendations. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Since 2022, the FCC has maintained a granular map of broadband coverage and, since 2023, a map of federally funded broadband projects. They’re intended to keep track of where broadband is and is not available in the U.S., partly so agencies funding deployments can know where to target their efforts. The coverage data is reported by providers, and the FCC accepts challenges to ensure the data is accurate. GAO said that in interviews local and Tribal governments, along with rural ISP trade groups, said it was difficult to submit bulk challenges to many locations at once. Providing evidence of inaccurate service for large numbers of locations under the FCC’s current process is too labor intensive for a small staff, interviewees told GAO. GAO recommended the FCC reach out to local governments and small ISPs directly to ask about difficulties in the challenge process, otherwise inaccurate coverage might not be corrected and locations lacking broadband might not be identified. **Eduard Bartholme**, chief of the FCC’s consumer and government affairs bureau, said in a response to GAO that the agency held a Tribal workshop in August that provided assistance with filing challenges. He said the agency would also organize roundtables to gather feedback on the challenge process. The agency had already sought input on its data collection process in May. ISPs [disagreed there](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/industry-wants-more-changes-to-fccs-broadband-data-collection/) about how to reverse challenges once service has been deployed or upgraded. Smaller providers that struggle to submit bulk challenges want a similarly rigorous process for reversing them, while larger ISPs said coverage wasn’t frequently exaggerated and a sworn declaration should suffice. The report was prepared for the House and Senate agriculture committees, led by Rep. **Andy Harris**, R-Md., and Sen. **John Hoeven**, R-N.D., respectively. ### *BEAD monitoring* GAO also analyzed NTIA’s $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. NTIA expects to spend about $18.2 billion of that on deployment, according to state and territory spending plans approved last week (agency officials had told GAO $18.4 billion, but the interviews likely took place before all the plans were finalized). BEAD participants have to submit reports on their network performance at least twice annually to states during their build outs, which can last up to four years. NTIA officials told GAO the agency can’t require participants to submit reports after that, despite the government having a stake in grant-funded networks for 10 years after completion, but that states could potentially request them. The information also doesn’t include financial metrics, which GAO said would have been helpful. GAO said NTIA should provide more details on how states can monitor BEAD projects after they’re completed to avoid rural networks going bankrupt. “Such information could include considerations about provider defaults in other BEAD projects and other broadband deployment programs and requesting network performance data from subrecipients that have defaulted,” wrote **Andrew Von Ah**, GAO’s director of physical infrastructure. “Requesting performance data from subrecipients that have defaulted on other BEAD projects or in other federal broadband programs could provide states with insight into risks related to financial sustainability.” In an effort to ensure ISPs bid for financially viable network builds, NTIA is preventing BEAD participants from accepting operational subsidies for BEAD-funded networks for 10 years. The agency didn’t offer a written response like the FCC, but GAO said NTIA agreed with its recommendation. ### *Other findings* The report noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Telecommunications Infrastructure Program had a lot of idle cash. The loan program was allocated $4.6 billion from 2019 through 2025, and just 10 percent of that has been obligated by USDA. Agency officials said that had to do with a flood of grant funding from BEAD and other sources, which are more attractive than loans that need to be repaid. But they expected ISPs to seek the funding once grants dried up. “USDA officials stated that they expect an increase in TIP applications after the recent influx of federal broadband funding winds down, as providers seek financing to complete remaining buildouts and sustain long-term network needs,” Von Ah wrote. GAO also said agencies were starting to work on its recommendations from last year that they coordinate better on broadband funding data submissions. The report found that some USDA and FCC programs were still not present in the FCC’s funding map, but said both agencies were working to correct that. The report found only two instances of potential federal project overlap, one was corrected and led to USDA locations being removed from an FCC funding area. In the other, a provider won USDA funding for deployment and FCC funding for opex in an overlapping area, which the agencies said was allowed. ### GCI Expands 5G to 9 More Southeast Alaska Towns URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gci-expands-5g-to-9-more-southeast-alaska-towns/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:34.000Z Sept. 1, 2026 — General Communications Inc. is expanding 5G service to nine more Southeast Alaska communities, completing updates in Craig, Haines, Hydaburg, Kake, Klawock, Klukwan, Metlakatla, Skagway, and Thorne Bay. GCI, which serves more than 200 communities, says that the work brings faster speeds and greater unlimited talk, text and data coverage to residents who rely on connectivity for ferry schedules, weather information and travel. The upgrades are part of a statewide push that has brought 5G to more than 125 communities - around 83% of Alaskans - since GCI launched the service in Anchorage in 2020\. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Alaska, which is roughly one-fifth the size of the lower 48 contiguous states, has about 737,000 people. GCI said in an Aug. 20 press [release](https://news.gci.com/news-releases/gci-expands-5g-mobile-service-in-9-more-southeast-alaska-communities?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the upgrades were supported in part by the Universal Service Fund’s Alaska Plan, which subsidizes service in high-cost rural areas. “Every investment we make is aimed at creating more direct, high‑quality connections to our network,” said **Troy Goldie**, GCI’s Chief Technology Officer. GCI, Alaska’s largest telecommunications provider, has repeatedly called the USF an essential lifeline for the state. At a March 2026 industry [summit](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gci-liberty-ceo-says-universal-service-fund-is-essential-for-alaska/), GCI Liberty CEO **Ron Duncan** said about 40% of GCI’s roughly $1 billion in annual revenue comes from USF support, arguing that without those hundreds of millions of dollars, rural Alaska “couldn’t continue to exist” as a connected region. The company is also moving to [consolidate](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alaskas-gci-acquiring-quintillion/) critical infrastructure, agreeing to acquire subsea fiber operator Quintillion for $310 million. Once closed, the deal will add more than 1,800 miles of existing subsea and terrestrial fiber to GCI’s network, plus up to 1,500 miles of planned new builds, strengthening backhaul capacity across remote and Arctic‑exposed regions that have suffered prolonged outages. Both firms have won [funding](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alaskas-gci-acquiring-quintillion/) under the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program program. ### Former FCC Republican Michael O’Rielly Supports Ending E-Rate ‘If Is Is Hurting Students’ URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/former-fcc-republican-michael-orielly-supports-ending-e-rate-if-is-is-hurting-students/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:48:52.000Z 💡 ■ Charter CFO Jessica Fischer Leaving Oct. 15 for New ‘Professional Opportunity’ ■ GAO Report Outlines Ongoing Broadband Mapping Issues in Rural Locations ■ Carr Names Hunter Deeley as New Enforcement Bureau Chief ■ House Panel to Look at Data Center Reliance on Local Water Resources ■ House to Vote Today on Constitutional Amendment to Require Nine on SCOTUS ■ Special Report: Five Questions for NECTA President Tim Wilkerson ■ GCI Says Landline Phones Service Has Been Disrupted Across Alaska ■ Optimum Updates MVNO with T-Mobile ■ FTC, 22 States Sue Amazon over Ad Pricing Tactics ■ California Lawmakers Pass Bill Creating an Inspector General at CPUC ■ American Broadband, Great Plains Tweak Fastwyre Deal ■ WOW! Expands Partnership with Braves’ Affiliate Augusta GreenJackets E-Rate: Former Republican FCC Commissioner **Michael O’Rielly** says the agency has clear legal authority to overhaul the E‑Rate program and should confront whether decades of subsidies are improving student learning. In [an Aug. 31 analysis](https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Yes-To-an-E-Rate-Reality-Check-083126.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) (*Yes To an E-Rate Reality Check*) for the Free State Foundation, where he is an Adjunct Senior Fellow, O’Rielly wrote that “nothing in the law prevents the agency from testing the program’s effectiveness and pursuing needed reforms,” adding that E‑Rate funding “is not an entitlement.” The E-Rate cost taxpayers $2.3 billion in 2025\. “If E-Rate is not delivering, or worse, if it is hurting students, then it should be curtailed or ended,” O’Rielly said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bgjx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff3e75245-c6a4-4989-9087-5c004c4940ad_747x464.png) Former Republican FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### AI and Robotics Drive an IPO Boom in China as Shein Lists in Hong Kong URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-and-robotics-drive-an-ipo-boom-in-china-as-shein-lists-in-hong-kong/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:38.000Z HONG KONG, Sept. 1, 2026 (AP) — Chinese markets are booming with new public stock offerings, energized by the craze for [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and other advanced technology and a growing preference to list shares in Hong Kong and Shanghai. In the latest big stock listing, shares in China-founded e-commerce and fast fashion giant Shein are due to debut Tuesday in Hong Kong in a blockbuster initial public offering raising $1.7 billion, in one of the city’s biggest new share sales this year. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) In July, [CXMT,](https://apnews.com/article/cxmt-china-memory-chips-debut-shares-9cd8b79866cf4bd5ef7c1cb81215e796?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) China’s largest memory chipmaker, raised more than $8.6 billion in Shanghai in the second-largest IPO for its Nasdaq-style STAR market, mainland China’s second-largest IPO. Its shares jumped 466% on the first day of trading. Unitree, one of China’s leading humanoid robot makers, also [made its listing debut in Shanghai in August](https://apnews.com/article/china-robots-unitree-ipo-shanghai-f33facc61122faf0c0b08af5020bd170?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Shares rose 460% on the first day of trading. “The current IPO boom is powered by investor appetite for AI and robotics,” said **Ruiying Zhao**, a senior research analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence. Trading in Shanghai's stock market, for one, is heavily driven by retail investors. ### *AI driving Chinese IPO boom* CXMT’s IPO in Shanghai “placed [China](https://apnews.com/hub/china?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in a strategically significant position in tech manufacturing related to AI,” said **Perris Lee**, head of APAC equity capital markets for ION Analytics. “It’s also a testament to China’s tech self-sufficiency ambitions.” Founded in China in 2016, the company's revenue surged more than 700% year-on-year to 50.8 billion yuan (about $7.5 billion) in the first three months of 2026 on a spike in demand for computer chips needed for AI. IPO proceeds in Hong Kong and Shanghai so far this year have already surpassed the funding raised last year, according to the financial data platform LSEG. It says IPOs and secondary listing activities on the Hong Kong and Shanghai exchanges raised a total of over $54 billion from so far in 2026, surpassing last year’s total of more than $46 billion. Combined Hong Kong and Shanghai proceeds so far this year accounted for roughly 21% globally, ranking them only behind only the Nasdaq’s roughly 55% global share, LSEG said. There, the mega [$75 billion IPO by SpaceX](https://apnews.com/article/spacex-musk-starship-ipo-satellites-data-center-293e82ea0216efdd0ff7601baf85bae8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in June made the U.S. exchange the world’s biggest IPO market this year. Since China limits foreign purchases on mainland exchanges, many Chinese companies do parallel listings in Hong Kong to help raise international capital. ### *Fewer big Chinese companies listing overseas* Stricter U.S. and Chinese regulatory scrutiny in recent years of big Chinese companies listing in U.S. markets, especially those in strategically important sectors like [advanced technologies](https://apnews.com/article/china-five-year-plan-technology-economy-7face4580fcfba44410ff2134a09d6bb?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), has led some Chinese companies to stick closer to home. Listing overseas typically takes more time compared with doing IPOs in China, said **Howie Farn**, a capital markets partner at the law firm Freshfields. In Hong Kong, recent public stock listings of Apple-supplier Luxshare Precision Industry, and Zhongji Innolight, which makes optical transceivers used in data centers, were among this year’s largest deals and were also a reflection of investor demand for advanced technologies. More companies are looking to hold their IPOs in Hong Kong or Shanghai, like [robotics](https://apnews.com/article/china-humanoid-robots-ai-demand-7d542b5ee92caa9d79efa28de89afbbe?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) firms AGIBOT and Deep Robotics. Shein also explored the possibility of listings in the U.S. and London before opting for Hong Kong. ### *Investors are wary of a possible AI bubble in China, too* After massive oversubscriptions and huge gains in their share debuts, some companies have seen their market value shrink. Chinese robot maker Unitree’s share price had fallen more than 40% as of Friday from its peak share price on the day of its trading debut. "The critical question remains: is the AI sentiment enough?” said Zhao from S&P, as the [similar question that raised worries among investors in the U.S.](https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) also now also applies to China. “For a durable market cycle, investors will demand sustainable revenue, visible profit margins, and realistic valuations. The global AI frenzy also has also drawn attention away from companies [like Shein](https://apnews.com/article/fast-fashion-shein-everlane-china-ethical-e503f7f613242bb3e41b6624f0fecc5f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “The AI investment cycle is absorbing much of the risk appetite that would have otherwise flowed to a company like Shein,” said **Jacob Cooke**, CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies. Shein’s IPO puts the company’s value at around $27 billion, a fraction of its peak valuation a few years ago, though that is partly due to U.S. and EU moves to restrict de minimus tax-exemptions for imports of small packages. *This article was written by Chan Ho-Him of the Associated Press.* ### Study Links Broadband Adoption to Lower 'Time Poverty' URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/study-links-broadband-adoption-to-lower-time-poverty/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:38.000Z WASHINGTON, August 31, 2026 - Higher community broadband adoption is associated with less time spent waiting for goods and services, a key measure of a term called “time poverty,” according to a [soon-to-be-published study](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596126001515?utm%5Fcampaign=Newsletters&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=sendgrid) in the academic journal *Telecommunications Policy*. Authors **Mattia Caldarulo**, **Gregory Porumbescu**, and **Andrea Hetling** integrated broadband data with 14 years of American Time Use Survey records and estimated that community‑level adoption eases time poverty by enabling more efficient online access to daily tasks. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) And, according to the study, researchers found that people living in counties with higher broadband adoption spent significantly less time queuing for errands such as banking, shopping and accessing public services. The effect was strongest among women, suggesting that reliable internet access could help reduce everyday logistical burdens rather than simply improve digital connectivity. The study identifies three ways community-wide broadband adoption reduces time poverty. First, it encourages institutions and businesses to digitize services - such as online appointment booking and government portals - making access to goods and services more efficient. Second, it gives residents tools to complete time-intensive tasks remotely, including telehealth, online shopping, and digital government services, while real-time updates help people avoid unnecessary waiting. Finally, the researchers found a broader community benefit: As more people shift transactions online, demand for in-person services falls, shortening queues at offices, clinics, and stores even for residents who do not use broadband themselves. The researchers found that broadband’s time-saving benefits were not evenly distributed. Women experienced larger reductions in waiting times than men, while low-income households stood to gain through improved access to jobs, government services and digital tools that reduce administrative burdens, according to the study. ### FCC Taking Comment on Verizon-Carolina West Deal as Rural Carrier Plans to Shutter Service URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-taking-comment-on-verizon-carolina-west-deal-as-rural-carrier-plans-to-shutter-service/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2026 – Federal regulators are taking comment on Verizon’s acquisition of Carolina West Wireless’s spectrum, as the rural carrier plans to end service Sept. 30. That’s two days after comments on the transaction are due. The [companies told](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-919A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Federal Communications Commission that Carolina West would keep its radios online and provide roaming service until the deal cleared agency review and closed. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Verizon is acquiring Carolina West’s spectrum and network assets, and Carolina West is going to wind down its operations and end service. Customers will have to switch to Verizon or another carrier. The companies [announced the deal](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-acquiring-carolina-wests-network/) in June and didn’t disclose the financial terms. Carolina West said in [a separate filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072890/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it estimated FCC approval could come as soon as October, and the deal would close “soon thereafter.” In 2024, Carolina West had asked the FCC for subsidies to support operational expenses for rural carriers, a request a rural carrier trade group reiterated when the Verizon deal was announced. Carolina West said that amid declining roaming revenue from the national carriers, it was keeping money-losing towers online to avoid creating dead zones. “The wireless industry increasingly requires greater scale and investment to deliver the next generation of connectivity,” Carolina West CEO **Slayton Stewart** said in a statement when the deal was announced. “We believe our customers and communities will benefit from continued innovation, expanded resources, and the strong network performance they rely on every day.” Verizon told the FCC it would “fill in a gap in its coverage” by acquiring Carolina West’s spectrum. That includes C-band, 3.45 GigaHertz (GHz), 3.5 GHz, 600 MHz, and lower 700 MHz licenses, among others. The FCC’s [Friday public notice](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-919A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) seeking comment on the deal said that at least 29 of the 37 counties at issue would get extra scrutiny, since spectrum there would be concentrated in Verizon’s hands. Other recent spectrum deals have also triggered that review, and the FCC has been [allowing them](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-anti-dei-commitments-in-hand-fcc-approves-at-t-uscellular-spectrum-sale/&ved=2ahUKEwituaD54MuWAxWKpIkEHe9VB3MQFnoECBwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1bF8qIZvUYcamAmBuBsXdQ) to proceed. Under FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, the agency hasn’t found exceeding its spectrum screen to be anticompetitive. Carolina West is looking to relinquish its status as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier, a common carrier that can receive FCC subsidies, in North Carolina as part of the deal. The company said it should continue to receive the FCC subsidies it participates in until the closing date. Comments on the deal are due by Sept. 28, and opposition is due Oct. 8\. Wireless Estimator [reported in June](https://wirelessestimator.com/articles/2026/verizons-move-on-carolina-west-wireless-gives-fcc-chairman-carr-a-clear-leverage-point-on-contractor-commitments/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that NATE, which represents wireless contractors, wanted contractor protection conditions attached to any FCC approval. The two parties have an existing agreement, required by FCC approval of Verizon’s acquisition of Frontier, but Wireless Estimator reported [earlier this year](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-carr-concerned-about-verizon-contractor-commitments/) that disagreements were still arising over contract bidding. ### Charter CFO Jessica Fischer to Step Down Oct. 15 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-cfo-jessica-fischer-to-resign-oct-15/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2026 – Charter CFO Jessica Fischer is stepping down Oct. 15, the company announced Monday. Fischer was leaving “to relocate for another professional opportunity,” the company said [in a release](https://corporate.charter.com/newsroom/charter-announces-chief-financial-officer-transition?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). She has been with the cable operator for nearly 10 years and served as CFO since October 2021. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Fischer later posted on LinkedIn that she was headed to an [AI joint venture](https://www.blackstone.com/news/press/blackstone-announces-joint-venture-with-google-to-create-new-tpu-cloud/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) between Google and Blackstone. The company, formed in May, is planning to rent compute capacity powered by Google's AI chips. Blackstone is making an initial investment of $5 billion. The company is expceting to bring capacity online next year. The company said it would “begin a comprehensive search for her replacement immediately.” Charter appointed longtime finance executive **Kevin Howard** to interim CFO, starting Oct. 15. Charter stressed [in a filing](https://ir.charter.com/node/36781/html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Fischer didn’t leave on bad terms. “Ms. Fischer’s decision to resign was not the result of any disagreement with the Company, the Company’s management or any member of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), or on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies, practices, or financial reporting,” the company wrote. The SEC filing said a search for Fischer’s replacement was already underway, and that Fischer would work with Howard on a smooth transition. Charter closed its $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox Communications this month, making it the largest cable ISP in the country. “It has been a privilege to be part of Charter's growth over the past decade,” Fischer said in a statement. “I have learned so much from Chris and this team and am grateful for the opportunity and trust they placed in me to lead Charter’s financial operation.” *Update: This story was updated to include information on Fischer's new position.* ### House Commerce Panel to Markup Six Telecom Bills URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-panel-to-markup-six-telecom-bills/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2026 – The House Communications and Technology Subcommittee is set to mark up six tech and telecom bills Tuesday. Those include two bills that would require a national strategy for closing the digital divide and put shot clocks on federal satellite licensing reviews. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The bills [under consideration](https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/chairmen-guthrie-and-hudson-announce-c-and-t-subcommittee-markup-of-six-bills-to-strengthen-communications-networks-and-modernize-satellite-regulations?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) include: The PLAN for Broadband Act, the SAT Streamlining Act, the Data BRIDGE Act, the GUARD Act, the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, and the AI for Secure Networks Act. ### *PLAN for Broadband Act* The [PLAN for Broadband Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F2805%5FPLAN%5Ffor%5FBroadband%5FAct%5F1%5F5c98f601df.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), led by Reps. **Tim Walberg**, R-Mich., and **Scott Peters**, D-Calif., would require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to draw up a plan to close the digital divide. That would have to include improving coordination across federal broadband grant programs and in the federal permitting process, plus reducing administrative burdens for state and local governments to participate in federal programs. The bill was [first introduced](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-republicans-question-future-of-federal-broadband-programs/) in 2022 after the Government Accountability Office found coordination of the more than 100 federal broadband programs to be lacking. NTIA is managing the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, which is aimed at reaching as many unserved and underserved locations as possible. The agency approved every state and territory’s spending plan as of last week, and in its top official’s eyes, it was already on the way to closing the digital divide. “BEAD’s core mission is to ensure universal broadband availability across our country,” NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** said in a statement last week.. “With all 56 Final Proposals now approved, we are achieving Congress’s vision of closing the digital divide once and for all.” The Senate version of the bill cleared the Senate Commerce Committee in May ### *SAT Streamlining Act* The House version of the [SAT Streamlining Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F8255%5Fthe%5FSatellite%5Fand%5FTelecommunications%5FStreamlining%5For%5Fthe%5FSAT%5FStreamlining%5FAct%5FRep%5FBrett%5FGuthrie%5F4ec917eb97.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would put a one-year shot clock on the Federal Communications Commission’s review of new satellite license applications. It would also impose other shot clocks on licenses renewals and minor modification requests It also included a deemed granted provision, meaning if the FCC missed a deadline the application would be automatically approved. The same provision [was removed](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/compromise-amendment-allows-satellite-bill-to-clear-senate-committee/) from the Senate version in February, when the bill cleared the Senate Commerce Committee. Sen. **Maria Cantwell**, D-Wash., the committee’s top Democrat, was concerned about massive applications being approved via agency inaction. The FCC also [voted to overhaul](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-adopts-new-satellite-licensing-reforms/) its satellite licensing rules in July. The changes were also aimed at speeding up the process and created what the agency has called a “license assembly line,” a more standardized process instead of the bespoke reviews the agency has been doing. The House SAT Streamlining Act was led by House Commerce Committee Chairman **Brett Guthrie**, R-Ky., and Ranking Member **Frank Pallone**, D-N.J. ### *Data BRIDGE Act* The [Data BRIDGE Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F4950%5FData%5FBRIDGE%5FAct%5F1%5F1e7faaefeb.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the FCC to incorporate data on agricultural areas into its national broadband coverage map. It was led by Reps. **Erin Houchin**, R-Ind., and **Robin Kelly**, D-Ill. The FCC is [taking commen](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/industry-wants-more-changes-to-fccs-broadband-data-collection/)t on streamlining its data collection for that map. ### *GUARD Act* The [Guarding the U.S. against Adversarial Robotics Dominance (GUARD) Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F9129%5Fthe%5FGUARD%5FAct%5F1%5F0af7d18929.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require “an appropriate national security agency” to determine whether humanoid or quadruped robots developed by the U.S.’s adversaries constituted a national security risk. If the agency didn’t make a determination in one year, the FCC would have to ban the import of new models of those robots from companies headquartered in or affiliated with those adversarial nations, including China and Iran. The bill was led by Reps. **John Moolenaar**, R-Mich., and **Jennifer McClellan**, D-Va. Like with satellite licensing, the agency has already moving the direction lawmakers want. The FCC instituted a ban on new models of all foreign-made humanoid or quadruped robots above 4.4 pounds in July. It was in response to an [interagency report](https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/robots-nsd.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by federal law enforcement officials that said there was the potential for supply chain or cyber security risks if the U.S. didn’t onshore robotics. The has also been expanding similar import bans on foreign drones and Wi-Fi routers. ### *Foreign Robocall Elimination Act* The [Foreign Robocall Elimination Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F6152%5Fthe%5FForeign%5FRobocall%5FElimination%5FAct%5F1%5F71bae4abdd.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the FCC, along with the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department, to convene with private sector experts and produce a report on how to combat robocalls. The FCC has been cracking down on robocalls for years. Earlier this year the agency expanded know-your-customer requirements, and just last week effectively shut down nine providers for not responding to information requests from an existing industry group that tracks robocalls. The bill was led by Reps. **Addison McDowell**, R-N.C., and **Kelly Morrison**, D-Minn. ### *AI for Secure Networks Act* The [AI for Secure Networks Act](https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/H%5FR%5F7294%5FAI%5Ffor%5FSecure%5FNetworks%5FAct%5F1%5F2b33e17d78.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require the NTIA to conduct a study on how artificial intelligence and open radio access networks (open RAN) could be used to increase cybersecurity of telecom networks. It was led by Reps. **Robert Menendez**, D-N.J., and **August Pfluger**, R-Texas. ### E-Rate Takes Center Stage in Markey-Moulton  Senate Primary in Massachusetts URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/e-rate-takes-center-stage-in-markey-moulton-senate-primary-in-massachusetts/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2026 — A federal broadband program aimed at connecting schools and libraries has become an unlikely point of contention in the Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary, as voters prepare to choose between incumbent Sen. **Edward Markey** and Rep. **Seth Moulton** on Tuesday. [The candidates have clashed over the Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/schools-libraries-fight-to-preserve-e-rate-in-major-battle-at-fcc/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) with Markey pointing to the program as a major accomplishment of his telecommunications career and Moulton arguing that expanding internet access must be accompanied by stronger protections for children online. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The primary pits Markey, who is 80 years old and seeking a third full Senate term, against Moulton, a five-term congressman who at age 47 has made generational change a central theme of his campaign. Recent polls show Markey with a commanding lead. Markey has highlighted the scale of E-Rate’s investment. During an August debate, [he cited roughly $80 billion in E-Rate spending since the program was established under the 1996 telecom act.](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-clears-e-rate-review-local-permit-shot-clock-proposal/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) E-Rate currently provides about $2.4 billion annually to help schools and libraries obtain internet connectivity. Moulton, however, sought to turn the program into a broader debate over [how policymakers should approach technology and children’s online safety](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/education-groups-urge-fcc-to-drop-questions-about-ending-e-rate/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com). During the debate, he questioned whether simply increasing connectivity was enough to protect young people from harmful content and excessive internet use. The disagreement gives broadband policy an unusual role in a Senate primary that has otherwise focused heavily on age, technology, ideology and the candidates’ records. Moulton [has repeatedly argued that Massachusetts Democrats should move toward a younger generation of leadership](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/library-groups-mobilize-against-fcc-proposal-to-reshape-e-rate/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com), while Markey has emphasized his long record on technology and progressive policy. [The E-Rate dispute also comes as the FCC faces broader questions ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-e-rate-proposal-draws-early-pushback-from-schools-libraries/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com)about the future of the program and how federal resources should be used to support schools and libraries. Broadband Breakfast previously reported on the candidates’ E-Rate disagreement during their second televised debate. Despite Moulton’s efforts to make the race competitive, recent polling has shown Markey maintaining a substantial advantage heading into Tuesday’s vote. A UMass Amherst/WCVB poll released in August found Markey leading Moulton 60% to 32% among likely Democratic primary voters. Whatever the outcome, the Markey-Moulton contest has put E-Rate and the question of how the government should balance connectivity with online safety into an unusually prominent position in a federal election. ### Optimum Hoping to Improve Mobile Service With Expanded T-Mobile Deal URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/optimum-hoping-to-improve-mobile-service-with-expanded-t-mobile-deal/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2026 – Optimum is hoping to boost its mobile service through a newly expanded deal with T-Mobile, the cable operator said Monday. Optimum CEO **Dennis Mathew** first disclosed the deal earlier this month on the company’s [earnings call](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/optimum-beats-on-broadband-losses-but-debt-looms/). He said it would allow the company to offer connectivity on more kinds of devices, like tablets and wearables. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) In [a Monday release](https://investors.optimum.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/241/optimum-expands-t-mobile-relationship-to-bring-customers?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Optimum said the expanded mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) contract would let Optimum offer service on T-Mobile’s 5G Standalone network core. That would allow the company to offer better roaming services and new dedicated business plans, plus better speeds in rural areas, the company said. An Optimum spokesperson said in an email that currently the company operates its own core via four U.S. locations. Under the new deal, Optimum would integrate that with T-Mobile’s 5G SA platform. The company is hoping to roll out the new features next year, the spokesperson said. “By deepening our relationship with T-Mobile and gaining access to its advanced 5G Standalone platform and broader device portfolio, we will be able to accelerate innovation, enhance everyday customer experiences, and deliver even greater value as we drive our broadband-mobile convergence strategy,” **Luciano Ramos**, Optimum’s chief technology officer, said in a statement. That convergence strategy, bundling fixed and mobile broadband to reduce churn, is a big part of Optimum’s plan to mitigate broadband subscriber losses that have plagued cable ISPs in recent years. Many of those losses have come at the hands of the carriers’ fixed wireless service, on which T-Mobile counts millions of subscribers. Optimum surpassed 724,000 [mobile lines](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chart-of-mobile-subscribers/) in the second quarter, and has lower converged prices than competitors in its footprint according to research firm MoffettNathanson. Mathew said 9 percent of its more than 4 million broadband subscribers took at least one line. The company has more than $6 billion in debt coming due next year, and billions more in subsequent years. With no way to pay it off, Optimum is currently trying to negotiate a deal with its lenders to restructure the deal. As of the second quarter call, that work was ongoing. The company recently moved some assets to a subsidiary that would be out of reach of its creditors in the event of a bankruptcy, an effort to force them to come to the table. Optimum is also embroiled in a lawsuit with the lenders, accusing them of colluding to keep the price of its debt high. Cable giants Charter and Comcast offer mobile service through a deal with Verizon. They count more than 20 million wireless lines between them. ### Circle City Broadcasting Urging DIRECTV Customers to ‘Make the Switch’ to Comcast or Charter URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/circle-city-broadcasting-urging-directv-customers-to-make-the-switch-to-comcast-or-charter/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T12:56:40.000Z 💡 ■ KeyBanc Analyst Dismisses Starlink Pricing as a Threat to Traditional ISPs ■ Ninth Circuit Creates Circuit Split by Saying Kalshi Is Sports Betting ■ Doxo – Which Just Slammed High Cable TV Bills – Hit with $2.1 Million FTC Penalty ■ AT&T Sues Charter, Saying ‘Fiber‑Powered’ Ads Fool Consumers ■ House Panel to Mark Up Six Bills, Including PLAN for Broadband Act ■ Mission Impossible: SpaceX Pitches Gomez on Winding Down High Cost Fund ■ FCC OKs Innovation Zone at Iowa State to Promote Precision Ag ■ Carolina West Wireless Plans to End Service Before Verizon Deal Gets FCC Approval ■ Mississippi Broadcasters Honor Sen. Wicker with New Service Award Retrans: A local TV station owner in Indianapolis is hoping DIRECTV gets the message and pays a price for not carrying his three stations, including the ABC affiliate. Circle City Broadcasting CEO **DuJuan McCoy** today launched a “Make the Switch” campaign urging DIRECTV, AT&T U‑verse, and DIRECTV Stream customers to move to Comcast/Xfinity or Charter/Spectrum, offering free gifts to viewers who show proof of a qualifying switch. “Locally owned and operated television stations like CCB’s are essential to keeping communities informed and connected in a unique way,” McCoy said in a press release. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lA70!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2edb7709-03a6-4786-8f85-2a09b36f6df0_527x296.png) _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### What We're Doing With '150 Years of American Telecommunications' URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/what-were-doing-with-150-years-of-american-telecommunications/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T23:55:51.000Z Last week Broadband Breakfast launched its online course, [**150 Years of American Telecommunications**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer). We released Lesson 1 on Monday, and will release a new lesson in the 35-lesson series each Monday at 9 a.m. ET. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) In a way, I’ve been thinking about this course for more than 20 years — since I first read **Paul Starr's** wonderful book, [*The Creation of the Media: Political Origins of Modern Communications*](https://www.amazon.com/Creation-Media-Political-Origins-Communications/dp/0465081940?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). That book, published in 2004, covered the sweep of American communications history from pre-colonial times in America, including the creation of the public sphere for communications in society. It also compared the U.S. to the United Kingdom and to Europe. Starr’s book leaned on the role of printed newspapers and book publishing. But of course it also delved into the “technologies” of modernity: The telegraph, the telephone, the popular press, a/k/a what we now call “The Media.” It also covered the beginnings of broadcast radio and television. But I was disappointed that Starr ends his story at World War II. That was just when developments were getting interesting! ### *Notable events and American exceptionalism* The proximate cause for Broadband Breakfast deciding to create an online course was the observation that, in celebrating 250 Years of American Independence, we are also celebrating 150 Years of American Telecommunications. **Alexander Graham Bell**, his March 7, 1876, patent fresh in hand, displayed the telephone at the United States’ Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in June of 1876\. Some Americans at the time (and subsequently) did view the debut of telephone as one of divine providence. Perhaps this is a continuation of turning 50-year anniversaries into singular perceptions of manifestations. July 4, 1826, was also one such day. The 50th Anniversary of the publishing of the Declaration was also the day on which the nation’s second and third presidents, **John Adams** and **Thomas Jefferson**, died within hours of each other. In the eyes of their country, it was [their deaths on the same day that made the date of July 4 our national celebration of independence](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/july-4-1826-day-made-fourth-national-holiday-drew-clark/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The America250 / Telecom150 observation led us to think of a three-part online series for Broadband Breakfast Live Online, with each event covering a distinct 50-year arc of American communications history. The first, on the telephone and the telegraph, covered the 50 years beginning in 1876\. [This was the era of the wire.](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telephones-rise-was-shaped-by-courts-and-lobbying-not-just-wires-historians-say/) The second, for the 50 years beginning in 1926 or 1927, [began the era of broadcasting](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/from-the-beginning-politics-triggered-broadcasting/), plus all of the political controversies that continue to surround radio and particularly television. The third, reflecting on the past 50 years beginning with America’s bicentennial, moved naturally to our thinking about [the era in which we currently live: Computing, the Internet, and artificial intelligence](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-internet-dispersed-power-the-supreme-court-is-concentrating-it/). The [Broadband Breakfast business and community team](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/about) began engaging with many esteemed historians, and many participated in these three sessions. (The Broadband Breakfast editorial team continues to focus on the daily broadband news of today.) As the team did this, we realized that we simply had to bring all these threads together in a celebratory in-person event. That event, “[250 Years of American Independence, 150 Years of American Telecommunications](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer),” will take place here in Washington on October 1, 2026. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/87bb7e1274261dfe57edf9ee09d71e0950b2ec32-JPEG.jpeg) ## 250 Years of American Independence & 150 Years of American Telecommunications An in-person event on Thursday, October 1, 2026 [Register for $250!](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/) ### *Recurring themes: Innovation and competition* We also realized that there was more to the story than could be covered in three hour-long BroadbandLive sessions, or even a day-long celebratory event. If there is an overarching structure to these American250 / Telecom150 events, and to course launched last Monday, it is the recurring themes of innovation and competition. This is present from the very beginning, with Bell’s invention, patented on March 7 and demonstrated in a Boston laboratory in March 10, as well as the Centennial Exposition. Bell created the Bell Telephone Company the following year. A telephone created by rival inventor **Amos Dolbear** operated under different a technology. Dolbear licensed his telephone to Western Union, then the country’s major telegraph monopolist. Western Union in turn created the American Speaking Telephone Company in December 1877\. Bell sued, and won his patent infringement lawsuit because courts read his patent as covering a process – transmitting speech by gradually varying current intensity – rather than any particular apparatus. So much for competition. But wait! When Bell’s patents lapsed in 1893 and 1894, roughly 6,000 independents appeared within a few years, prices fell, and rural service finally arrived. So far as AT&T (the successor to Bell’s company) was concerned, the years ever since have been dominated by a love-hate relationship with U.S. competition law: The Kingsbury Commitment of 1913, the consent decree confining AT&T to regulated communications in 1956, and the November 1974 Justice Department antitrust lawsuit that ultimately led to the company’s divestiture on January 1, 1984. Sign up for the course to read the whole, multi-lesson story. The first four lessons of Section A are free; [join the Broadband Breakfast Club](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/#/portal/signup) to obtain access to the full course, at no additional charge beyond Breakfast Club Membership. ## Join Broadband Breakfast to Celebrate America250 / Telecom150! [View Telecom150 options](#bbb-offer) Ready for annual signup for the Breakfast Club? Purchase Breakfast Club access (including the course) for only $590/year. [$590/year for Breakfast Club (and full course) ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/#/portal/signup) ### *How the course addresses innovation and competition* These themes of innovation and competition – or is it innovation versus competition? – run throughout the 150-year time span. Several other, broader points also emerged. As was noted in Lesson 0, the course introduction, also released last Monday: > **The American arrangement was unusual.** Most countries ran communications through the post office and the state. America ran them through private companies, public rules, and courts. That combination produced the most inventive networks in the world and the longest-running fights over access and power. > > **The fights recur.** Who pays to build networks to the places the market skips. Whether a dominant carrier must share its lines with rivals. What obligations come with a license to use the public airwaves. Whether a new medium fits an old law or needs a new one. Each has been argued, decided, and argued again across the 150 years. The arguments made about broadband funding and artificial intelligence in 2026 are close relatives of arguments once made about the telegraph, the telephone, and radio. > > **The outcomes were not inevitable.** Nearly every rule in this course won an argument, and the losing case is recoverable from the record. Knowing what was decided, who decided it, what the losing side said, and what followed is useful equipment for following the versions being argued now. The course supplies that record. ### *Political origins of communications* What Starr emphasized in his book, as well as what is emphasized in the course, [150 Years of American Telecommunications](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course), are the *political* origins of decisions about communications. This starts with the telephone and the telegraph; and continues toward the use of radio-frequency spectrum for broadcast radio, television, mobile wireless communications; and to the Internet. My reporting, writing and editing for more than two decades has focused on the political origins, and political controversies, of communications. I began covering technology and politics in 1998, just two years and some months after passage of the 1996 Telecom Act. I worked then as a reporter at the *National Journal Group*, where I first focused on legal issues: Copyright, the Microsoft antitrust case, privacy and cybersecurity. These were rich issues in the late 1990s and early 2000s, in part because we did not know when or whether the United States would get a privacy law. (Hint: Congress still had not passed a federal privacy law.) The Microsoft antitrust case, on the other hand, set clear parameters for the behavior of monopolies in the digital age. In hindsight, policymakers and market participants can see now how that antitrust action (as with the breakup of AT&T a generation earlier) created opportunities for companies that had been shut out of the marketplace. In 2003, I switched beats at National Journal Group, moving from privacy, technology and law to telecommunications – plus the emerging subject of broadband. Just switching from one beat to another caused me to learn a lot of new lingo. This was the middle of the so-called triennial review, one of the last spasms of action by the Federal Communications Commission concerning how, specifically, the 1996 Telecom Act might have been used to promote competition by competitive carriers against regional Bell operating companies. Decisions instead moved the United States to what some have called a world of facilities-based competition. ### *A world of convergence?* Think of the last 150 years this way. Generations of inventors, entrepreneurs, network-builders (and policy-makers) purpose-built networks for participations technological use cases, or what we might today call “applications.” The telephone network became a network for person-to-person voice communication, a/k/a telephony. The broadcast networks, through a combination of leased lines and local broadcast towers, offering the masses access to “broad”-based communications, a/k/a mass media. The cable networks, originally built to redistribute television signals, became a form of TV more than just “broadcast” TV. Then it deployed widescale fast internet through its DOCSIS standard. (And that short capsule leave satellite and its role in the communications ecosystem out entirely.) The Internet – which of course is a major part of this course, and fills eight full lessons in Section D – promised a near-perfect example of the opposite type of network: One in which an abundance of content and applications are transmitted over a common protocol. Broadband networks were effectively the first multi-application networks. The applications, in other words, converged on a single network, that network of networks that is the Internet. The genius of Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP, Lesson 15), is that many and varied type of transmission could pass over a single, capacious fiber-optic wire. Join on this journey with us. You’ll learn a lot… and we’ll learn a lot together with you, too! ### *Broadband Breakfast is the community for Better Broadband, Better Lives* I founded Broadband Breakfast in 2008, soon after I read Starr’s book. We’ve been many things over the past 18 years, but the most constant and consistent one is as an online community, a place for education, engagement and hopefully enlightenment about all issues surrounding broadband: Telecommunications, communications, and computing. Think of the course “[150 Years of American Communications](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer)” is a concerted effort to bring American history of this field of broadband, to bear on American action in this field of broadband. We’ll keep covering all the daily broadband controversies. But in taking this course, you’ll join our effort to step back and consider how historical developments reflect and address American values — and how they fall short. Take advantage of our special [America250 / Telecom150 offer](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer): - **$150** — Get three months of Broadband Breakfast Club, including all news, paid member spaces, and unlimited access to “150 Years of American Telecommunications.” You’ll also be able to stream the October 1 event at no charge. - **$250** — Get everything above, plus a reserved seat to the October 1 event. As you take the course, let us know in the comments - or by emailing [support@breakfast.media](mailto:support@breakfast.media) – if you have any suggestions, corrections, complaints or recommendations. ### AT&T Sues Charter for 'Fiber-Powered Internet' Ads URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-sues-charter-for-fiber-powered-internet-ads/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2026 – AT&T sued Charter Communications Friday for false advertising. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, alleged the cable giant was misleading customers into thinking its broadband network was 100 percent fiber. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Charter’s network is mostly fiber, but the large majority of its last-mile consumer connections are over coaxial cable. In ads for its Spectrum brand broadband service, Charter says its service refers to its service as “fiber-powered.” “That claim conveys to reasonable consumers the misleading impression that Spectrum Internet is a fiber-to-the-home service comparable to AT&T Fiber,” AT&T attorney **Pete Marketos** wrote [in the complaint](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/08/2026%5F08%5F28-Dkt-1-Plaintiff-s-Complaint.pdf). He later added that Charter’s advertising “directly targets consumers who might otherwise choose AT&T as their provider.” AT&T asked the court to block Charter from using the phrase and potentially award the wireless carrier damages. A Charter spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It’s not the first time AT&T has gone after Charter for the “fiber-powered” language. The carrier previously filed a complaint on the issue with BBB National Program’s National Advertising Division, a self-regulatory body that adjudicates advertising disputes among companies. In March 2026, Charter [agreed to](https://bbbprograms.org/media/newsroom/decisions/charter-spectrum?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) start “clearly and conspicuously disclosing that Spectrum’s fiber-powered internet services are not delivered to customers’ homes over a fiber-to-the-home infrastructure,” and NAD dismissed the case. Charter recently closed its acquisition of Cox Communications, which will make it the largest cable ISP in the country. Cox also calls its broadband “fiber-powered,” according to the complaint. Telecom companies [frequently complain](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/judge-grants-verizon-request-to-block-t-mobile-ads-targeting-switchers/) about each other's advertising claims before the NAD. AT&T sued the body last year when NAD said one of its ads bashing T-Mobile ran afoul of its rules, but later [dropped the case](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-drops-ad-watchdog-suit/). AT&T and T-Mobile are embroiled in another lawsuit in which AT&T is alleging false advertising. AT&T had initially sued over a T-Mobile switching tool that AT&T said was illegally scraping customer data, which a judge [shut down](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/after-losing-restraining-order-fight-t-mobile-expands-online-switching-tool/), but the carrier submitted [a new complaint](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.412319/gov.uscourts.txnd.412319.60.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) earlier this month alleging “nationwide false and misleading advertising aimed at driving customers from AT&T to T-Mobile continues unabated.” ### SpaceX Still Pushing to Slash High Cost Fund URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-still-pushing-to-slash-high-cost-fund/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2026 – SpaceX is still pushing federal regulators to slash a broadband subsidy that supports rural ISPs it’s increasingly competing with for subscribers. On Wednesday three SpaceX attorneys, satellite policy chief **Joseph Bissonnette**, met with staff from the Federal Communications Commission to press their case. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The SpaceX representatives said that the agency’s High Cost program, which spends $4.5 billion on rural networks annually, should be wound down and replaced with an affordability subsidy. They spoke with top advisors to FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez**, the agency’s lone Democrat. “Consistent with the Commission’s long-standing commitment to avoiding waste and inefficiency in universal service funding, the Commission should chart a path to wind down outdated and redundant High-Cost programs that now clearly provide diminished — or even negative — returns and redirect these resources to an enhanced affordability program that will deliver clear and impactful benefits to consumers,” Bissonnette wrote [in a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110073483/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) posted Friday. The FCC voted in May to open an inquiry into the program and ask about whether it should be altered given the proliferation of satellite broadband and what to do about some sunsetting legacy funding. Satellite ISPs are currently ineligible for funding under the program. SpaceX had [the same response](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/in-fccs-high-cost-modernization-docket-spacex-stands-alone/) to that inquiry earlier this month, saying its satellite service had effectively solved the market failure the program is trying to address. Participants in the program and rural ISP trade groups uniformly disagreed. They generally argued spectrum capacity issues made satellite slower and less reliable than terrestrial fiber. In its [annual review](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-pleased-with-pace-of-broadband-deployments/) of broadband deployments earlier this month, the FCC included estimates both including and excluding satellite, which is offered nearly everywhere. SpaceX sometimes institutes congestion pricing for new customers if capacity is running low. “As acknowledged by industry, service reliability may decline during periods of congestion and actual speeds could depend on location, time of day, and type of service plan,” the agency wrote. SpaceX recovered from the Indian ocean Thursday the massive Starship rocket it test launched last month. The rocket [will be necessary](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-logs-thirteenth-starship-launch-first-starlink-v3-test/) for the company's plans to launch bigger fixed broadband satellites aimed at providing higher speeds. ### *Spectrum acquisition* SpaceX is also looking to acquire a bit of additional spectrum to support its direct-to-device service, as first reported this week by [Light Reading](https://www.lightreading.com/satellite/spacex-feuls-mobile-ambition-with-another-helping-of-spectrum?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). On July 17, the FCC [sought comment](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-747A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the company’s application to acquire unpaired AWS-3 licenses from Tristar License Group. SpaceX is already buying unpaired AWS-3 spectrum from EchoStar, and the Tristar licenses would expand its coverage with those airwaves. The licenses cover 62 counties in eight states and about 4 percent of the U.S. population, the FCC said. “Indeed, by expanding the footprint of unpaired AWS-3 spectrum available to SpaceX, this transaction will also simplify the provision of satellite D2D services and enhance spectral efficiency by eliminating areas that SpaceX's system would otherwise have to work around,” the [companies wrote](https://x.com/FREESPEECH1017/status/2093101853588509094/photo/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in their application. SpaceX executives said on the company’s first earnings call that they plan to deploy terrestrial assets, tiny small cells on stands already supporting the company’s fixed broadband dishes, and compete directly with the major wireless carriers. Analysts were almost uniformly skeptical of the plan. It would be in addition to the 15,000 satellites the company is asking the FCC to launch to support direct-to-device, which SpaceX said in the application it plans to start launching in late 2027 with approval. ### *Iridium opposition* SpaceX dominates the low-Earth orbit satellite space, partly because it has its own in-house, highly effective rocket launch arm. Securing launch capacity has become an issue for other companies deploying constellations. It’s also securing exclusive direct-to-device spectrum from EchoStar, meaning it won’t have to rely on carrier partnerships in the future (phone manufacturers would also have to add support for the bands). Other companies, namely Amazon and AST SpaceMobile, are also trying to snag usage rights to exclusive D2D spectrum in an effort to compete in the space. Rocket launcher Rocket Lab is also trying to buy Iridium, a satellite company with its own L-band spectrum. That would create a company similarly vertically integrated to SpaceX, although at a smaller scale. SpaceX submitted [a letter](https://api-prod.fcc.gov/icfs-attachment/exp/api/v1/4c3aa9d493c74b10dec6791d48373c92?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) throwing cold water on the deal Thursday. The company said it didn’t oppose the deal, but accused Iridium of trying to prevent SpaceX and others from accessing spectrum and said the FCC should “carefully evaluate” the transaction. Iridium did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ### With all BEAD Plans Approved, States and Territories Set to Spend $18.2 Billion on Deployment URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-all-bead-plans-approved-states-and-territories-set-to-spend-18-2-billion-on-deployment/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2026 – With Illinois’s approval this week, the Commerce Department has cleared every state and territory’s spending plan under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. In all, the 56 [approved plans](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chart-of-states-accepting-bead-grant-applications/) show 3.79 million locations are set to be served by the program, and states and territories are planning to spend $18.19 billion on deployment projects. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Of those 3.79 million locations, 62.9 percent are in line for fiber and 21.9 percent will get satellite. Fixed wireless projects will serve 13.3 percent, and the remaining 1.9 percent of locations will get cable. NTIA’s [location counts](https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/funding-programs/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program/award-recipients?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) include community anchor institutions, facilities like schools and hospitals that are in line for higher-speed connectivity once elighbel homes and businesses are covered. The exact proportions can still fluctuate slightly. States are hammering out their contracts with grant winners, and in some cases the ISPs have refused to sign and locations have had to be rebid. As of the end of June, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration [had helped](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/) to find backup plans for about a dozen states in which a provider had backed out. At the time, at least 54,000 locations had been affected by an ISP pulling out. NTIA is [also asking](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite-bead-awards-to-be-reduced/) states to reduce their satellite awards, citing new federal maps that show expanded terrestrial networks or misclassified buildings. That [could reduce](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-satellite-locations-could-drop-35-42-analysts-say/) the program’s satellite locations by 35 percent, according to an analysis from the Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute. States [can’t unilaterally alter](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-cant-unilaterally-alter-bead-contracts-ntia-says/) existing contracts though, and at least five states had already signed deals with SpaceX and Amazon when the directive came down in July. Whether or not those satellite locations come down will depend on whether the companies agree. In at least one state, it appeared SpaceX wasn’t on board yet. A Louisiana broadband office [release Wednesday](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana-excited-by-100-billion-spacex-launch-facility-local-starlink-discounts/) touted the initial NTIA-approved number of SpaceX locations. Based on NTIA-approved plans from the five states — Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Nebraska — there are 105,111 satellite locations between them. While fiber accounts for nearly 63 percent of locations served under the program, fiber projects are likely in line for a larger share of the dollars being spent. Fixed wireless and especially satellite are cheaper to deploy. Based on states’ draft spending plans, which in some cases were altered before NTIA approval, satellite providers SpaceX and Amazon were in line for a combined $1 billion despite serving 22 percent of the program’s locations. That’s according to a [Connected Nation](https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMTMyZmRhNzMtNWY5NC00OTlmLTgxNjEtZjA1OTFlNWIxZTE2IiwidCI6IjVhMjNkMTNlLTBhM2UtNDI5MS04ZDMzLTM5N2Y2YTEwZjEwYiJ9&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) tally. ### *Non-deployment* Based on the states and territories’ allocations and their approved deployment spending (and accounting for the fact that 2 percent of BEAD allocations can be used for administrative costs), they would collectively have about $22.5 billion left over. NTIA had been estimating $21 billion would be available for non-deployment uses nationwide. NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** [told lawmakers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/) in June that the agency was planning to release guidance on how those non-deployment funds could be used “this summer.” The agency did not immediately respond to an inquiry on whether it was updating that timeline. Under the Biden administration, states had been planning to use the funding for broadband adoption efforts and workforce development, among other things. The Trump administration rescinded approval for those activities in June 2025. New guidance on how states could use the money was initially due in March. Under an executive order it’s supposed to detail which states will be blocked from accessing their non-deployment money because of AI laws the administration deems overly restrictive. Many ideas for potential uses have been floated as NTIA prepares the guidance, including boosting local permitting agencies and shoring up defaulted projects. ISPs are finding [supply chain costs](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-working-on-bead-project-costs-permits/) rising, and some state broadband officers said at Mountain Connect this month that they would be willing to consider waivers to increase project support. ### At $125 a Month, Cable TV Nearly as Expensive as Typical Monthly Home Electric Bill, Report Finds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-125-a-month-cable-tv-nearly-as-expensive-as-typical-monthly-home-electric-bill-report-finds/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T13:04:54.000Z 💡 ■ Arielle Roth Took the High Road. What’s JB Pritzker’s Problem? ■ X: China Suspected of Using Bot Farms to Manipulate U.S. AI Debate ■ FWA Availability Fell In July among Big Three Carriers, Wolfe Research Finds ■ USDA Funded Alaska Fiber Projects at $2 Million Per Passing, Taxpayer Group Says ■ Calix Pushing Back on Story Claiming Router Security Flaws ■ Free State’s Kennedy Looks at Best Approaches to Spectrum Allocation ■ AT&T to Release Third‑Quarter 2026 Results on Oct. 21 ■ KKR to Pay $250 Million Penalty for HSR Violations ■ Gov. Morrisey Encouraged about $45 Billion Nscale-Anthropic Data Center Deal in West Virginia Pay TV: U.S. households pay a median $125 a month for cable and satellite TV – about $1,500 a year — according to the [2026 doxoINSIGHTS U.S. Cable & Satellite Report](https://www.doxo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/doxoINSIGHTS-2026-Cable-Satellite-Report.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) released on Aug. 27\. The report, based on bill‑payment data covering 97% of ZIP codes, found that 74% of households still carry a pay‑TV bill, a market worth $172 billion. The median cable bill now sits just $4 below the typical electric bill, and despite industry losses – including subscriber declines at EchoStar, Comcast and Charter – pay‑TV costs remain stubbornly high, doxo said. Subscribers in Vermont, South Carolina, Delaware, Nebraska, and Rhode Island had the highest bills in the U.S. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LpXA!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F607cf488-0d9f-4425-97cd-de8cdbf7b04b_1048x219.png) [2026 doxoINSIGHTS U.S. Cable & Satellite Report](https://www.doxo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/doxoINSIGHTS-2026-Cable-Satellite-Report.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### FCC’s Streamlined Broadband Label Rules Take Effect September 14 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-streamlined-broadband-label-rules-take-effect-september-14/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, August 27, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission’s overhauled broadband label rules take effect September 14, easing several requirements that internet service providers had flagged as burdensome since the labels debuted in 2022. Not every piece of the order is live on day one, however. One of its more consequential provisions was delayed indefinitely. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The revised rules stem from an order the FCC adopted unanimously [at its July 22 open meeting](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-upper-c-band-plan-opening-160-mhz-for-wireless-auction/). All three commissioners voted in favor, including Democrat **Anna Gomez**, giving the deregulatory move bipartisan approval. The order rolls back [several transparency requirements](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-to-rollback-some-broadband-transparency-rules/) that had been put in place when the FCC [first adopted the labels under](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-communications-commission-mandates-broadband-nutrition-labels/) then-Chairwoman **Jessica Rosenworcel** (D) in November 2022\. ### *Several changes take effect September 14* The 2022 rules were designed to make labels easily accessible to consumers at the moment of purchase: providers had to display the actual label, not simply an icon or link to it, in close proximity to an associated plan advertisement, and had to make each customer’s label easily accessible within their online account portal. The new rules roll that back significantly, allowing providers to substitute a prominent hyperlink or icon, both in account portals and at the point of sale itself, as long as the link sits close to the advertised plan and leads directly to that plan’s label. Also eliminated was the requirement that providers make label information available in a machine-readable format, which had been intended to let third parties collect and aggregate label data. ### *A delayed provision advocates had targeted* Not every piece of the order goes live on September 14. According to the [Federal Register notice](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-13/pdf/2026-16503.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the instruction revising how providers disclose passthrough fees, § 8.1(a), is delayed indefinitely. The FCC says it will publish a separate notice once that provision takes effect. The passthrough-fee change was among the provisions [consumer advocates fought hardest against](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/advocates-urge-fcc-to-preserve-broadband-transparency-labels/) during the rulemaking. Under the current rules, passthrough fees – which represent the third-party costs providers choose to pass through to consumers and which vary by consumer location – must be itemized individually. Once the delayed provision takes effect, providers will be allowed to disclose a single maximum amount, or an exact total for a specific location. Digital rights organization Public Knowledge raised the sharpest substantive objection, warning there is no “principled limit” on how providers could bundle passthrough fees under the new disclosure option. The order also contains new and revised information-collection requirements that are subject to review under the Paperwork Reduction Act, including by the Office of Management and Budget. ### *Background on 'nutrition labels'* Congress [directed the FCC](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-rosenworcel-broadband-nutrition-labels-will-create-new-generation-of-informed-buyers/) in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to create standardized [broadband nutrition labels,](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-broadband-transparency-labels-roll-out-nationwide/) disclosing prices, speeds, fees and other key plan details. The FCC hosted three virtual public hearings in March, April and May of 2022 to gather consumer and expert feedback, then adopted rules that November requiring providers to display the labels at the point of sale. In 2023, the Commission clarified several aspects of the rules in response to petitions for reconsideration, reaffirming that providers must itemize fees added to base monthly prices, including government program-related fees passed through to consumers. Then, under new leadership, the FCC in October 2025 asked whether it should eliminate several disclosure requirements and how else it might “streamline the label requirements.” FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** cast the changes as a decluttering exercise rather than a retreat from transparency, saying the new rules eliminate outdated requirements and give providers more practical ways to make labels. Small and rural provider groups led the response: NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association argued that label compliance often requires outside legal help many small providers lack in-house, a position echoed by WISPA, Breezeline, ACA Connects and Joink. The order leaves the core disclosure fields intact. Labels must still report typical download and upload speeds, latency, data allowances, pricing and contract terms. They must also remain accessible to people with disabilities and available in any language a provider uses to market its services. The [concept predates the mandate](https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandlabels?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Under the FCC’s 2015 Open Internet rules, the commission’s Consumer Advisory Committee was asked to design a nutrition-style disclosure format; it released mobile and fixed versions of a label in April 2016, though display was voluntary at the time. *Correction: A previous version of this article said that Verizon appeared to be changing how the ISP displayed broadband labels ahead of the new order’s effective date. However, a further review by Broadband Breakfast of the sign-in process for Verizon appeared to display the broadband labels. Additionally, a Verizon spokesman said that the company's method of displaying labels "is consistent with the FCC rules originally published in 2022." Therefore, the section about Verizon has been removed from the article.* ### Advocates Want Tribal Licensing Window in Future Auctions URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/advocates-want-tribal-licensing-window-in-future-auctions/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2026 – Advocates and tribal organizations are still pushing federal regulators to allow tribes to pursue spectrum licenses in future auctions. In July the Federal Communications Commission [declined to set](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/airline-rebates-could-reach-5-7-billion-after-upper-c-band-auction/) a tribal licensing window for its 2027 upper C-band auction, but groups including Public Knowledge and the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska want to keep the door open for future auctions. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The groups also wanted any leftover licenses to be made available to tribes. They filed Thursday a [petition for reconsideration](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110073258/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the July upper C-band decision, but said they didn’t want to see the auction itself held up. A tribal licensing window, like the one the agency held in the 2.5 GigaHertz (GHz) auction during the first Trump administration, allows tribes to apply for free licenses covering their territories. tribal lands tend to be sparsely populated and less attractive for national network deployments, but tribes still can’t compete at auction with deep-pocketed carriers looking to acquire as much spectrum as possible. Proponents of tribal licensing windows have argued they’re a way for tribes to deploy their own networks and get more connectivity quicker. The FCC didn’t go with a tribal window for the upper C-band auction in part because the law requiring the auction said the agency had to complete “a system of competitive bidding.” That doesn’t include tribes applying for free licenses, the agency reasoned in its July order. The problem, the advocacy groups wrote, is that the same One Big Beautiful Bill Act requires the agency to make more spectrum available via a system of competitive bidding. So a finding that that phrase blocks a tribal licensing window for upper C-band could block one in future auctions. The groups argued allowing tribes to apply for a small number of licenses was fine under the law. “The statute does not command that every license must have bidders,” they wrote. “An auction that includes an opportunity for a small, limited and clearly identified class of applicants to apply for a limited number of licenses surely qualifies as part of a ‘system of competitive bidding’ as plainly understood.” The filing was led by **Harold Feld**, vice president of Public Knowledge. New America’s Open Technology Institute, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, the Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District, and five other tribal groups signed on. FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez**, the agency’s lone Democrat, [dissented in part](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-upper-c-band-plan-opening-160-mhz-for-wireless-auction/) from the upper C-band order in July over the tribal window issue. Lobbying from the advocacy groups [ahead of the vote](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/several-groups-want-tweaks-to-upper-c-band-draft/) appeared to have some effect though, since the approved draft didn’t explicitly say future spectrum auctions were bad candidates for a tribal window. That language had been included inthe public draft of the item. In the event there are licenses left over, one whose winning bidder is disqualified, after the auction, those should be made available to Tribes, the advocates wrote. “While such an event seems unlikely for C-Band, the Commission should nevertheless consider the contingency,” they wrote. “The reasons given for denying a TLW in the Order will no longer apply.” CTIA, the wireless industry group, had opposed a tribal window on the grounds it would delay the auction. CTIA CEO **Ajit Pai** was chairman of the FCC during the 2.5 GHz tribal window. ### Lifeline Subscribers Rely on Benefit for Healthcare, Employment URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lifeline-subscribers-rely-on-benefit-for-healthcare-employment/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, August 27, 2026 – More than four in five Lifeline subscribers say they would lose service entirely without the federal benefit, according to a new survey from the National Lifeline Association, highlighting the role the program plays in helping low-income households stay connected. [NaLA's 2026 annual subscriber survey](https://nalalifeline.org/blog/2026-annual-subscriber-survey-results/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) collected more than 83,000 responses across 20 questions. The association released the findings as policymakers continue to consider the future of the Universal Service Fund, which supports the Lifeline program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The survey found that subscribers use their [Lifeline service for a range of essential activities](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nala-survey-reveals-post-acp-hardship-for-economically-vulnerable/). Sixty-six percent said they use their service for telehealth appointments or to order medication, while 81 percent use it to stay connected with family and friends. Lifeline also plays a role in employment and education. Thirty-seven percent of respondents said they use their service for work-related activities, including applying for jobs, working from home and managing shifts. Another 30 percent said they use the connection for online classes, training or schoolwork for children. Affordability remains a significant challenge for subscribers. Ninety-six percent said they cannot afford any monthly service fee, while 85% said [they would lose service entirely if they had to pay the full, undiscounted price](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-lifeline-proposal-could-cut-off-eligible-users-stakeholders-warn/). Among respondents without home internet, NaLA said the monthly cost of service was the most frequently cited barrier, ranking ahead of availability and awareness. The survey also points to a preference for mobile connectivity among Lifeline users. Ninety-one percent of respondents said they prefer mobile wireless service with hotspot capability over fixed broadband. NaLA said the finding indicates that mobility is a functional requirement for many subscribers rather than simply a matter of preference. At the same time, subscribers reported limitations in how much they can use their service. [Sixty-nine percent said they limit their data use each month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/truconnect-proposes-lifeline-benefits-raise-to-30/) to avoid exhausting their allotment. The FCC has kept Lifeline’s minimum mobile broadband allowance at 4.5 gigabytes per month since 2020, [despite an original formula that](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-holds-lifeline-mobile-and-broadband-standards-flat-for-another-year/) would have raised the requirement substantially over time. NaLA said the findings show that the current Lifeline benefit supports basic connectivity but does not always provide enough capacity for sustained use of services such as telehealth, remote work and online coursework. The findings offer a look at how one group of USF beneficiaries says it uses connectivity in its daily life, [as the Federal Communications Commission](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trade-groups-push-fcc-to-keep-lifeline-verification-with-usac/) and lawmakers weigh broader questions about the structure and effectiveness of the Universal Service Fund. NaLA is an industry trade group representing companies and other stakeholders involved in the Lifeline program, including service providers, distributors, vendors and enrollment representatives. The findings build on [the association’s 2025 annual survey](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nala-survey-reveals-post-acp-hardship-for-economically-vulnerable/), which drew 68,000 responses and documented financial strains among low-income households following the expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program. That survey found that respondents were making difficult budget choices to remain connected, including weighing internet costs against other household expenses. Lifeline subscribers receive $9.25 in monthly support for services that include broadband and $5.25 in monthly support for voice-only service. An additional $25 monthly benefit is available for Tribal lands subscribers. The Lifeline program spent $923 million in 2025. ### Appalachian Power Fires Back at Comcast URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/appalachian-power-fires-back-at-comcast/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2026 – Appalachian Power Company fired back at Comcast this week, urging federal regulators to make the cable operator pay more for pole replacements in Virginia. Comcast, “having lost its argument that it should pay *nothing* towards the pole replacements at issue, now argues that it should pay *next to nothing*,” **Eric Langley**, an attorney representing APCo, wrote in [a Monday filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072948/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) APCo will have to replace some poles in the state to accommodate new gear from Comcast, and the companies have been fighting since last year over how much each should pay for those replacements. In February, the Federal Communications Commission [ruled that](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/comcast-wins-in-fccs-first-accelerated-pole-dispute-order/) APCo couldn’t shoulder Comcast with the entire replacement cost for poles that already weren’t up to code. It was the first decision fast-tracked by the agency team tasked with resolving pole attachment disputes, called the rapid broadband assessment team or RBAT. The FCC said that Comcast only had to pay incremental extra costs tied to a stronger or taller pole. But pole attachment disputes can be [difficult to resolve](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-wont-hear-at-t-duke-pole-case-right-away/), and the companies can’t agree on how to interpret the decision. Comcast filed [a new complaint](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/comcast-files-new-pole-complaint-against-virginia-utility/) in July. In Comcast’s view, it should only pay the incremental extra cost of buying a bigger pole, $200 per pole at most given the extra height its equipment would require. APCo argued it should be closer to $1,600 per pole. On average, it said a pole needed to be 10 percent taller and have 13 percent more loading capacity to handle new gear, which it rounded down to 20 percent of the full replacement costs for Comcast. The utility said it wasn’t fair for Comcast to pay just 2.5 percent of a pole’s replacement cost, even if it were already slated for replacement on a future timeline. ISPs sometimes say utilities force attachers to chip in for already necessary replacements, effectively getting new poles at a discount. APCo turned that around and accused Comcast of seeking a free ride by attaching on already red-tagged poles. “The real question, here, is the extent to which Comcast should be allowed to freeload from the fortuity of requesting access to a pole with a preexisting violation,” APCo wrote. ### *Failed negotiations* Comcast did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but said in its July complaint that APCo was trying to levy fees obviously blocked by the February order. The 20 percent of replacement costs APCo was seeking was a blanket fee, something Comcast said was clearly not allowed. “Enough is enough: The Bureau should take prompt and decisive action to declare APCO’s pole attachment charges unlawful, direct APCO to follow the 2026 Order and Commission rules, and order refunds for the overcharges imposed on Comcast to date,” Comcast attorney **Matthew Brill** wrote last month. Comcast said in its complaint that its attempts at negotiation earlier this year got nowhere. APCo [countered Monday](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072940/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that Comcast was simply trying to force the lowest possible payment by signalling it would challenge any cost allocation methodology. The FCC can set the terms of pole attachment deals between investor-owned utility companies and telecommunications providers. That authority is preempted by local rules in 23 states and D.C., although the agency has [an open proceeding](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-tell-fcc-to-leave-pole-attachment-authority-intact/) asking whether it should scrutinize or preempt state rules. Comcast won $126 million in funding under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program in Virginia — the program RBAT was designed to bolster — and told the FCC that those projects were imperiled without a swift resolution. The company said it paid the 20 percent fees under protest in some cases, and wanted them recovered. ### Calix CEO Sees AI as Key to Making Fiber Operations More Predictable URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/calix-ceo-sees-ai-as-key-to-making-fiber-operations-more-predictable/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, August 27, 2026 – For broadband providers, the promise of artificial intelligence may be less about replacing workers or building flashy applications and more about making the business easier to manage. That was the message from Calix CEO **Micheal Weening** during a Fiber Broadband Association’s discussion Wednesday. He described the company’s push to make artificial intelligence a practical tool for fiber providers facing rising costs, competition and changing customer expectations. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Calix [has invested nearly $200 million](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/calix-invested-2b-to-build-ai-platform-now-serving-1-200-broadband-providers/) since November 2023 in its AI platform, according to Weening. The company launched the latest generation of that platform in March after about two and a half years of development. Weening said the company’s approach is built around the workflows broadband providers already perform every day. Calix sees between 5 billion and 6 billion workflows annually, he said, giving the company an opportunity to identify which tasks could benefit most from AI. The company plans to roll out workflows that can, for example, identify customers who are likely to churn or determine which customers might be interested in additional services such as outdoor Wi-Fi. The goal, Weening said, is to make those applications useful without requiring providers to become AI experts. “The companies they’re going to win are the ones who make business easier, and that’s what we’re doing,” Weening said. For smaller and rural broadband providers, that could be particularly important. Weening said Calix serves about 1,200 customers ranging from large providers to companies with only a few thousand subscribers. He argued that AI can help smaller operators gain access to capabilities that might otherwise require significantly more resources. But Weening said providers also need to know that adopting AI will not introduce new risks or unpredictable expenses. Calix spent much of its AI development work focusing on three areas: Trust, security and cost predictability. Weening said the company wants customers to retain ownership of their data and ensure that AI systems have the context necessary to avoid unreliable responses. Cost is another concern. Weening said Calix chose to maintain its subscriber-based pricing model rather than charge customers based on AI transactions or tokens. Predictability, he argued, is what can allow broadband providers to adopt AI more broadly without worrying that usage could suddenly produce a much larger bill. Weening also said he expects the pace of AI-driven development to accelerate. Changes to the Calix platform produce a 50 to 60 percent increase in the velocity of capabilities delivered to customers in 2027, he said. He predicted that [the pace of technological change](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/glenn-lurie-there-is-no-ai-without-a-pipe/) will increasingly be measured in months, weeks and even days rather than years. For fiber providers, change doesn't necessarily mean building AI systems themselves; instead, providers should be able to rely on platforms that integrate AI into the workflows they already use, he said. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-ce973867-3878-4a30-94d4-c718ff572e75-1.png) Photo of Calix CEO ****Michael Weening** and Fiber Broadband Association President ****Gary Bolton** during Wednesday’s fiber for breakfast meeting. ### Johnny Kampis: The Impracticality of Widescale Fiber Broadband in Alaska URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/johnny-kampis-the-impracticality-of-widescale-fiber-broadband-in-alaska/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T15:10:40.000Z Recently released [records](https://www.protectingtaxpayers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Responsive-Records-Interim-1-Cordova-00919%5FRedacted.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) show that the Biden administration’s heavy fiber focus for broadband deployment was extraordinarily costly to taxpayers. Obtained by the Taxpayers Protection Alliance Foundation (TPAF) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nearly three years ago, the [files](https://www.protectingtaxpayers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Responsive-Records-Interim-1-Cordova-00919%5FRedacted.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) show that taxpayers footed the bill for little-used fiber broadband connections in Alaska. For one project, the total cost was more than $2 million per residence or business passed. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) While fiber may be appropriate for certain locations, these projects are breaking the bank and costing taxpayers dearly. TPAF first [requested records](https://www.protectingtaxpayers.org/wp-content/uploads/TPAF-USDA-FOIA.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from the USDA on November 14, 2023, seeking information regarding the award of funding to certain entities in Round Four of the ReConnect Loan and Grant Program. TPAF requested information about applications from Cordova Telephone Company, Unicom, Interior Telephone Company, and Mukluk Telephone Company. TPAF sent the FOIA requests to learn more about the decision-making process at the USDA for the program, which offers loans and grants to facilitate broadband deployment in areas of rural America. After nearly three years of waiting, TPAF finally received a response from the USDA. An interim letter from the agency on July 23 explained that the USDA found 1,008 pages of records responsive to the request, but 322 pages were withheld due to trade secrets, confidential financial information, and personal privacy concerns. The USDA sent TPAF the responsive records on July 28, heavily redacted and making liberal use of the stated exemptions. However, enough information was available to glean the exorbitant costs of connecting Alaskans with fiber. In one project, Cordova received $34.91 million in grant funds from the USDA to connect just 28 Alaskans with broadband in Pelican and Hoonah. These municipalities in the southeastern part of the state are primarily fishing villages largely accessed by boat or floatplane. The USDA-funded project included 9 residences and 8 businesses. In terms of costs per customer, that comes out to a whopping $1.25 million. Costs per passing look even worse: the government spent more than $2 million per home or business passed with fiber. As a reference point, costs-per-passing [tend to average](https://www.williamrinehart.com/2021/broadband-deployment-costs/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) closer to $2,000 in urban locations and $5,000 to $10,000 in other rural areas. The project costs include more than just last-mile connections, as Cordova was tasked in that project with building out middle-mile broadband infrastructure to surrounding rural communities, connecting them with nearby Juneau. All but four miles of the 571 miles of fiber under the project’s purview involve laying underwater cable. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance has previously [pointed out](https://www.protectingtaxpayers.org/telecom/broadband/taxpayers-cant-afford-more-networks-to-nowhere/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that middle-mile infrastructure is a form of “broadband to nowhere,” as it doesn’t itself connect customers and depends on future spending to make last-mile connections. KentuckyWired, the biggest broadband financial boondoggle in history, [is one such project](https://spectator.org/audit-shows-massive-debt-and-deception-for-kentucky-wired/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). It should be noted that the Pelican and Hoonah project cost more than $34.91 million, with Cordova using an unknown amount in loan funds that is redacted in the files. Cordova’s matching funds and the total project costs are also redacted. The immense cost for a handful of fiber connections is illustrative of the Biden administration’s missteps in highly prioritizing fiber over other more efficient methods of broadband deployment. Under the Trump administration, satellite internet and fixed wireless are being used in more places and the results are significant—the potential cost for broadband deployment in the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program has been more than halved by using alternative technologies. Where fixed wireless isn’t practical in most of rugged and sparsely populated Alaska, satellite internet can be a major player in closing the digital divide. Alaska will be the most expensive state to connect under BEAD at a cost of more than [$36,000 per passing](https://www.telecompetitor.com/updated-comprehensive-list-bead-benefit-of-the-bargain-provisional-awards/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). In making plans for nearly 45,000 connections in the state, the Alaska Broadband Office [intends to fund](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chart-of-states-accepting-bead-grant-applications/) 53 percent of projects via fiber, 33 percent via low-earth orbit satellite, and 13 percent via fixed wireless. The incredible cost for some fiber projects shows that satellite should probably be considered more frequently as a practical savings for taxpayers. Moreover, broadband programs run by agencies such as the USDA ought to be more regularly audited. Hopefully, greater oversight and accountability won’t take another three years. ***Johnny Kampis is director of telecom policy for the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### FCC Looks to Free Up More Spectrum for Space Launches, Reentries URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-looks-to-free-up-more-spectrum-for-space-launches-reentries/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, August 27, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is asking for public input on how to make spectrum more reliably available for space launches as the Trump administration pushes to significantly expand the nation’s commercial space industry. The FCC released [a public notice](https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-comment-bolstering-american-space-launch-capabilities?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Tuesday seeking comment on ways to ensure reliable access to spectrum for space launch activities, including whether changes to the agency’s rules could better support the growing number of commercial launches expected in the coming years. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The proceeding comes days after President **Donald Trump** issued [an updated national space transportation policy](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/08/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-launches-the-golden-age-of-space-transportation/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) directing federal agencies to remove barriers to a larger and more competitive U.S. launch industry. The policy, released Aug. 20, sets a goal of enabling more than 1,000 launches and reentries from U.S. soil each year by 2030\. It also specifically directs the Commerce Department and FCC to report on an approach within 180 days to ensure reliable access to spectrum for commercial and federal space launch, reentry, recovery and on-orbit activities. As launch frequency increases, federal officials are looking at whether existing spectrum policies and coordination procedures can keep pace. The FCC notice is part of a broader effort to implement the new transportation policy. The agency said the proceeding is intended to help advance the administration’s goal of strengthening U.S. space transportation capabilities. The new policy also calls for improvements to launch infrastructure, more efficient scheduling at federal ranges and the identification of potential locations for additional launch facilities. It directs the government to integrate space launch and reentry management into air traffic control modernization efforts and designate priority airspace for critical launch corridors. The FCC’s effort builds on a broader push to reduce regulatory barriers facing commercial space companies. The agency began [a proceeding in July](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-set-to-consider-rewrite-of-satellite-licensing-rules/) aimed at rewrite satellite licensing rules to streamline commercial launch and reentry approvals. It followed [an April order ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-adopts-new-satellite-spectrum-sharing-rules/)modernizing satellite spectrum-sharing rules to accommodate the growing number of low-Earth orbit constellations The FCC is now seeking input from industry and other interested parties on how its spectrum rules can support the larger expansion. The public has until Sept. 14 to comment. ### Army to Spend $2B to Build Nuclear Microreactors at 5 Bases URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/army-to-spend-2b-to-build-nuclear-microreactors-at-5-bases/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:39.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2026 (AP) — The U.S. Army announced Wednesday that it plans to add nuclear microreactors at five military bases from New York to Texas as a reliable source of energy independent of the commercial electric grid. The announcement comes as the Trump administration [pushes hard to develop the next generation of nuclear power](https://apnews.com/article/new-nuclear-reactors-trump-e7394fe688d2132a73f67f59bdbe792a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), including [billions in loans](https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-reactors-energy-trump-wright-57841139aca7d2780a12256692b96fc5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for large nuclear reactors to meet skyrocketing power demand from data centers and a [pilot program](https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-announces-initial-selections-new-reactor-pilot-program?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to boost advanced reactor designs and projects for military and civilian use. No nuclear microreactors are supplying power to the commercial electric grid in the United States today. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Five companies selected by the Army will be awarded up to $2.2 billion in total over five years to own, construct and operate the microreactors, if they hit set milestones along the way for their performance. The Army expects that more than 20 nuclear microreactors will be built and operated. Army and industry officials say microreactors offer a resilient power source for critical infrastructure at military installations in case the grid fails. Reactors can run for years without refueling. Army Secretary **Dan Driscoll** said the awards will accelerate the military’s ability “to deliver safe, reliable baseload power directly to our installations. We are building the energy resilience necessary to project combat power globally, without relying on potentially vulnerable external grids,” he said. The grants are part of the Army's “Janus Program” launched last year to deliver next-generation nuclear energy. Officials hope to push nuclear development forward so that advanced reactor designs move beyond experiments and prototypes to provide power for years to come. This will be the “spear tip,” said **Jeff Waksman**, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment. “That is the transition that we are trying to effect here,” he said on a call with reporters Wednesday. “These are not meant to be Army-specific designs.” Critics of building more nuclear reactors say they’re too expensive and riskier than other energy sources. The Army program is using the military's “deep pockets to provide a hidden subsidy” to nuclear companies that can't find private-sector customers for their hypothetical and uneconomical reactors, said **Alan J. Kuperman**, associate professor at the **Lyndon B. Johnson** School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and coordinator of the [Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project.](http://www.nppp.org/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) The reactors will be licensed by the Army, rather than the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which licenses commercial nuclear reactors. Kuperman said it's “a dangerous scam on many levels.” Waksman said these reactors will shut down safely in case of a failure, they're small and the Army wouldn't add them to installations without being certain they are safe. He said the Army is working on a deal with the Energy Department to remove radioactive waste, and there won't be any long-term storage on these installations. The Army is working to align its regulatory processes as much as possible, Waksman said, so that companies won’t need major changes to their designs to be later licensed by the NRC. Along with federal funding, the Army expects billions of dollars in private capital investment. ### *Army leads the military’s adoption of nuclear energy* President **Donald Trump** [signed executive orders](https://apnews.com/article/new-nuclear-reactors-trump-e7394fe688d2132a73f67f59bdbe792a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in May 2025 to speed up the development of nuclear power. The Army was tasked with ensuring that an advanced reactor would start operating at a domestic military installation no later than Sept. 30, 2028\. The Janus program is named for the ancient Roman god of transitions. Officials know that delivering nuclear power to a military base will be a challenge, so they picked five companies in case one or more fail, Waksman said. The selected companies are: Antares Nuclear at Fort Bragg in North Carolina; BWXT at Fort Campbell in Kentucky; General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems at Fort Hood in Texas; Radiant Industries at Fort Benning in Georgia; and Westinghouse Government Services at Fort Drum in New York. Senate Minority Leader **Chuck Schumer** asked the Army to select Fort Drum. The critical missions Fort Drum supports require secure power generation, the New York Democrat said. The military installations will remain connected to the grid. The reactors would not completely power them. Each reactor will provide between 1 megawatt to 20 megawatts of power, depending on the company's design. Major bases use as much power as a small city. Antares and Radiant are planning to deliver their reactors in three-packs, Waksman said. The Army now uses diesel as a primary backup for critical infrastructure. But in a conflict, Waksman said, the Army may not be able to move fossil fuels easily wherever it needs them. “That makes nuclear energy just a natural game changer,” he said. “It makes sense for the Army to take the lead here.” A reactor at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, completed in 1957, was the first nuclear power reactor to provide electricity to a commercial power grid in the United States for an extended period, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ### *Companies say this will accelerate US nuclear development* California-based Antares [reached a crucial milestone](https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-power-microreactor-energy-criticality-antares-b07f3e7773acd2965cd935bb2c706865?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) under the U.S. pilot program that could allow it to produce electricity at Idaho National Lab next year. The company said the Army's announcement extends its momentum. Westinghouse Government Services said it’s proud to support the Army’s efforts to strengthen energy security and innovate. **Tori Shivanandan**, president and chief operating officer of California-based Radiant, said the Army’s $750 million award “shows confidence in Radiant’s product and ability to manufacture, deploy and safely operate nuclear microreactors for the American military.” The Janus program “will build a stronger and more resilient America,” she said. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems said its reactor is designed to operate in remote, off-grid and extreme environments for 40 years. It said it will draw on more than 70 years of nuclear expertise to provide safe, dependable and independent power for the military. **Rex Geveden**, BWXT's president and chief executive officer, said, “As we commence work on the Janus program, we are delivering the nation’s most credible and reliable path to deployable nuclear power.” *This article was written by Jennifer McDermott and Matthew Daly of the Associated Press.* ### D.C. Circuit Panel Tosses Soo Kim’s Conspiracy, Racial Discrimination Claims against Rosenworcel URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/d-c-circuit-panel-tosses-soo-kims-conspiracy-racial-discrimination-claims-against-rosenworcel/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T12:58:23.000Z 💡 ■ Starlink Leader Says ‘Far More Affordable Pricing’ on the Way ■ AP: Zelenskyy Awards Elon Musk Ukraine’s Order of Freedom ■ Michigan Firm to Use BEAD Money to Finance a Merger. What? ■ CTIA: Some CBRS, EBS Spectrum Holders Failing to Submit BDC Data to FCC ■ NaLA Survey: 91% of Lifeline Participants Prefer Mobile Plans ■ Mediacom Moving ahead with $2.4 Million in Fiber Projects in Indiana ■ Shentel Ready to Connect 6,000 Glo Fiber Locations in Circleville, Ohio ■ APCo Slams Comcast as Pole Attachment Fight Rages at FCC ■ Markey Widens Lead over Moulton ahead of Next Tuesday’s Primary ■ Stimulus Broadband Building Fiber in Small Nevada Town ■ Laguna Pueblo Receives N.M. Grant to Become ETC, Offer Lifeline Support Courts: **Soo Kim** is running out of judicial options.A federal appeals court on Aug. 25 [upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit](https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/opinions/docs/2026/08/25-5339-2189759.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) filed by SGCI Holdings III and Managing Partner Kim, who alleged the FCC under Democratic FCC Chairwoman **Jessica Rosenworcel**, a Biden appointee, and several industry figures conspired to derail his $8.6 billion bid to acquire broadcaster TEGNA in 2023\. TEGNA is now owned by Nexstar Media Group. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said Kim, who was born in South Korea and alleged racial discrimination by Rosenworcel, failed to show he faced any “certainly impending” future injury from the FCC, noting that the officials he accused of discrimination “no longer occupy those roles at the FCC.” Message: Current FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** wouldn’t repeat Rosenworcel’s shabby treatment of Kim. The judges, all Obama appointees, excluded from their deal narrative then-Speaker **Nancy Pelosi’s** [intervention](https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/pelosi-pallone-send-letter-to-fcc-chair-expressing-concerns-on-proposed?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) [after “she and fellow House Democrats got more than $500,000 in campaign donations](https://nypost.com/2022/10/26/nancy-pelosi-attacks-media-merger-after-big-campaign-donation/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from \[Democrat\] **Byron Allen,**” anAfrican-American TV station owner and Kim’s business rival in the auction for TEGNA in 2022\. Kim can appeal to the full D.C. Circuit or seek Supreme Court review, both likely long shots. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!F35l!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F65f480cc-b7c3-41cb-babf-358b84740870_492x362.png) Standard General Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer Soo Kim _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Michigan Signs 17 Subgrants Under Federal Broadband Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/michigan-signs-17-subgrants-under-federal-broadband-program/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:40.000Z WASHINGTON, August 26, 2026 – The Michigan High-Speed Internet Office has signed grant contracts with 17 organizations selected to receive Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding, the office said Thursday. The executed agreements allow the internet service providers to move forward with permitting and construction under a $42.45 billion federal broadband infrastructure program. The state expects construction on its BEAD-funded projects to begin this month. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) MIHI said it has been working diligently with BEAD award winners to finalize grant contracts. The state’s approved final spending proposal calls for $916.6 million in federal BEAD funding, supplemented by $557.7 million in provider matching funds, for roughly $1.474 billion in total deployment costs, [according to data](https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/BEAD%5FFP%5FOverview%5FMI.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from the program’s federal administrator, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Michigan’s final proposal calls for 116 individual project awards spread across the 29 organizations to cover 197,964 eligible broadband serviceable locations, with fiber accounting for the vast majority of planned connections at 85.6 percent (69,498 locations). Low-Earth orbit satellite is projected to serve another 12.4 percent (24,638 locations), while licensed fixed wireless accounts for 1.4 percent (2,698) and hybrid fiber-coaxial cable for 0.6 percent (1,130). Signed subgrantees have four years from their execution date to substantially complete permitting, construction and begin delivering service. Low Earth orbit satellite continues through 2040, [MIHI’s website states](https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). ### *The awards* MIHI has not identified which 17 of the 29 selected organizations have completed grant agreements, saying it plans to release updated information once all agreements have been executed. The state’s [final proposal](https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi/funding-opportunities/bead/bead-grant-application-website/bead-final-proposal?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), approved in December 2025, provides a detailed look at the full slate of selected subgrantees, which includes large national and regional operators alongside Michigan-based telephone companies, electric cooperatives and other smaller providers. Strategic Management LLC is by far the largest recipient represented in the data, with dozens of individual project records and more than $276 million in BEAD support. The company has emerged as a big winner of BEAD funding nationally, also [picking up major awards](https://brandergroup.net/2025/11/bead-broadband-status-awards-by-state-october-2025/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. 123NET, a Southfield, Mich., based fiber and data center operator, is among the larger recipients as well, with projects that represent more than $85 million in BEAD support and $42 million in matching funds, carrying an estimated 2,643 miles of buried fiber. Several electric cooperatives also feature prominently, including Midwest Energy & Communications, Presque Isle Electric & Gas and Great Lakes Energy. Midwest E&C has a single project worth about $59.4 million in BEAD support, with another $32 million in matching investment and an estimated 2,726 buried fiber. Other major recipients include Surf Internet, a fiber provider operating across Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, along with ITC Broadband, Spectrum, Upper Peninsula Telephone Company and Comcast. Some awards are for relatively small projects, going to a handful of century-old, family-owned local exchange carriers. Baraga Telephone Company, for example, has a project with about $735,000 in BEAD support. Southwest Michigan Communications has an award of only about $70,000\. Waldron Communication has roughly $1.6 million, while Pigeon Telephone has about $1.9 million. The awards also include satellite, with proposed BEAD projects from SpaceX totaling roughly $28 million and Amazon Leo representing about $8 million in support. ### *Michigan's redo under Benefit of the Bargain* MIHI had opened its original subgrantee selection process in 2024 and drew 392 applications between January through April 2025\. But before the state could finalize provisional awards, NTIA issued a [restructuring policy notice in June 2025](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-rewrites-rules-for-bead-forcing-states-to-rebid-broadband-projects/) that eliminated the program’s fiber preference in favor of a lowest-cost, technology-neutral framework and directed every state to rescind provisional awards and hold a new competitive round. For Michigan, that meant scrapping months of work and starting the selection process over. The state’s Benefit of the Bargain application window ran from July 21 to August 4, 2025, and MIHI received more than 800 applications from 38 entities during that round. The restructuring also left a large pool of money in limbo. Michigan's approved final proposal puts total deployment costs at $916.6 million against the state’s full $1.559 billion BEAD allocation, meaning roughly $640 million falls outside the deployment budget as “savings” from the new lowest-cost bidding process. What happens to that money remains an open question nationally. NTIA has [repeatedly delayed issuing guidance](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/state-broadband-chiefs-await-guidance-on-21-billion-of-remaining-bead-funds/) on how states can spend these nondeployment funds, even as the agency has said it expects states to collectively come in more than $21 billion under budget. As of late June 2026, NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** was telling lawmakers [guidance was targeted for this summer](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/), with no formal rules yet released as of this writing. MIHI has said it’s weighing options including AI infrastructure, 5G expansion and pole resiliency work for its own leftover funds, but any final plan will depend on guidance NTIA has yet to deliver. ### *BEAD moves toward deployment* Nearby, Illinois [was the last state](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/illinois-bead-plan-approved/) to have its spending plan under the BEAD program approved Tuesday, capping months of back-and-forth with NTIA. The state had originally called for spending roughly $970 million, about 93 percent, of its $1.04 billion BEAD allocation. The version NTIA ultimately approved spends roughly $139 million less. Roth said Tuesday that her agency has[ now approved final proposals](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-roths-celebrates-major-policy-victory-all-bead-plans-have-been-approved-by-the-trump-administration/) from all 56 states and territories participating in the $42.45 billion program, calling it a major step toward universal broadband availability. ### Louisiana Excited by $100 Billion SpaceX Launch Facility, Local Starlink Discounts URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/louisiana-excited-by-100-billion-spacex-launch-facility-local-starlink-discounts/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:40.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2026 – SpaceX is planning to spend $100 billion on a new rocket launching facility in Louisiana, state officials announced Tuesday. The new facility will cover 125,000 acres of coastal land in Vermilion Parish that the state sold to the company for $100 million. It’s expected to include 10 launch pads to aid the company's efforts to increase its launch cadence. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The company already launches more rockets annually than the rest of the world combined, but it’s hoping its Starship rocket will be completely reusable, allowing for [much more frequent](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-buoyed-by-launch-dominance-but-starlink-mobiles-future-unclear-analysts-say/) launches. Construction on Starbase Louisiana, as the company is calling it, is set to start in 2027, with the first Starship launch from the site planned for 2029\. SpaceX CEO **Elon Musk** [said on X](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2090305535937851863?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) (which he owns) last week the company was targeting the first reflight of a Starship unit by the end of 2026 or early 2027, an acknowledgement the difficult problem might [not be solved](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-logs-thirteenth-starship-launch-first-starlink-v3-test/) this year, as had been planned. The company’s current Falcon 9 rockets are partially reusable, and its plans for Starship would require shielding gear from much higher temperatures as it fell from higher above the Earth. Louisiana officials were excited about the launch facility plans. “For generations industries came to Louisiana not to build lasting prosperity, but to extract wealth,” Louisiana Gov. **Jeff Landry**, a Republican, said at [an announcement event](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=39000169236248906) Tuesday. “What Elon Musk and his team are offering Louisiana is something different.” The facility is expected to create 3,000 jobs, the Louisiana economic development office said in [a release Tuesday](https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/news/spacex-launches-new-era-of-commercial-spaceflight-with-100-billion-louisiana-campus?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The state offered SpaceX “a competitive incentives package” on the condition of its capital investment and job creation, the state said. Rather than taxes, SpaceX will pay $25 million annually to Vermilion Parish under the deal. [The Advocate](https://www.nola.com/news/business/spacex-louisiana-elon-musk/article%5F2be92f8e-f989-46b7-9514-5212d8f20260.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#tncms-source=featured-top), a Louisiana newspaper, reported that local environmental groups were wary about the project. ### *Starlink and BEAD* SpaceX will also offer new and existing Starlink broadband customers in the parish a 50 percent monthly discount, Louisiana’s broadband office [said Wednesday](https://mailchi.mp/la.gov/connectla-emails-10609122?e=14fdea9c17&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). It will also waive new hardware costs for new customers, the agency said. In addition to Starship being reusable, it’s also huge, and the larger size is necessary for SpaceX to start deploying bigger, upgraded broadband satellites that will support higher speeds. SpaceX was one of the biggest broadband grant winners in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. After changing some rules to foster satellite participation, the Trump administration asked states to revise down their satellite awards in light of new federal data showing expanded terrestrial networks and misclassified buildings. But Louisiana had already signed its contract with SpaceX in June, meaning SpaceX would have to agree to any changes. It apparently did not. The broadband office’s release touted the deal and the 10,635 locations that SpaceX was originally set to serve. SpaceX currently has more than 9,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, 27 more were launched just Wednesday morning. It’s seeking approval to launch 15,000 satellites for a direct-to-device service and another 100,000 for next-gen Starlink service. ### Distance Learning Leaders Say Broadband Is No Longer the Hard Part URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/distance-learning-leaders-say-broadband-is-no-longer-the-hard-part/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T19:35:55.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2026 – Six years after the pandemic pushed American classrooms online, the people who run the country's oldest distance learning association say the stubborn problems are no longer about getting a signal to the building. They are about what happens once the signal arrives. That was a key takeaway of a[ Broadband Breakfast Live Online](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-26-2026-a-distance-learning-update/) panel Wednesday: Connectivity is easy, but instruction is difficult. The founding purpose of the United States Distance Learning Association, which turns 40 next year, was originally to ensure that distance learning networks were built to enable education remotely, said **Pat Cassella**, its executive director. "In those days, broadband wasn't so broad," he said. "If you were lucky, you had, maybe a T1 connection," referring to a dedicated, high-speed digital business communication line. The association's focus has since shifted to whether educators know how to teach at a distance at all. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Connection alone was never the finish line, said **Dr. Alexandra Salas**, president of the Delmarva Digital Learning Association, a USDLA state chapter, and chair of the association's public policy committee. "Connection doesn't mean that the level of competency or the utility is where it needs to be," she said, describing her chapter's work on digital literacy and digital wellness as an effort to close the gap between having access and using it well. ### *From access to presence* The word "distance" in learning may itself be the wrong frame, said **Dr. Robbie Melton**, provost and vice president of economic affairs at Tennessee State University. "When I hear ‘distance,’ I hear communicating," she said. "With distance and digital education, it's basically communicating, sharing, and receiving." And the obligation is not technical, it is human: "You still must be accountable for having that human personalized touch when you teach distance, and there is a difference." Salas went further, dropping the term altogether in her chapter's name. "I've transitioned over from distance to digital," she said, calling digital learning "a universal unifier for access and communication and accessibility." She pointed to classroom sessions she leads for teachers in the DMV area, and in crossing borders with overseas education. Asked about what evidence suggested about outcomes for digital learning, Cassella conceded that studies showing distance learning on par with in-person education are inconclusive. "There's been a lot of evidence that remote or online learning yields a lower academic performance, and there's a stigma," he said. "If you don't have somebody who's good at their trade, no matter what it is, the outcome for the person who's experiencing the service that's being delivered, it's not going to be very good." Research quality depends heavily on how the question is asked, added Melton, drawing a line between asynchronous coursework and live instruction. Salas said [the strongest predictor](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/students-should-be-able-to-choose-online-learning-when-in-person-classes-resume-principal/?) of results comes from academic support for digital learning. For "those programs that have strong support services, the students do really well," she said, citing examples of nursing and engineering programs. ### *‘A lightning bolt’* The panel discussed the role of artificial intelligence in education in the closing stretch. "Give us AI tools that are [effective in teaching and learning](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/education-department-finalizes-ai-education-priorities/?)," Melton said. "AI tools that are safe, \[that\] protect our privacy, but can help us to teach and learn." Students are not waiting for institutional permission, Salas warned. "Students are using whatever they can get their hands on," she said, which is [pushing faculty to rethink assignments](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/schools-are-starting-to-teach-ai-literacy-for-many-that-means-helping-kids-see-chatbots-flaws/?) so students are not "just regurgitating." Her own view was pragmatic: "It behooves us to learn to live with AI and navigate with AI as an assistant." **Dr. Shana Garrett**, dean at Walden University and former chair of the USDLA board, joined the panel but experience audio difficulties in connecting. She made her case through the distance learning tool of typing into CHAT. "AI is a tool we should use," she said. "We should learn how to use it ethically, wisely, and intentionally." Cassella closed with a warning about AI. "It's like a lightning bolt," he said of AI. "It can be used to power a city for a month, or burn it to the ground in a second." ### Fixed Wireless Faster in Urban Areas: Ookla URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fixed-wireless-faster-in-urban-areas-ookla/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:40.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2026 – Urban subscribers to fixed wireless broadband service are seeing faster speeds and lower latency than their rural counterparts, Ookla found in [a new analysis](https://www.ookla.com/articles/u-s-fwa-rural-urban-1h-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The research company looked at speed test data from all three national carriers in the first and second quarters of 2026, and found the subscribers on each experienced higher median download speeds in urban areas. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/urban-vs-rural-median-do.png) Chart from Ookla [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The difference was most pronounced at Verizon, with nearly 50 percent higher median speeds in rural areas in the second quarter. The figure was more than 31 percent at AT&T and nearly 13 percent at T-mobile. The urban advantage, as Ookla editorial director **Sue Marek** called it, was also observed in latency and upload speeds, except for at AT&T. In rural areas AT&T actually had higher upload speeds. Fixed wireless was initially envisioned as a cheap means of deploying rural broadband, Marek wrote, but appeared to be gaining popularity in the urban areas where its speed is performing better. She noted that about 70 percent of Ookla’s speed tests on the technology came from urban areas, which doesn’t directly correlate with subscriber counts but “can act as a proxy for overall market distribution.” “The technology shines in dense urban areas where short signal distances between close-together small cells and cell towers maximize performance,” Marek wrote. “In addition, FWA is much easier to deploy and eliminates the headaches associated with urban fiber deployment such as costly trenching, expensive municipal permits, and heavy construction fees.” While the top 10 percent of speed tests showed quite fast download speeds, from 300 megabits per second (Mbps) at Verizon to more than 600 Mbps at times with T-Mobile, that experience wasn’t universal. Ookla found that in almost every state, fewer than 40 percent of speed tests reached 100 \* 20 Mbps, the federal standard for high-speed broadband. New York and Hawaii were the only exceptions, at 45 percent and 48 percent respectively. ### *T-Mobile took top spot* T-Mobile’s fixed wireless service posted the fastest median download speed of the carriers in the second quarter, hitting nearly 223 Mbps compared to AT&T’s 160 Mbps and Verizon’s 127 Mbps. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/us-5g-fwa-customer-media.png) Chart from Ookla All three providers saw their speeds decrease from the first quarter of 2026 to the second, which Ookla attributed to trees and plants coming back into bloom and disrupting signals with their leaves. In Ookla’s December report on fixed wireless, “we noted that the declines may also be a result of network congestion, but it’s evident that this is an ongoing pattern as it impacts all three FWA providers,” Marek wrote. AT&T saw a big speed increase from the third quarter of 2025, though, a boost of nearly 60 percent. That’s likely due to the 3.45 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum it purchased from EchoStar last year. The deal closed in July 2026, but the carrier had been leasing the spectrum since the deal was announced. AT&T [said in November](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-touts-echostar-spectrum-deployment/) of last year the extra airwaves had boosted its fixed wireless speeds by 55 percent in some places. In EchoStar’s telling, that sale [was forced](https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumentbycode?docId=4588844&projectCode=PNY&source=DM) by FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, who the company says threatened to revoke its licenses if it didn’t sell them to companies he thought would put them to better use. [Verizon purchased](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-closes-starry-acquisition/) urban fixed wireless provider Starry earlier this year, but that wasn’t included in Ookla’s analysis since the service is still operated separately from Verizon’s. It appeared that Verizon was capping its fixed wireless service at about 300 Mbps, Marek wrote. Fixed wireless is a part of AT&T and Verizon’s plans to bundle fixed and mobile broadband and thus reduce the likelihood customers will switch. T-Mobile has [emphasized that less](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-broadband-adds-in-the-upper-400-000-range/) despite counting the most fixed wireless subscribers before it stopped reporting subscribers last year. The three carriers each count millions of subscribers on the service. ### FCC’s Trusty Looks to Universal Service's Next Phase URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-trusty-looks-to-universal-services-next-phase/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:40.000Z August 26, 2026 — Federal Communications Commissioner **Olivia Trusty** said the Universal Service Fund’s future should include a focus on keeping broadband networks running after federal dollars have helped build them. Speaking at [the Technology Policy Institute conference](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-XGDNAPNhw&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in Aspen, Colorado, Trusty said the FCC is considering how the roughly $8 billion-a-year Universal Service Fund can sustain networks once deployment is complete. The comments come as the commission undertakes a broader review of the fund and its administration. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “When I look at the USF, it for a number of years has helped to connect millions of Americans and businesses across this country,” Trusty said. But she said the commission is now thinking about what happens after networks are constructed. “What does this mean for the[ ongoing operation and maintenance](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/study-says-universal-service-fund-critical-for-rural-broadband/) of networks once we’ve built everything out?” Trusty said. “How can our investments be sustained?” Trusty said those questions are shaping how she approaches USF policy. She also pointed to [rural communities’ ability to participate](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rural-co-op-executives-press-congress-to-modernize-universal-service-fund/) in the artificial intelligence economy and to the fund’s role in the communications security landscape. The comments come as the FCC examines the administration of USF and the role of the Universal Service Administrative Co., which has managed the fund since 1998\. In July, the commission launched [a comprehensive review of USAC’s operations](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-opens-review-of-universal-service-administration-questions-usacs-future/), including its processes, expenses, governance structure and long-term role as the fund’s administrator. The FCC has also been examining the individual programs supported by USF. In May, the agency opened an inquiry into [the future of its high-cost program](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-considers-satellite-changes-to-universal-services-high-cost-fund/), including the potential role of satellite providers in subsidized broadband deployments. ### *Trusty travels to rural communities* Trusty said her own travels to rural communities have influenced how she views the fund. She recalled visiting Eek, Alaska, a remote tribal village where the difficulty of traveling across the tundra underscored the challenges broadband providers face when deploying infrastructure in remote areas. The experience, she said, reinforced the importance of the USF and the Alaska connectivity fund. Trusty also cited a visit to North Dakota, where she met with SRT Communications, a rural provider serving Minot air force base. The visit showed her how a small rural carrier can provide connectivity to infrastructure that is important to national defense. “Having that perspective as we’re thinking about USF, for example, at the FCC, is, I think, really important to understand all of the ways in which that kind of program is supporting our economy and national security,” Trusty said. Her comments come as the financial sustainability of USF remains a major issue for policymakers. The fund’s contribution factor reached[ a record 38.8 percent in the third quarter of 2026](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/usf-contribution-factor-hits-record-38-8-in-third-quarter/), as the traditional revenue base used to finance the program continues to shrink. [A recent report from broadband](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/task-force-calls-for-congress-to-cement-usfs-legal-financial-foundations/) advocates called on Congress to address the fund’s long-term legal and financial foundations while preserving its core mission. ### Industry Wants More Changes to FCC’s Broadband Data Collection URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/industry-wants-more-changes-to-fccs-broadband-data-collection/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:40.000Z WASHINGTON, August 26, 2026 – Telecom trade groups agree on plenty in a new round of filings at the Federal Communications Commission over how the agency should reduce burdens in its broadband mapping program. But they’re sharply divided on a more consequential question: Once a carrier’s coverage claim gets knocked off the National Broadband Map, how hard should it have to work to get it back on? [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The dispute is playing out in reply comments filed Monday regarding the FCC’s rulemaking [released in May](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-to-streamline-broadband-data-collection/) streamlining the Broadband Data Collection, the biannual process that feeds the government’s broadband map used to steer billions in federal broadband subsidies. The sharpest disagreement centers on what evidence providers should need to restore a location to the map after it’s been removed through a challenge, audit or verification request. Groups representing large wireless carriers and cable providers want the FCC to make restoration easier. Proposals from [CTIA, USTelecom and NCTA include](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072928/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com): Allowing a provider’s existing sworn biannual certification, already filed under penalty of perjury, to serve as evidence of current service; accepting simpler evidence such as screenshots of a provider’s website showing that service is currently for sale; and creating a time-based rule that would restore coverage automatically after a location has been reported consistently for a set number of reporting cycles – CTIA suggested four. ### *Rural carriers say that would gut the system* The Rural Wireless Association, representing small carriers that mostly serve remote areas, wants the opposite. The group argued restoration evidence should match the rigor that got a location pulled from the map in the first place – including objective data, such as speed tests, drive tests or radio frequency engineering analyses. RWA says its members can spend months and hundreds of thousands of dollars gathering evidence to prove a competitor is overstating its coverage. If that competitor can simply get the coverage restored later through a certification or by waiting out the clock, RWA says, the entire challenge process becomes pointless. Such permissive restoration standards “would undermine the accuracy of the National Broadband Map and render the challenge process futile for the rural wireless carriers and consumers who have invested significant resources into correcting inaccurate coverage claims,” RWA’s outside general counsel **Carri Bennet** wrote in [the group’s reply comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072925/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The Competitive Carriers Association, which represents both regional and rural carriers, agreed restoration shouldn’t hinge on time alone, warning this could discourage carriers from bringing challenges at all. “CCA believes that such types of restoration would constitute an extremely inequitable asymmetry in the relative burdens of proof between a successful challenge and its restoration,” CCA’s general counsel and senior vice president of legal and regulatory affairs **Angela Simpson** wrote [in comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072942/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the FCC. WISPA, which represents fixed wireless internet providers, had floated a narrower idea: when a provider is only trying to restore a small slice of its locations in a given state, under 2 percent, the FCC should let it use a lighter evidentiary standard, or skip the detailed proof requirement altogether. RWA rejected the proposed two-percent “de minimis” threshold, which it said would favor large carriers whose footprints dwarf smaller providers. ### *Broad agreement: Drop the sub-25 \* 3 Mbps reporting* Nearly every industry commenter backed eliminating the requirement that fixed providers keep reporting broadband availability at speeds below 25 Megabit per second (Mbps) download \* 3 Mbps upload. WIA, CTIA, CCA, WISPA and USTelecom all argued the data has lost its policy value, since federal programs, including BEAD, have moved past that speed tier as a baseline for support eligibility. CTIA cited T-Mobile figures showing fewer than four percent of households still subscribe to sub-25 \* 3 Mbps service, a number carriers say continues to shrink. The groups also converged on eliminating 3G mobile broadband and mobile voice availability reporting, generally favoring a shift to “as-needed” special collections rather than routine biannual filings. Some, including CCA, urged specific carve-outs tied to the Alaska Connect Fund, or other funding opportunities that might arise where 3G data could be useful for eligibility determinations. Providers also want the FCC to stop making them ask for confidentiality every time they file sensitive data. Right now, if a company wants certain information kept out of public view, like how many subscribers it has in an area, where its cell towers sit, or the technical details behind its coverage estimates, it has to file a separate request each time, for every filing. CTIA, NCTA, T-Mobile and ACA Connects all want the FCC to just designate those categories as confidential automatically, so companies don’t have to keep re-asking and FCC staff don’t have to keep reviewing near-identical requests twice a year. ### *Industry pushes for simplified mobile challenge process* CCA, CTIA and WIA all called for expanding the types of evidence usable in the mobile challenge process, particularly commercial speed-test data from firms like Ookla. CCA pointed to Ookla’s own comments describing current submission rules as so restrictive they’ve suppressed participation rather than expanded it, especially in rural areas where crowdsourced data is thin. Commercial speedtest platforms, the groups argue, already collect large quantities of [real-world performance data that could supplement](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-urged-to-include-crowdsourced-data-in-broadband-maps/) providers’ information. WIA separately flagged Ookla’s warning that state privacy laws, including a new Colorado statute and Maryland’s Online Data Privacy Act, could limit the flow of granular, location-specific data that third parties supply to support the map. The wireless industry association urged the FCC to consider guidance, safe harbors or targeted federal preemption if state rules interfere with the Broadband DATA Act’s goals. CTIA also backed a T-Mobile proposal to close a gap in which some providers using Citizens Broadband Radio Service and Educational Broadband Service spectrum aren’t submitting BDC data at all. CTIA asked the FCC to fix the system so all wireless broadband providers, regardless of spectrum band, report consistently. ### Carriers, Aviation at Odds on WRC Positions URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carriers-aviation-at-odds-on-wrc-positions/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:42.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2026 – The wireless carriers and aviation industry are at odds on how the U.S. should approach the World Radiocommunication Conference in Shanghai next year. WRC agenda item 1.7 concerns whether to identify the 4.4 GigaHertz (GHz), 7/8 GHz, and 15 GHz bands for licensed mobile use globally. American interests have been unable to reach a consensus, as the wireless carriers want the U.S. delegation to push for a mobile allocation and spectrum sharing proponents would rather hold off. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The aviation industry also doesn’t want the 4.4 GHz band identified for mobile use, multiple trade groups and organizations said in Tuesday comments to the Federal Communications Commission. The [main concern](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072927/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of Airlines for America, which represents the major airlines, and the Aerospace Industries Association, which represents aircraft manufacturers and suppliers, was the timeline of a determination adopted at WRC-27. A change adopted at the conference would take effect on Jan. 1, 2029\. That’s not ideal, the aviation interests said, because airplane altimeters use spectrum in the 4.4 GHz band. Next-generation gear is expected to handle interference much better, but it’s still in development and American planes won’t be completely retrofitted until 2034 (a timeline agreed upon [to accommodate](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/airline-rebates-could-reach-5-7-billion-after-upper-c-band-auction/) an FCC spectrum auction just below the band next year). In other countries there isn’t a timeline yet, the groups wrote. “An identification effective in 2029 would thus arrive in an environment where the overwhelming majority of the global fleet has no protection beyond whatever each administration independently elects to impose,” the groups wrote. The two groups said they weren’t taking the position that 4.4 Ghz could never be used for wireless service, but that they wanted a decision deferred until at least the WRC after next year’s, which will be in 2031. [Other global](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072970/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and U.S. [aviation groups](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072953/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), plus [Boeing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072896/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [Lockheed Martin](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072962/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), submitted similar comments saying the U.S. delegation shouldn’t push for a mobile allocation in 4.4 GHz next year. NCTA, which represents the cable industry and has previously said the U.S. delegation should oppose mobile use in the 4.4 GHz and 7/8 GHz bands, had not submitted a filing as of the FCC’s comment system update Wednesday. The 4.4 GHz and 7/8 GHz bands are occupied in part by government agencies in the U.S. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which manages federal spectrum and serves as the White House’s top telecom advisor, is [studying them](https://www.spectrum.gov/band-repurposing-studies?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with the aim of [opening up](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-clears-remaining-4-4-gigahertz-study-plans/&ved=2ahUKEwjc1vWd3b6WAxWXv4kEHRNNAtsQFnoECBoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1jv18MkG1Lia3PS%5FvkFLga) some airwaves up for auction. The agency has told the FCC it thinks the lower part of 7/8 GHz could be allocated for mobile use, but hasn’t officially opined on 4.4 GHz for WRC. The FCC is looking to have [positions finalized](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-should-prioritize-satellite-spectrum-sharing-at-wrc-groups-say/) by the end of November, when regulators from North and South America will [next meet](https://www.spectrum.gov/world-radiocommunication-conference?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to [hammer out](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-should-plan-early-for-wrc-witnesses-say/) [agreements](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/international-coalition-building-important-ahead-of-wrc-experts/) ahead of WRC. ### *Carriers support expanding mobile designation* In the view of the wireless carriers, the U.S. should push for mobile allocations in both the 4.4 GHz and 7/8 GHz bands. They pointed to a White House memo from December that called for identifying 7.125-7.4 GHz for mobile use and studying 4.4 GHz to determine how much could be opened up. The memo also said the U.S. should build an international coalition to support its ultimate view on item 1.7. “CTIA supports the President’s directive,” the wireless [trade group wrote](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072930/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “With the potential for ultrawide bandwidths, these bands are capable of supporting future technology and network needs.” The group said the 4 GHz band was “one of the few realistic opportunities to create the wide contiguous licensed channels needed for future AI-native 6G deployments.” It also noted that Brazil had proposed identifying all of the 7/8 GHz band for mobile use, and said it was “vital that the United States submit a proposal to avoid being excluded from the debate.” Much of the band is used for missile defense systems and other national security projects in the U.S., and 7.4-8.4 GHz has been blocked from auction by Congress. CTIA said the U.S. should put forward a proposal that mirrors the domestic plan for 7.125-7.4 GHz “while providing flexibility to align with global partners” on the issue. The national wireless carriers each submitted their own comments in support of mobile designations, as did suppliers [Nokia](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072943/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), [Qualcomm](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072902/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and [Ericsson](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072985/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [Verizon](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072982/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Ericsson, and Qualcomm supported both 4.4 GHz and 7.125-7.4 GHz, while [T-Mobile](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072966/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and AT&T stuck with 4.4 GHz and Nokia stuck with 7.125-7.4 GHz. As for the aviation concerns, [AT&T said](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072901/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) there was “no reason for the U.S. to wait” for an international altimeter transition plan or for WRC-31, because of the agreed upon retrofit schedule in the U.S. The first deadline for essential aircraft is in 2030, with the full retrofit set to finish in 2034. “The problem they are considering — the inability of some current radio altimeters to adequately reject signals from adjacent channels — will have been resolved before then through the efforts of the FCC, the FAA and the aviation industry themselves,” the company wrote. ### T-Mobile Works to Restore Hawaii Network as Lala Recovery Continues URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-works-to-restore-hawaii-network-as-lala-recovery-continues/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:42.000Z ***Editor's note: This story has been updated.*** August 26, 2026 – T-Mobile said that it had restored connectivity across the areas impacted by Tropical Storm Lala in Hawai'i. "Teams continue working through a small number of remaining restoration needs, many dependent on commercial power returning, while overlapping coverage from nearby sites is helping keep customers connected," the company said [in an August 20 update](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/t-mobile-expands-network-recovery-and-customer-support-across-hawaii-following-hurricane-lala?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Throughout the storm and recovery, T-Mobile said that it used its T-Satellite service to give customers another way to reach family and loved ones when terrestrial connectivity wasn’t available. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Previously, T-Mobile had been working to restore network service across Hawaii as communities recover from Lala, with widespread power outages affecting cellular sites across the state. The company said Aug. 16 that most of the network disruptions were tied to commercial power outages rather than damage to its cell sites. [T-Mobile crews were working to restore affected sites](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260816228633/en/T-Mobile-Expands-Network-Recovery-and-Customer-Support-Across-Hawaii-Following-Hurricane-Lala?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) while deploying portable generators to keep network equipment operating where power remained unavailable. [The carrier](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite-direct-to-cell-connectivity-a-lifeline-during-la-wildfires/) said it had additional generators on the way and was using overlapping network coverage to help maintain service when individual sites were offline. T-Mobile’s network optimization system also made more than 160 adjustments as conditions changed and sites became available or unavailable. T-Mobile was also using its T-Satellite service to help customers stay connected in areas where traditional cellular coverage was affected. The service allows compatible phones to connect with satellites when a cellular connection is unavailable. Alongside the network recovery work, [T-Mobile temporarily expanded service](https://www.tmonews.com/2026/08/t-mobile-activates-free-unlimited-data-in-hawaii-as-hurricane-lala-recovery-continues/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for customers affected by the storm. The company provided unlimited talk, text and data and waived overages for eligible customers in Hawaii through Aug. 22. The measures were available to T-Mobile customers as well as customers of Metro, Assurance Wireless, UScellular, Mint and Ultra. T-Mobile said its teams would continue working with local partners and monitoring conditions as recovery efforts continued across the islands. As T-Mobile continues its recovery efforts in Hawaii following Hurricane Lala, the company is also responding to other communities facing natural disasters. [In the Reno-Sparks area](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/t-mobile-supporting-community-and-connectivity-during-hawk-fire-response-in-nevada?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), T-Mobile teams are working to keep customers, first responders and communities connected during the Hawk Fire, providing access to critical communications and resources. ***Correction: A version of this article published early in the day on August 26 said that the T-Mobile was working to restore connectivity. The article has been corrected to note that the company said connectivity was restored on August 20.*** ### Meta Reaches $17 Billion Settlement With States in Landmark Trial Over Teen Social Media Addiction URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/meta-reaches-17-billion-settlement-with-states-in-landmark-trial-over-teen-social-media-addiction/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:43.000Z OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 26, 2026 (AP) — [Meta](https://apnews.com/hub/meta-platforms-inc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) has agreed to pay $17 billion and add child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms to end [a landmark trial](https://apnews.com/article/meta-social-media-trials-50b3050f8e257e578a9b5c02a947c95a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) over teen social media addiction and settle claims filed by 47 states, state attorneys general announced Wednesday. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey were among 29 states that [sued the tech giant](https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 2023, but the deal cuts short the trial, which was expected to see CEO **Mark Zuckerberg** [take the stand](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-instagram-mosseri-1a4cd3adc495d8201e69b7236785e8d4?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) before a jury in federal court in California. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The agreement is worth $353 million in Virginia alone and is one of the biggest in state consumer protection history, Attorney General Jay Jones said in a statement. “For years, Meta intentionally deceived the public about the addictive and harmful design features that have wreaked havoc on youth mental health," Jones said. The settlement "will put an end to these dangerous practices and deliver meaningful relief that will protect children from online harm.” Meta said in a blog post that it was “building on our longstanding efforts to empower parents and support teens.” “Ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative for Meta,” the company said. “We want to get this right for parents and teens, and that’s why we partnered with state attorneys general to set a new industry standard." The company urged its rivals to adopt similar safety measures. The $17 billion settlement is a fraction of Meta's 2025 revenue of $201 billion. The lawsuit accused Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing features that [addict children](https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to its platforms and hiding them from the public. It also argued that Meta violated federal laws by routinely collecting data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent. The trial [kicked off last week](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-oakland-states-instagram-safety-2b617764a8ddc4846f74f59d0c4516b8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in Oakland, California, with U.S. District Judge **Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers** overseeing the proceedings. **Adam Mosseri**, the head of Instagram, began his testimony late Tuesday and defended Meta’s record and progress on child safety and privacy. The cases in other states had been expected to go to trial later. In addition, nine attorneys general filed lawsuits in their respective states. Under the proposed settlement, Meta agreed to adopt a series of safety features, including a “hard cap” on daily time limits and pauses for children using Instagram and Facebook. It will eliminate push notifications during weekday school hours and bring in “robust” age-assurance measures and “age-appropriate” content controls to prevent bullying and harmful material about eating disorders and self-harm. There will be stronger and more user-friendly parental controls and limits on social comparison features such as “like” counts. The federal lawsuit was the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It followed newspaper reports, first by [The Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in 2021, that found that the company knew about the harm Instagram can cause teenagers — especially teen girls — when it comes to mental health and body image issues. Meta has since added a [host of safety features](https://apnews.com/article/meta-social-media-addiction-children-teens-0fb522327e48ac0389f8b476916a938e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to Instagram, including separate accounts for teenagers with stronger protections around messaging and privacy, along with content restrictions. But child safety experts, along with some [former Meta employees](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-teens-instagram-bejar-oakland-858e260ddbcc45532afc6194e48a54b6?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), have long contended that the features are little more than window dressing. [**Arturo Béjar**](https://apnews.com/article/social-media-teens-meta-instagram-arturo-bejar-5f7fb7d55fb9f0da12cf3a57837fa0c5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a former Meta engineering director, said during his testimony last week that Meta consistently prioritized profits over safety in designing its products, focusing on how often and for how long people used them, even if it was detrimental to their mental well-being. “If you step away from the product, they are not going to make any money,” he said. While the four states in the Oakland trial did not officially say how much they had been seeking, Meta said in a court filing that financial penalties in the case could amount to as much as $1.4 trillion — a figure legal experts said was unlikely, if not impossible. *This article was written by Barbara Ortutay and Kelvin Chan of the Associated Press.* ### NTIA's Roth Celebrates Major Policy Victory – All BEAD Plans Have Been Approved by the Trump Administration URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-roths-celebrates-major-policy-victory-all-bead-plans-have-been-approved-by-the-trump-administration/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T17:12:51.000Z 💡 ****■** Ookla: FWA Hits 17 Million Subscribers or 14% of Home Broadband Connections ■ Nexstar’s Brett Jenkins Stepping Down as EVP and Chief Technology Officer ■ Wolfe Research Analyst Expects Stronger Netflix after Soft Q2 ■ NCTA Hopeful Paoletta Will Protect Unlicensed 6 GHz Band at WRC ■ Forbes Columnist Howard Homonoff: Disney Not Going to ABC Stations ■ Charter Announces Free Amazon Prime to Low Income Broadband Subs ■ NextNav, Tiami Networks Partner on 5G‑Powered Counter‑Drone Detection Technology ■ Calian Group Completes Acquisition of Galaxy Broadband Communications BEAD: America is finally seeing light at the end of the BEAD tunnel. NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** said on Aug. 25 her agency has now approved all 56 state and territorial final proposals for the $42.45 billion BEAD program. Her announcement marked what she called a major step toward universal broadband access. Roth, also yesterday, traveled to Moneta, Virginia, with Rep. **Morgan Griffith** (R-Va.) to tour Bedford County fiber and satellite projects funded through the program. Virginia’s Roth-approved BEAD plan is to connect more than 85,000 locations while saving taxpayers more than $930 million and leveraging nearly $430 million in matching funds. “BEAD’s core mission is to ensure universal broadband availability across our country,” said Roth, who is also Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### How Data Center Controversies Have Transformed the Midterm Elections URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/how-data-center-controversies-have-transformed-the-midterm-elections/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:43.000Z HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 26, 2026 (AP) — The snowballing opposition to data centers in communities across the United States has transformed the [midterm election landscape](https://apnews.com/hub/elections?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), thrown a wrench into the plans of the world’s richest companies and brought perhaps the industry’s biggest booster, President **Donald Trump**, to its defense. [Dateline AshburnA five-part series by Broadband Breakfast about ‘Data Center Alley’ in Loudoun County, Virginia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-04588d0e-81ac-4d9d-b6cb-43009471f4ed.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/AP23200525453918-data-center-2-f94a3dd1-cc46-4bfd-9607-eb0c084140ef.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dateline-ashburn/) It's a dramatic shift from two years ago, when few people had even heard of a data center. [In a Divided America, Left and Right Unite to Oppose Data CentersFrom Nebraska to New Mexico, the debates raging in cities and towns against data centers often cut across ideological lines.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-63614b8d-a0a1-479f-b137-3b4aad1d6474.png)Broadband BreakfastAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/AP26236675022596-datacenter-8cdcc03b-947b-4eda-98ae-1bf06158fc7d.jpeg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/in-a-divided-america-left-and-right-unite-to-oppose-data-centers/) But the late 2022 debut of OpenAI’s [ChatGPT](https://apnews.com/article/what-is-chat-gpt-ac4967a4fb41fda31c4d27f015e32660?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ignited worldwide demand for chatbots and other generative AI products that typically require large amounts of computing power to train and operate. Now, Oracle, Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft expect to [plunge more than $700 billion into data centers](https://apnews.com/article/ai-inflation-federal-reserve-434f02e62a02f9b92e57995d9375df57?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the U.S. this year alone. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Here are some takeaways from the shifting politics of data centers. ### *Sprawling into rural America* Tech giants and developers need huge tracts of land to accommodate mammoth computing warehouses, so they've been exploring deeper into rural America. The push has united conservative ranching and farming communities with left-leaning environmental advocacy groups, who share a combined concern about drought-stricken waterways, pollution in food-growing areas and shrinking farmland. In New Mexico, where Oracle and OpenAI are building Project Jupiter, a $165 billion data center complex planned near the Mexican border, concerns over [dwindling water supplies](https://apnews.com/article/colorado-river-drought-water-cuts-dfb3a5deec3ecaeab0632dca7a10612e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) are mounting. There, the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental advocacy group, challenged the state’s approval of well drilling permits to supply millions of gallons of water to Project Jupiter. The center said the state approved a permit last year after ignoring public-notification procedures in state law. **Samantha Barncastle Salopek**, a water rights lawyer who comes from a pecan-farming family, said farmers and ranchers are worried about their water rights in a state hammered by drought. She is running as a Republican for a seat on the Doña Ana County commission. ### *Trump defies political wisdom on data centers* Trump [continues to stick up for data centers](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-trump-election-cd2cfd73e3d41e2baf65bf82702a589b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), even as politicians from both parties [run from them](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-texas-ai-gina-hinojosa-abbott-3624f9a97e584c46d0ac65ca3870adcf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and many [communities try to block them](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-artificial-intelligence-nimby-tech-21fa7b957664d5dca6788e35ab43b88e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). He said last week that if he were a mayor or a governor with a chance to land a big data center, “I would absolutely want it, because the jobs are enormous and the money paid, the taxes paid, are just enormous.” Trump also acknowledged, however, that data centers need “a little public relations help.” The Republican president is a leading champion for the industry, seeing it as critical to winning the artificial intelligence race against China. His administration is pushing to [help tech giants build](https://apnews.com/article/trump-artificial-intelligence-energy-data-centers-f216660b80f992ae303b348dac0b2f87?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and connect data centers [to power plants](https://apnews.com/article/power-electricity-ai-power-plants-data-centers-grid-6f52e60c4924f634a21fb5f35d68f29b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [high-voltage power lines](https://apnews.com/article/power-electricity-ai-plants-data-centers-grid-506e3d206871111f15c3c62fc5368be5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [convert Cold War-era uranium enrichment plants](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-center-kentucky-uranium-gas-a4cf07af1b6776971dc5d609c996ca13?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) into data center and power plant complexes. ### *Data centers could see the regulatory landscape toughen* Governors who once pursued data center projects for their states [are shifting their stances or taking steps](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to toughen regulations on data centers. In some states, governors have halted their state’s sales tax exemption for new data center projects. Other states are trying to force data centers to [pay for their own electricity supply](https://apnews.com/article/electricity-prices-data-centers-artificial-intelligence-fbf213a915fb574a4f3e5baaa7041c3a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), limit their water use, disclose more about their operations and win community support before they get a state permit or tax exemption. In Texas, Republican Gov. **Greg Abbott** ordered regulators to take steps to ensure Texans were not paying higher electricity bills because of data centers, and promised to push a legislative agenda next year to impose tougher regulations on data centers, including taking away the state’s billion-dollar-plus-per-year tax break. New York Gov. [**Kathy Hochul**](https://apnews.com/hub/kathy-hochul?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a Democrat, ordered a one-year ban on large data centers. ### *Worries that AI’s energy demands will scuttle climate goals* The explosive energy demand of artificial intelligence has set in motion the biggest-ever construction boom of [natural gas-fired power plants](https://apnews.com/article/ai-natural-gas-power-plants-energy-electricity-climate-data-6f9c2155ccb92c56f5f557f8308c241c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and sent renewable energy allies in search of ways to ensure that data centers [will be powered by climate-friendly sources](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-ai-artificial-intelligence-renewable-energy-7995717f506914fc181a07d32d1867a5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), too. Michigan, Oregon and Minnesota have enacted laws in the last 18 months designed to protect their preexisting requirements that electric utilities use only emissions-free energy sources by 2040\. Similar legislation is in play at the end of California’s legislative session this month. In other states, including Georgia, Colorado and North Carolina, environmental advocates and corporations with clean energy goals are working regulatory levers to push monopoly utilities that historically control the energy supply and grid access. ### *Data centers still have a friend in labor unions* Members of building trades unions are [employed on a huge number](https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-technology-labor-unions-data-centers-64b10b2f993743dc0c73d273248574cf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of massive data center projects, as union locals scramble to recruit new apprentices and expand training centers to feed the explosive demand. National union leaders say their ranks are growing faster than they have ever seen. Meanwhile, tech giants are putting millions towards training programs. Unions aren't just working on the projects. They are also advocating for data centers in Congress, statehouses and communities. [In packed town council meetings](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-artificial-intelligence-nimby-tech-21fa7b957664d5dca6788e35ab43b88e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) where a project is under consideration, union members often show up to answer complaints about data centers in ways that executives at tech giants and the development firms rarely do. *This article was written by Marc Levy of the Associated Press.* ### In a Divided America, Left and Right Unite to Oppose Data Centers URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/in-a-divided-america-left-and-right-unite-to-oppose-data-centers/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:44.000Z MURDOCK, Neb., Aug. 26, 2026 (AP) — In rural eastern Nebraska, a technology revolution could rise from fields of corn and soybean in the form of new data centers to power the artificial intelligence boom. But just like around many parts of the country, opposition has been building in ways that defy typical partisan boundaries. Conservative farmers and the state Sierra Club chapter recently found common cause against labor leaders as they filled the firehouse in Murdock — population around 275 — to share concerns about data center development moving too quickly. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The scene exemplified an unlikely coalition that worries about dwindling farmland, declining water supplies and rising electricity bills — not to mention how massive corporations could reshape small town America into nodes in a national network of computing warehouses. The debate around [data center projects](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) is one of the rare modern issues to cut across party lines, demographics and geography — from Republican-dominated Nebraska, Texas and Wyoming to swing-state Pennsylvania to Democratic-leaning New Mexico. Supporters of data centers, including Republican President [**Donald Trump**](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [some union leaders](https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-technology-labor-unions-data-centers-64b10b2f993743dc0c73d273248574cf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) who usually back Democrats, praise a potential jobs and economic bonanza, while helping the U.S. thwart China in the geopolitical race for technological supremacy. But hostility toward developments coming at breakneck speed has surged ahead of November's [midterm elections](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and forced national, state and local elected officials to adapt to a shifting political landscape. **Judy Stroy**, a fifth-generation Nebraska farmer whose late husband grew corn and soybeans and whose son still does, worried that with “the amount of ground that’s getting gobbled up every year, our food source is in trouble.” “That should scare everyone,” she said. ### *Some areas have paused data center expansion* Stroy's fields are just outside Murdock, a village named for a railroad official at the company that first laid tracks here in the 1890s. There's a school, a post office, a bar and a Corn Grower’s State Bank branch, plus the Midwest Farmer's Coop where growers sell their produce and buy supplies like feed and fertilizer. Murdock is in Cass County, where officials recently approved a 12-month moratorium on allowing data center development. That might freeze energy company Tenaska's plans to potentially option 1,300-plus acres of land along Highway 75, south of the nearby villages of Murray and Beaver Lake, in a project that activists fear would pave the way for a data center and its own natural gas power plant. Tenaska spokesperson **Leighton Elise Eusebio** said the company has been exploring "the feasibility of developing power generation to serve large loads, whether that is a data center or other form of economic development.” “We believe there are opportunities to work with public power, communities and other stakeholders to develop power generation that will benefit Nebraskans,” Eusebio said in a statement. Meanwhile, data center operator CyrusOne has nearly 400 acres under its control outside another Cass County community, Plattsmouth, also along Highway 75, but no development has occurred nor has a project been announced, according to a CyrusOne spokesperson. The area may be seen as particularly favorable because the highway has been widened, offering easy access to Omaha to the northeast, and to the college town of Lincoln to the southwest. The Missouri River provides a reasonably close, major water source. Some landowners accepted large checks to sell. Local land typically can go for $10,000 an acre, residents say, and developers sometimes offer four times that, or even more. Such paydays can be extra enticing as farming has gotten more expensive amid rising diesel prices and soybean exports that have declined in the midst of Trump's [tariff](https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) fight with a major market for the crop, [China](https://apnews.com/article/soybeans-trade-tariff-china-united-states-export-025792707c4e4e91d975f8558edae1d8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “What if somebody offered me $40,000 an acre for my ground? It would be hard to turn down,” Stroy conceded. Nebraska Sierra Club attorney **Ken Winston** noted that tech giants have made donations to municipal programs in Lincoln to help mitigate the impact of data centers. “We need to be aware of the fact that they’re going to happen somewhere," Winston said. “But communities need to be able to protect themselves and if they don’t want them, they should be able to say no." ### *Major project sparks New Mexico divisions* There is no development moratorium in New Mexico that could stop Project Jupiter, a $165 billion data center complex planned near the Mexican border, but concerns over [dwindling water supplies](https://apnews.com/article/colorado-river-drought-water-cuts-dfb3a5deec3ecaeab0632dca7a10612e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) are mounting. “It is not about blue vs. red, or whether we’re a purple state or county,” said **Samantha Barncastle Salopek**, a longtime water attorney, who is running as a Republican for a seat on the Doña Ana County Commission partly because of the project. “This is about the local community coming together and saying, ‘Hold on, hold on.' We didn’t get enough information, and now we’re very concerned because also we have to cut back our water use anyway," she said. **Barncastle Salopek**, whose family grows pecans, said she frequently fields worried calls from farmers, ranchers and local business owners across the political spectrum and in other states. “When we have to fight over the last piece of the pie, those big companies are going to win,” she said of pressure on remaining water supplies. That's because New Mexico has been hammered by persistent drought, and large swaths of the [Rio Grande](https://apnews.com/article/rio-grande-river-water-crisis-mexico-texas-439c978d7e585075e8c17e777b7e26e5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) have dried up in the central part of the state. The largest reservoir stands at 1.3% capacity, lows unseen since the early 1970s, even though New Mexico is on the hook to deliver more water to Texas under a recent [settlement approved by the U.S. Supreme Court](https://apnews.com/article/texas-new-mexico-rio-grande-water-drought-faadff3f94299344f92f2118884384a1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Activists worry that New Mexico's pecan, chile and other farms could disappear, taking schools, hospitals and supporting businesses and incomes with them. [Oracle](https://apnews.com/hub/oracle-corp?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which announced Project Jupiter, has offered funding for youth programs and pledged to invest $50 million in water and wastewater systems in Doña Ana County. It also plans to partner with an agriculture technology company to install sensors providing real-time data to farmers to help them use water more efficiently — estimating an eventual savings of 21 million gallons annually. An Oracle spokesperson called the project a generational New Mexico investment, saying it would generate $4.7 billion in taxes and create more than 7,000 construction jobs and 1,500 long-term jobs while being designed to use little water over 15 years, given its closed-loop cooling and fuel-cell systems. Still, the Center for Biological Diversity last week filed an emergency petition with the New Mexico Supreme Court, challenging the state’s approval of well drilling to supply millions of gallons of water for Project Jupiter’s construction. The court on Sunday granted that request, halting authorization to use water from a new well until the legal fight is concluded. During a recent protest in the state capital of Santa Fe, the demonstrators included **Jesus Rodriguez**, who traveled four-plus hours from his micro-farm in southern New Mexico. “The fact is that now the money has taken over,” said Rodriguez, who described himself as disillusioned with American politics. “Now it shows that the Democrats, Republicans, or whatever other party is involved, they don’t care about the land. They care about money. And that’s because they want power.” ### *Some labor leaders see new job opportunities* Data centers have found an ally in [organized labor](https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-technology-labor-unions-data-centers-64b10b2f993743dc0c73d273248574cf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), including **Mike Gage**, president and secretary-treasurer of the Nebraska State AFL-CIO. Gage said he personally was worried that some workers are seeing their jobs replaced by AI, but that the centers can also create construction jobs and longer-term positions for people running the finished product. “This problem is also a very big opportunity for some small communities,” Gage said. He noted that a data center built decades ago in Council Bluffs, Iowa, near Omaha, still employs about 60 people today. **Heather McKenzie**, who works in labor relations in Lincoln, said putting more data centers in Nebraska can slow an exodus of skilled young people leaving the state. “I don’t think that enough people understand that this is going to create really good jobs,” she said. “I think a lot of people view it in a negative sense because it’s being sprung on them.” **Chris Backemeyer**, a Democratic congressional candidate in the district that includes Murdock, is a former State Department employee. He said he heard about Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates offering to host data centers for the U.S., which might concentrate technology outside the country. “That scares the bejesus out of me,” Backemeyer said. ### *Trump champions data centers, but some Republicans are wary* The president has warned about China's technology gains and Republican House Speaker **Mike Johnson** said that a federal pause on data center construction might be a “dangerous prospect.” Still, most registered voters oppose building a data center in their area, according to a July [Fox News poll](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-cool-your-servers-voters-reject-data-centers?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), including 60% of Republicans and 53% of MAGA voters. Democratic New York Gov. [**Kathy Hochul**](https://apnews.com/hub/kathy-hochul?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ordered a one-year ban on large data centers. Pennsylvania Gov. [**Josh Shapiro**](https://apnews.com/hub/josh-shapiro?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a fellow Democrat, said his administration [would no longer](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) prioritize data center projects when it comes to issuing construction permits or granting developers lucrative tax exemptions if they don’t meet certain standards. Republican Texas Gov. **Greg Abbott** announced a [halt on approval of new data centers](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-texas-approvals-paused-audits-5cac087049aeae1b51221043972cf631?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) until audits determine their impact on the state's electrical grid. Abbott told ABC News that data centers hadn't been working in collaboration with state or local officials and “basically dug their own grave for the problem that’s been caused for them, and that’s why they got the backlash they deserve.” The Republican Party's Senate campaign arm is worried enough about the issue potentially deciding races in Ohio, that it drafted a memo outlining how to respond. But politicians on both sides of the aisle have turned data centers into a punching bag. Wyoming Secretary of State **Chuck Gray**, a Republican running for an open House seat, has pledged to halt their construction. “If Silicon Valley wants to build their liberal empire, they can do it somewhere else,” he said in an ad. That overlaps with an [ad](https://apnews.com/article/cognetti-bresnahan-ai-data-centers-house-pennsylvania-d66d06346dd274ca31ce094eb46b0d8c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Democrat [**Paige Cognetti**](https://apnews.com/article/congress-pennsylvania-house-cognetti-brooks-bresnahan-mackenzie-1e4ec001ee97b229f87e6c3d8635705d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), who said "we are not for sale” when it comes to data centers. Cognetti is trying to unseat first-term Republican Rep. **Rob Bresnahan** in a battleground district. Trump is undeterred, saying that what data centers mean “for a community is jobs and lots of money and lower taxes.” The president has also conceded, however, that tech companies and developers maybe “can use a little public relations help.” Seeking to soften fears about rising utility prices, Trump says his administration has urged data centers to build their own power plants. Yet, during a recent meeting in the conservative East Texas town of Tyler, residents complained of being forced to live in a “gas cloud” so data centers can get enough electricity. The complaint echoed a similar objection from **Kardal Coleman**, who leads the Democratic Party in big-city Dallas County. He wrote a recent email decrying data centers for "replacing our jobs, polluting our air, and exacerbating the climate crisis, not to mention the noise disturbing our neighborhoods.” *This article was written by Will Weissert and Susan Montoya Bryan of the Associated Press. Montoya Bryan reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico.* ### Patent Scope, Not Invention, Decided the American Telephone Market URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/patent-scope-not-invention-decided-the-american-telephone-market/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T12:20:34.000Z *This article summarizes several of the key points in* [*Lesson 1: The Telephone and the Telephone Network*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-1-the-telephone-and-the-telephone-network/)*, which is part of Broadband Breakfast's online course, "*[*150 Years of American Telecommunications*](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/c/section-a-of-150-years-of-telecommunications?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*." A new lesson will be released every Monday.* The United States Patent Office granted the first telephone patent on March 7, 1876, three days before anyone transmitted intelligible speech over a wire. Federal courts spent the next twelve years deciding whether that patent covered one man's instrument or every method of sending speech by electricity, and their verdict decided who would build the American telephone network. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Two filings reached the office on Feb. 14, 1876](https://www.ericsson.com/en/about-us/history/communication/early-developments/bell-gray-and-the-invention-of-the-telephone?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). An attorney named **Marcellus Bailey** filed a completed application on behalf of **Alexander Graham Bell**, who [taught speech at Boston University](https://www.bu.edu/articles/2026/alexander-graham-bell-the-bu-years/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Bell had not yet transmitted a word over a wire. The application was titled "Improvement in Telegraphy," and the word telephone appears nowhere in it. It asked, specifically, for exclusive rights to "the method of, and apparatus for, [transmitting vocal or other sounds telegraphically](https://patents.google.com/patent/US174465A/en?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)." Bell was claiming speech without naming the machine that would carry it. **Elisha Gray** filed nothing of the sort. A co-founder of the Western Electric Manufacturing Company, Gray filed a [caveat](https://www2.iath.virginia.edu/meg3c/TCC315/gray.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which reserved him three months to submit a real application but conferred no rights on anything. Bell filed an actual patent application; Gray filed an intention to file one. The office granted Bell's three weeks later as [Patent No. 174,465](https://patents.google.com/patent/US174465A/en?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The filings and the litigation they set off open Lesson 1 of *150 Years of American Telecommunications*, the 35-lesson Broadband Breakfast course released to members on Aug. 24. ### *A patent on the method, not the telephone itself* The courts never ruled on who invented the telephone. They ruled on infringement, which is building or selling something a patent already covers. The man who forced the question was a physics professor at Tufts with a telephone that worked on a different principle. Bell's receiver used an electromagnet to vibrate a metal diaphragm. **Amos Dolbear** built one that worked on the changing electrical attraction between two plates, with no magnet in it, and patented it in 1879. Dolbear conceded in court that Bell's invention had come first. His initial argument was that a machine working by other electrical means fell outside what the claim covered. The federal circuit court for the District of Massachusetts rejected it. In [American Bell Telephone Co. v. Dolbear](https://www.fjc.gov/history/exhibits/circuit-court-opinions/American-Bell-Telephone-Co-v-Dolbear?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), decided in 1883, the court held that Bell's patent covered any machine that carried speech by varying an electrical current, however that machine was built. Dolbear's telephone infringed, and he had to stop making and selling it. **Horace Gray**, a Supreme Court justice sitting as a trial judge, wrote the opinion, and he drew two limits. The first was against Bell. Patent law had long held that nobody can patent a principle, and Gray applied it: the idea that speech travels by electricity belonged to no one. The second was against Dolbear. Bell's patent, Gray wrote, was "not limited to a particular form of apparatus." It covered the method of varying an electrical current to match the vibrations of the air, then reproducing those vibrations at the other end of the wire. Dolbear's telephone did exactly that with different hardware, so it infringed. Every telephone anyone could build had to vary a current to carry speech. For the 17 years the patent ran, no competitor could build one that did not infringe it. ### *55 cities change hands* Bell's competitor in 1877 was the largest telecommunications company in the country. Western Union ran the national telegraph network, the only system then carrying messages across the country by wire. The company entered that year with [forty million dollars of capital and a first claim on the newspapers, hotels, railroads and rights of way](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/819/819-h/819-h.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Western Union [licensed telephone designs](https://historyofcomputercommunications.info/section/2.6/Alexander-Graham-Bell-and-Bell-Telephone-Co.-1873-1878/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from Gray, **Thomas Edison** and Dolbear, and it was selling telephone service in competition with Bell. Building out cost it almost nothing, since the poles, rights-of-way and the wire were already set up for the telegraph. Western Union operated in every state. Bell had installed roughly three thousand telephones, most of them in and around Boston. Western Union had [licensed telephone designs](https://historyofcomputercommunications.info/section/2.6/Alexander-Graham-Bell-and-Bell-Telephone-Co.-1873-1878/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from Gray, **Thomas Edison** and Dolbear, and it was selling telephone service in competition with Bell. Building out cost it almost nothing, since the poles, rights-of-way, and the wire were already up for the telegraph. While Bell had installed roughly three thousand telephones in and around Boston, Western Union operated in every state. Western Union had the scale, but Bell had a patent. Bell sued for infringement in 1878, and the parties [settled](https://www.telcomhistory.org/science-patent-follies.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Nov. 10, 1879, before any court ruled. Western Union agreed to leave the telephone business entirely and to hand over its exchanges in fifty-five cities. In return it took 20 percent of Bell's telephone rental revenue for the seventeen years the patent had left to run. ### *600 cases, then 6,000 competing exchanges* Bell's company went to court [600 times](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/819/819-h/819-h.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by its own count, defending the same two patents against every new entrant, and it won. The Supreme Court upheld them in 1888 by four votes to three, with two justices not participating. Those two patents carried the whole business, No. 174,465, the 1876 grant with the claim to transmitting vocal sounds, and No. 186,787, "Improvement in Electric Telegraphy," granted Jan. 30, 1877\. Each ran seventeen years, and they expired in 1893 and 1894. "A single vote on the U.S. Supreme Court did more to make Bell the telephone's sole recognized inventor than his own patent did," said **Christopher Beauchamp**, a professor of law at Brooklyn Law School who studies the litigation, at [a Broadband Breakfast panel in June](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telephones-rise-was-shaped-by-courts-and-lobbying-not-just-wires-historians-say/). What followed the expirations was competition, on a scale the industry had never seen. Roughly six thousand independent companies formed within a few years, stringing wire in towns Bell had passed over and charging less than Bell charged. By 1904 those new entrants, none of them licensed by Bell, operated [6,150 exchanges](https://www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/econ%5Ffocus/2019/q4/economic%5Fhistory?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) serving more than two million customers, more than four times the 1,514 exchanges Bell ran. [Lesson 1: The Telephone and the Telephone NetworkThe Patent Office granted Bell’s patent on March 7, three days before he transmitted speech in a Boston laboratory.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-5be84e57-c902-4fc7-9f6a-792c76a57f85.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/L1-f18d14ae-adc6-4788-942a-514f9ba5490e.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lesson-1-the-telephone-and-the-telephone-network/#bbb-offer) ### ISPs Back Lumos in Ohio Permitting Dispute URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/isps-back-lumos-in-ohio-permitting-dispute/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:46.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2026 – Fiber provider Lumos is asking federal regulators to preempt local permitting rules in two Ohio counties. The counties [strenuously objected](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072937/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Tuesday, but other ISPs and broadband trade groups rallied behind Lumos. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Back in June, [Lumos told](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26109835097/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Federal Communications Commission that Stark and Mahoning Counties were imposing excessive fees and professional survey requirements that caused it to abandon fiber deployment plans to 200,000 locations. “The challenged requirements bear no resemblance to ordinary permitting conditions. They are deployment-defying burdens that have sabotaged otherwise favorable buildout economics,” wrote **Shiva Goel**, an attorney representing Lumos. Goel served as an advisor at both the FCC and National Telecommunications and Information Administration during the Biden administration. Stark County has a population of about 373,000 and Mahoning County has a population of about 225,000, according to 2025 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. The FCC can preempt state and local rules that have the effect of blocking telecom deployments. The agency has multiple open rulemakings on the issue, which are generally [popular with](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-industry-wants-fcc-to-mandate-60-day-shot-clock-for-local-permits/) ISPs and [opposed by](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-tell-fcc-to-leave-pole-attachment-authority-intact/) local governments. In July the agency sought comment on instituting a slot clock and fee caps for local agencies processing wireline telecom permits. Fiber is chiefly used for broadband, a non-telecom information service, but in the FCC’s proposal it asked about applying its preemption to any technology that could potentially provide telecom service. Lumos focused on the benefits of expanded broadband and noted it was a registered telecom provider in Ohio. [Lumos alleged](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lumos-asks-fcc-to-preempt-two-ohio-counties-rights-of-way/) Stark County delayed review of its permit applications before coming to the company with previously undisclosed requirements, including a professional surveyor overseeing a pre-construction survey and fees of $1 per foot of fiber laid in the county’s right-of-way. Mahoning County mirrored the surveyor requirement. Lumos said that was the most onerous, since there are few professional surveyors and a comprehensive review would be time-consuming The “blanket requirement that all plans be certified by a Professional Surveyor goes well beyond what is necessary to coordinate construction or protect existing infrastructure,” the company wrote. ### *Counties object* The counties urged the FCC not to strike down their rules [in a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072937/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) posted Tuesday. “Lumos misrepresents many of the Counties’ right-of-way management requirements,” attorneys from both counties’ prosecutor’s offices wrote. “Lumos also improperly belittles both Counties’ responsibility to safely manage facility work within their rights-of-way and overlooks its own role in causing the delays and costs it now attributes to the Counties.” The counties said Stark had discussed per-foot fee but never actually charged one, and only charged for cost recovery related to processing permits and overseeing the rights-of-way. They said several other ISPs and utility companies had managed to get surveys done in both counties without derailing projects. “Other permit applicants have managed to comply with Stark’s certified engineer and surveyor requirements without difficulty or complaint,” the counties wrote. “Through August 3, 2026 alone, Stark issued 50 broadband fiber permits.” Stark and Mahoning argued their surveyor rules were protected from preemption as right-of-way management under the Communications Act, and didn’t actually block Lumos’s deployments regardless. The County Engineers Association of Ohio [supported the counties](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072879/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), writing that surveys were necessary to prevent strikes on gas lines and other infrastructure. ### *Industry backs Lumos* Multiple ISPs and broadband trade groups took Lumos’s side. Major industry group USTelecom [noted that](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072891/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Lumos said Stark’s professional survey mandate in particular would have increased project costs by 50 percent and by themselves cost 23 percent of Lumos’s projects five-year revenue across the county. “The effects of the challenged requirements extend beyond Lumos and the Counties,” wrote USTelecom legal affairs head **Kathleen Slattery Thompson**. “Investment is disproportionately deterred along longer, less densely populated routes that are often essential to reaching unserved and underserved communities.” NTCA, which represents rural ISPs, [and AT&T](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072965/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) also backed Lumos. The group said it supported local governments trying to protect infrastructure along their rights-of-way, but that the policies Lumos described were unreasonable. Other counties might adopt similar policies if these weren’t struck down, the [group feared](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072858/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), since the comprehensive right-of-way survey could be seen as a way to outsource government data collection. T-Mobile [said it supported](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072924/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**’s efforts to eliminate permitting roadblocks. “The Lumos Petition provides further evidence that these reforms are needed,” wrote T-Mobile attorney **David Crawford**. T-Mobile acquired Lumos last year through a joint venture with investment firm KKR. *Correction: A previous verison of this story in some cases mistakenly referred to Lumos, the regional fiber ISP, as Lumen, the wholesale fiber provider. Lumen is not involved in the dispute.* ### Glenn Lurie: There Is No AI Without a Pipe URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/glenn-lurie-there-is-no-ai-without-a-pipe/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T20:50:33.000Z I spent 36 years in wireless, including years as AT&T’s Mobility CEO and through the launch of the original iPhone and iPad, and I've watched a handful of significant moments when whole industries and society overall had to rethink itself all at once. AI is definitely the latest significant shift, but most coverage and discussions are treating it as a story about models and chips when it should be a story about pipes and networks. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) Every step of AI (training a model, running inference, an agent executing a task in real time) depends on physically moving data from a sensor, a phone, or a factory floor to a processor and back, fast enough that the answer still matters when it arrives. The model gets the attention, but whether the network can deliver that round trip with the speed and latency is the constraint most people outside this industry aren't watching closely enough. ### *The investment case is changing* For most of the 5G era, the return on network investment was hard to defend. [PwC's analysis of 5G economics](https://www.pwc.com/us/en/tech-effect/emerging-tech/5g-monetization.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) found operator return on assets running 1.5% to 4.5%, against 17% to 20%. Carriers funded infrastructure while other companies monetized. AI changes that math. For the first time in a decade, there's a workload that genuinely cannot run without dense, low-latency connectivity everywhere, not just at a handful of hyperscale campuses, and capital is starting to follow that logic. Nvidia's $1 billion investment in Nokia, paired with a partnership to build AI directly into radio access networks, signals that AI infrastructure money is moving into the network itself, not only the data centers behind it. ### *Fiber, wireless, satellite, and power have to move together* Broadband isn't one network. It's fiber, terrestrial wireless, satellite, and the power and data center infrastructure behind it, and none of them solve the AI problem alone. Fiber and 5G handle density while satellite closes the geographic gaps neither can reach economically. SpaceX's IPO filing disclosed a direct-to-cell service already reaching 7.4 million devices a month through roughly 30 carrier partnerships. This is a capability that barely existed three years ago. Edge computing exists because the round trip to a distant data center is too slow for virtually real-time AI. But none of these systems matter without the infrastructure to power them.The [International Energy Agency](https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/energy-demand-from-ai?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) projects data center electricity demand will roughly double by 2030, with the U.S. alone adding enough new demand to rival the electricity used by all of heavy industry combined. A network with more bandwidth than its power supply can support is not more capable. ### *What 5G should have taught us* Having watched the industry move through multiple generations of wireless technology, I don't think 5G's real lesson is that the technology underdelivered. The sequencing was the problem. The industry built capacity years ahead of a monetization plan and backfilled the business case afterward. AI is different in one respect that matters: the demand is already proven and paying. That removes the excuse for building blind, but it doesn't remove the risk of building the wrong thing. The 3GPP standards process is already shaping 6G, and the choices being locked in now about how AI gets embedded at the radio layer will be just as hard to unwind a decade from now. ### *Networks are starting to run themselves, faster than expected* The most underappreciated shift is inside network operations. A network engineer today typically manages 50 cell sites. Agentic AI systems already in field trials are pushing that toward several hundred by handling fault detection and root-cause diagnosis before a human is looped in. [Google Cloud estimates agentic AI represents a $60 billion opportunity](https://appledoreresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/Reports/Appledore-Agentic-AI-in-Telecom-WP-June-2025-Revision.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for telecom operators, largely through the self-healing networks this shift points toward. The same math shows up in customer care, where the average inbound support call still costs providers upward of $7 for problems that increasingly don't require a person at all. Some of the more interesting applications sit outside the core network entirely. AI-driven sensor networks combining cellular, satellite, and edge inference can now detect a wildfire within a minute of ignition, before it would register as smoke to a human observer. This is possible only because wireless, satellite, and edge processing were designed to work together rather than as separate systems solving separate problems. ### *Where the next decade of value sits* The biggest opportunities aren't inside any single layer, they're in the seams between them. The orchestration software that routes traffic intelligently across fiber, wireless, and satellite, the edge inference that makes real-time decisions physically possible, and the power infrastructure that is telecom's tightest constraint. Whoever builds the intelligence that makes convergence invisible to the end user will capture more value than anyone building a single layer in isolation. The industry already has every piece it needs, but what’s been missing is treating them as one system instead of four separate ones. Getting that right, before the next generation of standards locks in the wrong assumptions, is the real opportunity in front of broadband right now in the age of AI. ***Glenn Lurie joined Stormbreaker Ventures as a venture partner in August 2021, bringing with him over 30 years of experience in scaling and leading multi-billion-dollar businesses. His extensive background includes serving as president, CEO, and Board Member of Synchronoss Technologies and as president and CEO of AT&T’s mobility and consumer operations. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Illinois BEAD Plan Approved URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/illinois-bead-plan-approved/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:46.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2025 – The Trump administration approved Tuesday Illinois’s spending plan under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. It was the last state still waiting on approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. All 56 states and territories now have the federal greenlight to begin awarding grants under the $42.45 billion program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “BEAD’s core mission is to ensure universal broadband availability across our country,” NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** said in a statement. “With all 56 Final Proposals now approved, we are achieving Congress’s vision of closing the digital divide once and for all.” Illinois’s approved plan would spend $831 million of its $1.04 billion allocation, down from the $970 million [in its draft](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chart-of-states-accepting-bead-grant-applications/) from last year. The approved plan would get fiber to 68 percent of locations, followed by fixed wireless to nearly 24 percent and satellite to 8 percent. A small number would get cable, according to [an overview posted](https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2026-08/BEAD%5FFP%5FOverview%5FIL.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by NTIA. That’s compared to the state’s draft plan aiming for 75 percent fiber, 15 percent satellite, and nearly 10 percent fixed wireless. A small amount would still have got cable. The count of satellite locations fell to 11,500 in the approved plan, down from more than 23,600 in the draft. Fiber locations fell to 97,000 from more than 117,000 and fixed wireless more than doubled to 33,600 from 15,300. The state’s total BEAD-eligible location count fell to 142,400 from nearly 157,000 in the draft. NTIA is [asking states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite-bead-awards-to-be-reduced/?ref=alerts-newsletter&attribution%5Fid=6a56a1b8d3fca500012c9d07&attribution%5Ftype=post) to reduce their satellite awards after new federal coverage maps showed expanded coverage or misclassified buildings. California’s approved plan included those changes. States still negotiating with satellite companies can also comply, but those with existing contracts will need SpaceX or Amazon to agree to any reduction in locations. NTIA’s [release Tuesday](https://www.ntia.gov/press-release/2026/closing-digital-divide-once-and-all-ntia-announces-all-56-bead-final-proposals-now-approved?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) didn't mention Illinois by name, but Roth touted the before-and-after [in a post](https://x.com/ArielleRothNTIA/status/2092275534700933229?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on X. The agency said Roth was touring BEAD projects in Virginia with Rep. **Morgan Griffith**, R-Va. ### *Most states were approved in late 2025 or Early 2026* Most states had their BEAD plan approved in late 2025 or early 2026\. Projects are already breaking ground in a few places as states finalize grant contracts and ISPs start working to secure permits. For months only California and Illinois lacked approval. California’s plan [was approved](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-bead-plan-approved/) by NTIA July 20, but neither state has completed a second review from another Commerce Agency. The National Institute for Standards and Technology is serving as BEAD’s grants manager and has to clear state plans before they can draw down funding. NIST review involves much less curing than the NTIA process. During a June 30 [oversight hearing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/), Roth told Rep. **Robin Kelly**, D-Ill., that NTIA was still going back and forth with the state on revisions at the time. “We have communicated changes to Illinois that we need to see,” Roth said. “The proposal that was submitted to us just didn’t meet the mark, in terms of finding efficiencies and meeting the principles of the benefit of the bargain reforms.” While a decrease from its draft plan, Illinois’s approved plan would spend nearly 83 percent of its BEAD allocation. Most states spent far less of their allocations in their approved plans, partly due to Trump administration rule changes aimed at reducing deployment costs. Some approved plans, like Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, don’t involve any deployment projects because the territory or NTIA determined there were no eligible locations. Because states spent so little of their allocations, which were made in 2023, more than $21 billion of BEAD’s funding is not going to be spent on deployment projects. At the same June hearing, Roth told lawmakers NTIA was aiming to have guidance on how states could use that money some time this summer. Under the Biden administration, states had been planning on using the money for broadband adoption efforts and workforce development, among other things. Many ideas have been floated since the Trump administration rescinded approval for non-deployment activities, like boosting local permitting agencies or shoring up defaults. ### NTIA Begins Process to Revive Digital Equity Grant Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-begins-process-to-revive-digital-equity-grant-program/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:46.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2026 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has taken its first formal step toward reopening the Digital Equity Act’s competitive grant program. NTIA published [a notice](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-25/pdf/2026-17322.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Tuesday opening a 60-day public comment period on the information collection and application requirements it plans to use for a new round of funding. The notice begins the federal paperwork process needed before NTIA can accept applications under the revived program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The notice says NTIA will use the information from applicants to review their proposed projects and budgets. Affected applicants include nonprofits, community anchor institutions, educational agencies, workforce-development entities, Tribal entities, state and local governmental entities, and other eligible organizations or partnerships. The move comes as the Commerce Department works toward its previously announced goal of [reopening the program by December](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/commerce-working-on-new-round-of-digital-equity-act-funding/). The agency estimates about 800 applicants could respond, with each application taking roughly 18 hours to complete, for an estimated 14,400 total annual burden hours and $696,240 in annual costs to the public. Commerce told a federal judge earlier this month that it was preparing a new notice of funding opportunity for the $1.25 billion Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. The department had [previously canceled most Digital Equity Act funding](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/one-year-after-cancellation-digital-equity-act-tied-up-in-legal-challenges/), prompting a lawsuit from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and other affected groups. The litigation changed course after U.S. District Judge **John Bates** ruled in July that the law’s requirement to direct funding toward racial minority populations [was unconstitutional but could be separated](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-equity-suit-paused-until-new-funding-notice/) from the rest of the program. The Commerce Department subsequently told the court that it intended to reinstate the competitive grant program without that provision. The latest NTIA notice does not mention the court ruling, the litigation or the statute’s “covered populations” provision. The paperwork process also leaves NTIA with a tight timeline if the agency intends to begin accepting applications in December. After the current 60-day comment period closes, the agency would need to complete a second 30-day notice and receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget. The new notice follows an Aug. 19 agreement to pause the legal challenge while Commerce prepares its new funding notice. The Digital Equity Act, enacted as part of the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, established $2.75 billion in federal funding to help Americans overcome barriers to broadband adoption and use. NTIA began recommending competitive grant awards in late 2024 and early 2025\. According to agency data, NTIA [canceled 120 Digital Equity Act awards](https://www.benton.org/blog/gao-documents-how-ntia-handled-477-billion-broadband-grants?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) worth roughly $1.4 billion. Some recipients received formal award notices, before the funding was subsequently terminated by the Trump administration on May 9, 2025. The latest action indicates that the administration is moving from plans to implementation of a revived Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, although applicants will still have to wait for the formal funding announcement before they can apply. Comments are due Oct. 26. ***UPDATE: This story has been updated to better clarify that NTIA is seeking comment on the information collection and application requirements for the Competitive Grant Program.*** ### Activists Supporting RFK Jr. Urge Trump Against Promoting Coal in Data Centers URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/activists-supporting-rfk-jr-urge-trump-against-promoting-coal-in-data-centers/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:47.000Z NEW YORK, Aug. 25, 2026 (AP) — Nearly 200 activists in Health Secretary **Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s** “Make America Healthy Again” movement are criticizing President **Donald Trump's** promotion of coal to fuel the rise of [artificial intelligence data centers](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-trump-election-cd2cfd73e3d41e2baf65bf82702a589b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), according to [a letter](https://unitedweeat.earth/president-trump-please-put-americas-health-first-in-the-ai-boom/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) sent Friday. The letter, signed by at least two former staffers from Kennedy's 2024 presidential campaign, marks the first major MAHA movement mobilization over fossil fuels and [the latest in a series of rifts](https://apnews.com/article/epa-maha-pesticides-zeldin-chemicals-microplastics-f6d4c207f2ebe023feec0fe11bf25667?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) between the diverse group of activists and the Trump administration over environmental policy. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The letter to Trump, Kennedy and various other Cabinet officials, first obtained by The Associated Press, laments a [2025 executive order](https://apnews.com/article/trump-coal-ai-data-centers-energy-dominance-693e2604785c07ff790d9afd2e06d543?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that aimed to boost coal to power data centers over pollution concerns and asks the administration to consider renewable options, including solar and geothermal energy. “We understand the importance of American leadership in artificial intelligence, national security, innovation, and economic growth,” the letter reads. “But American AI leadership should not come at the cost of a more toxic burden for American children.” In response, White House spokesperson **Taylor Rogers** noted that greenhouse gas emissions [dropped to a 30-year low](https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) during Trump's first term and said Trump “was given a mandate to roll back the radical climate policies that are burning a hole through taxpayers' wallets.” The agencies receiving the letter didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Prominent MAHA figures behind the letter include **Zen Honeycutt**, a former Kennedy campaign staffer and founder of the advocacy group Moms Across America, and **Charles Eisenstein**, a former speechwriter on Kennedy's campaign. Honeycutt said she asked the Kennedy-aligned political action committee MAHA Action to sign onto the letter but did not receive a reply. Although it may not reflect the views of all MAHA activists, the new line of criticism against one of the administration’s signature policies less than three months before November’s midterm elections could present another challenge for Republicans as they seek to win over the voting bloc in key races. As health secretary, Kennedy has carried out several policy changes that cater to the MAHA movement, including attempting to scale back childhood vaccine recommendations, a central priority for some activists. He also has sought to remove artificial dyes from food and encouraged Americans to have healthy diets free of ultraprocessed foods. But many in the MAHA movement, which Trump credits with helping him win back the White House two years ago, say they have grown frustrated with the administration over its embrace of pesticides such as glyphosate and its deregulatory environmental agenda. Some have said they plan to vote on issues over party this fall, raising the political stakes of their increasingly public tensions with the Republican administration. As president, Trump has enthusiastically embraced what he calls “big, beautiful coal” despite outcry from environmentalists about planet-warming greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals released by coal-fired power plants. His administration has moved to reverse tighter Biden-era standards on greenhouse gas emissions, which, in addition to their climate impacts, can harm brain development in children and increase rates of heart attacks in adults. He also has been [a vocal advocate](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-trump-election-cd2cfd73e3d41e2baf65bf82702a589b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for data centers, which power artificial intelligence and cloud computing, framing them as a necessary component of winning the AI race against China. “If I were the mayor of a town or the governor of a state, and I had a chance to get a big plant in, an AI plant or [a data center](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com),” Trump said this week, “I would absolutely want it because the jobs are enormous and the money paid, the taxes paid, are just enormous.” Data centers have become [a political flashpoint](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in this year's elections. Voters across the political spectrum have criticized them for [jacking up electricity bills](https://apnews.com/article/2026-election-utility-bills-ai-data-centers-13703f61d1397612fd067e69b9093116?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), draining water supplies, and creating unhealthy amounts of air and noise pollution. Friday's letter asks the administration to require transparent review of data center location and power sourcing decisions, and respect existing environmental review requirements in the permitting process. Honeycutt said that after Trump's executive order last year, she researched the impact of coal ash on communities and was disturbed by what she found. She said she was also concerned about other aspects of data centers, including their land use and their effects on the people living near them. “The data center push has been an overwhelmingly negative impact on our communities, and there are many in the MAHA movement that are extremely disappointed about that,” she said. “We vote for those who put health and safety first.” *This article was written by Ali Swenson of the Associated Press.* ### MobileX, Ergen Ask FCC for Deal Approval URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/mobilex-ergen-ask-fcc-for-deal-approval/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:47.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2026 – **Charlie Ergen** is set to acquire a controlling stake in MobileX, the company confirmed Monday. MobileX and CONX, Ergen’s special purpose acquisition company, filed [an application](https://api-prod.fcc.gov/icfs-attachment/exp/api/v1/b9261f5693368b104176171d48373c0d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with the Federal Communications Commission outlining the transaction more than a week after the Wall Street Journal [first reported](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charlie-ergen-to-acquire-controlling-stake-in-mobilex-report/) it. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “With access to \[CONX\]’s capital investment, technical resources, and engineering expertise, Mobile X will be positioned to accelerate deployment of new features and service offerings, which Mobile X would not likely be able to obtain on a stand-alone basis,” the companies wrote, without detailing what those new services might be. After the deal closes, the companies said that “Mobile X will continue to operate under the same name and provide services pursuant to existing rates, terms, and conditions for the near term.” MobileX is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) offering service on Verizon’s network. That MVNO deal will expire in nine months, the filing said, at which point Verizon would get a minority stake in MobileX. **Roger Entner**, founder of Recon Analytics, said it was likely the companies would simply renegotiate the deal. He said it was likely Ergen wanted ultimately to fold MobileX into his own Boost Mobile, but that Verizon would likely have to approve for the MVNO deal to be transferred. Boost has MVNO deals with AT&T and T-Mobile, and has access to SpaceX’s direct-to-device satellite service under the terms of a spectrum sale agreement. With MobileX under the umbrella, Ergen would control entities with MVNO agreements with all three national carriers and SpaceX. SpaceX has lofty plans for its mobile service, even if analysts have been [almost uniformly skeptical](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/analysts-skeptical-of-spacex-mobile-plans/) that its satellite service poses a serious threat to the mobile carriers within their footprints. MobileX founder **Peter Adderton**, who will retain a stake in the company after the deal closes, has been implying [on X](https://x.com/peter%5Fadderton?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the company has plans to offer connectivity via multiple networks. “I believe the fastest path to the future is a hybrid connectivity platform, like the one MobileX is building,” he [posted Friday](https://x.com/peter%5Fadderton/status/2090849000048198076?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Go out and acquire millions of customers globally. Build the brand, the customer relationship and the platform layer that can seamlessly connect consumers across multiple networks.” ### *Subscribers, stakes* MobileX had 107,000 subscribers, according to the filing, [compared to](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chart-of-mobile-subscribers/) Boost’s 7.38 million. They both offer prepaid service. Under the deal, Ergen’s CONX would hold 60.93 percent of MobileX, with Adderton owning 19.42 percent. Verizon’s stake will be 12.5 once the current MVNO expires. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ergen’s deal would value MobileX at $200 million. MobileX sells its service through Walmart stores and independent dealers. It offers customizable plans the customers can add or drop features from, plus a tool to recommend plans based on data usage. Adderton also founded Boost before it was ultimately acquired by Sprint and sold to Ergen as a condition of the T-Mobile merger. He has frequently criticized Ergen and EchoStar’s management of the brand online. “We haven’t cracked the code on how to be successful at the level we’d like to in the wireless business. In general, we’ve treaded water for four years now,” Ergen said on EchoStar’s earnings call this month. “We think we have some strategic initiatives going forward that will reinvigorate that part of our business.” Dish Wireless, the subsidiary that built EchoStar's mobile network, is [now in bankruptcy](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dish-wants-tower-claims-zeroed-out/) and engaged in a bitter fight with tower and infrastructure companies pursuing breach of contract claims. ### Catherine Commisso Takes Senior Post as Mediacom Moves Forward in Post-Rocco Era URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/catherine-commisso-takes-senior-post-as-mediacom-moves-forward-in-post-rocco-era/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T13:00:32.000Z 💡 ■ Free State’s Andrew Long Praises Carr’s Section 706 Report ■ NTIA’s Roth Elevates Patricia Paoletta ahead of WRC-27 in Shanghai ■ WSJ Editors Not Too Concerned about Putin Attacking Starlink ■ Charter Erases Another Consumer Pain Point with Free NFL Games on Amazon Prime ■ Ohio Counties Battle Lumos over Preemption Petition at FCC ■ DIRECTV Customers Lose Circle City’s ABC Station in Indianapolis ■ Minnesota LFAs Battle Gateway Fiber’s Preemption Petition at FCC People: Mediacom Communications, the multibillion regional cable ISP built by the late **Rocco B. Commisso**, is keeping Rocco’s closest relatives firmly in control. The company [said](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260824534658/en/Mediacom-Appoints-Catherine-Commisso-Vice-Chair-Executive-Vice-President-of-Corporate-Strategy-and-Administration?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Aug. 24 it has appointed **Catherine Commisso** as Vice Chair and Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Administration, elevating a longtime company figure to one of its most senior leadership roles. The company announced the move on Aug. 24 from its Mediacom Park headquarters in New York. Catherine is the mother of Chairman and CEO **Giuseppe B. Commisso** and Rocco’s widow. Rocco died Jan. 16, 2026, after a prolonged illness. “With profound humility, I embrace this new role inspired by the lasting legacy of my late husband, Rocco. Throughout our 50-year marriage, I was honored to stand beside him and witness the vision, determination, devotion and collaborative spirit he brought to Mediacom,” Catherine said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6xa6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ea0cd28-855b-4423-aa66-78fe929ee838_663x468.png) Mediacom Chairman and CEO Giuseppe B. Commisso and Vice Chair and Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Administration Catherine Commisso _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### FCC Narrows Covered List Restrictions on Foreign Power Inverters URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-narrows-covered-list-restrictions-on-foreign-power-inverters/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:51.000Z WASHINGTON, August 24, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission has significantly scaled back restrictions it imposed less than a month ago on foreign-produced power inverters. In [a notice](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-870A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) released Thursday, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau revised the definition of “power inverters” on the agency’s [Covered List](https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), substantially narrowing the universe of inverters subject to the restrictions, while also tightening the rules for the inverters that do remain covered. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) The revision comes just weeks after the FCC’s original addition of foreign-produced power inverters to the Covered List on July 28, acting on a National Security Determination that cited the risk of foreign actors exploiting the devices’ remote connectivity to disrupt or surveil the U.S. electric grid. The August 20 notice significantly narrows that scope. Now, only ‘utility-interactive inverters,’ or those intended to operate in parallel with the electric grid to supply common loads and, at times, deliver power back to the utility, remain covered. The July 28 determination had broadly defined a power inverter as any bi-directional device converting DC electricity to AC power, or vice versa, that contains components enabling remote communication or monitoring through Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, or similar connections. Non-utility-interactive inverters and standalone rectifiers, which convert only AC to DC power, are excluded from the list entirely. The underlying determination reasons that inverters incapable of connecting to the utility grid generally do not pose a risk to the broader power system, since the national security concern centers on vulnerabilities introduced into the interconnected grid rather than standalone or local systems. At the same time, the FCC tightened the connectivity test for inverters that remain covered. The updated definition now applies to devices that “contain, or are designed, equipped, or configured to accept” a remote communication component. That differentiation extends the rule to wired connections such as Ethernet, not just wireless ones. The August 20 notice also classified inverters eligible for the federal Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit under 26 U.S.C. § 45X, part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, as not considered foreign-produced for Covered List purposes. The revision comes amid broader criticism from FCC Commissioner **Anna** **Gomez** over the pace and process behind the FCC’s expanding national security authority over communications and connected equipment, including routers, drones, and robotic devices. Gomez [said last week she](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-gomez-warns-satellite-deployment-is-no-substitute-for-universal-service/) supports efforts to protect U.S. communications infrastructure from foreign adversaries, but argued that companies need clearer rules to work with. “What I'm hearing from American companies and industry leaders is they’re concerned about the haphazard and chaotic way that we’ve seen the rollout of these ... profound changes to the covered list,” Gomez said. A device qualifies as a “domestic end product” under the Federal Acquisition Regulation when domestic components account for more than 65 percent of total component cost for items delivered between 2024 and 2028, rising to 75 percent for items delivered starting in 2029\. Manufacturers of covered inverters can still pursue a conditional approval from the Defense Department showing the device doesn’t pose an unacceptable national security risk. ### Golden State Connect Authority Touting Connection to California Middle-Mile Network URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/golden-state-connect-authority-touting-connection-to-california-middle-mile-network/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:51.000Z Aug. 24, 2026 — Golden State Connect Authority has taken a [major step toward bringing high-speed internet to rural California](https://goldenstateconnect.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/FOR-IMMEDIATE-RELEASE-GSCA-Becomes-First-Entity-to-Sign-MSA-for-Statewide-Middle-Mile-Network.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), becoming the first entity to sign an agreement with the state to use the state’s new [middle-mile fiber network](https://broadbandforall.cdt.ca.gov/middle-mile-broadband-initiative/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The agreement, signed in July with the California Department of Technology, allows the authority to begin submitting orders to use the state’s statewide Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative network. The move will connect Golden State’s planned Golden State Fiber network to the state’s larger fiber backbone. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) That connection is important because the two networks serve different purposes. California’s middle-mile network is designed to carry internet traffic across the state. Golden State Fiber will build the local, or “last-mile,” connections that carry that service the rest of the way to homes, businesses, farms, schools and other community institutions. “Signing this agreement represents a significant milestone for Golden State Fiber and the rural communities we serve,” said [**Chris Lopez**, chair of the Gold State authority and Monterey County supervisor](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/golden-state-fiber-poised-to-connect-31-000-locations-in-rural-california/). “California’s middle-mile network is a transformative investment that will support many last-mile providers across the state.” This partnership reflects an important step toward [connecting rural California communities](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-activates-nations-largest-middle-mile-network-connecting-tribal-rural-areas/) to the State’s middle-mile broadband network,” said **Mark Monroe**, deputy director of the Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative at the California Department of Technology. ### *Golden State fiber network connects to the state’s middle mile network* By connecting Golden State Fiber to the state network, Monroe said, the project will help create the foundation for reliable, high-speed broadband for rural residents, businesses, schools and other community institutions. [California’s middle-mile network](https://broadbandforall.cdt.ca.gov/middle-mile-broadband-initiative/what-is-the-middle-mile/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) is being built as an open-access system, meaning multiple internet providers and other eligible entities can use the infrastructure to extend broadband service into communities that have historically lacked reliable internet. The authority is developing Golden State Fiber as a publicly owned, open-access network. The authority will finance, build, own, operate and maintain the fiber infrastructure, while private internet providers will be able to offer service over the network. The agreement is the latest step in the broader rural broadband project. The authority broke ground on Golden State Fiber in Glenn County in April, beginning construction on the first of seven planned deployments in Alpine, Amador, Glenn, Imperial, Mono and Tehama counties, as well as the Town of Mammoth Lakes. The project is backed by $110.9 million in bond financing and $185.4 million from the California Public Utilities Commission’s Last Mile Federal Funding Account. The network is expected to eventually reach more than 31,000 locations. The connection authority said it plans to break ground on its remaining projects and begin connecting residents and businesses to high-speed broadband in early 2027. ### Aviation Groups, Iridium Still Don’t Like Ligado-AST Space Mobile Deal URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/aviation-groups-iridium-still-dont-like-ligado-ast-space-mobile-deal/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:51.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2026 – Several aviation industry groups and others are still not fans of Ligado and AST SpaceMobile’s proposed direct-to-device spectrum deal. The partnership would make it effectively impossible for Ligado to deploy a terrestrial network with the same L-band spectrum, they argued, something the company secured FCC approval for in 2020 but has yet to do. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) “Given AST’s role as the sole day-to-day operator of” a direct-to-device constellation using Ligado’s spectrum, “it is clearly not possible for Ligado to operate a terrestrial mobile offering” that coexists with AST, the groups wrote in [a Friday filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072613/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with the Federal Communications Commission. The letter was signed by Airlines for America, which represents the major airlines, satellite company Iridium, and other aviation, GPS, and maritime groups. Iridium has [long opposed](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/iridium-opposed-to-ligado-ast-spacemobile-deal/) the deal and asked the FCC to deny it, while the other stakeholders have raised concerns about interference to GPS systems. If the agency does approve the deal, they said they wanted the 2020 terrestrial authorization revoked, which they also fear would cause interference. AST would deploy a 96-satellite direct-to-device constellation using Ligado’s L-band spectrum under the deal. That would be exclusive spectrum not controlled by a terrestrial carrier, unlike the deals with AT&T and Verizon AST currently has. The company is behind schedule on its launches and is aiming to begin service next year. AST is providing $550 million for Ligado to repay debts and emerge from bankruptcy, although the last roughly $100 million of that [is on pause](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ligado-can-pause-100-million-payment-to-inmarsat-judge-rules/) after Ligado’s creditor, Inmarsat, opposed the deal at the FCC. In a [July 20 letter](https://api-prod.fcc.gov/icfs-attachment/exp/api/v1/204f7440cf1e03100729b3842f851cd4?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Ligado had said it would retain its right to deploy the spectrum terrestrially “if that someday becomes possible.” “The arguments in this filing have nothing to do with the MSS proceeding currently before the FCC. Ligado’s ATC authority was thoroughly considered and settled by the Commission years ago,” a Ligado spokesperson said in an email. “This is simply the latest attempt by parties challenging Ligado’s application to prevent greater competition in the growing direct-to-device market.” In [another letter](https://api-prod.fcc.gov/icfs-attachment/exp/api/v1/3a490ad293fa8b10dec6791d48373c98?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), also submitted on Friday, Ligado answered another round of technical questions from parties skeptical of the deal, including an aviation spectrum manager that signed the Friday letter with Iridium. “A party looking to block progress cannot delay innovation through a treadmill of follow-ups and interrogatories that are beyond the scope of the Commission's inquiry,” Ligado attorney **Gerard Waldron** wrote. “The record in this proceeding is more than complete and we urge swift action to introduce new competition into the marketplace for direct-to-device services.” Ligado and AST representatives met with FCC staff on Aug. 13, and presented [a slideshow](https://api-prod.fcc.gov/icfs-attachment/exp/api/v1/44573245937a8310af3f981d48373c6c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in support of its claims of non-interference. The slides were redacted in the FCC’s public comment system. ### *Defense Department litigation* Ligado [is suing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ligado-case-might-not-upend-spectrum-auction-certainty-former-ntia-administrator/) the Defense Department over the same spectrum. The company is seeking $39 billion in damages, arguing the government is operating a secret national security system that has so far prevented terrestrial deployments in the band. The Capitol Forum [has reported](https://thecapitolforum.com/settlement-of-ligado-networks-suit-against-u-s-still-possible-despite-company-seeking-discovery/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the parties might reach a settlement. On Aug. 14, however, [Ligado told](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.uscfc.48713/gov.uscourts.uscfc.48713.57.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the U.S. Court of Federal Claims that the case should proceed to discovery. Among other things, the company wanted to gather evidence of both federal and non-federal use of the L-band spectrum at issue. The government, for its part, wanted more briefing. The case could be significant for the rest of the industry, as it’s centered on whether an FCC spectrum license creates a property right that other agencies can’t seize without payment. Ligado did reach a settlement with Boeing last month. The satellite company would pay $32 million to settle the suit, in which Boeing was initially seeking more than $60 million in unpaid fees. *Update: This story was updated to add comment from Ligado* ### California Approves Nearly $32M for Infrastructure, Affordable Housing and Digital Skills URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-approves-nearly-32m-for-infrastructure-affordable-housing-and-digital-skills/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:55.000Z Aug. 24, 2026 – [The California Public Utilities Commission](https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-approves-nearly-32-million-to-expand-broadband-access?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) (CPUC) approved nearly $32 million in[ California Advanced Services Fund](https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/internet-and-phone/california-advanced-services-fund?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) grants to expand broadband infrastructure, provide free Internet service in affordable housing and support digital literacy programs across the state. The largest portion — up to $24 million — will fund three [Frontier California fiber projects](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fiber-projects-capture-most-of-18-2-million-california-broadband-investment/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) serving 590 currently unserved homes in Fresno, Merced, Plumas and Tulare counties, according to an Aug. 13 CPUC announcement. The projects include $14.8 million for a deployment serving 289 locations in Fresno and Merced counties, $3.45 million for 187 locations in Plumas County and $5.75 million for 114 locations in Tulare County. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) Another $595,911 will support broadband infrastructure at four affordable housing developments in Contra Costa, Madera, Merced and Santa Barbara counties. The projects will provide free broadband service to 315 residential units, with networks capable of at least 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload speeds. The CPUC also approved $7.26 million for 10 broadband adoption projects, including digital literacy programs expected to train more than 2,600 people and two statewide call centers intended to connect more than 29,000 households with affordable broadband service. “Closing the digital divide means more than building broadband,” [CPUC Commissioner **Christine Harada**](https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-approves-nearly-32-million-to-expand-broadband-access?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said in the announcement. “Californians need to be able to access it, afford it, and have the skills to use it.” The investments are part of California’s Broadband for All initiative and reflect[ a broader state strategy](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gigabit-competition-could-save-californians-1b-per-year-says-cpuc/) that combines broadband deployment with affordability and digital skills programs. The CPUC has also recently played a role in major developments affecting California’s telecommunications market, including its approval of [Charter’s $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox Communications.](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cpuc-approves-34-5-billion-charter-cox-merger/) The CPUC said the projects are intended to strengthen connectivity while expanding access to education, health care, employment opportunities, government services and public safety information. ### NTIA’s Top Spectrum Adviser Elevated to Principal Deputy URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntias-top-spectrum-adviser-elevated-to-principal-deputy/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:56.000Z WASHINGTON, August 24, 2026 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is elevating its top spectrum adviser, **Tricia Paoletta**, to the agency’s number-two political post as the U.S. prepares for a pivotal international spectrum conference. NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** announced Monday that Paoletta, who has served as the agency’s senior adviser for spectrum since February, will become principal deputy assistant secretary for communications and information, effectively Roth’s top senior political deputy. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) Roth framed the move as a strategic gain for U.S. spectrum leadership as it prepares for the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference, an important international conference that will likely set rules governing the global use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite resources. The event begins in October 2027 in Shanghai, China. In a [recent interview at the Network X conference](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVc5TafnJKM&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Paoletta said the “vast majority” of [WRC-27 agenda items](https://www.spectrum.gov/world-radiocommunication-conference?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) are satellite-related, making space and satellite communications a major focus of NTIA’s preparations. The United States’ strategic agenda focuses heavily on shaping international rules for a rapidly expanding satellite industry, opening up more spectrum for terrestrial 6G, expanding the regulatory framework for direct-to-device wireless connectivity, and protecting international spectrum management from restrictive geopolitical controls. NTIA has separately said it is working to build a coalition of foreign partners around U.S. positions at the conference, including on policies governing satellite connectivity. In this new role, Paoletta is expected to continue her work on NTIA’s spectrum policy agenda, both domestically and internationally, as the agency seeks to identify 500 megahertz of spectrum currently used by federal agencies for potential commercial auction by July 2029\. The mandate calls for NTIA to identify 200 megahertz within the first two years, followed by an additional 300 megahertz. NTIA is studying several bands, including portions of the 2.7 GHz, 4 GHz and 7 GHz bands, for potential reallocation, “Tricia has been a critical member of the NTIA team over the past several months, helping lead our work to advance America’s spectrum priorities and strengthen U.S. leadership in international telecommunications standards,” Roth said. Before joining NTIA, she was a partner at HWG focused on telecommunications, trade, and technology policy, and has previously served as director of telecommunications trade policy at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, a senior advisor at the Federal Communications Commission’s International Bureau, and a vice president of government relations at a digital infrastructure provider. Roth also announced the hiring of two new members of NTIA’s front office: **Reagan Harrison**, who will serve as senior adviser, and **Anna Weaver**, who will serve as special adviser for operations. Harrison joins NTIA from the Senate, where she served as legislative assistant to Sen. **Shelley Moore Capito**, [R-W.Va](http://r-w.va/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), covering a broad Commerce Committee portfolio including telecommunications and technology issues. She previously worked for Reps. **John Joyce**, R-Pa.; **Scott Fitzgerald**, R-Wis.; and **Andy Harris**, R-Md. Weaver previously worked on Capitol Hill as a staff assistant for the late Sen. **Lindsey Graham**, R-S.C. “I also welcome Reagan and Anna to NTIA, who will make great additions to the front office as we continue to move aggressively on the Trump Administration’s priorities,” Roth said. ### MontanaSky Deal Is Latest in String of Acquisitions for Vero Fiber URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/montanasky-deal-is-latest-in-string-of-acquisitions-for-vero-fiber/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:56.000Z August 24, 2026 – Two competitors that spent years building overlapping fiber in the same corner of Montana have been folded into a single organization. Vero Fiber announced last week [its plans](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vero-fiber-and-montanasky-unite-to-create-northwest-montanas-premier-fiber-broadband-provider-302854486.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to acquire Flathead Valley-based internet service provider MontanaSky. Vero had already absorbed a former Flathead Valley competitor, Montana Digital, in March 2025. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) “Building on the foundation we established with Montana Digital in early 2025, we're creating an organization with the scale, local expertise and financial strength to become the region’s leading locally operated fiber broadband provider,” **Sunita Krishna**, CEO of Vero Fiber, said [in the release](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vero-fiber-and-montanasky-unite-to-create-northwest-montanas-premier-fiber-broadband-provider-302854486.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). MontanaSky operated more than 240 route miles of fiber and 148 wireless access points as of 2022. Vero is not acquiring MontanaSky’s wireless assets. Under a separate agreement, MontanaSky took over service for MtnMax’s fixed-wireless customer base, effective Aug. 1, 2025\. The transaction has been executed by both parties and remains subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. The companies expect to close immediately following. ### *An acquisition strategy straight out of Zayo's playbook* For Boulder, Colorado, startup Vero, the move is the latest in an aggressive multi-year acquisition spree that has turned it into a rapidly consolidating national fiber platform. Vero Networks – legally VFN Holdings, Inc., and doing business under a rotating cast of names including Vero Fiber, Vero Broadband and its subsidiary Clearnetworx – was founded in 2017 by a group of former Zayo Group executives, including Zayo co-founder **Matt Erickson**. Zayo, one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure and fiber network providers in North America and Europe, was acquired by private equity in 2020 for roughly $14 billion, and Vero’s founding team has largely followed the same playbook: build a fiber backbone, then grow fast through acquisition. That strategy has accelerated sharply over the past 18 months. Vero acquired the aforementioned Montana Digital deal in March 2025, which added roughly 261 route miles of fiber and more than 1,500 customers in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Bigfork. It then acquired Central Oregon provider BendTel [in December 2025](https://www.verofiber.com/news/vero-fiber-signs-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-bendtel-bolstering-central-oregon-fiber-network?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), entered a merger agreement with century-old Mississippi carrier Telephone Electronics Corporation that [closed in April 2026](https://tec.com/newsroom/vero-fiber-completes-acquisition-of-telephone-electronics-corporation-tec-expanding-fiber-platform-across-the-southeast?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and finalized the purchase of Velocity Fiber, a four-state K-12 E-Rate specialist, [just this July](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vero-fiber-networks-finalizes-acquisition-of-velocity-fiber-accelerating-growth-in-k-12-e-rate-sector-302817089.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The [TEC deal alone extended](https://www.verofiber.com/news/vero-fiber-completes-acquisition-of-telephone-electronics-corporation-tec-expanding-fiber-platform-across-the-southeast?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Vero’s footprint from the western U.S. into the Southeast, adding a 4,500-mile fiber network and bringing the combined company’s reach to roughly 444,000 households. Vero’s buying spree has been fueled by a steady stream of institutional capital. The company raised $80 million in preferred equity in 2024 from Delta-v Capital and funds managed by Hamilton Lane, then expanded an existing credit facility to $240 million, with room to grow to $310 million, in February 2025. In February 2026, Vero closed a $500 million non-control growth equity investment led by Hamilton Lane, Braemont Capital and Delta-v Capital, explicitly earmarked to fund both organic buildout and “continuing strategic M&A across new and existing U.S. markets.” Delta-v partner **Rand Lewis** noted his firm has backed the Vero team going back to their Zayo days ### *Back in Montana, a local ISP gets a new owner* MontanaSky CEO **Ryan Bowman** framed the combination as a way to compete more effectively against incumbent providers, arguing it will mean “more choice, better service, and more competitive pricing” for customers. For MontanaSky customers the company says: “Current plans and pricing will stay the same initially. As the integration progresses, it may offer new plans with better value. In general, most customers will receive faster speeds at a reduced rate,” according to [an FAQ](https://www.montanasky.net/CoreConnect/MTNMAX/FAQ.tpl?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) about the transaction. MontanaSky has been a fixture of Northwest Montana’s internet landscape since 1993, when founder **Frederick Weber** launched what was then a dial-up service near Eureka. The company, which began major investments in fiber in 2011 and fixed-wireless in 2017, grew over three decades into a full-service local ISP across Flathead, Lake and Lincoln counties from offices in Kalispell and Libby. ### Carr Defends Satellite Licensing Order URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carr-defends-satellite-licensing-order/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:49:59.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2026 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman **Brendan Carr** defended the agency’s recent satellite licensing reforms from bipartisan lawmakers who wanted the plan dropped. The top lawmakers on the House Science Committee, which oversees space issues, had asked Carr last month to postpone the item. He did not, and the agency [adopted it unanimously](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-upper-c-band-plan-opening-160-mhz-for-wireless-auction/) on July 22. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) In July 31 [response letters](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424156A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) posted Aug. 18, Carr said the order gave space system applicants “greater predictability” and ensured agency actions remained “firmly within the scope of its statutory authority.” The order overhauled the FCC’s process for licensing satellite systems, with the goal of making the process faster and more standardized, and defaulting toward approval provided applications meet certain criteria. House Science Committee Chairman **Brian Babin**, R-Texas, and Ranking Member **Zoe Lofgren**, D-Calif., said in [a July 21 letter](https://republicans-science.house.gov/%5Fcache/files/3/7/37b4a947-3211-42c3-9509-b3a18a771744/75076DB415753884F909D6FD7780868E901E19197714061BEF28B6FAE9BA3080.house-science-space-and-technology-committee---july-21-2026-letter-to-fcc-chairman-carr.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the order exceeded the FCC’s authority on outer space issues. The lawmakers had sent [a similar letter](https://republicans-science.house.gov/%5Fcache/files/a/6/a668ae60-5b49-4c53-b8b7-6a1bdfd8ac34/742991E8C328C631D7315F22A966B3E5D88D5C804B3550CB284A72671EA5BD2A.house-science-committee---letter-to-fcc-chairman-carr.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in February, to which they received no response before last week's letter. “In the absence of responsive action, constructive dialogue, and a meaningful exchange of information on this matter, we must consider all appropriate legislative and oversight tools available to us,” they wrote in July. Babin and Lofgren took issue with the FCC proposing at the time to institute “space safety” requirements like collision mitigation procedures, which they said was outside the agency’s spectrum management remit. The adopted text still included those, some of which were mirrored by existing rules. Carr said that in response to the lawmakers’ letters, the agency took more pains to outline the scope of its authority in the adopted order. “The Commission’s public interest review of space-based applications is grounded in Congressional authority provided expressly in the Communications Act,” Carr wrote in July 31 response letters posted Aug. 18\. He added, “Further, since 2004, the Commission has found that it may adopt orbital debris rules, if ancillary to our spectrum management authorities, by protecting communications facilities in space.” Last month, former FCC Space Bureau Chief **Jay Schwarz** said the updated framework [was a response](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-hoping-new-satellite-licensing-regime-will-speed-large-applications/) to increasingly large constellations with shorter lifespans, as opposed to the longer lived bespoke units the agency had traditionally dealt with. He said the FCC had processed 52 percent of the backlog of satellite applications that existed at the beginning of 2025. Schwarz left the agency this month, and has since founded consulting firm Stratum Policy, according to his LinkedIn. ### CNET Names GFiber as Best ISP in 2026 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cnet-names-gfiber-as-best-isp-in-2026/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T13:12:20.000Z 💡 ■ Don’t Make ISPs Contribute to the USF, Conservative Groups Say ■ Trailing Moulton Has New Take on Polls Ahead of Sept. 1 Primary ■ DIRECTV Asks Supreme Court to Drop Nexstar’s Retrans-Related Antitrust Case ■ Arielle Roth: Spending $100K Per BEAD Location ‘An Abuse of Taxpayer Dollars’ ■ Sen. Deb Fischer Discusses Farm Bill and Rural Broadband ■ Verizon Assures Rappahannock County, Virginia, on POTS Cutoff ■ In the age of Zoom, Media Still Preoccupied by ‘Meetings,’ Even Canceled Ones ■ People: Blair Levin Leaving Policy Post at New Street Research ■ Former FCC Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz Forms Stratum Policy ISPs: GFiber topped CNET’s 2026 [rankings for best ](https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/best-internet-providers/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#toc-64584277-1cd3-4a2c-a82d-f6681c3dfff0)[Internet Service Provider](https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/best-internet-providers/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#toc-64584277-1cd3-4a2c-a82d-f6681c3dfff0), earning the highest scores for price transparency, value, and customer satisfaction. CNET said GFiber’s FCC broadband labels were easy to access and its flat, no‑contract pricing earned a perfect transparency score. The outlet found GFiber offered the strongest speed‑to‑price ratio among all ISPs tested and ranked third in customer satisfaction at 9.3 \[out of 10\]. “No other ISP we evaluated offers a better price for the speeds,” CNET writer **Trisha Jandoc** [said](https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/best-internet-providers/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#toc-64584277-1cd3-4a2c-a82d-f6681c3dfff0). ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bjah!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda76d601-1ece-428b-89c4-0c02666a2049_671x234.png) _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Chinese Humanoid Robots Smash Human Track and Field Records at Beijing Robot Games URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/chinese-humanoid-robots-smash-human-track-and-field-records-at-beijing-robot-games/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:00.000Z BEIJING, Aug. 22, 2026 (AP) — Chinese humanoid robots broke records set by humans, including beating **Usain Bolt's** 100-meter sprint world record, on the opening day of the Olympics-like World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday. More than 2,000 humanoid robots were participating in the event, the organizer said. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The five-day games, now in its second year, are a spectacle demonstrating China’s rapid progress in [advanced robotics](https://apnews.com/article/china-lunar-new-year-robots-beijing-60e9b09dbdb6b8f055184f5cbb301c5a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as the technology race with the U.S. heats up, with 51 events and more than 1,000 competitions taking place including running, table tennis and soccer. The games, which are taking place in the National Speed Skating Oval built for the 2022 Winter Olympics, opened the same week as Beijing held the [2026 World Robot Conference](https://apnews.com/article/china-robot-conference-951ebd3cddaccf5afcedc68174ba626a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), where companies showcased around 3,000 products, including humanoid robots. China [makes the majority of](https://apnews.com/article/china-humanoid-robots-ai-demand-7d542b5ee92caa9d79efa28de89afbbe?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the world's humanoid robots. The U.S. has stepped up scrutiny of robots from [the country](https://apnews.com/hub/china?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Last month, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission [announced a ban](https://apnews.com/article/china-us-humanoid-robots-ban-tech-c9f5e3c94d91d00eff3b61b141fab366?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots. The FCC cited national security reasons in a move that targeted China. The Pentagon recently also [added Unitree](https://apnews.com/author/didi-tang?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), one of China’s leading humanoid robot makers, to its list of companies that it deemed have ties with the Chinese military. Beijing has hit back at the accusations. At Saturday’s opening of the robot games, the organizer and robot makers said that Chinese humanoid robots defeated human world records, as hundreds of humanoid robots marched in formation onto the field in a massive display of synchronized coordination. At a 100-meter sprint, a humanoid robot achieved a result of 9.39 seconds, beating the human record of 9.58 seconds set by Jamaican athlete Bolt in 2009. In a standing high jump, a humanoid robot was able to reach 2.88 meters, well above the 0.95 meters best result by a humanoid in last year’s [first edition of the games](https://apnews.com/article/humanoid-robot-games-beijing-china-artificial-intelligence-f0bdd670fae9904aea2c4df398cdcb1a?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). It surpassed the human high jump record of 2.45 meters set by Cuba’s **Javier Sotomayor** in 1993. Both robots were from Beijing-based X-Humanoid. Before the opening, a humanoid robot from Chinese smartphone company Honor completed a 100-meter sprint in a record of 9.32 seconds during a trial of the games, the company said, at a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second. Still, [experts say](https://apnews.com/article/china-robots-unitree-ipo-shanghai-f33facc61122faf0c0b08af5020bd170?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) humanoid robots are still mostly used for demonstrations, performances and research — at least for now — and it will still take time to achieve mass real-world deployment. Some spectators at the robot games said they were excited about the humanoid robots’ quickly improving abilities. Humanoid robots are “evolving rapidly,” said **Li Yanfeng**, an education worker and a Beijing resident. “At first, I wasn’t very accepting of [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). I was even a bit resistant to it, because of the possibility that it might replace or displace humans,” she said. “But now that I see this development is unstoppable, I decided to come and take a look.” “These sports are perfectly normal for humans, but now robots can do them. I find it amazing,” said **Yang Shangzheng**, another spectator. **Liu Tao**, who was watching the games with his son, said that he was hoping to see “the best robots China currently has to offer.” This year’s robot games — which the organizer said has 16 countries participating, among them Germany, Japan and the U.S. — also include other events such as weightlifting and tug of war. *This article was written by Achmad Ibrahim and Chan Ho-him of the Associated Press. Ho-him reported from Hong Kong. Olivia Zhang and Liu Zheng contributed to this report from Beijing.* ### Schools are Starting to Teach AI Literacy. For Many, That Means Helping Kids See Chatbots' Flaws URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/schools-are-starting-to-teach-ai-literacy-for-many-that-means-helping-kids-see-chatbots-flaws/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:00.000Z NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 21, 2026 (AP) — Artificial intelligence chatbots have become the [bane of teachers](https://apnews.com/article/ai-cheating-school-chatgpt-4f89a552e9093ce2180471b4d4736675?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) everywhere, but to prepare for the new school year, a group of educators in Charleston, South Carolina, packed into a high school auditorium and talked about inviting AI into the classroom. The teachers and principals watched as an instructor prompted an AI tool to “create a map of the world.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The result drew gasps of disbelief and laughter. Projected on a large screen was a map riddled with bizarre [errors](https://apnews.com/article/ai-sycophancy-chatbots-science-study-8dc61e69278b661cab1e53d38b4173b6?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Mali was spelled “Mail.” Egypt was identified as “Sopth.” In place of Libya was something simply called “Africa.” Dozens of other countries' names were misspelled or written in pure gibberish. America250 / Telecom150 # Join Broadband Breakfast to Celebrate America250 / Telecom150! 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Paid passes DO NOT renew automatically. ​ “If you ever want kids not to over trust these tools, try the map demo,” said the instructor, **Amanda Bickerstaff**, founder and CEO of AI For Education, an organization that helps schools draft AI policies and train teachers and students in what she calls safe, ethical and effective use of the technology. After initially trying to ban AI use, a growing number of U.S. public schools are trying a new strategy: encouraging classroom experimentation, partly so students can see its shortcomings, including generative AI’s notorious tendency to “hallucinate,” or fabricate information. AI literacy has become a buzzword of this back-to-school season as educators try to strike a balance between equipping students with the skills they need for an AI-driven future while preventing them from outsourcing their thinking to chatbots. There is no single definition of what AI literacy means, or how it should be taught. Tech giants like OpenAI, Google and Anthropic offer schools training sessions in [how to use their AI tools](https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatgpt-teacher-chatbot-b1630bc549e9044d1e3bbcc060fb422c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). But for educators, there is a growing consensus that AI literacy is about more than learning how to use generative AI and write good prompts. “Good AI literacy,” said **Rebecca Winthrop**, director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, “includes knowing when not to use it.” ### *Some districts build their own approaches on AI literacy* Thirty-seven states have now published official AI guidance that schools can use as a blueprint. South Carolina is not one of them. So the state’s second-largest school district set out to do it on its own, said Lucas Clamp, deputy superintendent of the 50,000-student Charleston County School District. “It has been a huge endeavor.” A year ago, the district contacted AI for Education, which helped draft guidance for Chicago Public Schools, Houston and dozens of other districts. Phase 1 was laying the foundation. The district developed an AI policy, seeking input from teachers, students and parents. The district organized student focus groups and learned that student AI use was ubiquitous but unguided. Teachers and students said they were navigating the technology on their own and wanted clear rules and instruction. Studies show a majority of [teenagers](https://code.org/en-US/codeorg-is-now-codeai?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [teachers](https://news.gallup.com/poll/710534/teachers-receive-no-formal-guidance.aspx?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) nationwide are using AI for schoolwork, but they're teaching themselves how to use it; very few say they have a technical understanding or have received formal training on how it works. Schools and parents are eager to avoid mistakes made with [social media](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-survivor-parents-advocates-3c8b311d6c942e9a042924f45a33ae19?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), where kids were left to explore the online world without learning about addictive algorithms, comparison culture and other downsides that have been linked to a youth mental health crisis and dwindling attention spans. As the school year begins in Charleston, Phase 2 kicks in: training. Teachers and middle and high schoolers will get a mix of online and in-person instruction on how AI tools work and how to use them effectively. The student course walks through familiar scenarios — like asking a chatbot to help with a research paper — to show that generative AI might deliver wildly inaccurate information, including made-up studies, with unflinching authority. “Always verify any factual information you get from GenAI, especially for your classwork,” the course advises. A section on [data privacy](https://apnews.com/article/ai-school-chromebook-gaggle-goguardian-securly-25a3946727397951fd42324139aaf70f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) cautions against sharing personal information with AI tools because conversations can be stored, used for data training and potentially leaked. High school teacher **Ray Knauer** attended the summer training and left with “teachable moments” for his AP Research class. He plans to show examples of AI bias and hallucinations to fuel student discussions. “We’re all trying to figure this out right now: What’s the right balance so we don’t scare students away from AI but don’t encourage them to run to it,” Knauer said. “We have to teach students: You can’t just get an answer and move on. You have to use analytical skills and dig deeper.” ### *Some states offer top-down guidance on AI in classrooms* Utah was an early pioneer in taking a statewide approach to AI in education. In 2024, the board of education named **Matt Winters** as its AI education specialist, making Utah the first state to create a full-time position overseeing the technology in schools. Over the past year, Winters led AI training for over 7,000 teachers, almost a third of Utah’s public school instructors. He is helping districts shape AI policies, which they are required by state law to have in place by July 2027. “There is a clear method from the top in Utah,” said **Chris Agnew**, director of the Generative AI for Education Hub at Stanford University. “When you’re tackling big change, it’s easier to have coherence if everyone is singing from the same hymn book.” A handful of other states have since replicated Winters’ post, including Maine, West Virginia and Georgia. In other states, a patchwork of AI approaches has emerged, with variance from one school district to another. Extensive AI literacy training requires steep investment, raising concerns that kids in under-resourced districts might not get the same attention. In Utah, training starts with the basics of how AI works to teach an understanding of AI bias, hallucinations, ethical concerns and data privacy needs, Winters said. Teachers can then pursue additional training on specific tools. “If I had to give advice: Figure out how to make training accessible to everyone,” said **Emma Moss**, who oversees AI at the Canyons School District and also led an eight-person team that traveled the state doing over 150 AI literacy trainings. The training was funded by a $500,000 AI literacy grant from a local healthcare provider. “We said, ‘We will come to you.’ Whether you are in a rural area or urban, it didn’t matter.” The state has also played a key role in procuring AI tools, Winters said. He negotiated data privacy agreements along with discounted prices, which has allowed rural and under-resourced districts to get access. “Everyone needs to understand what this technology is and how it works,” said Winters, who cautions against blanket bans. “AI literacy is much larger than saying: ‘Don’t use AI.’ It’s about how we can prepare kids for the future.” Changing adult mindsets is also key, said **Kristina Yamada**, the state Board of Education's digital technology specialist. “I think teachers need to change their mentality about students using AI to cheat,” Yamada said. There has always been cheating, she said. It’s up to teachers to speak students’ language and convince them they can’t rely on AI for all the answers. For younger kids it means starting to talk about AI early, with conversations like, “People can lie. A program can lie. A robot can lie,” Yamada said. “For older students it’s different: ‘Sure, you can use ChatGPT to [write computer code](https://apnews.com/article/ai-vibe-coding-anthropic-assistants-09f35ccc7545ac92447a19565322f13d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). But when the program stops working, you need to be able to fix it.’” *This article was written by Jocelyn Gecker and Russ Bynum of the Associated Press.* ### Telecom Policy Analyst Blair Levin Leaving New Street Research URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom-policy-analyst-blair-levin-leaving-new-street-research/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:04.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2026 – Longtime telecom policy analyst **Blair Levin** is leaving New Street Research. Levin has been a policy advisor at the investment research firm for more than 10 years. He served at the Federal Communications Commission as chief of staff to then-Chairman **Reed Hundt** in the nineties and later led the agency’s National Broadband Plan in 2010. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) Levin typically takes a summer hiatus, and said [on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/blair-levin-a5a39321%5Fearlier-this-summer-i-posted-that-i-was-taking-share-7495564642228785152-JX6u/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that this time he would not be returning. “I have enjoyed my dozen years there, and I wish New Street well, but it has become clear to me that at this moment in time, I should move on,” he wrote. He said in an email Thursday that he would likely continue writing in the future, but didn’t say exactly what he would be doing. “What’s next for me? I’m not sure,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “I am in the process of figuring out how and where to continue to analyze issues at the intersection of politics, economics, and capital markets. But where and how are very much up in the air.” As for why he chose to leave New Street, Levin said in an email it was summed up [by the ending](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45392/ulysses?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#:~:text=Tho'%20much%20is,not%20to%20yield.) of **Alfred Tennyson**’s 1842 poem “Ulysses.” He said the reasons might become clearer when he finalized and announced his future plans. ### ISPs Want to Continue to Discontinue Copper Service URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/isps-want-to-continue-to-discontinue-copper-service/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:04.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2026 – Copper retirement efforts from major ISPs are continuing apace. In recent weeks AT&T, Fidium, and Verizon have each been asking the Federal Communications Commission to discontinue legacy services in areas across the U.S. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) Verizon recently requested permission to discontinue copper service at millions of passings in 17 states, while Fidium sought approval to discontinue service at hundreds of thousands of locations in eight states. Both companies’ networks counted only small fractions of those as subscribers, 4 percent at most. AT&T is also looking not to restore service in hundreds of areas after network damage and vandalism. Incumbent ISPs are eager to turn down their old copper networks, which are expensive to maintain and no longer provide competitive broadband speeds. The FCC and some state authorities regulate the retirement process, an effort to ensure rural areas aren’t left without access to essential services. Under FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, the agency has been trying to facilitate that retirement process and make it smoother for providers. The agency has waived filing requirements and made it easier to show that mobile coverage is an adequate replacement service. Consumer advocates have opposed the FCC’s efforts, fearing rural areas could be left with less reliable or nonexistent service. ### *AT&T* AT&T is asking the FCC for permission not to restore service in more than 600 areas in 16 states after they were damaged by copper thieves or equipment failure. Many of the areas only served one or two customer circuits, according to maps the company submitted on [Aug. 14](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110071375/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [July 28](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110060963/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “It does not make economic sense or serve the public interest for AT&T to spend its time and money to restore a portion of its legacy network serving relatively few customers in these areas, particularly when AT&T plans to retire the vast majority of its legacy copper network, including the facilities in these areas, within the next few years,” wrote AT&T attorney **Brett Farley**. The company said affected customers would have alternatives like mobile service and its own landline replacement, which can run on wireless or fiber networks. The company reached out to customers to tell them the service would be retired. On Aug. 9, the company said it officially stopped service in another batch of areas that the agency had let it discontinue after network damage. It [also asked](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072268/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to discontinue service in areas that would be affected by construction in the near future. AT&T has been particularly public with its copper retirement plans, and is trying to move quickly. On the wireless carrier’s earnings call last month, AT&T CEO **John Stankey** said the company had FCC approval to discontinue legacy services at more than 30 percent of its roughly 4,600 copper wire centers, which would become effective in late 2026. The company has approval to stop selling legacy services to new customers, known as grandfathering, at more than 85 percent of its wire centers. AT&T is asking the FCC to preempt California’s carrier of last resort rules, which have more stringent requirements for replacement services. The state and consumer advocates have opposed that effort, fearing wireless alternatives could be less reliable in an emergency. ### *Verizon* On Aug. 10, Verizon asked the FCC for permission to discontinue copper service in October for a swathe of its network across nine states. The network at issue could serve 12 million locations, Verizon said, but only 277,000 use the service. The carrier said voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service on its fiber network, mobile service, or its own landline replacement similar to AT&T’s would be an adequate substitute. That’s in addition to [a July application](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26109998545/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to shut down service at 4.5 million locations in eight other states in September. Just 140,000 of those homes and businesses subscribed to copper service, the company said. That application has received some pushback from [Nebraska](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069552/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [Minnesota](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069537/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)’s telecom regulators. They wanted more data verifying where Verizon had built fiber and where solid wireless service was available in the affected areas, fearing that coverage was overstated in the FCC’s broadband coverage map. Verizon attorney **Randy Clarke** insisted in an [Aug. 17 letter](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110071940/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the company wasn’t seeking approval to turn down every copper location in the eight states, only ones where an adequate replacement service was available. He wrote that the FCC’s map was accurate and had been relied on to grant other retirement requests in the past. The FCC was apparently not swayed by the states. The application was automatically approved Friday, since the agency did not request more information within 30 days after first taking comment on it. ### *Fidium* This month Fidium, formerly Consolidated Communications, [submitted applications](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28filers.name:%28%22Consolidated%20Communications%22%29%29&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to discontinue legacy service in parts of eight states. The company is looking to turn down more than 790,000 passings that only serve 500 customers. Most of the passings, more than 500,000, are in Maine and New Hampshire. The discontinuances would happen this fall from September through November. The company has been making similar requests over the course of the year. Fidium has been overbuilding its legacy copper footprint with fiber, and told the FCC that it would offer VoIP on that fiber network in the areas it’s looking to decommission. Customers could also switch to wireless mobile service, the company said. Fidium was taken private by Searchlight Capital in late 2024\. In a September 2025 interview, CEO **Guarnav Juneja** said the company had about 1.56 million fiber passings — about 60 percent of its copper footprint — and was planing to hit 2 million by the end of 2027. ### New York Municipal Broadband Awards See Scope Reductions URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-york-municipal-broadband-awards-see-scope-reductions/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:04.000Z August 21, 2026 – New York’s broadband projects funded by 2021 federal relief funds have undergone significant changes in both funding levels and planned reach since first announced. An [analysis](https://broadbandexpanded.com/posts/nymipahcp?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from the Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute, released Thursday, tracked 34 projects funded in part through the Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund. It found the grant revisions across projects have added about $38 million in funding, while the programs’ combined planned reach declined by roughly 34,000 locations. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) Nearly all of New York’s [$345.5 million federal Capital Projects Fund allocation](https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/capital-projects-fund/cpf-allocation-map/ny?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) was designated toward two broadband programs. The state earmarked $240.4 million for the Municipal Infrastructure Program (MIP), which provides grants to municipalities, nonprofits, municipal utilities and other eligible entities to build open and accessible broadband infrastructure; and $87.9 million for the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program (AHCP), which provides funding to internet service providers, infrastructure developers and other eligible entities to install or upgrade fiber and other broadband infrastructure serving affordable housing properties. The two programs address different parts of New York’s broadband infrastructure, but face the same [upcoming federal completion deadline](http://google.com/search?q=capital+projects+fund+deadline+broadband+breakfast&oq=capital+projects+fund+deadline+broadband+breakfast&gs%5Flcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORigATIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigAdIBCDUxMjRqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8) of Dec. 31, 2026\. Some projects have received or sought extensions that could extend the deadline to June 30, 2027. According to the ACLP analysis, fifteen of the 34 projects tracked now have lower planned reach than when they were first announced. MIP projects now collectively anticipate passing approximately 19,000 fewer locations than initially announced in early 2024, a reduction of about 15 percent. AHCP projects are expected to cover roughly 15,000 fewer households, representing a 44 percent reduction. ACLP calculated that funding per location within MIP increased from approximately $2,113 initially to $2,661 based on the latest figures, a 26 percent increase. For AHCP, the figure increased from $957 to $1,822 per household, a 91 percent increase. Individual projects show how substantially the figures can vary. In Oswego, for example, the planned number of locations declined from 10,792 to 2,319, while the grant increased from $26 million to $29.5 million. In Schoharie, funding increased from $30 million to $42.4 million, while planned locations increased more modestly, from 4,000 to 4,390. ### *Other projects have been cancelled or significantly reduced* ACLP records a $26 million award to the Central New York regional planning and development board as cancelled. The [planned 275-mile open access fiber network ](https://www.cnyrpdb.org/RFPs/CNYNET%20MIP%20Consulting%20Services%20-%20Design%20and%20Construction%20-pdf.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)would have served primarily Cayuga and Cortland counties. Meanwhile, a Franklin County project involving the Development Authority of the North Country was significantly reduced. When Gov. **Kathy Hochul** announced the $2.4 million award for the Franklin County/DANC project in July 2024, the plan called for 36 miles of open access fiber to reach about 1,600 locations. However, ACLP’s latest figures show a planned reach of just two locations. The report does not establish a single explanation for the revisions. It points to several factors that may have influenced project changes, including higher construction, labor, materials, right-of-way and pole-access costs. Project deadlines and natural expansion by private broadband providers are other considerations. ACLP, a research and policy institute based at New York Law School, highlighted difficulty in tracking these changes through New York’s public reporting. Project figures appear across board materials, fact sheets, performance reports and other documents rather than in a single, continuously updated record. The Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund provided $10 billion under the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act to states, territories, and Tribal governments for critical infrastructure projects, enabling remote work, education, and health monitoring ### Broadband Adoption Slipping, Researchers Warn Pennsylvania Lawmakers URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-adoption-slipping-researchers-warn-pennsylvania-lawmakers/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:08.000Z August 21, 2026 – Witnesses told a Pennsylvania House committee this week the state’s next broadband challenge will be keeping households connected. Broadband adoption has already slipped in Pennsylvania, they said, but the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill is about to make the problem substantially worse, with one witness estimating impacts of the OBBB could result in the loss of roughly 233,000 broadband connections among Pennsylvania households in the lowest income quintile. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The Pennsylvania House Communications & Technology Committee convened for [an information meeting](https://www.pahouse.com/InTheNews/NewsRelease/?id=144896&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Tuesday, drawing testimony from county and local officials, industry representatives, and two researchers who told lawmakers that Pennsylvania is unprepared for the onset affordability crisis. Pennsylvania’s wireline broadband subscription rate fell from 76.2 percent in 2022 to 75.5 percent in 2024, pushing the state from slightly above the national average adoption rate to below it. Some counties saw sharp drops, including Lackawanna County, which fell 9.6 percentage points over the same period. Reductions in federal health and food assistance stemming from OBBB stand to put additional pressure on that figure. Citing Congressional Budget Office estimates, one of the panel’s policy experts, **John Horrigan**, senior fellow for the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, said the poorest fifth of U.S. households stand to lose about $1,200 a year in resources because of reduced Medicaid and SNAP spending and the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies. He pointed to early evidence already emerging in Pennsylvania: SNAP enrollment down roughly 220,000 people, or 11 percent, between July 2025 and April 2026, and ACA enrollment down 431,000 as of July 1. By his own modeling, he estimated the law could cost Pennsylvania roughly 233,000 broadband connections among low-income households, a figure he cautioned may understate the true impact given other recent cost pressures such as rising gas prices. Horrigan urged lawmakers to consider state-mandated low-cost broadband tiers, similar to laws passed in New York and Connecticut, paired with continued investment in digital-skills programs. He pointed to research showing broadband subsidy programs tailored toward low-income households return roughly $2 in economic benefit for every $1 spent. ### *State lawmakers offered a broader policy prescription* Pennsylvania State University pioneers chair in telecommunications **Christopher Ali** called on lawmakers to fight harder to retain federal money that can be used for broadband and digital inclusion. Pennsylvania was originally allocated $1.16 billion through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, or BEAD. The state ultimately received federal approval in April for $711.3 million in BEAD grants. That leaves millions “hanging in the balance,” Ali said. He criticized Pennsylvania for not doing more to reclaim funding, including from the federal Digital Equity Act. Pennsylvania was in line for at least $65.2 million through the program, designed to support digital inclusion programs such as digital skills training, device access and assistance for people who struggle to use online services. That funding was canceled by the Trump administration in 2025, but [the issue remains unsettled](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-equity-suit-paused-until-new-funding-notice/), as the administration agreed to restore the competitive grant program without certain race provisions. “That’s over 450 million in dollars in federal funds that Pennsylvania should have access to, but is not fighting for. This inaction is denying Pennsylvania taxpayers money rightfully guaranteed to them, and I recommend the Commonwealth take a bolder approach to securing its rightful funds to support digital equity and inclusion,” he said. He specifically identified uses such as a last-mile drop program, fiber construction in communities currently served only by fixed wireless or satellite, a statewide low-income broadband subsidy, device-access programs, and technical support. He also offered a broader policy prescription, recommending the legislature eliminate the 2031 sunset on the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority, or PBDA. The PBDA’s responsibilities include developing Pennsylvania’s state broadband plan, its BEAD proposal and its Digital Equity Plan, as well as distributing federal and state broadband funds. Under current law, however, the authority is scheduled to close in 2031, or after its funding has been distributed. Ali argued that the PBDA shouldn’t simply be a temporary vehicle for distributing federal broadband money, and pointed to Minnesota, Vermont and Virginia as models of states with stronger broadband offices. Ali called for Pennsylvania lawmakers to remove state law barriers to municipal broadband, arguing that communities should have greater freedom to build and operate their own networks when private providers fail to adequately serve them. Pennsylvania is among 16 states that restrict or inhibit municipal broadband, Ali said. He argued that the restrictions limit competition and deny communities a greater role in determining how they are connected. Pennsylvania currently has just one municipal broadband provider, Home Net in Kutztown, which began offering service in 2002. The session convened in order to inform lawmakers about broadband affordability and access in Pennsylvania took place in Indiana County, one of Pennsylvania’s least connected counties, where 22 percent of locations lacked broadband as of 2024. ### FCC Won’t Hear AT&T-Duke Pole Case Right Away URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-wont-hear-at-t-duke-pole-case-right-away/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:09.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission won’t immediately resolve a pole attachment dispute between AT&T and Duke Energy. The agency said Thursday that the companies should instead assemble a panel of outside experts to arbitrate the disagreement, the resolution process their 1978 contract dictates. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [In an order](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424281A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the FCC’s enforcement bureau directed the companies to “begin the arbitration promptly” and file updates with the agency. The order put the case on hold until that process was over. “The arbitration panel will be better situated to determine what further procedures it wants to employ in arbitrating the dispute – and we note that nothing in the \[contract\]’s arbitration provision precludes the arbitrators from choosing to order the parties to file further pleadings like those required by the Commission’s rules, if they believe such procedures are appropriate,” wrote AT&T submitted [a complaint](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-files-complaint-against-duke-energy-over-pole-attachment-rates/) against the utility in June, arguing it paid millions more than it should have in pole attachment rental fees. The FCC caps those rates, and AT&T said Duke was charging multiple times the allowed rate on poles in the Carolinas. The wireless carrier [wanted to skip](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069538/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) arbitration and have the FCC strike down Duke’s rates — and order a refund of the allegedly excess fees for the last three years — right away. The agency said it was persuaded by [Duke’s argument](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/duke-energy-asks-fcc-to-stay-at-t-pole-rate-complaint-pending-arbitration/) that the companies’ 1978 contract required arbitration for any disputes related to contract terms, and the rental rates are set out in that contract. The FCC has a dedicated team for resolving pole attachment disputes quickly, which it calls the rapid broadband assessment team, or RBAT. RBAT reviews complaints and tries to get disputes resolved informally, or will place them on an accelerated complaint docket if no solutions can be agreed on. It was stood up in 2023 as a means to prevent pole attachment disagreements from preventing broadband deployment, partly because the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program is going to spur a rush of network builds. RBAT has resolved one case on its accelerated docket so far, finding the Appalachian Power Company was forcing Comcast to pay too much when poles had to be replaced to shoulder its gear. That dispute is still ongoing though, as Comcast [alleged last month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/comcast-files-new-pole-complaint-against-virginia-utility/) that APCo was still charging too much. APCo has until Aug. 24 to answer. ISPs and utilities often don’t see eye-to-eye on pole attachment issues, namely who should pay what when a pole needs to be replaced to accommodate new communications equipment. The FCC regulates the issue and says ISPs only have to pay extra costs beyond a normal replacement that their attachment requires. That only applies in the 27 states without their own laws, although the FCC has an open proceeding in which it’s scrutinizing those state rules. Interpreting the rules can apparently be difficult. The Comcast-APCo dispute is centered on differing interpretations of just how much of the cost of procuring and installing a stronger pole is attributable to Comcast. **Johannaes Maassen**, founder of telecom engineering firm Collaborative Synergy, said in a recent interview that it can be a legitimately difficult problem to solve, Power companies have pole replacement schedules that can be multiple years long, he said, and even a known problem pole might not be slated for replacement any time soon. That can lead to issues when an ISP wants to attach fiber to the pole, as the broadband provider doesn’t want to pay for a pole that was being replaced anyway and the utility doesn’t want to pull forward a replacement it hadn’t immediately budgeted for. He said he had seen situations where the ISP agreed to pay a fee to have pole prioritized, or where the provider opted to simply bury their fiber rather than pay exorbitant fees. **Allison Terry**, a strategy officer in the Colorado Broadband Office, said at Mountain Connect last week that ISPs should get federal permits for both aerial and underground fiber along a given route, in case pole negotiations fell through. ### Trump Keeps Embracing Data Centers Even as They Become Toxic in Midterm Races URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-keeps-embracing-data-centers-even-as-they-become-toxic-in-midterm-races/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:08.000Z WASHINGTON (AP) — President **Donald Trump**, speaking alongside cryptocurrency leaders at the White House this week, made a statement that Republican and Democratic candidates alike wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/BBLO-2026-0819-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) ***Watch the online course preview!** [See the Online Course Preview ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) “If I were the mayor of a town or the governor of a state, and I had a chance to get a big plant in, an AI plant or [a data center](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com),” Trump said, “I would absolutely want it because the jobs are enormous and the money paid, the taxes paid, are just enormous.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) It's not the kind of message anyone is using in competitive midterm races. The race to build data centers, which power artificial intelligence and cloud computing, has run aground amid frustration from voters who don't want to live near the massive warehouse campuses. Even the Senate Republicans' campaign arm warned that anger over data centers — some of which dwarf football stadiums and use more energy than small cities — could cost them a seat. Opposition stretches across the political spectrum because of fears that the behemoths will jack up electricity bills, drain people's water wells, create unhealthy amounts of air and noise pollution and forever change a community's character — all while getting lucrative tax breaks from states competing for their business. Trump has framed data centers as a necessary component of a top national and economic security priority: winning the AI race against China. However, he also has [acknowledged concern over rising electricity bills](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-data-centers-pledge-490ea7e4c7227d5e550b00a0056c33c9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), previously saying “it’s only fair” for the companies to shoulder their costs. He also suggested this week that data centers need “a little public relations help.” In recent months, he has [gotten tech giants to sign a voluntary pledge](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-data-centers-pledge-490ea7e4c7227d5e550b00a0056c33c9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to shield U.S. consumers from higher utility bills from data centers, even as he pushes to streamline the process for companies and utilities to build their own power plants. But building power plants doesn't happen overnight, and the immediate political reality for candidates across the country is far different. “It is yet another dimension in which the White House appears tone deaf — tone deaf at best and indifferent to the interest of other Republican candidates at worst,” said **James Henson**, the director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas, Austin, a nonpartisan research organization. ### *Republican committee issues warning over data centers in Ohio* Statewide candidates from Nevada to Pennsylvania, both Republican and Democratic, are [weaponizing data centers against their opponents](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-governors-pennsylvania-texas-shapiro-abbott-f96176c2bcb76cbe8e823ed79fbdf196?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and candidates who absorb those attacks are subsequently trying to distance themselves from them. In Ohio, a data center hot spot with closely contested races for governor and U.S. Senate, the National Republican Senatorial Committee warned in a memo Tuesday that Sen. **Jon Husted** is vulnerable to losing his seat because of the centers. Democratic nominee **Sherrod Brown** is airing attack ads against Husted that call him the “face of data centers in Ohio” as [people gather signatures](https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-data-centers-taxes-tech-ohio-4d56561a14f9b0d00553001e8c2757a3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for a statewide referendum to ban their construction. The Republican memo said it's been a “sleeper issue for the entire election cycle.” “Brown is using it because it works,” the NRSC said. “More than any other thing in this race, data centers are the anchor hanging around Husted’s neck. If he loses and data centers get the blame, politicians across the country will take notice — and they will not go near the next one.” The memo suggested voters may balk at Democratic candidates who want to stop data center construction altogether in favor of a Republican candidate who only wants data centers built if a community approves it in a local vote and it pays for its own power, water and other utilities. Most registered voters oppose building a data center in their area, according to a July [Fox News poll](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-cool-your-servers-voters-reject-data-centers?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Still, the issue falls behind other voter concerns, such as cost of living, as November looms. A [Quinnipiac Poll](https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3961&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) conducted in June asked voters what issues were important in deciding who to vote for in U.S. House elections, and about 4 in 10 mentioned AI data centers. ### *Trump’s statement already put to use in Nevada race* In Nevada, Democrat **Aaron Ford** quickly tied Trump’s statement to Republican Gov. **Joe Lombardo**, characterizing them as being in “lockstep on data centers.” In a statement, Ford said Trump and Lombardo are “Nevada data centers’ biggest cheerleaders” who “only care about catering to their ‘billionaire friends’ while Nevadans pay the price.” Ford this week unveiled a policy platform in which he said he would halt new state tax breaks for data centers — he estimated them at $200 million currently — while auditing existing projects to ensure they are delivering on promises. He also said he would ensure data centers pay for their electricity needs, do not deplete Nevada’s water supply and help local governments negotiate strong benefits agreements with developers. ### *Texas' governor changed course and got a jab from Trump* Texas Gov. **Greg Abbott**, who last November celebrated Google’s announcement of a $40 billion investment there by calling the state “the epicenter of AI development,” is under attack from his Democratic challenger, **Gina Hinojosa**, [over his pursuit of data center development](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-texas-ai-gina-hinojosa-abbott-3624f9a97e584c46d0ac65ca3870adcf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Abbott has since changed course by promising tougher action, such as removing the state’s sales tax exemption and holding up projects to review their energy usage. Trump criticized the shift, saying “I think it's a mistake” in a recent interview with Punchbowl News. Asked about Trump's support for data centers, Abbott's office said the governor's “top priority is to protect Texans’ safety and quality of life and ensure the integrity of our power grid and water supply.” “Simply put, Texans must come first,” Abbott's office said. ### *Data centers complicated Wisconsin governor race* While Trump embraces data centers, even some of his allies are using them for political attacks. U.S. Rep. **Tom Tiffany**, running for Wisconsin governor, released a TV ad this week branding his Democratic opponent as “Data Center **David Crowley**.” The ad includes a clip of Crowley saying Wisconsin could become the “AI and data hub not only for the entire country, but for the entire globe.” [Crowley](https://apnews.com/article/david-crowley-wisconsin-governor-democrat-socialist-b23fe75b1fb54f5c0c27379ed0693319?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) has said local communities must have veto authority while also calling data centers a part of the modern economy that could bring significant economic benefits to the state. Tiffany, who Trump has endorsed, has also said positive things about data centers. In January, Tiffany called data centers “exciting new technology,” in an interview with PBS Wisconsin. And last December, he voted for a [bipartisan bill](https://apnews.com/article/nepa-energy-projects-environmental-review-speed-02fcdd02031a03f85f6d066c42ecc906?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) known as the SPEED Act, which is designed to accelerate construction of new AI infrastructure projects like data centers. It hasn't passed the Senate. Neither Tiffany nor Crowley support a moratorium on new data center construction. Tiffany has called for repealing the state tax incentive for data centers, while Crowley has not. They both have called for stricter regulation. Crowley, at an event Wednesday where he received the endorsement of the environmental group Clean Wisconsin, downplayed the attacks Tiffany has made against his data center position. “He’s getting very good at saying one thing and doing something different,” Crowley said, pointing to Tiffany’s votes in support of the SPEED Act. “What Congressman Tom Tiffany’s doing is lying because he’s trying to run away from his record in Congress,” Crowley said. *This article was written by Jesse Bedayn, Marc Levy and Scott Bauer of the Associated Press.* ### Bhavin Gandecha: The Permitting Bills Won’t Fix What’s Actually Broken URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bhavin-gandecha-the-permitting-bills-wont-fix-whats-actually-broken/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T13:30:05.000Z Congress keeps treating broadband permitting delay as a speed problem. It isn't. It's a governance problem. The Senate Commerce Committee's July 2026 hearing on AI and communications networks produced a familiar consensus: permitting is slow, so Congress should pass one of the bills sitting in committee. Every witness agreed. However, nobody defined the threshold at which a delay stops being a nuisance and becomes a program-level failure requiring escalation. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The hearing didn't surface a new risk; it surfaced an old one that has never been bounded. The fix isn't another permitting bill. It's a pre-agreed threshold, set before the next delay or funding cut, that signals to industry and Congress when routine friction becomes a failure requiring escalation. ### *The default narrative, and what it misses* **Jonathan Spalter** of USTelecom called permitting "the biggest barrier" to AI-ready connectivity and asked Congress to pass three permitting bills. **Bob Everson** of Cisco named permitting modernization a top national policy priority. Commissioner **Dan Watermeier** of Nebraska described telecoms that abandoned BEAD projects after a reapplication cycle forced them to redo engineering work already paid for. Days before the hearing, one of those bills cleared Senate Commerce with industry praise. [Watch here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spvMu2LO%5FA8&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The narrative is directionally right and structurally incomplete. Passing a bill treats the symptom, elapsed time, without answering the question a program manager asks first: at what point does a delay stop being tolerable, and who decides? BEAD, a $42.5 billion program, absorbed a funding cut of roughly 74%, raised by Sen. **Lisa Blunt Rochester**, D-Del., only after it had already happened. No pre-agreed trigger existed to catch it in advance. Watermeier's story is the same failure on a smaller scale: telecoms sank engineering costs into applications that were turned back, with no threshold requiring review before rule changes hit applicants who had already committed resources. ### *The system logic* A threshold set before a crisis and one set during it are not the same instrument. The risk threshold is the exposure level above which risk must be actively addressed, derived from the organizational risk appetite during program definition, before the risk register is even opened. Appetite is first translated into a number, then risks are sorted against it as they appear. Reverse that order, and the threshold becomes a negotiating position, set by whoever has the most leverage in the moment. Hence, the optimistic bias is the risk of skipping the sequence. Teams neglect to evaluate risk in a structured way when no pre-agreed benchmark forces honesty about how bad a variance actually is. A 10% overrun and a 74% overrun are judged with the same improvised reasoning, because nothing was fixed beforehand to distinguish one as routine and the other as catastrophic. Governance exists to eliminate arbitrariness, and Nebraska's reapplication cycle is, by definition, arbitrariness. A faster permitting law doesn't fix this; it just moves the same ungoverned exposure faster. ### *Applying the fix* A threshold-first approach anchors the number to risk appetite rather than to the crisis. Before BEAD's funding was appropriated, Congress and NTIA needed to decide what variance the program could absorb before it stopped being the same program, perhaps 10% absorbed through state reallocation; anything beyond requiring congressional reauthorization first. From there, appetite becomes explicit rules set before rollout: short delays stay local, a funding change past 10% is rated high risk, and a change past 15 percent, far below the 74 percent that occurred, requires a phase gate review before implementation. The same logic applies to permitting: grandfathering plans already funded against retroactive rule changes would have prevented telecoms from sinking costs into applications later invalidated. Once these lines exist, identification becomes mechanical rather than political, caught by a rule instead of a senator noticing it months later. None of this makes the current bills wrong; they fix a real symptom, but neither creates a threshold mechanism that converts advocacy into governed process. ### *Why now* The governance gap isn't new. What's new is that AI's pace of investment makes it unaffordable to ignore. Hyperscalers are guiding toward roughly $650 billion in 2026 AI infrastructure capex, with global data center spending on track to reach $7 trillion by 2030\. That capital moves at software speed into a permitting and funding system still running at legislative speed. Scale the BEAD pattern to a $ 700 billion annual buildout, and the absence of a threshold becomes a systemic capital-allocation risk, not a rural inconvenience. There's a geostrategic clock, too: recent White House actions on AI security frame AI infrastructure as central to national readiness, yet neither those actions nor the bills in the Senate Commerce Committee define when a permitting delay becomes a national security lapse rather than a bureaucratic one. Congress keeps asking how to build faster. The harder question, the one nobody in that hearing room asked, is how much variance the system will tolerate before it demands an answer, set now, before the next crisis writes that answer for us. [***Bhavin Gandecha***](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/u/0a84d9c9?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ***designs home internet delivery systems that keep people connected during critical moments. With more than 20 years in broadband and over-the-top video, he simplifies complex infrastructure by working across gateways, apps, diagnostics, and cloud-connected experiences. He is also a senior member of IEEE. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Biden Judge Hands Round 1 to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in Dispute with Disney/ABC URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/biden-judge-hands-round-1-to-fcc-chairman-brendan-carr-in-dispute-with-disney-abc/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T12:41:52.000Z 💡 ■ Markey Stumbles over Easy AI Question in Final TV Debate with Moulton ■ Analyst Kampis Opposed to Making Big Tech Support USF ■ Senate Needs to Clear up Permitting Chaos, Analyst Karren Says ■ Wolfe Research’s Supino Takes a Fresh Look at Fox/Roku Financials ■ Carr Explains Goals of Space Modernization Order to House Lawmakers ■ GCI Expands 5G Service Across Southeast Alaska ■ Zayo Inks Strategic Supply Agreement with Corning ■ Michigan Signs Grant Contracts with 17 BEAD Award Winners Disney: Round One goes to FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr.** A federal judge in Washington has rejected Disney’s bid for an expedited hearing in its lawsuit challenging the FCC’s early license review of eight ABC stations. U.S. District Judge **Loren AliKhan** on Aug. 20 denied the company’s request to hold a hearing by Tuesday on its motion for a temporary restraining order, agreeing with the government that an urgent session was unnecessary. The ruling means Disney will proceed under the standard briefing schedule as it seeks to halt the FCC’s review. “We are pleased that the judge has now rejected Disney’s meritless attempt to rush into court,” an FCC spokesman said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![Image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!u-Yk!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0dcc7b-fc5a-4d1b-8598-29cc3c5a5cd2_511x361.png "Image") . U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, a Biden appointee confirmed by the Senate on Dec. 5, 2023, _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Economist Warns Data Center Interconnection Requests May Be Inflated URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/economist-warns-data-center-interconnection-requests-may-be-inflated/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:09.000Z August 20, 2026 – The queue of data center interconnection requests flooding U.S. utilities is not a reliable measure of real demand, according to one economist. Speaking on [a fireside chat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUOc0byZ6AY&t=17s&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at the Technology Policy Institute’s Aspen Forum, UC Berkeley energy economist **Severin Borenstein** said data center developers routinely file duplicate interconnection requests across multiple utility territories without intending to build all of them, angling to secure a spot wherever power becomes available first. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The result, he said, is queue data that utilities, grid operators, and regulators all know is inflated, but that gets treated in public debate as a straightforward preview of what’s coming. Borenstein drew a parallel to the late 1990s, when internet-driven electricity demand projections badly overshot reality because computing became far more efficient than expected – usage rose twentyfold while electricity consumption less than doubled. Last year’s brief market selloff following the DeepSeek announcement, when the Chinese AI lab announced it had built a competitive model using a fraction of the computing power assumed necessary, served as a reminder that even investors aren’t confident today’s AI demand forecasts will hold up, he said. That uncertainty is already reshaping how utilities do business with data center customers. Ohio regulators recently approved a settlement requiring large customers to commit to 12-year contracts before a utility will invest in new substations or transmission upgrades for them. Google was the first company to accept those terms, a move Borenstein said may pay off competitively. He noted companies with large balance sheets can absorb long-term commitment risk more easily than smaller developers can. Beyond the Ohio settlement, Borenstein noted that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has been pressing PJM specifically to get utilities signing long-term contracts before committing to add new capacity. He noted the environment has shifted quickly: Texas Gov. **Greg Abbott** went from courting data centers aggressively to [pausing new projects pending a review](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-governor-halts-data-center-grid-connections-pending-audit/). The state is considering more than 1,800 interconnection requests, seeking more than five times the grid’s current peak capacity. Regardless of how the interconnection queue numbers shake out, the equipment needed for utilities and regulators to build new capacity isn’t available at the scale required, Borenstein argued, making near-term demand impossible to accommodate Borenstein put the current pace in historical context, comparing it to two of the largest electricity demand surges in U.S. history: the rollout of residential air conditioning in the 1950s, and the aggressive nuclear power growth forecasts of the late 1960s. The growth in AI-driven demand now being seen, he said, exceeds both. Meanwhile, the effects on ratepayers are no longer theoretical. In PJM, the 11-state wholesale market covering the mid-Atlantic, a surge in cconcentrated demand has already pushed up wholesale energy and capacity prices. Borenstein estimated the impact at 2 to 3 cents per kilowatt-hour at the retail level, a 10 to 20 percent increase across states. Industrial customers may end up absorbing more of the pain than residential ratepayers, Borenstein said, because data centers typically connect directly at the transmission level and don’t pay into the cost of the distribution grid. That leaves other industrial users to shoulder a larger share of rising wholesale prices. ### Dish Wants Tower Claims Zeroed Out URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dish-wants-tower-claims-zeroed-out/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:12.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2026 – Dish Wireless is now looking to litigate its dispute with tower companies over canceled leases before it finalizes its bankruptcy plan. That would further push back the bankruptcy timeline, a bankruptcy judge said Wednesday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) U.S. Bankruptcy Judge **Christopher Lopez** said the confirmation hearing, where he would approve the bankruptcy plan, wouldn’t start until Dec. 2 if the tower claims were litigated beforehand, later than Dish had asked for. He said it could start Nov. 12 otherwise, still later than a schedule that was previously established in July. That’s far enough that bondholders of Dish DBS, another EchoStar subsidiary that filed for bankruptcy at the same time as Dish Wireless, might now want to separate the two processes. “There’s really no reason why, on the Dish DBS side, we could not proceed to confirm before and separate from the Dish Wireless confirmation process,” said **Dennis Dunn**, an attorney for the DBS bondholders. “It may be time to consider bifurcating the DBS and DW LLC plans.” He said his team would talk with Dish Wireless’s lawyers about the issue and would potentially ask Lopez for an earlier confirmation hearing for Dish DBS. The companies filed for bankruptcy on June 30\. The DBS bankruptcy is more straightforward, and was largely hammered out beforehand with creditors. The Dish Wireless bankruptcy has the biggest tower owners in the country (and others) accusing the company of trying to evade billions in legal penalties related to the retirement of its wireless network. Until Aug. 11, Dish Wireless wanted to litigate the exact amount of towers’ legal claims after the bankruptcy plan had been finalized and use estimates to judge the voting power towers would have over the final bankruptcy plan when it was put forward. Then the company changed course and [asked Lopez](https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumentsbydocket/?docketId=1241860&projectCode=PNY&docketNumber=906&source=DM) to toss the claims entirely, or definitely find they’re capped at 15 percent of what the towers are seeking, more than $7.5 billion in total. Dish attorneys said during a Tuesday hearing that they made the reversal because of a July 30 order from the Federal Communications Commission. The agency had previously required EchoStar to set aside $2.4 billion from spectrum sales to pay any potential damages owed to the 170 tower and infrastructure companies suing Dish. As part of some complicated pre-bankruptcy financial maneuvering, Dish Wireless actually owed Dish DBS debtholders $8.8 billion, and the companies [were planning](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/towers-worry-dish-bankruptcy-could-drain-escrow/) to have those debt holders draw on the FCC trust. The July 30 order said that wouldn’t fly, and that only outside parties that had helped build Dish’s nationwide wireless network could get paid out from the trust. With that being the case, Dish argued, the $2.4 billion might be enough to pay the towers and others what Dish says they’re owed, which never would have been the case with the $8.8 billion loan also in line, and thus the parties should resolve the dispute and eliminate the bankruptcy’s main sticking point. The tower companies were not pleased. In a [Monday filing](https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumentsbydocket/?docketId=1246542&projectCode=PNY&docketNumber=1092&source=DM), American Tower argued the request was a bad-faith “bait and switch” designed to make it easier for the bankruptcy plan to be approved. The $8.8 billion Dish DBS debtholders are owed would allow them to vote on the bankruptcy plan and potentially approve it over the objections of tower companies. But that might be found to be improper by Lopez, the towers argued, which would eliminate the voting power. In that case, the towers would be able to reject the plan. American Tower argued the effort to zero out or cap their claims low enough that the FCC trust could pay them in full was a “plan B” that would allow Dish Wireless to move forward with the bankruptcy in the event the intercompany claim is nixed. Creditors who get paid in full can't block a bankruptcy plan. A schedule hasn't yet been finalized. ### Governors' Races are Being Increasingly Buffeted by The Toxic Politics of Data Centers URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/governors-races-are-being-increasingly-buffeted-by-the-toxic-politics-of-data-centers/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:16.000Z HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 20, 2026 (AP) — More governors are shifting their stances or taking more steps to squeeze data centers as the midterm elections near and public opinion sours on the energy-hungry behemoths that tech giants and developers are building to fuel artificial intelligence products and cloud computing. SPONSORED [Learn more test ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [The backlash](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-artificial-intelligence-nimby-tech-21fa7b957664d5dca6788e35ab43b88e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the [massive](https://apnews.com/article/coal-electricity-artificial-intelligence-trump-power-energy-a3779aee7970dabded42d8d7b3ef3783?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) server warehouses is enveloping races for governor in some of the nation's biggest states and presidential battlegrounds. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. [**Josh Shapiro**](https://apnews.com/hub/josh-shapiro?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a Democrat, said his administration would no longer put data center projects at the head of the line when it comes to issuing construction permits or granting developers a lucrative tax exemption if they don't meet certain standards. Those include plans to pay the full cost of their electricity and show how they will use advanced technology to limit water use. They also must first win local approval before they can seek state approval. They are, he said, the “strictest guardrails in the nation,” although he stopped short of imposing a moratorium on issuing permits. Shapiro, considered a potential contender for the White House in 2028, is facing increasing pressure from his GOP opponent, [**Stacy Garrity**](https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-governor-stacy-garrity-election-josh-shapiro-e588e4fc326936c4a42344dae26844be?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), as communities across the state revolt against proposed data centers. At a news conference, Shapiro slammed what he called “predatory developers” trying to bully local officials and ram through dozens of projects in Pennsylvania — his administration said it counted reports of more than 100 — that likely will never be built because they don't have the financing, power supply or tech-sector clients to use the space. “These speculators are nevertheless scaring our communities, being aggressive with township officials, bullying our neighbors, our fellow Pennsylvanians, and refusing to listen to the people,” Shapiro said. “And they are threatening to fundamentally change the character of our communities.” In particular, he singled out developers aiming to build six campuses of about 50 server warehouses in tiny Archbald Borough that has spawned a community uprising, a lawsuit by one developer and motions by another to force the recusal of six of the town's seven council members. In a statement, Garrity said Shapiro “lit the fuse on the chaos we are seeing in community after community.” Meanwhile, in Texas, Democratic challenger **Gina Hinojosa** released a TV ad in rural markets Tuesday accusing Republican Gov. **Greg Abbott** of “selling you out” to data center executives and companies. The ad airs as Hinojosa, a state lawmaker, has aggressively looked [to exploit an undercurrent of discontent](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-texas-ai-gina-hinojosa-abbott-3624f9a97e584c46d0ac65ca3870adcf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in rural, Republican strongholds over data centers' perceived threat to rural life, ranchland and dwindling water supplies. ### *Challengers are capitalizing on growing discontent* At one time, both Shapiro and Abbott had been cheerleaders for data centers and actively sought to recruit them, with [Shapiro appearing with Amazon officials](https://apnews.com/article/amazon-data-center-nuclear-power-plant-pennsylvania-electricity-grid-31f705d035069279b70fa27a5dc71596?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to announce a $20 billion investment in Pennsylvania, and Abbott, likewise, appearing with Google execs to announce its $40 billion investment in Texas. But in recent weeks, Abbott ordered regulators to take steps to ensure Texans were not paying higher electricity bills because of data centers, even telling them to hold up data center projects until they complete their work. He also promised to push a legislative agenda next year to impose regulations on data centers, including taking away the state’s billion-dollar-plus-per-year tax break. For much of the past year, a growing number of data center projects have met rejection in local zoning or permitting board votes across the U.S., as [angry residents pack once-sleepy municipal meetings](https://apnews.com/article/data-centers-artificial-intelligence-nimby-tech-21fa7b957664d5dca6788e35ab43b88e?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Losing open space, farmland, forest or rural character is a big concern. So is the damage to quality of life, property values or health by on-site diesel generators kicking on or the constant hum of servers. Others worry that wells and aquifers could run dry or [electricity bills will skyrocket](https://apnews.com/article/2026-election-utility-bills-ai-data-centers-13703f61d1397612fd067e69b9093116?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Small, under-the-radar data centers have been around for decades. But the explosion of artificial intelligence chatbots has given rise to data centers that are larger than [anything just about any town has ever seen](https://apnews.com/article/meta-data-center-louisiana-power-costs-4ce76b73c102727d71edbbb56abe1388?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Some of them dwarf football stadiums and factories and use more energy than small cities. ### *States trying to tighten the screws on data centers* In some states, governors and lawmakers are trying to force data centers to pay for their own electricity supply, limit their water use, disclose more about their operations and do more to win community support. They are also chafing at the [rising tab for the sales tax exemption](https://apnews.com/fb9e6dbe61fbf03c467d1301f00bafb7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) most states offer data centers. In Arizona, Democratic Gov. [**Katie Hobbs**](https://apnews.com/hub/katie-hobbs?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), who is seeking reelection, got lawmakers to agree to slap a three-year moratorium on the state's sales tax exemption for data centers. Hobbs, who had voted to create the tax credits when she was a legislator, called it a “corporate handout.” New York Gov. [**Kathy Hochul**](https://apnews.com/hub/kathy-hochul?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a Democrat seeking reelection, ordered a one-year ban on large [data centers](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-environment-climate-footprint-a792f184a9f2833b5388dbae8b41ca95?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to give the state time to impose protections for the environment and its energy grid. Shapiro isn't the only potential 2028 White House hopeful to step up his criticism of data centers. Illinois Gov. [**JB Pritzker**](https://apnews.com/hub/j-b-pritzker?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a Democrat running for a third term, halted new sales tax exemptions for data centers there until lawmakers impose tougher standards on their operations. In Ohio, the Democratic and Republican nominees for governor — [Dr. **Amy Acton**](https://apnews.com/article/election-2026-governor-ohio-democrats-amy-acton-1c3c315b8534d3ac677fce3f77abca56?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and [**Vivek Ramaswamy**](https://apnews.com/article/ohio-primary-governor-ramaswamy-putsch-acton-c1701e873697a133f11d95a3fefdeaf5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) — in recent days each unveiled dueling data center policies that called for developers to meet tougher standards before being built. ### *Data center opposition isn't necessarily a golden ticket* In Wisconsin, the Democratic nominee for governor, **David Crowley**, [narrowly defeated](https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-primary-governor-hong-socialist-acd872f6cf113e741291b9b47f9d9111?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a challenger who made her call for a one-year moratorium on data center construction a centerpiece of her campaign. Crowley has taken a more nuanced approach, saying local communities must have veto authority, while also saying data centers are a part of the modern economy and could bring significant economic benefits to the state. His [Republican opponent](https://apnews.com/article/david-crowley-wisconsin-governor-democrat-socialist-b23fe75b1fb54f5c0c27379ed0693319?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), U.S. Rep. **Tom Tiffany**, has attacked Crowley on the issue, including a TV ad released this week where he calls him “Data Center David Crowley.” *This article was written by Marc Levy of the Associated Press.* ### FCC’s E-Rate Proposal Draws Early Pushback from Schools, Libraries URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-e-rate-proposal-draws-early-pushback-from-schools-libraries/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:16.000Z WASHINGTON, August 20, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission has put the future of the E-Rate program on the table. Schools and libraries are warning that they could pay the price. Schools and libraries wasted little time pushing back after the FCC opened [the public comment period](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/14/2026-16590/fcc-to-review-e-rate-program-to-ensure-congresss-vision?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on its sweeping E-Rate proposal Friday. The early filings show program-wide alarm from recipients who say the changes on the table could force staff cuts, strip cybersecurity protections, and hand Washington control over decisions that have long belonged to local school boards and library trustees. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The FCC voted to launch the rulemaking at [its open meeting June 25.](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-clears-e-rate-review-local-permit-shot-clock-proposal/) The proposal would examine new requirements for protecting children on E-Rate-funded networks, including potential screen-time limits, network-level filtering and parental opt-outs The proposal also asks more consequential questions – whether the FCC’s current interpretation of the federal children’s internet safety law is the best reading of the statute, whether E-Rate support should be limited to rural areas, or whether the roughly $2.5 billion annual subsidy should be eliminated altogether. The draft had circulated June 4, from Chairman **Brendan Carr**, who described the effort as aimed at “empowering parents and ensuring that our E-Rate program produces the great educational outcomes stakeholders have intended.” Early commenters told the FCC that the proposed changes would substantially reduce services and support for their schools and children, forcing them to cut back on staff, technology, instructional materials and student support. ### *Recipients outline stakes of potential funding cuts* Liberal R-II School District, a small rural district in southwest Missouri serving about 300 students, told the FCC that E-Rate funding helps cover the managed services that protect the district from cyberattacks, a cost the district said it could not otherwise absorb. “The cost of hiring our own IT personnel to fill that void would be a large expense,” Technology Director **Justin Johnson** wrote in [a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/filing/26110072269?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), warning that losing E-Rate funding “would cause our school to cut back on staff. We are already a very small school, so we do not have extra staff members to cut.” Anthony Wayne Local Schools in Ohio, a K-12 district of roughly 4,000 students, told the FCC it has cycled in and out of fiscal emergency in recent years and that losing E-Rate “would create serious, negative, consequences” reaching well beyond internet access. Technology Director **Chris Hamady** wrote in [a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072264/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the district is in the middle of replacing network cabling dating to the 1990s, and that failing to secure E-Rate funding would seriously impair its ability to modernize infrastructure. Waynedale Local School District, also in Ohio, framed E-Rate as foundational. Superintendent **Jon Ritchie** wrote in [a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110072008/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the program underwrites everything from cybersecurity and emergency notification systems to the state’s regional Instructional Technology Centers, which he said make technology affordable for small, rural, and economically disadvantaged districts that could not otherwise access these resources on their own. Massanutten Regional Library, which serves a mixed urban-rural population of roughly 162,000 across seven branches in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, said E-Rate covers 80 to 90 percent of its connectivity budget – nearly $200,000 since fiscal year 2021\. Trustee and Treasurer **Derek Hess** told the FCC that a reduction or elimination of that funding would likely force the library system to “eliminate positions and reduce or delay library services or projects.” Hess also cautioned that because local governments would simultaneously be absorbing E-Rate losses at area schools, “we could see systemwide funding reduced as well.” ### *CIPA provisions draw sharp objections* In [a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/filing/26110072197?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the docket, psychologist **Rebecca Price Martin** called the FCC’s proposal to condition E-Rate funding on screen-time limits, network-level filtering, and mandatory parental opt-outs “an unprecedented federal overreach.” She argued that Congress, in writing CIPA, explicitly left the determination of what content is inappropriate for minors to local school and library authorities, “recognizing that a centralized federal mandate is ill-equipped to govern local institutions.” “By attempting to regulate the hours a student or patron can use a network,” Martin wrote, the FCC “departs from its historical role as a telecommunications regulator and assumes the position of a national school board, eroding the vital principle of local governance.” Martin was blunt about what she sees at stake: “The strings attached to E-Rate funding have become nooses which strangle freedoms for recipients of services.” School and library groups successfully pushed to extend the comment period. With nearly two months remaining before the Oct. 13 initial deadline, the filings so far suggest that E-Rate recipients are pushing back on the potential loss of funding and the prospect of new federal requirements tied to receiving it. ### Charter Closes Cox Acquisition URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-closes-cox-acquisition/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:16.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2026 – Charter closed its $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox communications Thursday, creating the largest cable ISP in the country. The combined company, which will go by Cox Communications but use Charter’s Spectrum branding, will have more than 35 million broadband subscribers and more than 70 million passings. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) That’s based on Charter's public filings and Cox figures that the companies disclosed in May 2025 when the deal was announced. A Charter spokesperson declined to share updated numbers Thursday. On a call with reporters, Charter CEO **Chris Winfrey** said the company would offer a free mobile line for one year to existing Cox customers. Charter should start offering its products and pricing plans in the Cox footprint in mid to late September, Winfrey said. Bundling fixed and mobile broadband is [an important part](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-down-172-000-broadband-subs/) of Charter’s plans to mitigate broadband subscriber losses. Cox did have a mobile service, but it had very few subscribers, leaving the footprint ripe for Charter to start increasing bundles with the free line promotion. “They’ve not had the benefit of the pricing that we have and some of the capabilities we have in mobile,” Winfrey said. “I think that will act as an accelerant for internet there.” He said video services were underpenetrated in the Cox footprint too, which should also help. Charter has mitigated what were once huge video subscriber losses with a pay-TV and streaming app. Winfrey said the margins on that weren’t great because of programming costs, but the company is still hoping it will help retain customers that subscribe to it. Charter is planning to switch to the Cox name within one year. As part of the merger, Cox’s former parent company, Cox Enterprises, owns about 26 percent of Charter, the company said in a release. Charter also closed its deal with Liberty Broadband Thursday. Charter bought back its stock that Liberty already owned, also about 26 percent of the company, and took on about $1 billion of Liberty’s debt. Liberty spun off its Alaska-based ISP GCI into a separate company as part of the deal. Cox Enterprises CEO **Alex Taylor** will become chairman of Charter’s board, the companies said. Cox Enterprises also appointed two of its board members to Charter’s 13-person board. The combined company will keep its Stamford, Conn. headquarters, but Winfrey said it would maintain “a significant presence” in Atlanta, where Cox was based. ### *California, network upgrades* Winfrey said Charter was launching a new sports network in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, which will air LA Dodgers games. The California Public Utilities Commission was the last regulatory body to approve the Charter-Cox deal, and the companies were able to combine just a week after the agency unanimously [voted to allow](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cpuc-approves-34-5-billion-charter-cox-merger/) the merger. The agency imposed a suite of conditions on the deal, like spending $275 million on network upgrades and making a $20 plan available to low-income households. Asked about network upgrades in Cox’s footprint, Winfrey said Carter was “not in a rush” to upgrade the company’s infrastructure. He said Cox was “pretty far along” in mid-split upgrades and had done some faster high-split upgrades. Mid-split cable technology can get upload speeds of 300 megabits per second (Mbps) and gigabit download speeds, which he said was more than serviceable for current use cases. “Most of the Cox modems in the marketplace today are set at mid-split,” Winfrey explained. “So, to the extent you went and did high-split in Cox, it would really be for new modems for new customers on the increment.” He said the company would finish high-split upgrades in its Charter footprint next year. ### *Layoffs?* Asked whether there would be layoffs as a result of the merger, Winfrey said they would be minimal. “Of course there will be reduction of the same type of titles and overhead, but that’s a de minimis part of the overall company,” he said. “There will be some of that as a natural part of the transaction, but it’s not going to be affecting the front line. If anything, we’re investing in service and sales.” He said there weren’t plans to cut pay or hours for local technical and sales teams. He said there also weren’t concrete plans around call centers, but noted the company committed to bring Cox’s offshore call center work to the U.S. as a condition of federal approval of the deal. Earlier this summer Charter laid off network [operations teams](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-to-let-go-of-112-spectrum-employees-in-texas/) in Missouri and Texas, shedding about 200 jobs. In March, the company closed a 300-person [call center](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-closing-appleton-wis-call-center-in-may/) in Wisconsin. ### Broadband Breakfast Course Traces 150 Years of American Telecommunications URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-course-traces-150-years-of-american-telecommunications/ Last updated: 2026-09-22T20:32:47.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2026 - Broadband Breakfast will begin releasing "[150 Years of American Telecommunications](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/)," an online course spanning six sections and 35 lessons, on Monday, with new lessons rolling out weekly. **Drew Clark**, CEO of Broadband Breakfast, previewed the course Wednesday during a solo Broadband Breakfast Live Online session. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) "History is the way we learn things," Clark said. "There's an incredible richness and a depth from going through and looking at the historical events that frame the world we live in today." The timing is deliberate. "We are this year celebrating 250 years of American independence and, of course, 150 years of American telecommunications, because those anniversaries coincide, which is kind of amazing," Clark said. **Alexander Graham Bell** patented the telephone in March 1876. ### *Section A: An American Invention and an American Telecom Network* The opening section covers the telephone and the telegraph. Lesson 1 examines Bell's invention and the rival claims that produced what Clark called American patent lore: The race to the patent office. Lesson 2 turns to how the two networks diverged in practice. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/09/gilbert-banner-no-words-jpg-2.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) [***Sign Up for FREE for Section A of '150 Years of American Telecommunications'**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course/#bbb-offer) [Sign up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150/#bbb-offer) "The inventors thought the telephone would follow the telegraph and be a business-to-business type of thing," Clark said. "But it wasn't. It was an invention that consumers gravitated towards." Lesson 3 contrasts the American approach with the postal, telegraph and telephone administrations that ran service elsewhere. "What was different was it was a government monopoly in other countries," Clark said. A final lesson in this first free section, Section A, covers the origins of wireless and **Guglielmo Marconi**. ### *Section B: The New Deal for American Communications* Section B is about broadcasting, and it is dominated by an unexpected figure. **Herbert Hoover** served as secretary of commerce under **Warren Harding** and **Calvin Coolidge** before winning the presidency. "He was such an active guy that people called him the secretary of commerce and undersecretary of everything else," Clark said. The lesson traces the licensing controversies and court decisions that preceded the Radio Act of 1927, a history that bears directly on current litigation over agency independence. "Look at the congressional language and intent of the Federal Radio Act, and you see very clearly that it was designed to be a multiparty entity, and that was specifically to not give all the power to one man, namely Herbert Hoover," Clark said. Later lessons cover the fairness doctrine and public media, the Rural Electrification Act, and the distinct culture of American broadcast television. On the First Amendment questions raised at the radio conferences of the 1920s, Clark was blunt: "Broadcast then and still has lesser First Amendment protections than non-broadcast." ### *Section C: Early Cable, Wireless and Satellite* The third section covers the pre-internet era, and Clark suggested it holds the thread running through the whole course. "Maybe if there is a theme of all of this, it's where and how are these modes of communications going to be governed and regulated," he said. Cable began as community antenna television in mountain hollows and remote areas that could not receive broadcast signals. The lesson works through what Clark described as "documenting how on earth the Federal Communications Commission even got its fingers on this technology," given that cable appeared nowhere in Titles I, II or III of the Communications Act. Other lessons cover the satellite race triggered by Sputnik in 1957, the origins of 911, the FCC's computer inquiries into information services, and the AT&T divestiture that ran from the Justice Department's 1974 case to the Jan. 1, 1984, breakup into seven regional companies. The section closes on early cellular and **Marty Cooper**, and on a lost opportunity, namely, “how we could have had the cell phone, I'd say at least two decades before we did, but how FCC controversies, regulations and lobbying led to a curtailment of that," Clark said. ### *Section D: The Internet* Section D runs from the first transmissions in 1969 through the Communications Decency Act and *Reno v. ACLU*. The lesson on TCP/IP, the protocol developed by **Vint Cerf** and **Bob Kahn**, focuses on interoperability. Separate Defense Department projects mirrored wireline, wireless and satellite networks, and none could talk to each other. "One aspect of TCP/IP was facilitating the communications from a satellite network to a wired network, or from a wireless network to one of the others," Clark said. The World Wide Web, invented by **Tim Berners-Lee** at CERN in Switzerland, gets its own lesson, including its early competition with the University of Minnesota's Gopher protocol. Other lessons cover the 1992 Cable Act, the 1994 privatization of the National Science Foundation network, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the Netscape initial public offering of August 1995, which Clark called "the beginnings of that kind of power that Silicon Valley has over everything in our telecom and communications networks." He reserved particular weight for the administration of President **Bill Clinton** and Vice President **Al Gore**, which "merits this over anyone else before or since" for putting in place "both the things they did and the things they didn't do that created the world we're living in." ### *Section E: Internet Aftershocks* The five lessons in Section E depart from the format of the rest of the course. "These five are a little bit more cross-cutting," Clark said, covering copyright, privacy, cybersecurity, antitrust and the social history of the internet across the three decades since 1996. Copyright is treated as a live controversy. "We're seeing a new upswing in the controversy over copyright as it relates to AI," Clark said, pointing to both training data and continuing access for inference. Privacy is largely a story of laws never passed, with rules from Europe and California filling the gap. The antitrust lesson runs from the Microsoft case of the late 1990s to the recent cases against Google, Meta, Apple and Amazon. On cybersecurity, Clark offered a forecast. "Thirty years ago, cybersecurity was much more a matter of statecraft, and it still is, but it's increasingly a matter of everyday connections," he said. "I think it's only going to get worse." ### *Section F: Broadband and AI* The closing section carries nine lessons and moves from universal service to artificial intelligence. The term universal service was coined by **Theodore Vail** at AT&T and became shorthand for cross-subsidizing rural rates with urban ones, a model the breakup dismantled. The lesson follows the Universal Service Fund into today's funding fights. Others cover the transition from dial-up to fiber, wireless internet service providers, and municipal networks and electric cooperatives. Clark linked the last of those back to Section B, noting that most municipal networks grew out of cities that ran their own electricity. Clark noted President **Franklin D. Roosevelt**'s framing of the threat public power posed to private providers as the “woodshed” that investor-owned utilities would face when they failed to serve rural citizens. Clark also discussed Wireless Internet Service Provider “cowboys.” "I have a lot of admiration for the way WISPs just go out there and build in these rural areas," Clark said. "I've lived in rural areas where the only service available was through WISPs." The final lessons address Moore's law and the rise of CPUs and GPUs, social networks and **Mark Zuckerberg**, low-Earth orbit satellites, internet exchange points and data centers, and the role communications networks play in AI. Of **Elon Musk** and SpaceX President **Gwynne Shotwell**, Clark said, "It is shocking, stunning, impressive what that team has done in flooding the low-Earth orbit with satellites." On data centers: "Energy is now the big fight." Asked by an online questioner whether quantum computing would be included, Clark demurred. "It's not part of the history yet," he said. "It hasn't earned its place." ### *How to enroll* Section A is available, for free, for all who sign up. Sections B through F – 31 lessons, in total – are available for $150\. This includes three months of access to Broadband Breakfast News, and access to the livestream for the Oct. 1 conference in Washington, ["250 Years of American Independence and 150 Years of American Telecommunications."](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) Current Breakfast Club Members receive the course (and the livestream) at no additional cost. Participants who complete it will receive a certificate. ### FTC Proposal Would Require Retailers to be Transparent About Personalized Pricing URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ftc-proposal-would-require-retailers-to-be-transparent-about-personalized-pricing/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:17.000Z August 20, 2026 (AP) – Companies that secretly vary prices based on how much they think individual customers will pay could face federal charges under a proposed policy released Wednesday by the [Federal Trade Commission](https://apnews.com/hub/federal-trade-commission?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “When consumers see a listed price, they expect it to be (the) same price that everyone else sees, not the retailer’s estimate of how much they are willing to pay based on their personal data,” FTC Chairman [**Andrew Ferguson**](https://apnews.com/article/andrew-ferguson-federal-trade-commission-trump-khan-695d34974cb09387e0c3ec6757754eac?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said in a statement. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The FTC has had its eye on personalized pricing [for several years](https://apnews.com/article/ftc-surveillance-pricing-inquiry-d264f45fa586d9de6e35f932993b577f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). In a preliminary report filed in January 2025, the agency found that grocers, clothing companies and others were using third-party companies to help them individualize online prices based on shoppers' locations, browsing histories and other factors, including how long they left items in their virtual shopping carts. In one hypothetical example, the FTC said a consumer profiled as a new parent might be shown higher-priced baby thermometers on the first page of their search results. Ferguson said the FTC doesn't have the legal authority to ban personalized pricing in all circumstances. But under the proposed policy, businesses would have to “clearly and conspicuously disclose” if they are engaging in personalized pricing and share the types of data they're using to set those prices. The proposed policy states that companies engaged in personalized pricing without revealing the practice and the data behind it could violate the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive practices in the marketplace. The FTC is seeking comment on the policy for 30 days. Several retail trade groups didn't comment directly on the FTC's proposal Wednesday. The National Retail Federation, which represents big companies like Walmart, Target and Macy's as well as smaller stores, said retailers want to continue to offer incentives like [loyalty and rewards programs](https://apnews.com/article/paid-loyalty-memberships-chuck-echeese-target-walmart-a85e0aa7c6400fa1a7b0cc97de77fc63?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which collect personal data and provide offers tailored to individuals. “NRF has and will continue to aggressively advocate to protect these programs that deliver timely savings and personalized offers that are relevant to each shopper's interests,” said **David French**, NRF's executive vice president of government relations. FMI, a trade group for the U.S. grocery industry, said Wednesday it was reviewing the proposal and didn’t have immediate comment. But in a letter FMI sent to U.S. senators this month after a subcommittee hearing on personalized pricing, FMI also said it hoped to preserve shopper loyalty programs. In the letter, FMI also noted that electronic shelf labels, which are becoming [increasingly common](https://apnews.com/article/electronic-shelf-labels-supermarket-prices-digital-132ef73fbbe2eb13a8c724b55fb458d1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at grocers and retailers like Walmart, don't automatically change prices based on individual shoppers. The Retail Industry Leaders Association, a trade group that represents Best Buy, Home Depot, Dollar General and 200 other retailers, didn't comment on the new proposal Wednesday but cited its own letter sent to U.S. senators earlier this month. In the letter, the association said retailers don't use consumers' personal data to increase prices because that would jeopardize [customer loyalty](https://apnews.com/article/dunkin-sephora-starbucks-birthday-reward-72016abf73305931efd82f2a05c32dfa?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “As shoppers demonstrate an increased willingness to seek out lower prices, competition among retailers intensifies to meet customers' needs, creating a strong and continuous incentive for retailers to offer attractive prices, discounts and value,” the letter said. The FTC's action comes amid consumer unease about pricing tactics. [Wendy's](https://apnews.com/article/wendys-surge-pricing-uber-restaurants-d629b8dae1c375dee146fe9de8bbfe71?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) faced a backlash in 2024 after it said it was considering charging more for its menu items during peak times. [Uber](https://apnews.com/article/3203ea475ebf4c268027fe89c74b4f15?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and Lyft have also been in lawmakers' crosshairs for their surge-pricing practices. Several states, including Maryland, Connecticut and New Jersey, have already passed laws prohibiting personalized pricing at grocery stores. California and New York are also considering legislation that would ban personalized pricing. New Jersey also placed a one-year moratorium on new electronic shelf labels despite retailers' assurances that the labels aren't used for personalized pricing and can actually help consumers by, say, automatically lowering prices for foods that are about to expire. The consumer advocacy organization Consumer Reports said Wednesday that the FTC's proposal was encouraging but might still require consumers to read detailed disclosures on pricing while shopping online. The group said the FTC and Congress should instead follow the states' lead and ban companies from using customer data to personalize prices in the first place. *This article was written by Dee-Ann Durbin of the Associated Press.* ### Zayo Reaches Fiber Reserve Deal with Corning URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/zayo-reaches-fiber-reserve-deal-with-corning/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:17.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2026 – Zayo has reached a deal with Corning to secure “a significant portion” of the fiber Zayo projects it will need through the rest of the decade. The companies declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal, which they [announced Thursday](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260820853007/en/Zayo-Stays-Ahead-of-AI-Infrastructure-Demand-Through-Long-Term-Fiber-Supply-Agreement-with-Corning?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) Zayo is planning to deploy 15,000 new route miles of fiber by 2030, including 8,000 miles as part of a [deal with Nvidia](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/zayo-nvidia-team-up-to-expand-fiber-for-ai-traffic/). The company provides fiber connectivity to enterprises, increasingly AI companies and data centers. “AI infrastructure is putting unprecedented pressure on one of the physical inputs required to scale it: fiber,” the companies said in a release. “Securing fiber optic cable supply now gives Zayo greater flexibility to scale as demand evolves.” ISPs large and small have also noticed AI companies’ insatiable demand for fiber driving up costs and putting pressure on supply. Rural providers that won funding under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program are [still finding](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-working-on-bead-project-costs-permits/) gear more expensive than expected, and AT&T and Lumen executives [said this week](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-buildout-worsening-supply-costs-permit-worries-isps-say/) they were seeing “skyrocketing” supply chain costs. Corning and other U.S. fiber manufacturers have assured the Commerce Department that they’ll have enough supply to meet BEAD demand despite the AI frenzy. **Bob Whitman**, Corning’s vice president of market development, said at Mountain Connect last week the company was [staggering fiber shipments](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/how-corning-is-making-fiber-available-for-bead-winners/) to BEAD winners to align with deployment timelines rather than fulfilling bulk orders. That’s an effort to make sure BEAD builds can happen on time while keeping up with demand from hyperscalers. A Corning spokesperson said the Zayo deal would not affect fiber availability for BEAD winners. “We understand where demand is moving, and we’re putting the physical inputs in place now to build ahead of it,” Zayo CEO **Steve Smith** said in a statement. “Deepening our relationship with Corning gives us greater confidence that material availability won’t stand between customer demand and the infrastructure required to deliver it.” Zayo says its North American fiber network spans 224,000 route miles. That includes the 90,000 route miles the company acquired from Crown Castle for $8.5 billion earlier this year. Smith will step down as CEO on Sept. 1, when **Sowmyanarayan Sampath** will take his place. He has led the company for nearly six years. Sampath previously spent more than 11 years at Verizon, where he most recently led the wireless carrier's consumer group. ### FCC Chairman Carr Protects Radio Jobs as Cumulus Media’s Reorganization Gains Agency Approval URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-chairman-carr-protects-radio-jobs-as-cumulus-medias-reorganization-gains-agency-approval/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T13:00:30.000Z 💡 ****■** FTC Looking at Business Disclosure of Surveillance Pricing ****■** **Boston Globe* Endorses Moulton over Markey in Democratic Senate Primary ■ Goldman Sachs Report Targets Risks to Space-Based Communications ****■** Left-Wing Group Launches Smear Campaign against FCC Nominee Danielle Thumann Severs ■ Mediacom Unveils ‘Mediacom Local’ as New Community News Network ■ SHLB’s Wender Encouraged by Commentary in CRS E-Rate Review ****■** Report: Cyber Attacks on U.S. Water Systems Could Be Opening Salvo ■ Breaking: Charter Wraps Up Acquisition of Cox Communications and Liberty Broadband ■ Will MS NOW Liberals Pay $7.99/Mo. for Eye-Rolling Lessons from Rachel Maddow? **Jobs: Cumulus Media Inc.** says it will maintain its current newsroom staffing levels for at least two years as the company wraps up the Chapter 11 process following FCC approval of its reorganization on Aug. 19\. In a recent letter to **FCC Chairman Brendan Carr**, **President and CEO Mary G. Berner** said the jobs commitment was part of a broader plan to strengthen the radio station company’s ability to serve local audiences. [FCC Commitment Letter, 4-page PDF72.5KB ∙ PDF fileDownload](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/content/files/2026/08/Fcc%5FCommitment%5FLetter%5F2026%5F8.pdf) “Preserving our coverage of news-worthy events, and their impact on our local communities, is exceedingly important to Cumulus Media,” Berner said in her four-page Aug. 14 letter. “The stronger financial foundation that our financial reorganization will afford us is intended to preserve and strengthen, not diminish, our ability to serve local audiences. Consistent with that objective, we commit to **maintaining our existing newsroom staffing levels** for a minimum of two years following approval of the requested applications.” ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oteP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24ce3668-960b-4432-badf-aa3f8b1571af_1090x619.png) _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Whistleblower Suit Against Array Can Continue Judge Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/whistleblower-suit-against-array-can-continue-judge-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:17.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2026 – A federal judge decided a longstanding whistleblower lawsuit against Array Digital Infrastructure can continue. District Judge **Tanya Chutkan** of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said in an [Aug. 7 opinion](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.220512/gov.uscourts.dcd.220512.224.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that two telecom attorneys were allowed to sue under the False Claims Act. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) Array, formerly UScellular, had [asked Chutkan](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/array-says-whistleblowers-shouldnt-be-able-to-sue-under-false-claims-act/) to find that provision of the law unconstitutional and dismiss the case. An AT&T subsidiary has made a similar argument, and three conservative Supreme Court justices have signalled they’re open to it. The FCA mandates higher damages for fraudulently seeking government cash, and allows private parties to sue under the law if they have information about misconduct. “These provisions are not only critical, but also constitutional — at least according to every U.S. Court of Appeals to address the question,” Chutkan wrote. Attorneys, **Mark O’Connor** and **Sara Leibman**, a former FCC lawyer, are suing under those provisions. They allege that in a 2014 spectrum auction the company used sham subsidiaries to improperly obtain $113 million in small business credits, allowing it to buy spectrum for less than if it bid directly. The company insists it did nothing improper, and the issue has not dissuaded the FCC from approving Array’s requests to sell its wireless operations and spectrum for billions of dollars. Array had argued the provisions allowing private parties to sue violated the U.S. Constitution by allowing those people to serve as “officers of the United States,” which are supposed to be appointed by the president or the head of an agency. Chutkan was not convinced. She said officers have to occupy posts that exist regardless of who holds them, while people suing under the FCA can’t be replaced. An AT&T subsidiary made a similar argument in another FCA case. Supreme Court Justices **Amy Coney Barrett**, **Brett Kavanaugh**, and **Clarence Thomas** have indicated in concurring opinions they’re open to the argument. Several appellate courts have already upheld the FCA provisions at issue, but the Eleventh Circuit is mulling the issue for the first time after hearing oral arguments in December 2025. Morgan Lewis attorneys said in [a blog post](https://www.morganlewis.com/pubs/2025/12/eleventh-circuit-considers-constitutionality-of-the-false-claims-acts-qui-tam-provisions?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that it was difficult to predict the outcome, but if judges there found the provisions unconstitutional it would “wreak havoc” on “the vast majority” of the FCA docket. Array also raised several other arguments in its attempt to get O’Connor and Leibman’s case tossed. It said the two hadn’t surfaced new information beyond what was disclosed in an older 2008 lawsuit that alleged a similar scheme, and that they weren’t specific enough in outlining the creation of shell companies to avoid FCC scrutiny. Chutkan sided with O’Connor and Leibman and declined to dismiss their case. In January, the Supreme Court [declined to revive](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/supreme-court-wont-revive-fraud-suit-against-array/) a separate, similar lawsuit by the two attorneys against Array. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit dismissed that case, and the Supreme Court declined to review the decision. Array, formerly the fifth largest wireless carrier in the country, changed its name after selling those operations and a chunk of spectrum to T-Mobile for $4.3 billion. It now operates its roughly 4,400 towers. The company also sold $1 billion worth of spectrum each to AT&T and Verizon. O’COnnor and Leibman had petitioned to deny the deals, but the FCC wasn’t swayed and let them move forward. After the company closed the Verizon sale in June, all three of those deals are complete. Array is still looking to sell its remaining spectrum, mostly C-band licenses. About $400 million of the T-Mobile purchase price and $232 million of the AT&T sale were related to spectrum licenses won by the smaller companies, known as designated entities in FCC bidding rules, in which Array has an interest. ### Federal Trade Commission Chairman Sees AI Antitrust Risks Upstream URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-trade-commission-chairman-sees-ai-antitrust-risks-upstream/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:17.000Z August 19, 2026 – FTC Chairman **Andrew Ferguson** sees the biggest competitive risks in artificial intelligence not among AI models, but in the chips, power and construction needed to build them. Speaking during [a fireside chat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pu8oxMrYKk&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with CNBC’s news anchor and business journalist **Brian Sullivan** at the Technology Policy Institute’s Aspen Forum, Ferguson said competition among large language model developers already looks healthy, pointing to near weekly model releases from the likes of Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and Meta as evidence. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) His concern, he said, is that existing monopolies in inputs like chips, energy and construction could use their market power to squeeze downstream AI developers, or that companies could acquire their way into controlling a chokepoint in that supply chain. “I don't want either existing monopolies to use their monopoly power to maintain their monopolies in illegal ways,” Ferguson said, adding that he doesn’t want companies buying up rivals to create monopolies “somewhere in the supply chain.” Pressed on whether four or five major AI labs represent enough competition, Ferguson declined to put a number on it, saying only that the cost of building a competitive model appears to be falling, a trend he called a good sign for competition regardless of how many players remain. On the consumer protection side, Ferguson said FTC enforcement in the AI space has focused on companies whose marketing promises exceed what their products actually deliver, comparing it to enforcement against any other industry that misrepresents its products. He drew a contrast with the prior administration's approach, which he said targeted AI applications simply because they had a “potentially illegal” use, a standard he said his FTC has abandoned in favor of policing false claims specifically. Ferguson also defended the FTC’s [scrutiny of tech platforms’ content moderation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ftc-to-investigate-big-techs-content-moderation-practices-for-censorship/) practices, an issue that has occupied much of his tenure since a February 2025 inquiry into what he called platform's censorship of others' speach. ### Task Force Calls for Congress to Cement USF’s Legal, Financial Foundations URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/task-force-calls-for-congress-to-cement-usfs-legal-financial-foundations/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:17.000Z WASHINGTON, August 19, 2026 – Congress should reinforce, not retreat from, the Universal Service Fund as the nation moves deeper into the broadband era, a report released Tuesday argues. The [report](https://0fe761eb-30de-470a-8131-bd80229aca9a.filesusr.com/ugd/5be6a9%5F56c493525c024909aba4b84dbaf3be04.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), released by Keep Our Communities Connected and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, finds that the USF has “never been static” and should continue to evolve as communications technology changes. It calls on Congress to address the long-term structural, legal, and financial sustainability of the $8+ billion fund, while preserving its core mission of ensuring affordable, reliable communications access for all Americans. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The USF has supported the nation’s digital infrastructure for nearly three decades, subsidizing connectivity for schools and libraries, rural health care providers, low-income households, and rural network buildout and maintenance. But funding uncertainty, and recent legal challenges have put the fund’s long-term footing in question. The Federal Communications Commission, tasked with overseeing the program’s operations, has also embarked on a broad review of its major programs under Chairman **Brendan Carr**. Carr has pointed to fraud findings in the Lifeline program as justification for closer scrutiny, and the FCC adopted a proposed rulemaking in February calling for “a comprehensive look” at Lifeline eligibility. Carr has told industry audiences that E-Rate and the High-Cost program will get similar treatment in the coming months. Modernization and long-term institutional durability are central themes of the report, which is the product of a task force co-chaired by former FCC Commissioners **Mignon Clyburn** and **Rachelle Chong**, and draws on consumer advocates, industry representatives, education and health care stakeholders, and policy experts over roughly four months of deliberations. The task force lays out six core principles for lawmakers and the FCC, including preserving universal service as an enduring national commitment, strengthening its legal footing, ensuring stable long-term funding, modernizing affordability programs, improving administration and accountability, and preparing the fund for future connectivity needs. ### *Legal uncertainty persists despite Supreme Court ruling* The report calls on Congress to consider clarifying statutory language around the FCC’s authority, the roles of Congress versus the agency, and the fund’s contribution methodology. Task force participants could not agree on whether the FCC already has authority under the Communications Act to modernize how USF contributions are collected. The task force identified a series of issues it said may be best suited for congressional action, including the fund’s statutory scope and purpose, its contribution methodology, governance structure, long-term funding architecture and the circumstances under which new programs could be created or existing programs significantly expanded. Participants generally agreed that such foundational decisions benefit from the “democratic legitimacy, accountability, and long-term stability” that Congress is uniquely positioned to provide, while the FCC would retain flexibility over the technical and administrative details of how those objectives are carried out. The report points to broad public support for universal service, citing polling showing 80 percent of U.S. residents support continued legislative funding for low-income connectivity lifelines, including 78 percent of Americans age 50 and older; support reaches 90 percent among registered Democrats and 66 percent among registered Republicans. “The report should serve as a wake up call to everyone that there is broad support for continuing the USF program to keep us one connected nation, and consensus on basic principles for how to reform the program,” said **Harold Feld**, senior vice president of Public Knowledge, which participated in the task force and endorsed the report. ### California Not Sold on Wisconsin Bell’s $55 Million Whistleblower Settlement URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-not-sold-on-wisconsin-bells-55-million-whistleblower-settlement/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:17.000Z Aug. 19, 2026 – An AT&T subsidiary agreed to pay $55 million to resolve a nearly two-decade-old whistleblower lawsuit in March. The case still hasn’t been resolved because of concerns from California Attorney General **Rob Bonta**. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) ***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules** [Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) The settlement would involve whistleblower **Todd Heath** and the Justice Department dismissing two cases, one in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and another in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which involved allegations in multiple states and has been paused while the Wisconsin case played out. Heath, a telecom auditor, accused AT&T and its subsidiaries of illegally overcharging schools and libraries that have part of their broadband and telecom bills covered by the federal E-Rate program. AT&T has denied wrongdoing. [The settlement](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-ts-wisconsin-bell-settles-whistleblower-case-for-55-million/) would involve dropping both cases. **Anne Hayes Hartman**, California’s deputy attorney general, told the D.C. District Court that Bonta’s office worried it wouldn’t be able to bring its own case later if it consented to the suit being dropped. Hartman said in [a July 29 filing](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.150884/gov.uscourts.dcd.150884.101.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) an order that instead “declined to exercise jurisdiction over the remaining state and local law claims, dismissing them without prejudice on that basis” would solve the issue. But at an Aug. 19 status conference, Heath’s attorney **Roger Lewis** told District Judge **Lynn Adelman**, who has been overseeing the Wisconsin case, that he intended to file a settlement motion with District Judge **Richard** **Leon** in D.C. that California would object to. “Our intention is to tee up this issue by approaching Judge Leon. The parties are working to tee that up and get it filed as soon as possible,” he said. “California would presumably object.” He said Heath and the DOJ would potentially come back to Adelman and ask him to “enforce the settlement.” “But let’s not go there. We expect it to be resolved with Judge Leon,” he said. Reuters [reported in June](https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/ex-att-lawyer-who-raised-compliance-concerns-accused-ethics-violations-2026-06-23/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that a former AT&T attorney, who now works at the Federal Communications Commission, was potentially in hot water with the D.C. Bar Association for [disclosing information](https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/03/18/att-school-internet-pricing/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to Heath's team before he left in 2011. Heath sued under the False Claims Act, which mandates higher damages for fraudulently seeking government cash and gives whistleblowers a cut of any recovered money. AT&T’s Wisconsin Bell argued that did apply to E-Rate, which is one of four federal programs funded by fees on interstate voice revenue. The longrunning case was delayed more while the parties argued that issue up to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ultimately [unanimously ruled](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/scotus-false-claims-act-applies-to-e-rate/) that FCA cases could be brought against participants in E-Rate. But the decision was narrow, and hinged on a small portion of that money passing through the Treasury after being collected as delinquent debts or penalties. The high court left for another day the question of whether the FCA applied to all USF cash. The Wisconsin case was headed for a trial on the merits of Heath’s claims later this year. Settling the case would avoid that trial, and leave the question of whether the FCA even applies to E-Rate funds partially unanswered. ### Digital Equity Suit Paused Until New Funding Notice URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/digital-equity-suit-paused-until-new-funding-notice/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:17.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2026 – A federal judge agreed Tuesday to pause the legal challenge over the Trump administration’s cancelation of broadband adoption funding. The National Digital Inclusion Alliance, a nonprofit that had won funding under the axed program, said it agreed to pause its litigation to give the Commerce Department time to issue a new notice of funding opportunity (NOFO). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) NDIA “reserves the right to move to lift the stay and continue the litigation should the NOFO be inconsistent with the statutory requirements,” attorneys for both sides said in [a joint update](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.285702/gov.uscourts.dcd.285702.62.0%5F1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Monday. The stay will extend until two weeks after the NOFO is issued or Jan. 15, 2027, whichever is earlier, District Judge **John Bates** ruled. Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration is planning to release the NOFO and accept applications in December. Both sides are meeting to discuss the NOFO by Oct. 16, and will have to periodically update Bates after that. NTIA is [working on a new](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/commerce-working-on-new-round-of-digital-equity-act-funding/) NOFO after Bates ruled that one provision of the Digital Equity Act was unconstitutional. During oral arguments the government’s lawyer said the program could continue if that section were struck. The provision said the law’s funding should support programs aimed at increasing broadband adoption among racial minorities. Bates [said last month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/judge-expects-trump-administration-to-reinstate-digital-equity-funding/) he agreed with the Trump administration that was impermissible race-based discrimination, but expected the adminstration to restart the program with that provision gone. Other eligible populations like the elderly and veterans were left in place. The law provided $2.75 billion in total funding, but the case centered on a $1.25 billion program for nonprofits, called the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. That’s the only program being reinstated. NDIA disagreed that the provision was unconstitutional and was pressing a broader case that the White House lacked the authority to cancel the program unilaterally, but ultimately decided holding off on the lawsuit for now “will allow NTIA to focus on reinstating the Competitive Grant Program consistent with its statutory requirements,” attorneys wrote Monday. The group [attached an exhibit](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.285702/gov.uscourts.dcd.285702.62.2%5F1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the status update that laid out what it wanted to see in the reinstated competitive grant program. That included making all the funding available at once (it had previously been staggered) and allowing the 65 organizations that had originally been recommended for awards to resubmit their applications. The group also wanted a 60-day application window, and for awards to start being made 45 days after that. NTIA didn’t like the idea of NDIA offering suggestions. “It is not proper for a private party (much less a putative grant applicant) or the Court to supervise NTIA’s day-to-day operations,” wrote **Brett Shumate**, assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s civil division. “Plaintiff may not reshape this case into a vehicle for general interest-group oversight of the agency.” The agency canceled most of its Digital Equity Act funding last year, aside from a $250 million portion for Tribal entities. The day prior, President **Donald Trump** posted on his Truth Social platform that he and Commerce Secretary **Howard Lutnick** considered the law’s programs “a RACIST and ILLEGAL $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR giveaway” that he was ending “IMMEDIATELY.” ### With RDOF-Era Clairvoyance, FCC Democrat Anna Gomez Once Again Relegates Starlink to the ISP Underclass URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-rdof-era-clairvoyance-fcc-democrat-anna-gomez-once-again-relegates-starlink-to-the-isp-underclass/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T12:54:30.000Z 💡 ****■** Narrative Violation: Conservative Radio Host Running for Connecticut Senate Pulled from Air over Possible Clash with FCC Equal Time Rules ■ Chairman Carr Calls Disney’s Federal Lawsuit against FCC ‘Meritless’ ■ Breezeline Partners with DIRECTV on New Video Streaming Offer ■ New York Lands Dead Last in Nielsen’s New ‘NFL Fandom Index’ ■ Hearst TV Could Go Dark on Dish at 7 p.m. Today ****■** CRS Analyst Questions FCC Authority over E-Rate Funding ****■** Vero Fiber Merging with MontanaSky in Northwest Montana ■ Comcast Launches Xfinity Shield, New AI‑powered Home‑Protection Platform ■ Burlington Telecom Named Official Telecom Partner of University of Vermont Athletics ■ People: Mark Peller Named CEO of United Launch Alliance, Amazon Leo’s Launch Partner ■ RIP: Bill Rasmussen, Co‑Founder of ESPN FCC: Democratic FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez** on Aug. 18 unveiled her own Sec. 706 Report, after a fashion. But it read more like a Year 1706 Report as it was filled with [RDOF-era](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-399068A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), backward-looking assumptions that once again relegated Starlink to the broadband ISP underclass – even though UBS analysts [expect the low-Earth orbit ISP](https://www.policyband.com/p/dc-memo-new-yorks-two-major-broadband?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to reach 20 million U.S. subscribers by 2030\. If the U.S. represents 10% of global Starlink subscribership, as it more than likely does today, then Starlink will have 200 million multinational subscribers in less than 53 months, by UBS’s math. “I worry a little bit about this advocacy of, ‘Well, we don’t need \[universal service programs\] anymore because we’ve had all this deployment, including by the LEOs,’” Gomez said during [a fireside chat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrXSSj-qbaw&source%5Fve%5Fpath=MjM4NTE&embeds%5Freferring%5Feuri=https%3A%2F%2Ftpi.lineupr.com%2F&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at the Technology Policy Institute’s Aspen Forum in Colorado, as [quoted](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-gomez-warns-satellite-deployment-is-no-substitute-for-universal-service/) in *Broadband Breakfast*. “Universal service is not just a picture in time, and it’s not just about deployment. It’s also about maintaining the services,” she said. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JPjk!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1c99c92f-bac9-45ea-9ab1-9b3b478e91fd_822x490.png) Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### House Commerce Staff Hoping for FirstNet Reauthorization This Year URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-staff-hoping-for-firstnet-reauthorization-this-year/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:17.000Z Aug. 18, 2026 – House Commerce Committee staffers are hoping to get the First Responder Network Authority reauthorized by the end of the year, they said Tuesday at the Technology Policy Institute’s Aspen Forum in Aspen, Colorado. **Johanna Thomas**, senior Democratic counsel to the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee, said reauthorizing FirstNet was “one of our biggest priorities of getting accomplished before the end of this year.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/250150_course_graphic_YT_wordmark_title-1.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [***Sign Up for FREE for First Two Modules**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [Sign Up for FREE for Section A ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/course-interest) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) “We’re going to be prioritizing things like FirstNet, as she mentioned, we have a couple security bills that we want to continue work on,” said **John Lin**, senior Republican counsel to the full House Commerce Committee. “We’re hoping that the end of the year is productive.” The FirstNet Authority oversees FirstNet, the nationwide first responder network owned and operated by AT&T under a contract with the Commerce Department. FNA’s authorization will expire February 22, 2027 unless Congress [reauthorizes it](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/public-safety-groups-want-senate-to-give-serious-consideration-to-house-firstnet-reauthorization-bill/), something that users and lawmakers broadly agree would be disruptive. The House unanimously passed [a reauthorization bill](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-passes-firstnet-reauthorization-bill/) in April that would increase Commerce’s oversight of FNA, a response to several [negative reports](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/firstnet-modified-contract-to-help-at-t-meet-milestones-says-report/) from an agency watchdog over the years. The Senate will have to pass reauthorization legislation, and the House will have to adopt any changes to its version. The chambers’ commerce committees, which oversee the issue, were apparently unable to come to a deal before Congress left for its August recess. “We look forward to working with the Senate to get it across the finish line,” Thomas said. **Courtney Reinhard**, chief Republican counsel to the Senate Commerce Committee, participated remotely in the panel, but didn’t address FirstNet. The House is due back in D.C. Aug. 31, and the Senate, which left later, will return to work Sept. 14. In June, a set of 17 first responder and local government groups had [asked Senate Commerce](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/public-safety-groups-want-senate-to-give-serious-consideration-to-house-firstnet-reauthorization-bill/) leaders to take up reauthorization and “give serious consideration to” the House framework. Some other groups led by the Faternal Order of Police have opposed the bill for its increased oversight, fearing bureaucratic delays for the agency. The FOP circulated its own [draft language](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/public-safety-groups-want-senate-to-give-serious-consideration-to-house-firstnet-reauthorization-bill/) in June. In [a January hearing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senators-eye-more-oversight-with-firstnet-authority-reauthorization/), Senate Commerce lawmakers expressed support for increased oversight of FirstNet Authority. Commerce Department inspector general [findings](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/firstnet-authority-obstructed-audits-punished-whistleblower-says-inspector-general/) “make clear that the current governing structure has not provided consistent performance oversight,” Sen. **Deb Fischer**, R-Neb., said during the hearing. Sen. **Ted Cruz**, R-Texas, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, was not at the hearing, which was led by the committee’s Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee. AT&T has supported the House bill. New Street Research policy advisor **Blair Levin** said in a research note earlier this year that the House legislation was “generally favorable” for AT&T, as it focused on changing the FNA’s governing structure rather than the underlying economics of the company's contract with the government. AT&T was eligible for up to $6.5 billion in federal funding from spectrum auction proceeds to construct the network, which finished in 2023, and it’s now funded by subscriber fees paid by public safety agencies using the network. AT&T is supposed to pay FNA a total of $18 billion from those fees over the course of the 25-year contract, which was inked in 2017, and much of the money will be reinvested back into FirstNet. At the hearing, Sens. **Ben Ray Luján**, D-N.M., and **Bernie Moreno**, R-Ohio, said they wanted more transparency into vendor contracts related to FirstNet. ### AI Buildout Worsening Supply Costs, Permit Worries, ISPs Say URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-buildout-worsening-supply-costs-permit-worries-isps-say/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:18.000Z Aug. 18, 2026 – Broadband providers are running into rising supply chain costs and permitting delays as they race to expand their networks, two major providers said Tuesday at the Technology Policy Institute's Aspen Forum in Colorado. They worried the simultaneous AI buildout being undertaken by hyperscalers could exacerbate those issues. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) “The costs of the supply chain are skyrocketing,” said **Giulia McHenry**, AT&T's vice president of public policy. “A large data center will use as much fiber as we lay in a year.” AT&T laid enough fiber to pass an additional 3.1 million rural locations over the course of 2025, according to its financial filings. McHenry said that the wireless carrier was trying to manage with longer-term contracts, and that because of its size the company was “better positioned than a lot” of other providers. “We really were pretty early in inking these agreements, so we were able to do some things with longer-term contracts early on,” said **Melissa Mann**, Lumen’s chief policy officer. “But we, like everyone else, are feeling the impact of the higher cost.” Smaller ISPs that win grants in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program have also reported [rising costs](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-working-on-bead-project-costs-permits/) recently, and saw fiber [orders disrupted](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-bead-winners-seeing-tight-fiber-market/&ved=2ahUKEwiRhP6h%5FqqWAxWmkYkEHb8mKCMQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2NWTHBGY-UTRsKvi3BL%5FVk) earlier this year. Some state broadband heads said at Mountain Connect last week that they would support some waiver requests to increase support and prevent projects from falling through. **Harold Feld**, senior vice president at Public Knowledge, said the supply pressure might reach a point where policymakers had to decide whether to hold BEAD winners to their contract timelines. U.S. fiber manufacturers have insisted they have ability to meet BEAD demand, which they say will only 5 percent of their production capacity at its peak. Arielle Roth, head of the Commerce Agency managing BEAD, told lawmakers this summer that she did not plan on issuing a waiver of BEAD’s requirement that funded fiber be American-made. Lumen and AT&T are in part looking to lay more fiber to prepare for increased demand from expanded AI use, both among consumers and enterprises. Lumen recently sold its consumer assets to AT&T to focus on providing services to companies and hyperscalers, like high-speed connectivity between data centers. McHenry said AT&T had seen 15 percent increases in data traffic each of the last three years. That’s not all attributable to AI use, she said, but the company thinks “quite a bit of it is related to AI.” “In the next three years, we’re expecting that data traffic to double,” she said. Mann said Lumen was seeing “a significant amount” of east-west traffic, meaning traffic between data centers within the same cloud system. Much of it is related to training or using AI and machine learning models. He said Lumen was aiming to handle that, and lower latency to support more use cases. Lumen recently acquired a software company that it’s hoping will make it easier for its business customers to manage their data and network use across different cloud systems. On the permitting front, Mann said multiple times delays from permitting agencies was an issue the company wanted to see addressed. It’s a frequent complaint of ISPs, who say long wait times can stall projects. Responding to an audience question from **Steve DelBianco**, CEO of tech industry group NetChoice, Mann said the company was thinking about the possibility of data center opponents trying to quash new network developments in the local permitting process. More than 60 percent of Americans oppose data center construction near them, according to [an August survey](https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/opposition-to-local-data-centers-rises-sharply-annenberg-survey-finds/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from the University of Pennsylvania. “We have not seen something stopped because of this concern around data center development today, but the chatter is increasing,” Mann said. “It’s something we’re monitoring very closely.” McHenry said AT&T was monitoring various anti-data center bills and rules across the country, fearful that broad definitions could be read to encompass already deployed network gear. ### *Open fiber agreements* Mountain Connect panelists talked last week about hyperscalers pushing for contract clauses that would prevent their fiber connectivity partners from allowing nearby towns to use the infrastructure, [Fierce Network](https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/hyperscalers-build-fiber-data-centers-not-rural-americans?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) reported. Some of those prohibitions also blocked additional conduit next to the hyperscaler’s gear, according to Fierce. Many data centers are being put in rural areas where people could benefit from the extra connectivity. Mann said that in Lumen’s case, the company was laying its own additional fiber along the reserved routes it was deploying for hyperscalers. “That fiber can easily be utilized as backhaul or middle mile for these smaller communities to interconnect in order to expand that broadband access,” she said. ### Bob Bartz: The Broadband Map Is Getting Better. Here’s What Still Needs to Change URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bob-bartz-the-broadband-map-is-getting-better-heres-what-still-needs-to-change/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T19:19:45.000Z For all the discussion about broadband maps over the last several years, what we're trying to accomplish is straightforward. We need a good picture of where broadband exists and where it doesn't. For providers deciding where to invest—and policymakers deciding where public dollars should go—the problem is that what shows up on a map and what you find in the field can be very different. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/BBLO-2026-0819-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) ***Watch the online course preview!** [See the Online Course Preview ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) I've seen firsthand how different the picture on a map can be from what you find in the field. We were looking at an area where the FCC map appeared to show multiple locations. When we looked closer, what we found was an abandoned farmhouse. When those maps are guiding funding decisions and multimillion dollar network investments, that kind of discrepancy matters. Congress is taking another look at broadband mapping, and I think there are some practical ways we can make the information more timely, accurate, and useful. ### *Get network information into the system sooner* Providers are building fiber and turning up new service all the time. The challenge is that the map can lag behind those builds. I think there's room to tighten that up. If you've finished a fiber build and you're serving customers, the FCC should know about it sooner. I've suggested requiring those changes to be reported within roughly 60 days. There will always be some lag in a national database. The concern is how much has changed between what's shown on the map and what's happening in the market. The more current the information is, the more useful it becomes—to government agencies making funding decisions, and to providers evaluating markets, planning network expansions, and deciding where to invest. ### *Look at engineering data as another resource* Engineering companies have information that could help. We're designing networks and collecting field data. We're looking at routes, infrastructure and locations as part of that work. We see a lot of information before construction begins because it’s fundamental to designing the network correctly. That creates an opportunity to use engineering and field data to help identify discrepancies in the broadband map. It doesn't replace the information providers submit to the FCC. It gives us another source to compare against it. That abandoned farmhouse is a good example. The map showed one thing. The field information told us something different. If we can identify more of those discrepancies earlier, we start with better information. ### *This doesn't end with BEAD* BEAD has brought a lot of attention to broadband mapping because the maps have been used to determine which locations are eligible for funding. But providers were looking at broadband maps before BEAD, and they'll be looking at them after BEAD. When you're considering a new market, one of the first questions is what's already there. Who is serving it? Where are the unserved areas? What is the competitive opportunity? Is there enough opportunity to justify the investment? If the initial information is wrong, you spend more time and money sorting that out before you get very far into planning. A broadband map isn't going to answer every question about whether a network should be built. There is field work, engineering, permitting, make-ready and construction to consider before you know what a project will involve. But the map is one of the places we start. The better that starting information is, the better positioned providers are to make informed decisions about what comes next. There’s value well beyond a federal funding program. ### *Keep making the map better* I don't think we need to start over. We've learned a lot through the mapping process and through BEAD. We should use what we've learned to improve how information is collected and updated. Faster reporting from providers would help. Engineering and field data may give us another way to identify discrepancies. If there are other mapping technologies that can improve the information, we should look at those too. Broadband networks don’t stand still. New fiber will be built, existing networks will expand and areas that are unserved today will be served in the future. Our mapping process needs to keep pace and reflect those changes as quickly and accurately as it reasonably can. BEAD has given the industry a reason to scrutinize broadband maps more closely, but the need for accurate data will outlast the program. Providers will continue making decisions about where to build, expand and invest their next dollar.When millions of dollars ride on those decisions, better information at the beginning isn’t just a mapping issue. It’s a business imperative. ***Bob Bartz is Executive Vice President of Engineering with more than 30 years of construction management experience, 20 in the telecommunication industry. Bob has extensive experience in the various construction methods and manners of constructing OSP telecommunications facilities. Bob has directed all aspects of the OSP design and construction of fiber to the premise, middle mile fiber, fiber overbuilds, and Ethernet over copper projects across the United States. Bob has OSP design and construction experience with ILEC’s and CLEC’s as a consultant, general contractor, and as a vendor under Rural Utility Service contracts. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### FCC’s Gomez Warns Satellite Deployment Is No Substitute for Universal Service URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-gomez-warns-satellite-deployment-is-no-substitute-for-universal-service/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:18.000Z August 18, 2026 – The proliferation of low Earth orbit satellites should not signal an end to universal service, Federal Communications Commissioner **Anna Gomez**, warned Tuesday. Gomez, the sole Democratic at the FCC, said the agency should be cautious about arguments that the growing availability of LEO satellite service may render universal service programs less necessary. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) She also called for Congress to exercise greater oversight of the FCC, particularly if Democrats regain control of one or both congressional chambers following the November elections. She made here comments came just after [Disney filed a lawsuit against the commission](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/abc-sues-fcc-over-challenge-to-its-broadcast-licenses-saying-actions-present-existential-threat/) Tuesday morning. Her comments come as [policymakers weigh the future of](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-considers-satellite-changes-to-universal-services-high-cost-fund/) the FCC’s Universal Service Fund, as well as satellites’ role within its high-cost programs. “I worry a little bit about this advocacy of, well, we don’t need \[universal service programs\] anymore because we’ve had all this deployment, including by the LEOs,” Gomez said during [a fireside chat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrXSSj-qbaw&source%5Fve%5Fpath=MjM4NTE&embeds%5Freferring%5Feuri=https%3A%2F%2Ftpi.lineupr.com%2F&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at the Technology Policy Institute’s Aspen Forum in Colorado. “Universal service is not just a picture in time, and it’s not just about deployment. It's also about maintaining the services,” she said. The commissioner, who has worked on universal service policy for decades, said LEO satellites could be an important part of the nation’s broadband mix, particularly in areas where terrestrial networks are difficult or uneconomic to build. But she cautioned against assuming that satellite capacity is sufficient to meet the demands of the increasingly data-intensive U.S. economy. “Until it is proven to me that they have the capacity and the latency able to serve in our artificial intelligence economy, then I'm not convinced that that is in fact the answer,” Gomez said. Gomez emphasized that she was not rejecting satellite as a broadband technology. She argued that the long-term question is whether those connections can remain affordable and sustainable, noting that the areas that are most difficult to serve economically are often also the places where consumers face the greatest difficulty affording service. ### *Universal service is about rates, too* Gomez also pushed back on defining universal service primarily as a deployment program. The FCC’s high-cost programs, she said, serve a second purpose that can get lost in discussions about new technologies: helping maintain comparable broadband rates between urban and rural areas. “What universal service gives us is the comparable rates between urban and rural,” Gomez said. “And if we lose that, I worry about what's going to happen to a lot of communities that may be subject to price hikes that make it impossible for them to afford the service.” She pointed to a bipartisan, bicameral [congressional working group on universal service](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lawmakers-aiming-to-circulate-draft-usf-framework-this-summer/) as a potential vehicle for addressing the fund’s sustainability while incorporating affordability into the system. “I'm really hopeful that they move forward with those discussions so that we can get some action soon,” she said. ### *Concern over FCC’s national security policies* Gomez also criticized what she described as a lack of transparency in the FCC's recent expansion of its authority over communications and connected equipment, including routers, drones and robotic devices. She said she supports efforts to protect U.S. communications infrastructure from foreign adversaries, but said companies need clearer rules. “What I'm hearing from American companies and industry leaders is they’re concerned about the haphazard and chaotic way that we’ve seen the rollout of these ... profound changes to the covered list,” Gomez said. She added that she was concerned some of the FCC’s actions may be motivated by industrial policy rather than national security. “I'm also concerned that not everything that we’re doing is really about national security,” she said. “A lot of it is industrial policy.” Gomez argued that greater transparency would help prevent the appearance that the agency is using its authority to favor particular domestic producers. “If we want to avoid the appearance that we are favoring certain actors, we need transparency, and we need people to know what the rules of the road are,” she said. ### *Gomez calls for congressional oversight of FCC* On the First Amendment, Gomez said congressional committees of jurisdiction should examine what she considers to be instances in which the FCC has exceeded its authority. “There’s many ways in which we’ve seen this commission overreach its authority, particularly on the First Amendment side,” Gomez said. Regarding Disney's lawsuit, Gomez said she was pleased to see Disney challenge what she characterized as unconstitutional FCC actions involving broadcasters’ editorial decisions. She framed the issue as part of a broader concern about the independence of an agency that Congress designed as a multi-member, bipartisan commission. Gomez noted that she has supported roughly 90 percent of the proposals put forward by FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, saying that working with the chairman’s office and agency bureaus has allowed her to secure changes that are both consumer- and competition-oriented. ### ABC Sues FCC Over Challenge to Its Broadcast Licenses, Saying Actions Present 'Existential Threat' URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/abc-sues-fcc-over-challenge-to-its-broadcast-licenses-saying-actions-present-existential-threat/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:18.000Z Aug. 18, 2026 (AP) – Further escalating its battle with the Trump administration, ABC on Tuesday took the rare step of suing the Federal Communications Commission on First Amendment grounds, saying the agency's demand for early review of broadcast licenses posed an “existential threat” to its operations. In the lawsuit, ABC, its parent company Disney and the eight local stations whose licenses are affected asked a federal court to stop the early renewal proceedings. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/BBLO-2026-0819-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) ***Watch the online course preview!** [See the Online Course Preview ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) The FCC under Chairman **Brendan Carr**, an ally of President **Donald Trump**, had ordered the early review in April — itself a rare move — of eight licenses owned by ABC, well before they are set to expire. It cited the network’s diversity practices as a reason, but the development came shortly after a joke by ABC’s late-night host **Jimmy Kimmel** — an outspoken Trump critic — had infuriated the president. “Again and again, the Administration has attacked ABC’s speech — the stories its journalists report and the viewpoints its network programs air,” the network alleged in its lawsuit. “Over time, those attacks have escalated into express demands that ABC be stripped of its broadcast licenses because of its speech." “Facing this existential threat,” it added, “Plaintiffs have no choice but to seek redress from the judicial branch for the Administration’s blatant retaliation for their First Amendment speech.” It said ABC had “no alternative means to eliminate these ongoing and immediate threats other than total capitulation to the Administration’s demands." It asked the court to “immediately enjoin Defendants from taking or threatening to take any action against Plaintiffs in relation to the early license renewal applications.” ### *There are already clashes between ABC and the administration* The early license review is only one part of a long-simmering confrontation between ABC and the FCC. The network has also been fighting Carr’s efforts to make the morning talk show “The View,” whose hosts and guests are often critical of Trump, subject to equal-time rules. That's a question ABC says the agency itself decided — in the network's favor — more than two decades ago. The lawsuit Tuesday also spoke of ramifications that go well beyond one network. “The consequences of the Administration’s campaign against free speech reach well beyond ABC,” it said. “If the Administration gets its way, the message to every media company in the country will be unmistakable: tell only the stories the Administration deems favorable, or face the coercive machinery of the federal government. In such a world, the press could in no way be described as free.” It added: “The FCC Chairman has left little doubt that this is his goal.” ### *The lone Democrat on the FCC praises the lawsuit* [The sole Democrat on the commission,](https://apnews.com/article/fcc-disney-censorship-trump-threats-commissoner-democrat-386b210604373bb19ec6a485b89222b1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Anna Gomez**, commended ABC and Disney for pushing back against the FCC’s actions. “For months, the FCC has waged a campaign of censorship and control against Disney’s ABC stations,” she said in a statement, “using the threat of broadcast license revocations to punish a company for speech this administration doesn’t like.” “I have long called on companies to push back against this kind of government intimidation, and I’m glad Disney has shown courage and stepped up," she said. "This should be a welcome sign for every broadcaster who has felt the weight of this overreaching government pressure in silence.” In late July, Carr defended [his agency’s actions against ABC,](https://apnews.com/article/abc-view-fcc-equal-time-9c0449a4bf7340afb0c09fe8f466a356?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) saying broadcasters have a duty to “operate in the public interest.” The FCC, he said, was merely trying to restore that standard. Broadcasters like ABC, Carr said in an interview on the Fox Business Network, “struck a deal with the American people. You broadcasters get subsidized access, free access to a valuable public resource, the airwaves, worth billions of dollars. In exchange, you have to operate in the public interest.” “Look, as a country, we should have a trusted, respected news media, and we’re not there,” Carr said. “So I hope more broadcasters return to their public interest obligations.” The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. *This article was written by Jocelyn Noveck and Mike Catalini of the Associated Press.* ### Maryland Tax Court Voids Digital Ad Tax, Orders Refunds to Apple, Google and Peacock URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/maryland-tax-court-voids-digital-ad-tax-orders-refunds-to-apple-google-and-peacock/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:18.000Z ANNAPOLIS, Md., Aug. 18, 2026 (AP) — A Maryland state tax court has struck down the state’s first-in-the-nation tax on digital advertising and ordered state officials to repay the tax money already collected from big tech firms. The Maryland Tax Court said the tax violates the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act as well as the First Amendment and the commerce and due process clauses of the U.S. Constitution. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/BBLO-2026-0819-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) ***Watch the online course preview!** [See the Online Course Preview ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) The legal fight has been watched by other states that are considering taxes for online ads. Maryland estimated the tax, approved in 2021, could raise about $250 million a year to help pay for a sweeping K-12 education measure. In Friday's decision, the tax court ordered the state to repay the tax money already collected by Apple, Google and Peacock TV. The law taxed revenue that large companies make on digital advertisements shown in Maryland. Companies making more than $100 million in global annual gross revenues were taxed at a 2.5% rate. The rate increased for companies with larger revenues, topping out at a 10% rate for companies making $15 billion or more in global gross annual revenues. Supporters of the law contended that Maryland needed to overhaul its tax methods in response to significant changes in how businesses advertise. But attorneys representing Big Tech companies including Meta and Amazon challenged the law in multiple legal venues, arguing in part that they were unfairly targeted. Last year, 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals [ruled part of the law violated the Constitution](https://apnews.com/article/big-tech-digital-ad-tax-maryland-court-58a9b6522ec0f909946f3cbc059c629c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) because it blocked Big Tech companies from telling customers about the tax. That, Judge **Julius Richardson** said, violated the right to free speech. Maryland Senate President **Bill Ferguson** and House Speaker **Joseline Pena-Melnyk**, both Democrats, issued a statement saying they “respectfully disagree” with the tax court ruling and expect the legal process to continue. They said the tax was enacted to keep the state's tax system in pace with a changing economy. “We remain committed to ensuring that Maryland’s tax system is fair, sustainable, and reflects today’s economy,” they said. “We will continue working with the Attorney General and Comptroller as this matter proceeds through the courts.” The tax court said Congress — not the state legislature — is tasked with regulating interstate commerce, and that the tax law was inappropriately based on global revenue rather than revenue from in-state advertising. The federal Internet Tax Freedom Act bars the taxation of e-commerce if similar services are not taxed. At least for now, the tax court found, there isn't much of a difference between digital advertising and print or billboard ads, which means the bar on taxation applies. *This article was written by the Associated Press* ### New York’s Two Major Broadband Grant Programs Delivering Fewer Connections At Higher Costs, Study Finds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-yorks-two-major-broadband-grant-programs-delivering-fewer-connections-at-higher-costs-study-finds/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T13:03:21.000Z 💡 ■ Charter CEO Winfrey: Pay-TV Customers Will Keep Fleeing Big 4 Retrans Fees ■ Poll: Markey Has Commanding Lead over Moulton Ahead of Sept. 1 Primary ■ UBS: Starlink’s Pursuit of TV Station Spectrum Would Be a ‘Multi-Year Process’ ■ Blue State Financial Regulators Press Charter, Nexstar on DEI ■ Now What? Clyburn-Chong USF Task Force Punts on Contribution Reform ■ Oceanside, California, Could Lose Its PEG Channel to Cord Cutting ■ Iridium to FCC: SpaceX Gateways Will Cause ‘Unacceptable Interference’ ■ People: Rachel Grey and Theo Leavell Joining CCIA Empire State: New York’s two major broadband grant programs are delivering fewer connections at higher cost than first announced, according to [a new analysis today](https://broadbandexpanded.com/posts/nymipahcp?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by the Advanced Communications Law & Policy Institute at New York Law School. ACLP reviewed 34 Municipal Infrastructure Program (MIP) and Affordable Housing Connectivity Program (AHCP) awards between July 2024 and July 2026 and found that while state officials have quietly increased funding on many projects, promised reach has fallen sharply. The ACLP said grant amounts have risen by about $38 million across the programs, even as the number of planned connections dropped by roughly 34,000\. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ocrP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F46b975ae-69c5-489a-9f20-350c2f22114f_701x450.png) _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### AST SpaceMobile Gets Green Light for Direct-to-Device Testing URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ast-spacemobile-gets-green-light-for-direct-to-device-testing/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:18.000Z WASHINGTON, August 17, 2026 – AST SpaceMobile has been granted temporary authority to test its satellite-to-smartphone connectivity solution. The Federal Communications Commission granted the limited authority on Friday, as the two largest U.S. carriers, AT&T and Verizon, are betting on AST rather than Starlink to supplement their cellular service with satellite – where terrestrial networks don’t reach. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/BBLO-2026-0819-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) ***Watch the online course preview!** [See the Online Course Preview ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) The 30 day special temporary authority lets AST SpaceMobile test its supplemental coverage technology using up to 100 commercially available handsets. The grant covers testing in two bands, 817-824 MegaHertz for device-to-satellite uplink and 862-869 MHz for satellite-to-device downlink. ### *800 MHz spectrum recently transferred* The 800 MHz airwaves in question are part of a license portfolio [T-Mobile transferred to ](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/business/t-mobile-completes-sale-of-800-mhz-spectrum-portfolio-to-grain-management?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)investment firm Grain Management on Tuesday. Under the transaction, T‑Mobile transferred its 800 MHz spectrum portfolio to Grain in exchange for $2.9 billion in cash and all of Grain’s 600 MHz spectrum licenses. AST SpaceMobile filed a letter supporting Grain’s acquisition, as the two firms are collaborating on direct-to-device satellite testing. The 800 MHz spectrum sits right next to the 850 MHz low-band frequencies already contributed by major carrier partners like AT&T and Verizon, which would allow AST SpaceMobile, as a partner to Grain, to weave a seamless coverage layer. The temporary authorization comes with typical guardrails: testing must be controlled and non-commercial, must stay within AST’s existing agreements with T-Mobile, and must stop immediately if it causes harmful interference to other spectrum users. That authority requires AST to operate in coordination with the licensed spectrum holders, AT&T and Verizon, plus FirstNet, the first responder broadband network ### *AST races to expand its satellite fleet* The direct-to-device satellite race is increasingly a two contest between two companies, AST and SpaceX, and SpaceX’s Starlink has a substantial head start. In April, the FCC modified AST’s satellite license to authorize a 248 satellite constellation, up from a previously authorized 25, to provide commercial direct-to-cell service using low-band 700 MHz and 800 MHz spectrum. The commission set binding buildout deadlines: half the constellation, 124 satellites, in orbit by August 2030, and the full 248 satellite system by August 2033. AST SpaceMobile currently has 9 active commercial and test satellites in low Earth orbit as of early August, and expects to have approximately 45 satellites in orbit in early 2027. Starlink launched its first satellite mobile offering in partnership with T-Mobile on July 23, 2025\. Initially offering text messaging in areas with no cellular coverage, data capability followed in October 2025, and voice and full mobile data are targeted for late 2027\. The service is live in 22 countries, and over 400 million people have access to it. As of early 2026, Starlink has more than 650 direct-to-cell satellites in orbit. So many the company has signaled ambitions to expand to offer a “Starlink Mobile” cellular offering. Still, AST SpaceMobile has commercial agreements with roughly 60 mobile network operators worldwide. The [mobile network operators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile%5Fnetwork%5Foperator?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with whom the company has agreements and understandings collectively serve over 2.8 billion existing subscribers. ### Charlie Ergen to Acquire Controlling Stake in MobileX: Report URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charlie-ergen-to-acquire-controlling-stake-in-mobilex-report/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2026 – EchoStar co-founder **Charlie Ergen** has reached a deal to acquire a controlling stake in MobileX, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. MobileX is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) offering service on Verizon’s network. The prepaid provider has customizable plans customers can add or drop features from, similar to plans recently rolled out by the national carriers, and a tool that can recommend plans based on data usage. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/BBLO-2026-0819-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) ***Watch the online course preview!** [See the Online Course Preview ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) Ergen’s deal would value the company at $200 million, the [Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/business/telecom/charlie-ergen-agrees-to-take-controlling-stake-in-mobilex-aedbc60f?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) reported and would bring in Verizon as a minority shareholder. Ergen’s stake would be acquired through his special purpose acquisition company CONX. Ergen’s own prepaid brand, Boost Mobile, has struggled since he acquired it in 2020\. Once the government’s hope for a fourth national carrier after the T-Mobile-Sprint merger was approved, EchoStar’s wireless subsidiary is bankrupt and looking to auction off its radios. “We haven’t cracked the code on how to be successful at the level we’d like to in the wireless business. In general, we’ve treaded water for four years now,” Ergen said on the company’s [earnings call](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/echostars-hughes-files-for-bankruptcy/) this month. “We think we have some strategic initiatives going forward that will reinvigorate that part of our business,” he added. Boost isn’t included in the bankruptcy, and EchoStar is planning to operate it largely on AT&T infrastructure as part of a $23 billion spectrum sale to the carrier. Boost also has a deal with T-Mobile, and is set to offer SpaceX direct-to-device service as part of a separate $19.6 billion spectrum sale. The Wall Street Journal report said it wasn’t clear whether Ergen intended to combine MobileX and Boost. While the agreements would need to be amended for one entity to take advantage of the situation, BestMVNO editor **Joe Paonessa** [noted that](https://bestmvno.com/mobilex/charlie-ergens-conx-to-take-control-of-mobilex-in-200-million-deal/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with the addition of MobileX, Ergen would control entities that have contracts to sell service on all three national carriers’ networks, plus SpaceX’s satellite fleet. MobileX founder **Peter Adderton**, who would also stay on as a minority shareholder according to WSJ, alluded to the benefits of combining those deals in [an X post](https://x.com/peter%5Fadderton/status/2089218097354010761?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Monday. “The next-generation wireless company shouldn’t be trying to become the fourth carrier,” he wrote. “It should become the connectivity layer that makes every network invisible seamlessly connecting consumers to the best available network, wherever they are, without them ever needing to know or care who owns it.” When another user responded that a global mobile plan from SpaceX would be enticing if the satellite company could solve interoperability with a multitude of cellular networks, Adderton [responded](https://x.com/peter%5Fadderton/status/2089402225236050080?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), “Well @mobileXus has the cellular part, Just need the satellite part,” followed by a smiling emoji. MobileX declined to comment. Adderton also founded Boost before it was ultimately acquired by Sprint and sold to Ergen as a condition of the T-Mobile merger. He has frequently criticized Ergen and EchoStar’s management of the brand online. Boost ended the second quarter with 7.38 million mobile subscribers, many more than MobileX. ### Supreme Court Denies Verizon Bid to Pursue Refund on FCC Fine URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/supreme-court-denies-verizon-bid-to-pursue-refund-on-fcc-fine/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2026 – The Supreme Court Monday denied Verizon’s request to pursue a $47 million refund in court. The court issued [a determination](https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/081726zor%5F8m59.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that it would not alter a June 4 decision in a way that Verizon said would have allowed it to recoup money it feels was tricked into paying by the Federal Communications Commission. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/BBLO-2026-0819-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) ***Watch the online course preview!** [See the Online Course Preview ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) The company paid that money in fines after the FCC found it didn’t adequately vet third parties before selling customer location data through 2018\. The agency fined the other two national carriers for the same practice, with combined penalties totaling nearly $200 million. The companies appealed, arguing that the FCC lacked the power to issue fines at all under recent Supreme Court precedent that said a jury trial had to be provided before fines could be issued. The Supreme Court upheld the agency’s fining powers, but said the initial forfeiture orders were not mandatory, and money didn’t have to change hands until the Justice Department sued a fined entity to collect. That, [Verizon argued](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-t-mobile-want-refunds-on-location-data-fines/) in a June 29 filing, was not how companies had understood FCC fines previously. The company said it simply would have refused to pay $47 million if it felt there would be no consequences for doing so; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has typically required payment before companies could appeal a penalty, but the Supreme Court said it wasn’t clear that was necessary. The Supreme Court decision simply affirmed a ruling of the Second Circuit, which had heard Verizon’s challenge and also found the FCC could issue fines. That means the case won’t be sent back down, and Verizon won’t have a chance to argue that it should be refunded for paying a fine it didn’t know was voluntary. The companies’ attorney, former Acting Solicitor General **Jeff Wall**, said they should get a refund during oral arguments, but Chief Justice **John Roberts** didn’t grant one. “The carriers also argue that the specific forfeiture orders in this case misled them into paying, and that a refund is therefore appropriate,” he wrote. “We express no view on the merits of this argument, what relief may be available to the carriers, or in what proceeding.” Asked whether the company felt it had other avenues to pursue a refund, Verizon declined to comment. AT&T and T-Mobile are [also seeking refunds](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-seeking-refund-on-fcc-location-data-fine/). That will be easier for AT&T, since the Supreme Court reversed a decision from the Fifth Circuit, which had sided with the company, and sent the case back down. T-Mobile is in [a similar situation](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-t-mobile-want-refunds-on-location-data-fines/) to Verizon: the high court also simply affirmed the D.C. Circuit’s ruling siding against the company. T-Mobile’s request for a rehearing is still pending before the justices. In addition to the refund issue, the company also wants to litigate other questions that weren’t addressed in the opinion, like whether FCC rules extend to the location data issue, and whether FCC fines should be capped. The Trump administration has indicated it will submit a response to T-Mobile’s request, which it did not do in Verizon’s case. The DOJ asked the Supreme Court to extend its deadline for a response through Sept. 25, a request justices granted. While the Supreme Court said FCC fines were nonbinding, the alternative was eliminating its fining authority altogether, something the agency told the court would have left many of its consumer protection rules with little to no enforcement mechanism at all. It’s [also not clear](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/impact-of-supreme-courts-fcc-fine-ruling-still-unclear-experts/) how frequently companies will elect to go the route of nonpayment going forward, telecom attorneys said in June. The DOJ is likely to back the FCC up in cases of big fines, and it can be difficult to stare down a regulator that controls the lifeblood of one’s business, they said. ### FCC Agenda Targets November to Finalize Wireless Siting Rules URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-agenda-targets-november-to-finalize-wireless-siting-rules/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:22.000Z WASHINGTON, August 17, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is targeting Nov. 2 for new rules that would streamline local review of certain wireless infrastructure modifications. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/BBLO-2026-0819-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) ***Watch the online course preview!** [See the Online Course Preview ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-19-2026-150-years-of-american-telecommunications-the-online-course/) The effective deadline was among planned regulatory actions detailed in the agency’s [2026 unified agenda](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/14/2026-16615/unified-agenda-of-federal-regulatory-and-deregulatory-actions-2026?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The FCC said the actions described in the agenda released Friday are those “currently planned” for the next 12 months and are subject to revision. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) The agenda offers a window into the FCC’s planned regulatory and deregulatory actions, including rules that could have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Under a 1993 executive order, agencies are required to identify regulations they expect to develop or review over the coming year. The order expanded the 1980 Regulatory Flexibility Act, which requires agencies to identify rules that could have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. ### *Wireless siting rules set for November effective date* The FCC’s rulemaking regarding eliminating barriers to wireless deployment, is one of the agency’s [major pending actions](https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain?operation=OPERATION%5FGET%5FAGENCY%5FRULE%5FLIST¤tPub=true&agencyCode=&showStage=active&agencyCd=3060&csrf%5Ftoken=82CEC57265B77647B30CD34F5AC822AD2AABA55542D0FB111C00B8B850DF6B98F5FC0E7C3EC25A2CB1A240BC038110732A3B&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the latter half of 2026. The [FCC’s regulatory flexibility analysis](https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202510&RIN=3060-AM25&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) identifies businesses and governmental jurisdictions as small entities affected by the proceeding. The unified agenda projects Nov. 2 as the effective date for final action in the proceeding, and notes the agency’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau is in the final rulemaking stage. The agency’s proceeding, initiated in September 2025, examines whether existing 60, 90, and 150-day shot clocks set for wireless siting in the FCC’s [2018 Small Cell Order](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/fcc-18-133a1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) were working as intended, whether to tighten them, and whether to apply to larger wireless facilities, including macro cell towers. The proposal contemplates allowing a locality 30 days to tell an applicant that an application is incomplete. Likewise, if the locality says required documents are missing, the FCC is considering a 30-day framework for that response. If a locality fails to act within the applicable shot clock, the application could potentially be deemed approved. The proposal [drew quick opposition](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-wireless-siting-proposal-sparks-wave-of-local-opposition/) with municipalities, counties, and state associations forming the bulk of the opposition. The proposal was [published in the Federal Register](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/01/2025-21620/build-america-eliminating-barriers-to-wireless-deployments?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in December. The comment period closed in January, leaving the commission to consider final rules. ### *FCC projects September action on prison contraband jamming* The FCC is also projecting a Sept. 30 effective date for final action on a proposal that could allow state and local correctional facilities to deploy radio-frequency jamming systems to combat contraband cellphones. In September 2025, the FCC [proposed a framework](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/most-e-rate-funds-spent-in-highest-need-areas-researcher-says/) that would allow non-federal correctional facilities to use RF jamming solutions to prevent contraband wireless devices from connecting to commercial networks. The FCC’s [regulatory flexibility analysis](https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202510&RIN=3060-AK06&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) identifies businesses as small entities affected by the proceeding. The proposal has raised concerns about interference with legitimate wireless communications, particularly because some local jails are located near courthouses, government buildings and residential areas. The proposal was published [in the Federal Register](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/26/2025-21325/promoting-technological-solutions-to-combat-contraband-wireless-device-use-in-correctional?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in November, the comment period closed in January. ### *Upper C-band order already adopted* The FCC’s agenda also lists Nov. 23, as the effective date for its Upper C-band rules. The commission just [adopted a final order](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-upper-c-band-plan-opening-160-mhz-for-wireless-auction/) on the matter on July 22\. The [FCC order](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/31/2026-15598/upper-c-band-398-42-ghz-expanding-flexible-use-of-the-37-to-42-ghz-band?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) will make 160 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.98-4.14 GigaHertz portion of the Upper C-band available for terrestrial wireless use in the contiguous United States. The commission plans to auction the spectrum in eight 20-megahertz blocks, with the auction tentatively [scheduled to begin](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/03/2026-15725/auction-of-flexible-use-licenses-in-the-upper-c-band-for-next-generation-wireless-services-scheduled?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) April 27, 2027. The FCC’s [regulatory flexibility analysis](https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202510&RIN=3060-AM20&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) says the rule is likely to have international trade or investment effects, or otherwise be of international interest. The agency has not determined which levels of government would be affected. The FCC’s agenda also identifies several broader telecommunications proceedings in the proposed rule stage. Those include the FCC’s effort to reform legacy rules for an all-IP future and accelerate network modernization, along with a companion effort addressing high-cost legacy program reforms. The agency is also considering rules to promote the development of positioning, navigation and timing technologies and solutions. ### Most E-Rate Funds Spent in Highest-Need Areas, Researcher Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/most-e-rate-funds-spent-in-highest-need-areas-researcher-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:26.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2026 – Most funds under the Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program go to schools and libraries in lower income areas, a recent analysis found. The program provides discounts on broadband and telecom services to schools and libraries, and spends about $2.5 billion annually. The program provides discounts to participants based on the percentage of students that are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) **Hari Narayanan**, a data scientist who publishes broadband adoption research at his site BroadbandClusters, [found that](https://broadbandclusters.org/research/e-rate-2024/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in fiscal year 2024, 77 percent of the program’s funding went to the highest-need schools and libraries. The FCC is currently conducting a review of E-Rate and taking input on altering the program, including questions about limiting funds to rural areas or even subsetting the program. The FCC’s highest need threshold requires 75 percent or more of students in those schools or school districts to qualify for free or reduced lunch. Participants in that category get up to 90 percent off broadband access subscription and 85 percent off networking gear. There were 11,869 schools and libraries in the highest need category in FY2024\. In the zip codes around them — which don’t always exactly match the school district they each serve — 28.5 percent of households lack home broadband and 18.2 percent of households lack a large-screen device, Narayanan found using 2024 Census Bureau data. Those are both higher than the nationwide figures, just 4.5 percent of households reported lacking a broadband connection in the Census’s 2024 survey. In addition to questions about consultant certifications and expanding filtering requirements, the FCC's proposal asks whether the program’s mission has been achieved given the expansion of broadband infrastructure to nearly every school in the country “In establishing the program in 1996, Congress was addressing a specific problem: limited access to advanced telecommunications and Internet services in schools and libraries,” the agency wrote. “Given the substantial expansion of broadband access in schools and libraries over the last three decades, we seek comment on whether and to what extent the E-Rate program has fulfilled that mission and whether continued funding is consistent with Congress’s original objective.” The FCC also cited concerns about excessive screen time for students. Schools and libraries [are nervous about ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/schools-libraries-fight-to-preserve-e-rate-in-major-battle-at-fcc/)the prospect of reduced E-Rate funding. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition urged members Friday to submit comments in the FCC’s docket, which opened the same day. Narayanan found many areas that get some of the most E-Rate funding are not rural. The city receiving the most funds was New York, at $137 million, with Los Angeles and Chicago at the third and fourth most. Alaska’s Lower Kuskokwim School District received the second most, at $96.6 million, and serves many remote and rural villages in the state. Other cities getting more than $20 million in E-Rate funding included Houston, Amarillo, and San Antonio, Texas, plus Columbia, South Carolina, and Montgomery, Alabama. The only other rural area was Unalakleet, Alaska. E-Rate supports more than 96 percent of all public schools in the U.S. In FY2024, the program spent 62.1 percent of its money subsidizing broadband subscriptions. Another 35.4 percent was for networking gear to connect school buildings and campuses, like Wi-Fi access points and routers. At the Mountain Connect conference last week, a school district technology director said the biggest impact of lost funding might be on the equipment side. **Tim Miles**, tech director for Colorado’s Steamboat Springs School District said rural broadband prices have fallen significantly over the years as fewer and fewer true monopolies remain. But networking gear to support those subscriptions was getting more expensive, he said, and was something schools would likely forgo maintaining or replacing without the subsidy. “It’ll negatively affect school districts,” he said. “The device cost to run a network inside of a building is drastically rising. That’s where it really helps, the subsidies for schools.” ### States Take Meta to Trial in California in The Biggest Fight Yet Over Social Media Harms to Children URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-take-meta-to-trial-in-california-in-the-biggest-fight-yet-over-social-media-harms-to-children/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:26.000Z August 17, 2026 (AP) – Of the thousands of lawsuits Meta faces over child safety on its platforms, none may be more consequential than one [going to trial](https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) this week in California. States are seeking extensive financial damages that could, in theory, total as much as $1.4 trillion, plus changes to how the company operates Facebook and Instagram. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The lawsuit accuses the social media giant of contributing to the youth [mental health crisis](https://apnews.com/article/social-media-addiction-signs-adults-da4a28f1b361b3d909b4790d4f462089?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by knowingly and deliberately designing features that [get children addicted](https://apnews.com/article/influenced-social-media-mental-health-advice-620e277528728498c1202690d0512f85?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to its platforms. It also claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. “Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains,” the lawsuit says. Dozens of states filed the lawsuit three years ago. The trial set to begin Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, features four of the states as plaintiffs — California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. The other 25 states are expected to have trials later. Meta said it disputes the allegations, and the trial evidence will show its commitment to supporting young people. “We’ve listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted in-depth research to understand the issues that matter most,” the company said in a statement. ### *States seek to land a major blow against Meta* For Meta, which already lost two pivotal [cases over harms to children and teens](https://apnews.com/article/social-media-meta-youtube-instagram-trials-aa1d936fca51c67478db7bc5b08d1c45?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) this year, the stakes are high. The company reported a [rare profit decline](https://apnews.com/article/meta-earnings-q2-facebook-profit-revenue-ai-bcbc62dde6d2cac724e3b3385fcabeab?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last month, in part due to $2.4 billion in legal expenses. The $1.4 trillion figure, which Meta disclosed in a legal filing, is almost as high as the Menlo Park, California, company’s entire market capitalization — that is, the value of all its outstanding shares on the stock market. Paying it would inevitably put Meta Platforms in bankruptcy and perhaps put the company under state ownership. “The state attorneys general are going for the gusto,” said **Eric Goldman**, a professor and co-director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law. “They are trying to set the definitive precedent in this case and they have asked for extraordinary damages and they are going to seek extraordinary structural remedies if they succeed.” Meta calls the possible penalty “untethered to any claimed violation” by the states. “A sanction of that size has no analog in the history of consumer protection enforcement,” Meta said in a July 6 filing with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. If Meta loses the trial, the court would have wide discretion over the size of any financial penalty, and legal experts say anything close to $1.4 trillion would be unlikely. “It’s not plausible in the sense that Meta doesn’t have that much money and could not get it,” said **James Grimmelmann**, a law professor at Cornell Law School and Cornell Tech. “An award that large would put Meta into bankruptcy, wipe out its owners, and effectively result in the states owning Meta.” As a practical matter, Grimmelmann added, “that seems extremely unlikely to happen.” In other cases that have involved high potential damages for multiple individual offenses, he said courts have stopped short of imposing the maximum penalties. One example is the [Anthropic artificial intelligence training](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-copyright-authors-settlement-training-f294266bc79a16ec90d2ddccdf435164?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) case, where plaintiffs were claiming damages of $150,000 per book that Anthropic copied, but the penalty ended up being $3,000 per book, totaling about $1.5 billion. ### *Trial seeks to hold Meta accountable on state and federal statutes* The federal trial this week is more complex than one earlier this year, in Los Angeles, where a [state court](https://apnews.com/article/social-media-addiction-trial-la-5e54075023d837ccdc76c4ca512e925d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) awarded $6 million in damages from Meta and Google’s YouTube to a single plaintiff, a young woman who testified she became addicted to social media as a child. That case was a bellwether, or test case, picked from thousands of similar civil tort lawsuits to give both plaintiffs and the defendants an idea of how their arguments fare in court. The jury determined that Meta and YouTube were negligent in the design or operation of their respective platforms, and that the negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to the plaintiff. They also determined each company knew their platforms could be dangerous when used by a minor and that they failed to adequately warn of that danger. The Oakland case, meanwhile, has state attorneys general as the plaintiffs and centers on state and federal statutes they allege Meta violated, which lay out potential penalty amounts for each violation. “And there’s a lot of them because it’s four different states and at least three different kinds of statutes. There’s a child privacy statute, there’s a false advertising statute and there’s unfair competition statutes,” said **Rebecca Allensworth**, a professor at Vanderbilt University Law School. ### *Meta has added safety tools — but states want more* An outcome that leads to changes in how Facebook and Instagram operate could be as consequential as any financial penalty. Meta has introduced a slew of new features in recent years designed to protect minors. In 2024 it launched [teen accounts](https://apnews.com/article/instagram-meta-teen-parent-social-media-40a3bf5c7ef1652f6a7eed64e3662ce8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on Instagram, which are private by default and come with messaging and content restrictions, and parental controls. The company also uses artificial intelligence to determine if kids under 13 are using Instagram or if teenagers are lying about their age to access adult accounts. Safety advocates have called on the company to do more. A New Mexico judge earlier this month ordered [new safety measures](https://apnews.com/article/meta-new-mexico-ruling-youth-mental-health-030dbeb27a51bdbdc861304023835e8d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on the platforms including time limits for minors, AI chatbot restrictions, and mandatory warnings on the platforms, but his order applied only to users in the state. “These AGs have a real chance at fixing the product,” **Laura Marquez-Garrett** of the Social Media Victims Law Center said Friday in a virtual discussion with advocates hosted by the Tech Oversight Project. “For these companies, this is a real point of reckoning. As these cases go forward, this is a leap forward, folks, not a step.” During [jury selection](https://apnews.com/article/meta-oakland-trial-states-children-harms-d35bc173d109c156ce911aa6a1e2f05b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last week, prospective jurors were asked whether and how much they believe Meta has contributed to the youth mental health crisis. While many agreed that it did, they also put responsibility on parents, and said things like climate change and the state of the world are also causing children's and teenagers' mental health issues. *This article was written by Barbara Ortutay of the Associated Press.* ### DuJuan McCoy Slams National Association of Black Journalists for Giving Him ‘Troubling’ Award at Gala Event in Atlanta URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dujuan-mccoy-slams-national-association-of-black-journalists-for-giving-him-troubling-award-at-gala-event-in-atlanta/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T12:51:07.000Z 💡 ■ As a Penny Stock, Optimum Threatened with Delisting by NYSE ■ Amazing Rebound: Heather McCallion Named Cable One’s Chief Operating Officer ■ Carr: Broadband Speeds Up, Prices Down, Competition Stronger under Trump ■ Alabama Community College System Adds Seven Campuses To the Alabama Fiber Network ■ Moulton Demands Markey Return $62,000 Contribution from DSCC ■ Report: Ukraine Missiles Knock Out Russia Plant Building Starlink Copycat TV: The recipient of this TV industry “award” had a simple message: No thanks. Keep it. African-American TV station owner **DuJuan McCoy** is pushing back on an Aug. 15 decision by the National Association of Black Journalists to issue its annual “Thumbs Down” [award](https://thegrio.com/2026/08/16/nabj-thumbs-down-award-stephen-a-smith-brendan-carr/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to him during its Salute to Excellence gala ceremony in Atlanta. NABJ – founded in 1975 and based at the University of Maryland – represents more than 4,000 journalists. It said McCoy’s “award” reflected concerns raised about his treatment of Black journalists at WISH‑TV in Indianapolis, part of McCoy’s Circle City Broadcasting. NABJ, however, [described its concerns in vague terms](https://youtu.be/xqrD5WrQLbw?t=7918&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) without offering a single example of what it meant. Video of the award presentation [starts here](https://youtu.be/xqrD5WrQLbw?t=7919&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on YouTube. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oTkF!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32620dcd-1640-46b4-85a5-a5487966c7dc_975x549.png) _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### FCC Pleased With Pace of Broadband Deployments URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-pleased-with-pace-of-broadband-deployments/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:26.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission said Friday that broadband is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion, reversing a [finding from 2024](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-increases-broadband-benchmark/) under the Biden administration. The agency review found 96.9 percent of people in the U.S. had access to terrestrial broadband of at least 100 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload (100 \* 20 Mbps) as of June 2025, an increase from 94.5 percent two years prior. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Fixed satellite service at those speeds is at least offered virtually everywhere in the country, and FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has advocated for including satellite in the annual review, but [the Friday report](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-55A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) still included estimates both including and excluding satellite. The agency said congestion and other factors could affect satellite broadband service quality and consistency. A May [Ookla report](https://www.ookla.com/articles/starlink-hits-new-us-highs?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) found subscribers using Starlink — the only consumer low-Earth orbit ISP operating in the country — experienced 100 \* 20 Mbps speeds 44.7 percent of the time. The FCC is required by Section 706 of the Telecom Act to report annually on whether broadband is being deployed across the country “in a reasonable and timely fashion.” The agency found in the affirmative this time. “More Americans than ever have access to affordable, next-gen services. The digital divide is rapidly closing,” Carr said [in a statement](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-55A2.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “And a range of data sets show that speeds are up, prices are down, and competition is intensifying.” The 706 report found 87.6 percent of people on Tribal lands had terrestrial service at 100 \* 20 Mbps, and that nationwide 76.9 percent of people had access to at least two terrestrial ISPs offering those speeds. ### *95.2% of people had access to 5G speeds of 35 \* 3 Mbps* On the mobile front, 95.2 percent of people had access to 5G speeds of at least 35 \* 3 Mbps, and that 93.2 percent had access to mobile fixed and mobile service meeting the agency’s benchmarks. Rural telecom consultant **Doug Dawson** [has written that](https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2026/06/02/how-good-is-rural-cell-coverage-part-ii/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) rural cell coverage can still in practice be patchy, since any given area might be covered by one mobile carrier but not necessarily all three, leading to dead zones depending on which provider one subscribed to. The agency’s report found 87.8 percent of people had access to qualifying 5G from two or more providers, and 73.8 percent were covered by three or more. In all, about 10.6 million people lacked access to 100 \* 20 Mbps broadband, the FCC found. About 3.4 million lived in areas where public funds had already been allocated to fund deployment. That doesn’t include the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, the report said, since those grants are not all yet reflected in the FCC’s broadband funding map. While the report touted the expansion of broadband deployments, the agency said it still had work to do in closing the digital divide. “Notwithstanding these impressive results and our findings in this report, our work in closing the digital divide will not cease,” the agency wrote. “On the contrary, we plan to continue our efforts to ensure that every single American has access to advanced telecommunications capability.” ### *Affordability, adoption scrapped* As a commissioner, Carr dissented from the 706 report issued in 2024\. He said that report’s finding that broadband was *not* being deployed in a reasonable and timely fashion could be used to institute more aggressive regulations over the industry, which he opposed. He also opposed the agency’s analysis of broadband affordability and adoption, something it hadn’t looked at in prior reports. He argued those were beyond what the agency was supposed to consider under the law, and the agency did not analyze those issues in Friday’s report. “The record makes clear that broadband providers themselves are concerned with and proactively addressing consumer costs,” the agency wrote. “We reject the argument that the universal service goals nonetheless warrant inclusion in the 706 inquiry because affordability and adoption in particular inform whether advanced telecommunications services are ‘meaningfully’ or ‘effectively’ available.” The report also axed a long-term speed goal the agency instituted with the 2024 report: 1 Gbps \* 500 Mbps. FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez**, the agency’s lone Democrat, was [not pleased](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gomez-wary-of-fccs-deployment-inquiry/) with that. “Infrastructure is of little value to consumers when it is not usable for high-speed, reliable connectivity or when it is not affordable. Though Congress only required the Commission to report on deployment, this requirement is a floor, not a ceiling,” she said [in a statement](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-55A3.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Omitting affordability and usability from the analysis was a policy decision with which I disagree.” She said she concurred with the item rather than fully approve it (although a concurrence counts as a vote for approval) over the issue. Gomez also said her office pushed for some edits that noted the limitations of satellite broadband. ### Team Telecom Probes T-Mobile’s $2B Oak Hill Fiber Deal URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/team-telecom-probes-t-mobiles-2b-oak-hill-fiber-deal/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:26.000Z WASHINGTON, August 14, 2026 – T-Mobile’s plan to fold two more fiber providers into its portfolio is waiting on a national security sign-off. The Justice Department notified the Federal Communications Commission [on Aug. 7](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069697/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that Team Telecom had begun examining a set of applications tied to the joint venture T-Mobile is forming with private equity firm Oak Hill Capital. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Team Telecom, chaired Attorney General **Todd Blanche**, Secretary of Defense **Pete Hegseth**, and Secretary of Homeland Security **Markwayne Mullin**, is an interagency panel that vets foreign ownership interests in FCC license applications for national security and law enforcement risks. The letter states that Team Telecom has already sent tailored questions to the applicants, and that the FCC will be notified once the committee’s chair determines those responses are complete. That determination is what starts the formal 120 day initial review clock, which has not yet begun. ### *The deal* T-Mobile and Oak Hill signed definitive [agreements on April 25](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-investing-2-7-billion-in-new-fiber-jvs/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) to combine two of Oak Hill’s fiber companies, GoNetspeed and Greenlight Networks, into a jointly owned fiber platform. T-Mobile has said it expects to invest roughly $2 billion for a 50 percent stake in the venture, with the deal targeted to close in the first half of 2027. It’s the latest in a string of similar fiber joint ventures T-Mobile has assembled over the past two years as it builds out a wholesale fiber strategy alongside its fixed wireless business. In each case, T-Mobile has taken a 50 percent equity interest and becomes the retail-facing anchor tenant selling fiber service under the T-Mobile brand, while its partner handles network construction and operation. T-Mobile closed its first such deal with Lumos, backed by EQT,[ in April 2025](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-swedish-investor-eqt-close-lumos-purchase/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com), paying roughly $932 million for a 50 percent stake. It followed that in July 2025 [by closing on Metronet](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/t-mobile-kkr-acquire-fiber-isp-metronet/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com), backed by KKR, for $4.6 billion. In April 2026, T-Mobile signed two more agreements: one with Wren House Infrastructure for i3 Broadband, expected to cost roughly $700 million and targeted to close in the second half of 2026, and the last with Oak Hill Capital to combine GoNetspeed and Greenlight Networks. ### *Why Team Telecom is involved* Team Telecom review is triggered when a transaction involves foreign ownership interests in U.S. telecommunications infrastructure. The docket lists six separate applications under review. T-Mobile has been through this process before. Team Telecom referred T-Mobile’s now-closed $4.4 billion UScellular wireless acquisition for review in November 2024 and cleared it roughly seven months later, in June 2025. The FCC has said it will not act on the underlying license applications until Team Telecom completes its review. ### Mark Vasconi: A Growing Reality Check for BEAD URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/mark-vasconi-a-growing-reality-check-for-bead/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T18:54:21.000Z This week at Mountain Connect, one topic keeps coming up in hallways, panel discussions, and private conversations: Broadband providers are increasingly discovering that building to the last unserved locations is significantly more difficult and expensive than many anticipated. **Bree Maki**, executive director of Minnesota’s broadband office, said her office would support waivers to increase grant support if they made sense, suggesting NTIA use BEAD surplus funds to address [rising costs](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-working-on-bead-project-costs-permits/) and meet the goal of connecting the unserved. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) **Sarah Baska**, director of Georgia’s broadband office, said NTIA’s process made it “very hard to overcome lowest price” and since then has seen the increased costs of projects, with one provider pulling out having run the numbers and needing three time what they bid. This is not an isolated event. We’ve already seen similar declines in Oregon, Nebraska, and Texas. In [Oregon](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/oregon-moves-forward-on-bead-contracts-but-astound-backs-out/?ref=alerts-newsletter), multiple providers declined previously awarded BEAD projects, representing more than 13,000 locations and over $120 million in planned funding. One provider alone reportedly walked away from more than $90 million in awards after concluding that the economics of building isolated project areas no longer made sense. The state was ultimately forced to conduct a replacement process to reassign the projects. In [Nebraska](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nebraska-reopens-bead-bidding-after-a-few-isps-refused-to-sign-their-contracts/), state officials were forced to reopen portions of their broadband grant process after several providers declined to sign awarded contracts, leaving approximately 1,700 locations without an identified builder. In [Texas](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/winning-bidders-back-out-of-31-000-bead-locations-in-texas/?ref=alerts-newsletter), providers backed away from nearly $190 million in subsidy funding, leaving roughly 31,000 locations behind. These are early warning signs of what's to come. After years of delays, changing conditions, and on-the-ground reality checks, we need to be honest about the challenges emerging as states move from planning to execution. Providers submitted BEAD applications based on broadband maps and location data that were developed years ago. Since then, the marketplace hasn't stood still. Cable, fiber, fixed wireless, and satellite providers have continued investing billions of dollars in network expansion. As a result, many locations that appeared eligible when planning began have since received service through private investment. That leaves a smaller pool of truly unserved locations. Unfortunately, those remaining locations are often the hardest, most remote, and most expensive places to reach. While providers have continued to build to increasingly rural areas, the industry has learned a great deal over the last several years about the practical realities of rural deployment. Pole replacement requirements are more extensive than many expected, and make-ready timelines remain unpredictable. New York Law School’s Advanced Communications Law & Policy Institute recently estimated BEAD-related pole costs ranging from about $1.25 billion to $4.6 billion. Additionally, permitting delays continue to add months to project schedules, which is considerable when you factor that the majority of BEAD projects will require [more than 10 permits](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-projects-could-require-86-000-permits-nationwide-analysts-say/). Access challenges, supply chain, labor shortages, terrain issues, and rising construction costs all compound the difficulty of reaching the final few percent of locations. Every year of delay has made those challenges more acute. Projects that may have penciled out in 2024 or even during the benefit of the bargain round in 2025 can look dramatically different in 2026\. Material costs have increased. Interest rates and capital costs have increased. Construction timelines have stretched. At the same time, competition has only increased. So, it’s not surprising that in addition to changing project economics, providers are concerned about matching fund requirements, cost overruns, compliance exposure, and BABA-compliant inventory constraints. The result is a growing gap between assumptions made during planning and realities encountered during implementation. Rather than treating such developments as failures, policymakers should view them as valuable market signals. They reflect the reality that connecting the hardest-to-reach locations has always been the most difficult part of the broadband challenge. Policymakers and stakeholders should prepare for more BEAD project modifications, more requests for reassessment, and potentially more awards being returned as providers take a closer look at the economics of individual builds. If BEAD is going to succeed, I would echo the message of other state broadband officers asking NTIA to consider using portions of the $21 billion, and counting, in left-over funds to help with cost over runs associated with inflation, capital costs and a portion of pole-related costs. As with any public funding, additional allowable uses of non-deployment funding need to also have sensible limits so that these additional monies are not just a form of giveaway. I know the broadband industry remains committed to finishing the job, but if conversations at Mountain Connect are any indication, we should expect to see more providers reassessing projects as we collectively face the hard realities of rural broadband deployment. It would be incredibly unfortunate for NTIA to miss this opportunity to bolster awardees' ability to meet the current challenges of building long-lasting fiber networks in rural America, particularly when money appropriated by Congress is available. ***Mark Vasconi is the principal of Vasconi Consulting and is the former State Broadband Director in Washington. He also spent over a decade as the Director of Regulatory Analysis at the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. Prior to his work in the public sector, he had an extensive career in the private sector principally with AT&T. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Some Smaller ISPs Feeling Pressure to Bundle URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-smaller-isps-feeling-pressure-to-bundle/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:30.000Z DENVER, Aug. 14, 2026 – Nationwide broadband providers are leaning into plans that bundle fixed and mobile broadband, which makes subscribers less likely to switch. Some smaller ISPs are now feeling pressure to provide similar offers, they said at Mountain Connect here this week. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “Talking to our door-to-door team, the number one obstacle they face when they’re going to talk to a new customer is somebody saying, ‘Oh, we'd love to get you, but my phone is with this other company, or my TV is with this other company,’” said **Alberto Garcia**, GFiber’s government affairs manager. GFiber is merging with cable operator Astound, although Google will remain a “significant minority shareholder.” When the companies announced the deal in March, New Street Research estimated GFiber’s footprint at about 2.8 million passings. “I see the benefits of bundling if you want to keep your customers. It’s really hard to get them to change that,” Garcia said. “It’s going to have to be a whole process for them to unbundle all of it.” Still GFiber is sticking with its internet-only model and not offering bundles, he said. Vistabeam, a fiber and fixed wireless provider in Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming, has a mobile offering in the works. The company has about 7,000 subscribers. **Matt Larsen**, the company’s CEO, said he had “not been a big fan of bundling” and that the company was “begrudgingly doing a little bit of it” to compete where necessary rather than making it a core offering. “It’s been used more as a lever on behalf of the corporate side of the equation, as opposed to the customer,” he said. “It makes it a lot harder for somebody to switch.” National broadband providers do indeed report much less churn among their converged customers. AT&T, Verizon, Charter, and Comcast are all leaning into selling as many bundles as possible to keep that churn low. T-Mobile hasn’t emphasized convergence as much, but it does have millions of fixed wireless customers and has acquired multiple regional fiber providers through joint ventures. Larsen didn’t say which mobile carrier’s network the service would use. The cable giants offer their mobile services through a deal with Verizon. **Roger Timmerman**, executive director of UTOPIA Fiber, an open access provider operated by a consortium of cities in Utah, said they made it possible for ISPs using the network to offer bundles. That goes for both wireless and video services, similar to bundles offered by cable providers. He said the provider was also somewhat against bundling, but recognized that an ISP might feel it was necessary to have one if they wanted to compete with a national carrier. UTOPIA operates in 23 cities. Timmerman didn’t say which wireless operator the company had partnered with on its mobile service. The operators described putting an increased focus on customer service as a means of differentiating themselves, since customers are increasingly starting to take high speeds, even those offered by fiber, for granted. ### Prysmian Doubles Down on U.S. Fiber With $1.2B Expansion URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/prysmian-doubles-down-on-u-s-fiber-with-1-2b-expansion/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:30.000Z WASHINGTON, August 14, 2026 – Cable and fiber giant Prysmian is pouring more than $1.2 billion into expanding its U.S. optical fiber and cable manufacturing capacity. The Milan, Italy-based company says the investment will more than double its total U.S. output. It follows a separate 10-year agreement Prysmian signed last month with Molex, a Koch Inc. subsidiary, to supply optical fiber cables for use inside data centers. That deal is worth up to $6.3 billion and includes a $620 million upfront payment. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Prysmian said it is targeting more than $11.4 billion in cumulative revenue from hyperscalers and data center infrastructure providers through 2035, including as much as $1.26 billion annually starting in 2031. “The agreements and capacity investments strengthen our leadership in data centers, with every part of our business benefiting,” Prysmian CEO **Massimo Battaini** said. Most of the money, $1.02 billion, is earmarked for doubling fiber production capacity at Prysmian’s Claremont, North Carolina campus, expected to create 300 jobs. It adds a new glass preform facility, where large glass structures are manufactured and then drawn into optical fiber, integrating the raw material stage of fiber production, a capability the Claremont site has not previously held in-house. It also adds expanded fiber draw lines, production lines where the glass used to make optical fiber is heated and drawn down into extremely thin strands of fiber, and a larger research and development center. A second, $48 million investment will expand the campus’s separate optical cable operations plant, adding another 85 jobs. The new positions will carry an average annual salary of $60,870, above Catawba County’s average of $56,937, for an estimated regional payroll impact of more than $23.4 million a year. A groundbreaking is planned for mid-September, and the state has proposed at least a $1 million performance-based grant tied to the project, according to [an announcement](https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2026/08/12/governor-stein-announces-1-billion-expansion-prysmians-claremont-facility-adding-385-new-jobs?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from North Carolina Governor **Josh Stein**’s office on Wednesday. Claremont has been a repeat target for Prysmian investment: the company spent $20 million there in 2016 to expand fiber preform production and add 50 jobs, then followed with a $54 million expansion in 2024 that increased plant capacity by 60 percent. This year’s investment dwarfs both. Claremont isn’t the only site getting a boost. Prysmian will also spend $100 million to double the footprint of its Jackson, Tennessee facility, and $80 million will expand capacity for its FlexRibbon cable line at its Lexington, South Carolina plant. The expansions altogether are expected to generate 615 new U.S. jobs. The company’s regional operations are based in Highland Heights, Kentucky. ### *Part of a broader fiber arms race* Prysmian’s U.S. buildout places it squarely in a manufacturing race that rival Corning has also been aggressively pursuing. Corning [has partnered with Nvidia](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/amazon-corning-reach-multibillion-dollar-fiber-deal/) on plans to build three new optical plants in North Carolina and Texas, and has struck major fiber supply agreements with Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. CommScope, the third major U.S. fiber manufacturer, expanded its North Carolina operations in 2023 and announced further growth plans in 2024. Just five months ago, Prysmian and three other major fiber suppliers said the industry had enough domestic capacity to serve both the federal government’s $21 billion broadband buildout and rapidly growing demand from artificial intelligence hyperscaler. In [a March statement](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fiber-suppliers-say-they-can-meet-bead-and-ai-demand/), executives from Prysmian, Corning, AFL and Lightera told the National Telecommunications and Information Administration that peak BEAD deployment would represent less than 5 percent of U.S. fiber capacity. They pledged to maintain enough American-made fiber and cable to serve the program. Founded in 1879, Prysmian North America has grown to become one of the world’s largest cable and fiber manufacturers, operating more than 100 plants across six continents, including more than 50 locations and 9,000 associates in North America. ### States Can’t Unilaterally Alter BEAD Contracts, NTIA Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-cant-unilaterally-alter-bead-contracts-ntia-says/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:31.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2026 – States can’t unilaterally alter contracts they signed with ISPs under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, federal regulators told broadband offices. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration [asked states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite-bead-awards-to-be-reduced/) last month to reduce the awards they made to satellite broadband providers, citing new data showing either already existing terrestrial deployments or misclassified buildings. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) But some states had already signed contracts with SpaceX or Amazon. In those cases, the companies would have to agree to their locations being reduced, NTIA said in its latest [BEAD FAQ document](https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2026-08/BEAD%5FFAQs%5FV23%5F08%5F26.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), updated Aug. 3. ISPs participating in the program “have a reasonable reliance interest in the terms of their executed subgrant agreement, and altering those terms after award could negatively affect project viability,” NTIA wrote in the FAQ. “Providers or governments that choose to overbuild BEAD-funded locations do so with full awareness that those locations are funded by BEAD and that the federal government has an interest in maintaining the financial viability of the project serving those locations during the period of performance.” During a June 30 hearing, NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** told lawmakers that five states had signed contracts with SpaceX. Based on public announcements, those included Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Nebraska. Since the hearing, at least Virginia has also said it signed with satellite providers. In their initial NTIA-approved plans, those states had a combined 105,111 satellite locations between them. Whether the number gets reduced will depend on whether SpaceX and Amazon are willing to amend their contracts. “If the subgrantee and the Eligible Entity mutually agree that a location should be removed, then the parties may agree to a project modification,” NTIA wrote. ISPs are subgrantees and states are eligible entities in BEAD technical jargon. [An analysis](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-satellite-locations-could-drop-35-42-analysts-say/) from New York Law School found that under the new NTIA policy, the 900,000 locations in line for BEAD-funded satellite service nationally could drop by 35 to 42 percent. ### NT&T’s Collapse Forces Thousands in Five States to Find New Phone and Internet Providers Fast URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/nt-ts-collapse-forces-thousands-in-five-states-to-find-new-phone-and-internet-providers-fast/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T12:50:26.000Z 💡 ■ California Regulators Approve Charter-Cox; Deal to Close Next Week ■ Permitting Delays Stall Fiber Build in Butler County, Ohio ■ Delaware Has Fastest Download Speeds for Second Year in a Row ■ New Mexico: Verizon Outage Justifies Redundant Fiber Routes ■ FCC Asked to Void Effort to Require ISPs to Get Cable Franchises ■ NECTA Marks 65th Year Leading Cable and Broadband Innovators ■ CPUC Keeps Funding Fiber Projects with Steep Per-Location Costs ■ East Longmeadow, Mass., to Spend $43.4 Million to Overbuild Charter ■ A Case of Political Civility Breaks Out on Capitol Hill ■ West Virginia Gov. Morrisey Honors Virginia Elva Cadd on Her 107th Birthday Closing Time: Nebraska Technology and Telecommunications in Omaha is preparing to shut down all of its phone and Internet services across five states, leaving nearly 4,000 customers with only weeks to find new providers, [according to an Aug. 13 filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110070928/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with the Federal Communications Commission. The company, known as NT&T, told the FCC it will discontinue long‑distance service on Aug. 15 and end local telephone and Internet service on Sept. 30\. The move affects customers in Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota. ***(More after paywall)*** ![Profile image](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1SRr!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd4c1b2b1-029d-4761-a087-334a3511b683_800x800.jpeg "Profile image") Michael Orcutt has been CEO of NT&T CEO since 1997 _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### CPUC Approves $34.5 Billion Charter-Cox Merger URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cpuc-approves-34-5-billion-charter-cox-merger/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:34.000Z Aug. 13, 2026 – California regulators voted Thursday to approve Charter’s $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox Communications, removing the final barrier to the cable merger closing. The [approved order](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M614/K583/614583826.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) adopted with few changes two settlement agreements between the companies and consumer advocates in the state. It was an alternate decision put forward by California Public Utilities Commissioner **Matthew Baker**, rather than the administrative law judge who oversaw the case. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) It was also the version the companies [had asked the CPUC](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-cox-at-odds-with-calif-advocacy-groups-on-merger-conditions/) to go with. The decision proposed by ALJ **Jamie Ormond** would have imposed rural deployment and low-income service requirements that went further than the settlement agreements. The five CPUC commissioners unanimously voted to approve Baker’s version. Those [two agreements](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-agrees-to-infrastructure-upgrades-statewide-low-income-price-locks-if-california-approves-cox-deal/) will see the combined company, which will go by Cox despite Charter being the buyer, spend $275 million on network upgrades in the state and offer a $20 monthly plan for eligible households. New subscribers on that and other low-income plans would not be required to have gone without broadband the previous month, a response to concern from non-settling advocacy groups. Still, those groups remained concerned about increased consolidation in the telecom industry, they said in a joint statement. The statement was joined by the California Alliance for Digital Equity, Digital Equity LA, the Media Alliance, and others. "While the Charter/Cox merger offers a few substantive public interest benefits – such as requiring Charter to adhere to current Public, Educational, and Government Access Channels laws – we caution against the continued and rapid consolidation of the marketplace without sufficient regulatory safeguards," the groups said. The combined company will also have to participate in California’s low-income broadband subsidy program for five years, and spend $30 million to support broadband adoption efforts. That would be spent with the nonprofit California Emerging Technology Fund, one of the settling parties. Charter and Cox also reached a settlement with CalAdvocates, the CPUC’s own public advocacy office. The merger will create the largest ISP in the country, with more than 70 million passings and more than 35 million broadband subscribers. "With the closure of the Cox transaction, we expect an increase in investor speculation around a potential Charter-Comcast merger, especially after Comcast's recent announcement that they are splitting the Cable and Media assets," New Street Research analyst **Vikash Harlalka** wrote in an investor note. The deal received Federal Communications Commission approval months ago, and California was the last barrier to its closing. If the CPUC hadn’t voted on Thursday, Justice Department approval, granted last year, would have expired and required another review. In addition to the settlements, Baker’s decision would also require the companies to offer 72-hour backup batteries in case of outages. The companies had asked to meet that requirement in phases over time, something the approved decision declined to allow. “We’ll have our work cut out for us in ensuring these benefits are achieved,” CPUC President **John Reynolds** said at the agency’s Thursday meeting. “Staff will monitor and enforce compliance with the settlement agreements and proposed decision to ensure Californians received better service after this transaction.” CPUC Commissioner **Darci Houck** said the agency favored settlements when they happened, and that she didn’t think the ones struck in this case needed to be overruled with extensive additional conditions. In another condition, the combined company would have to offer any given promotion throughout the state, unless it was motivated by another ISP’s local promotion. The goal was to promote low prices across the state. CPUC Commissioner **Christine Harada** said the agency and advocacy groups should pay extra attention to ensure the exception didn’t effectively allow normal localized promotions. ### *Standalone Cox* In filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this month, the companies said Cox brought in $6.6 billion in revenue in the first half of 2026, compared to Charter’s $27 billion. The filings didn’t give updated subscriber metrics for Cox, but did indicate that the company was lowering prices in a bid to mitigate subscriber losses that have plagued cable companies for years, MoffettNathanson founder **Craig Moffett** wrote in an investor note at the time. *Update: This story was updated to include additional commentary.* ### Texas Governor Halts Data Center Grid Connections Pending Audit URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-governor-halts-data-center-grid-connections-pending-audit/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:34.000Z August 13, 2026 – Texas Gov. **Greg Abbott** (R) has ordered the state’s electric grid regulators to conduct a sweeping audit of every data center project seeking to connect to the Texas grid. The governor’s order halts new interconnections until the review is complete and raises uncertainty for a wave of artificial intelligence driven data center construction already underway in the state. More than 1,800 projects are currently seeking grid connections. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The state’s grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, is currently evaluating more than 474 gigawatts of requests to connect to the Texas grid, and roughly 90 percent of that demand comes from data centers, the governor’s office said. That figure dwarfs the state’s current capacity. Texas set a record for hourly peak demand of 91 gigawatts on July 22, breaking the previous record of 85.5 GW. The order directs ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas to verify and audit all data center projects moving through ERCOT’s interconnection process. Any project that does not comply with requirements set by the two agencies will be denied a connection to the grid. Legal analysts say Abbott's order could complicate deals that are already signed and under construction. A [client alert](https://www.mofo.com/resources/insights/260811-texas-governor-orders-data-center-moratorium-disrupting?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) published by law firm Morrison Foerster flagged a list of open questions facing developers, lenders and utilities on active projects, including how the order affects closing conditions, funding conditions and “final completion” deadlines written into existing contracts; and whether lenders remain obligated to keep funding a project if power availability has become uncertain. ### *What the audit will look at* Abbott’s [Aug. 3 order](https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-directs-comprehensive-data-center-audit?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) builds on an earlier [June 10 directive](https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks-1.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Flinks-1.govdelivery.com%252FCL0%252Fhttps%3A%25252F%25252Flinks-1.govdelivery.com%25252FCL0%25252Fhttps%3A%2525252F%2525252Flinks-1.govdelivery.com%2525252FCL0%2525252Fhttps%3A%252525252F%252525252Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%252525252F%252525253Furl%3Dhttps%25252525253A%25252525252F%25252525252Flinks-1.govdelivery.com%25252525252FCL0%25252525252Fhttps%25252525253A%2525252525252F%2525252525252Fnam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%2525252525252F%2525252525253Furl%25252525253Dhttps%252525252525253A%252525252525252F%252525252525252Flinks-1.govdelivery.com%252525252525252FCL0%252525252525252Fhttps%252525252525253A%25252525252525252F%25252525252525252Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%25252525252525252F%25252525252525253Furl%252525252525253Dhttps%2525252525252525253A%2525252525252525252F%2525252525252525252Fgov.texas.gov%2525252525252525252Fuploads%2525252525252525252Ffiles%2525252525252525252Fpress%2525252525252525252FThomas%5FGleeson%5FPablo%5FVegas%5FData%5FCenters%5FDirective%5FLetter%5Fto%5FPUC%5FERCOT%5FFINAL.pdf%252525252525252526data%252525252525253D05%2525252525252525257C02%2525252525252525257Cagathe.cirasa%25252525252525252540gov.texas.gov%2525252525252525257Cf66e93239f154b60c5ab08def3f5d5a2%2525252525252525257C54cb5da6c7344242bbc25c947e85fb2c%2525252525252525257C0%2525252525252525257C0%2525252525252525257C639216434382250488%2525252525252525257CUnknown%2525252525252525257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%2525252525252525253D%2525252525252525253D%2525252525252525257C0%2525252525252525257C%2525252525252525257C%2525252525252525257C%252525252525252526sdata%252525252525253DYmZMCqqcq2pe3abvDywld8o7w0sslifl8UCmEoohwic%2525252525252525253D%252525252525252526reserved%252525252525253D0%252525252525252F1%252525252525252F0100019fd8c7f0f5-ed3fd02e-3dc7-49c5-93a4-afb5bda112c3-000000%252525252525252Fb787w2fryGufyJZUbF9w0zqeyK41ZIdZS0Sj2ClZXoQ%252525252525253D452%25252525252526data%25252525253D05%252525252525257C02%252525252525257Camahaleris%2525252525252540gregabbott.com%252525252525257Ce064e8350bdf4e4ca08a08def4b32bf7%252525252525257Ccfd19d257add4847b22a798b2afbe0c6%252525252525257C0%252525252525257C0%252525252525257C639217247529885892%252525252525257CUnknown%252525252525257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%252525252525253D%252525252525253D%252525252525257C0%252525252525257C%252525252525257C%252525252525257C%25252525252526sdata%25252525253D1a2KiCP2SW%252525252525252BFxNcvs3SQNedA24vJItVyCdjUn39Y9JM%252525252525253D%25252525252526reserved%25252525253D0%25252525252F1%25252525252F0100019fdd9cc4c2-5fabe3e8-05b8-40ef-b87e-f0519f8305b9-000000%25252525252FBZ5YoOsWl-VuzeE0h9C1UF6vqMX%5Fl64y2zeDBShxtv0%25252525253D452%2525252526data%3D05%25252525257C02%25252525257Candrew.mahaleris%252525252540gov.texas.gov%25252525257C3061e4fd66e841d803f108def4b6b3fa%25252525257C54cb5da6c7344242bbc25c947e85fb2c%25252525257C0%25252525257C1%25252525257C639217262735821649%25252525257CUnknown%25252525257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%25252525253D%25252525253D%25252525257C0%25252525257C%25252525257C%25252525257C%2525252526sdata%3DjT6k%25252525252F9vm1Ip96wZwiIb6tAZx7quwVvVdTPfKL88kzAQ%25252525253D%2525252526reserved%3D0%2525252F1%2525252F0100019febe8d0e6-2333d667-aabe-4481-8dc8-f96f7f84d411-000000%2525252F6q7ZrN7%5FusPfkBb2jPzWId%5F-G%5FeitALzJXaEvN8AIZ4%3D452%25252F1%25252F0100019fec9eaef3-482d0cb5-dc66-4acc-a67c-93234858239c-000000%25252FvqecddtVanxbSPP-fDppdOSzk8KphPazgXMCKe0Y5Ps%3D452%252F1%252F0100019ff409a899-3dc9ab18-0059-4e72-82d4-44ded5e912ca-000000%252F-BjQA7AUcWUaxFv-G5qXPvtBnmL7wMnUCoqQxhcwU6M%3D452%2F1%2F0100019ff758b12c-91fb50b3-64ca-401a-adc9-0c309ffe3297-000000%2FkfzqUyzDXxLgQppLwoprqk6AFIA9eTX97x4cbQ-p%5Fgo%3D452&data=05%7C02%7Cagathe.cirasa%40gov.texas.gov%7Caab7c9505139477ed69308def8a3f118%7C54cb5da6c7344242bbc25c947e85fb2c%7C0%7C1%7C639221580190848325%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=c7wHOiPcHfuPH7RgKEe2z95hO0d7S7hht55PIFAF34o%3D&reserved=0&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) establishing statewide standards to ensure data center development does not come at the expense of Texas families or communities. Under the order, the PUCT and ERCOT must collect the following information from each data center project before it can proceed: - Whether the project relies on state or local financial incentives, including tax abatements or grants; - Whether the facility will draw power from the ERCOT grid or supply its own generation; - Whether the facility will use its own water supply for cooling or draw from local aquifers; - What steps the project is taking to limit impacts on neighboring communities, including noise, lighting, traffic and emergency response coordination; and, - Ownership and controlling-interest information, including compliance with Texas’s Lone Star Protection Act, a law restricting land and infrastructure ownership by certain foreign entities. On Wednesday, Abbott’s office announced that Core Scientific, Vantage Data Centers and SB Energy [had committed to comply](https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-core-scientific-vantage-data-centers-and-sb-energy-commit-to-comply-with-his-data-center-standards?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with the standards, joining a growing list of companies signaling compliance in the days since the audit order – including Meta, OpenAI, Google, Amazon, Oracle, Digital Realty, QTS Data Centers, Mara and Skybox Datacenters. Not every company has stayed in: one unnamed data center developer told the state it could not meet the standards and ended its project before construction began, according to the governor’s office. Separately, a proposed data center in Henderson County [was scrapped after developer](https://www.fox4news.com/news/henderson-county-data-center-plans-scrapped-developer?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Diode said it could not meet the guidelines. ### *An unprecedented wave of demand* Texas already has hundreds of data centers in some stage of development. The state is currently the second largest market for the facilities in the country, behind Virginia, and is poised to take the top spot. A [*Texas Tribune* analysis in June](https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/08/texas-regulation-data-centers-electricity-power-water/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) counted at least 248 data center projects statewide, while [a separate tracking service](https://dcmap.us/states/texas/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) put the state’s total footprint, including those operating, under construction and planned, at 591 facilities as of July, representing roughly 91,000 megawatts of tracked capacity. Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and San Antonio are the state’s four major data center hubs, though some of [the newest, largest developments](https://www.blackridgeresearch.com/blog/largest-biggest-upcoming-new-data-centers-in-texas-united-states?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), including the 4.5 gigawatt Stargate project backed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank, is happening in rural Abilene county with fewer local zoning controls. The data center interconnection freeze is not the only Texas infrastructure freeze. Texas has temporarily halted [the disbursements of billions of dollars in federal broadband funding as the state’s broadband office](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-halts-bead-disbursements-as-new-comptroller-recasts-broadband-office/) undergoes a forced leadership change. Both pauses trace back in part to Abbott’s office: Broadband Office Director **Bryant Clayton** has said a rule change ahead of the BEAD awards came at the direction of the governor’s office. ### *States pushback on data center growth* The Texas order arrives amid a broader national wave of state level pushback on data center growth. New York became the first state to enact a statewide moratorium in July, when Gov. **Kathy Hochul** [signed an executive order](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-york-becomes-first-state-to-impose-data-center-moratorium/) pausing environmental permits for data centers of 50 megawatts or larger for up to a year. Hochul’s order represented a narrower version of the [*Responsible Data Center Development Act*](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10642?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which [passed the state Legislature in June](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-york-assembly-approves-one-year-pause-on-large-data-centers/) but which Hochul declined to sign, opting for her own executive action instead. At least 14 other states had data center moratorium bills [pending in their legislatures](https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/which-states-are-banning-data-centers?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as of this year, while thousands of local governments have enacted or considered their own construction pauses. ### With House Effort Stalled, NCTA Presses Senate on Broadband Permitting URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-house-effort-stalled-ncta-presses-senate-on-broadband-permitting/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:35.000Z WASHINGTON, August 13, 2026 – Cable industry trade group NCTA is asking the Senate to succeed where the House hasn’t yet. In a letter Friday, NCTA President and CEO **Cory Gardner** urged the leaders of two key Senate committees to include broadband-specific provisions in any permitting legislation moving through Congress. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The letter arrives as the federal government prepares to distribute roughly $21 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program funding, matched by more than $11 billion in private investment, money intended to connect households and small businesses that still lack access to high-speed internet. “For those investments to succeed, Congress must help remove barriers that delay projects and increase costs,” Gardner wrote. “American taxpayers deserve to see these investments deliver results, and consumers in unserved areas deserve timely access to affordable broadband services.” Providers seeking to build out networks must secure a patchwork of authorizations, from state and local governments as well as numerous federal agencies, before they can access the poles, rights-of-way, and easements needed to run new lines. Gardner argued that permitting bottlenecks are increasingly standing in the way of that money translating into actual connections. The industry has made similar arguments throughout the past year as permitting legislation moved through the House. At a September 2025 hearing on the issue, USTelecom CEO **Jonathan Spalter** told lawmakers it can take more than three years to repair a single fiber line on federal land. His warning set the tone for a House Communications and Technology Subcommittee [hearing on 29 permitting bills](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-panel-pushes-gop-led-broadband-permitting-package/), where Republicans cast permitting as the single biggest obstacle to new fiber and wireless deployment. Industry and municipal groups have clashed repeatedly since then over how to balance faster reviews against local control of rights-of-way. ### *NCTA’s Senate push follows a stalled House effort* It’s the latest sign that the broadband industry sees this year’s permitting reform conversation on Capitol Hill as an opening to secure changes it has sought for years. NCTA appears to be working the Senate side this time, after the House’s own effort stalled in April, after months in the making. The Communications and Technology Subcommittee cleared [a package of 18 GOP-led bills](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-communications-subcommittee-advances-gop-broadband-permitting-package/) in November, including measures that would set shot clocks and fee limits on state and local permitting agencies, ease railroad crossings for ISPs, and exempt certain projects from environmental and historic reviews. The House Energy and Commerce Committee then cleared [a package of seven broadband permitting bills](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-committee-clears-broadband-permitting-bills/) in December, six of them were bipartisan, the seventh bill was the American Broadband Deployment Act. That bill ballooned into a roughly 100-page omnibus incorporating more than 20 permitting and preemption provisions covering wireless siting, wireline deployment, cable franchising, and federal reviews. [Local governments pushed back hard](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/local-governments-push-back-on-house-broadband-permitting-bill/). The bill was placed on the House calendar and scheduled for a floor vote in April, but Republican leadership [pulled it at the last minute](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/local-orgs-happy-to-see-broadband-permitting-bill-stalled/) after it became clear the votes weren’t there. ### *NCTA wants federal agencies included in permitting reform* NCTA’s letter specifically asks that any permitting reform legislation reach the federal agencies its member companies most frequently have to work with to complete deployment projects. That list includes: the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service, the Department of the Interior, including the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs; Department of Defense installations, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and the Department of Transportation. NCTA is asking that reforms give these agencies clearer legal authority, adequate resources, and better coordination tools so that federal policy, taxpayer funding, and private investment can be aligned toward the shared goal of faster broadband buildout. The letter was addressed to Sen. **Shelley Moore Capito**, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Sen. **Sheldon Whitehouse**, the committee’s ranking member, as well as Sen. **Mike Lee**, chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Sen. **Martin Heinrich**, that committee’s ranking member. Copies were also sent to Senate Commerce Committee Chair **Ted Cruz** and Ranking Member **Maria Cantwell**. ### Wichita Internet Exchange Point Set to Begin Operations in Coming Weeks URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wichita-internet-exchange-point-set-to-begin-operations-in-coming-weeks/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:35.000Z DENVER, Aug. 13, 2026 – The first internet exchange point in Wichita, Kansas, is set to begin operations soon, the project's backers said Tuesday. “The physical facility is nearing operation, and network operators will begin building into the site in a couple of weeks,” said **Brent Legg**, Connected Nation’s head of government affairs. He spoke at the Mountain Connect conference here. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) An internet exchange point, or IXP, are switches where broadband and content delivery networks can all interconnect with each other and exchange data directly. The latency, or time it takes for data to travel from one place to another, for a given end user is [dependent in part](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/more-internet-exchanges-necessary-for-rural-areas-experts/) on their distance from an IXP. Connected Nation and **Hunter Newby**, who pioneered the now-ubiquitous “neutral host” model of IXPs, have formed a joint venture aimed at expanding IXPs to smaller cities and towns. The venture, IXP.us, is aiming to get to 135 cities in 47 states, Legg said. Wichita, the pilot project, was funded by a $5 million grant from the Capital Projects Fund, a model Newby said he disliked. “I don’t like pursuing grants because of the uncertainty about actually getting it,” he said. “And then the Sword of Damocles over your head about getting it done on time, all these things we can’t control.” To that end, IXP.us is [partnering with](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/partnership-targets-low-latency-ai-at-internet-exchange-points/) a data center company called Moonshot to put computational resources in the exchange points. “The cash flow to us, that is him being a tenant of us, is enough to financially underwrite all of this and solve that local internet exchange point interconnection problem,” Newby said. The hope is that the extra compute resources will improve artificial intelligence services in rural areas by reducing latency and allowing for more real-time use cases, and make the IXPs even more attractive for tenants. IXP.us had previously targeted a July 2026 construction date for the Wichita project. The project [broke ground](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/excited-wichita-breaks-ground-on-new-internet-exchange-point/) in May 2025. ### *More partnerships?* Newby said the joint venture had had talks with Cox and Lumen, both of which he said could be interested in being tenants in cities where they operate. Cox is in the process of being acquired by Charter for $34.5 billion. California’s utility regulator is set to vote on the deal Thursday, the final barrier to its closing. Lumen sold its consumer fiber business to AT&T, but operates enterprise and wholesale fiber services. The company has inked multiple deals to provide connectivity to hyperscalers. ### Texas Halts BEAD Disbursements as New Comptroller Recasts Broadband Office URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-halts-bead-disbursements-as-new-comptroller-recasts-broadband-office/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:35.000Z August 13, 2026 – Texas has temporarily halted disbursements of billions of dollars in federal broadband funding as the state’s broadband office undergoes a forced leadership change. Two senior broadband officials were reportedly dismissed days before the state told subgrantees payments would remain on hold. [Broadband Grants Paused as Critics Allege Favoritism Toward Elon Musk’s StarlinkAn audit is underway, but no completion date has been set.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-ec561697-ad3c-45bf-98ad-8d4820e8f688.png)Broadband BreakfastThe Texas Tribune![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/AP13071414952-1-afb73ca1-57b4-4c38-88d9-f7ed176ce13f.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-grants-paused-as-critics-allege-favoritism-toward-elon-musks-starlink/) The Texas Broadband Development Office notified subgrantees under the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program that the hold took effect Monday and would remain in place “until further notice.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) ## Free Sign up for Broadband Breakfast Better Broadband, Better Lives Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. All your information about high-speed internet policy and technology. “No further action is required from subgrantees at this time,” the office said in the [email obtained by *The Texas Tribune*](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-grants-paused-as-critics-allege-favoritism-toward-elon-musks-starlink/). “The BDO will provide additional guidance and updates as they become available.” The move comes days after newly appointed Comptroller **Don Huffines** [reportedly dismissed](https://www.broadband.io/c/get-broadband-grant-alerts-news/texas-sbo-s-leadership-to-change?post%5Flogin%5Fredirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.broadband.io%2F&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Texas broadband office’s Director **Bryant Clayton** and Division Director **Greg Conte**. Clayton’s LinkedIn has since gone inactive, while Conte’s confirms he no longer works at BDO. Huffines, who was sworn in Aug. 1, took control of the comptroller’s office [as lawmakers were pressing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-broadband-office-pushes-back-against-spacex-favoritism-accusations/) for an audit of the broadband office’s planned awards under the BEAD program. Texas Lt. Gov. **Dan Patrick** and House Speaker **Dustin Burrows** had [called for a formal audit](https://www.ltgov.texas.gov/2026/07/21/lt-gov-dan-patrick-and-speaker-dustin-burrows-issue-joint-statement-on-audit-of-broadband-development-office/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of the broadband office in July, following allegations that the state changed its BEAD funding rules in ways that benefited low Earth orbit satellite providers, particularly **Elon Musk**’s Starlink. Huffines announced [a comprehensive internal review](https://comptroller.texas.gov/about/media-center/news/20260804-huffines-announces-performance-review-of-comptrollers-office-1785876225807?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of the comptroller’s office last Tuesday, including the broadband office. “As chief financial officer of the state, it is my obligation to ensure that taxpayers have a strong advocate and an alert watchdog looking out for their interests,” he said. ### *A quick recap* In Texas, SpaceX’s Starlink won the largest number of locations under the BEAD program, securing $108.8 million to connect 63,963 homes and businesses, about a quarter of eligible locations in the state. Amazon Leo was also selected to serve roughly 2,000 locations in the state, although the provider ultimately declined the award. After [the Trump administration revised BEAD rules](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-rewrites-rules-for-bead-forcing-states-to-rebid-broadband-projects/) to allow a broader range of technologies, Texas reworked its plan to serve about 51 percent of locations with fiber, 27 percent with satellite and 22 percent with wireless technologies. In June, the state said [it signed award agreements](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/winning-bidders-back-out-of-31-000-bead-locations-in-texas/) with 17 ISPs to serve about 208,000 locations, nearly 87 percent of the roughly 240,000 locations eligible for BEAD funding in Texas. Texas was initially allocated $3.3 billion through the federal BEAD program, the largest state allocation under the $42.5 billion program created by the 2021 infrastructure law. The state ultimately received federal approval for a revised BEAD plan [providing about $1.3 billion](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-bead-plan-2-billion-under-budget/) in federal funding. In 2025, then-Comptroller **Glenn Hegar** floated the idea of the state [returning nearly $1 billion](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-may-return-1-billion-in-bead-funding-to-treasury/) to the U.S. Treasury, saying broadband investments and private sector expansion had reduced the need for federal funding. ### *State senate hearing raises questions over BEAD grant treatment* The audit [follows concerns raised during](https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2026-07-02/texas-tx-broadband-development-musk-starlink-rural-internet-governor-abbott?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) a June 24 Senate Business and Commerce Committee hearing, where lawmakers questioned how the broadband office was awarding BEAD grants. Among the issues raised was the broadband office’s decision to change its grant disbursement structure for low Earth orbit satellite providers, allowing them to receive more money upfront than providers using traditional technologies. Under questioning, Clayton said the change came after Gov. **Greg Abbott**’s office asked the broadband office to compare its proposed payment structure with those used in other states. The testimony fueled lawmakers’ questions on whether the change gave satellite providers preferential treatment. Records [show](https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?cand=&cycle=&employ=&jurisdiction=&name=Elon+Musk&occupation=&page=5&state=CA&zip=&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Musk has previously made monetary donations to Abbott, among other Texas officials, including former acting Texas Comptroller **Kelly Hancock**, who served from July 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026. Abbott’s office [has defended the grant decisions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gov-denies-spacex-favoritism/), arguing they align with the state’s goal of expanding broadband access to rural Texans as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Broadband Breakfast contacted the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which oversees the federal BEAD program, to ask whether any new or revised proposal from the Texas broadband office would require federal approval. NTIA responded with “no comment.” The Comptroller’s Office and Texas Broadband Development Office were also contacted for comment on the funding hold, the review and the changes at the broadband office, but did not respond by publication time. *Update: This story has been updated with additional comments and information about Musk*’*s donations to Texas officials.* ### Broadband Grants Paused as Critics Allege Favoritism Toward Elon Musk’s Starlink URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-grants-paused-as-critics-allege-favoritism-toward-elon-musks-starlink/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:35.000Z The Texas Broadband Development Office placed a temporary hold Tuesday on all disbursements of billions of dollars in federal funds related to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, or BEAD. The hold comes after the office [was accused of](https://www.texastribune.org/2026/07/28/texas-broadband-funding-favoritism/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) favoritism to certain companies, specifically **Elon Musk’s** Starlink, which led to lawmakers [announcing an audit](https://www.texastribune.org/2026/07/21/texas-broadband-office-audit/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) In an email obtained by The Texas Tribune, the state broadband office shared with subgrantees that the hold was effective as of Monday, and will be in place “until further notice.” The office did not give a reason as to why the disbursements were paused. The office did not respond to The Tribune in time for publication. “No further action is required from subgrantees at this time,” the office said in the email. ”The BDO will provide additional guidance and updates as they become available.” Last week, Comptroller **Don Huffines** [announced a comprehensive internal review](https://comptroller.texas.gov/about/media-center/news/20260804-huffines-announces-performance-review-of-comptrollers-office-1785876225807?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of his office, which includes the broadband office. Lawmakers began questioning the Broadband Office in June on how it doled out more than $3 billion in BEAD funding. During a Senate committee hearing, Sen. [**Charles Schwertner**](https://directory.texastribune.org/charles-schwertner/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a Republican from Georgetown, said his office heard about the concerns regarding taxpayer money, including how much money was disbursed up-front for the projects. While other providers were only expected to receive 10% of the grant money to start, with the rest dispersed on a tiered system, the rules were changed for low-Earth orbit satellite providers. According to **Bryant Clayton**, the BDO’s director, the change was a directive from Gov. **Greg Abbott’s** office and made just days before the grant was awarded. In response, Schwertner called for more transparency in the grant award process by the BDO. “I have my eye on y’all regarding the way y’all are conducting your business,” Schwertner told Clayton. “I don’t care who’s messing with your business, but we, as an oversight committee, are going to oversee it regarding fairness and transparency.” Starlink is the largest provider of residential broadband service through low-Earth orbit satellites in Texas, and has at least 12 million customers worldwide. Amazon recently began deploying satellites for its own LEO service. Both of the companies were chosen as subgrantees by the BDO. Sen. [**Nathan Johnson**](https://directory.texastribune.org/nathan-johnson/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a Dallas Democrat running for Texas Attorney General, claimed in a campaign statement that the award process could be corruption from the federal government down. “Without drawing conclusions for the moment, the whole process may have involved coordinated corruption among the Trump administration, the illegally empowered DOGE czar Musk, private entities (Starlink), the governor’s office and the broadband development office,” Johnson said in the statement. Lt. Gov. [**Dan Patrick**](https://directory.texastribune.org/dan-patrick/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and House Speaker [**Dustin Burrows**](https://directory.texastribune.org/dustin-burrows/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)called for an audit of the state’s broadband office. In a joint statement, the lawmakers [said the audit is a result of the concerns raised](https://www.ltgov.texas.gov/2026/07/21/lt-gov-dan-patrick-and-speaker-dustin-burrows-issue-joint-statement-on-audit-of-broadband-development-office/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) about the BEAD award process. In his final days as acting comptroller, **Kelly Hancock** responded to the allegations by accusing Amazon of “aggressively” lobbying state legislators, including members of the Senate committee. Hancock also said he didn’t believe Texans should act as a financial safety net for multibillion-dollar companies. His statement did not mention Musk or Starlink, which is the focus of the allegations. Schwertner fired back at Hancock, saying in a post on X: “It’s good to see new incoming leadership in the comptroller’s office after the failed election and tenure of the current interim comptroller. No tantrum on the way out of the office will change that.” The audit process is underway, but there is no clear date on when it will be completed. Patrick and Burrows said in their statement that the legislature will take action during the next session, beginning in January. *This article was written by Jayme Lozano Carver of* [*The Texas Tribune and published on August 12, 2026*](https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/12/texas-broadband-office-pauses-funds-disbursement/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*. It was distributed by the Associated Press.* ### Watch Out for Pole Disputes, Environmental Permits, Experts say URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/watch-out-for-pole-disputes-environmental-permits-experts-say/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:35.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2026 – Pole attachment disputes and environmental reviews have the most potential to cause delays as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program gets underway, experts said at Mountain Connect this week. “Section 106 and the environmental — hands down that is going to be the lengthiest section of time that we have on these projects,” said **Nick Pexton**, founder of Reliance Engineering. “Historically with USDA Reconnect, or whatever the funding mechanism was, that’s significantly been the hold up.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Projects funded by BEAD will have to get approval under Sections 106 of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), meaning its impact on the environment and any relevant historical sites will have to be considered. Pexton said states should emphasize the process. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is managing BEAD at the federal level, has been working to streamline the NEPA process, which can take months. The agency stood up an electronic processing system and expanded exemptions to get more kinds of projects cleared without a top-down review. It worked in Louisiana, according to the state’s broadband office, which was able to clear some projects in days. An official from Virginia said during a June Federal Communications Bar Association webinar the process was taking longer than expected. Some states have also hired NEPA consultants to expedite the work. Minnesota brought on an archaeologist with expertise in historical and environmental reviews. NEPA is only one piece of the permitting puzzle, with several local entities potentially also needing to clear any given project. A recent analysts from the New York Law School found that the median BEAD project will need about 11 permits from eight different permitting authorities. Pexton suggested offering to pay for an outside consultant to assist local permitting agencies with the review workload, if an ISP could afford it. Local permitting authorities tend to be understaffed and are often cited as roadblock to large deployments. “We’ve been doing that in the environmental world for years,” with Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service offices, he said. “The fact that we’re doing this from an environmental perspective, but we’re not doing it from a localized permit perspective, or railroad permit perspective, kind of doesn’t make sense.” **Shawna Taets**, broadband policy manager at the Illinois broadband office, said the state had only recently heard of the idea and was exploring it. An audience member said they offered something similar to Louisiana parishes for non-BEAD programs, and it had worked well ### *Poles* **Allison Terry**, the strategy officer at the Colorado Broadband Office, said pole attachment disputes were the most common cause of a grant-funded project in the state falling behind schedule. “Pole attachments are the single biggest challenge and delay in deployments,” she said. “At least the ones that the Colorado Broadband Office manages.” Projects funded by state grant programs, including some supported by federal pandemic funds, aren’t subject to NEPA. She said the state was starting to convene ISPs and pole owners, typically electric cooperatives in Colorado’s case, to try to iron out disputes before they started. Most co-ops in the state don’t have the staff to process large attachment requests quickly, she said, and were often concerned about outsourcing potentially dangerous preparation work to ISPs. But the biggest issue tended to be reconciling the two sides’ estimates for how much it would cost to replace or upgrade poles to support new communications gear. “The difference between those two things can sometimes be a really big gulf that even free money can’t support,” she said. Co-ops tend not to have the budgets for big unexpected costs, she said, and had a legitimate interest in not passing replacement costs on to their customers. **Mark Vasconi**, former head of Washington State’s broadband office, said he had seen some instances in which pole owners quoted prices in the tens of thousands per pole, which he said can effectively end the business case for a rural project. Some co-ops have been refusing BEAD awards they won because of the program’s rules. In January, the Trump administration instituted a rule that requires BEAD winners, if they own poles and aren’t already regulated, to subject themselves to federal pole attachment rules throughout any state in which they win funding. That in practice largely applies to co-ops, since federal rules target investor-owned utilities and many state laws mirror that framework. The federal rules set limits on how much can be charged to an ISP for pole replacements, and which poles are eligible. ### Bartlett Cleland: The Market Is Already Solving Dead Zones; BEAD Shouldn't Fund Them URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bartlett-cleland-the-market-is-already-solving-dead-zones-bead-shouldnt-fund-them/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T15:31:24.000Z The recent [announcement](https://www.lightreading.com/satellite/us-telcos-unite-in-satellite-d2d-rural-coverage-jv?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon will jointly advance satellite direct-to-device (D2D) technology should settle an ongoing debate over the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. Whether taxpayer dollars should be diverted to subsidize mobile coverage in rural areas now has a clear answer. No. Some advocates have pushed to stretch the program beyond its core mission of connecting unserved homes and businesses to include mobile coverage and wireless infrastructure. [Their arguments were always weak](https://dcjournal.com/bead-risks-becoming-a-backdoor-5g-slush-fund/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), and now market realities have fully dismantled them. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The nation's three largest carriers are actively deploying satellite direct-to-device technology that could make traditional “dead zones” largely obsolete. When terrestrial coverage drops, smartphones will increasingly connect directly to satellites, extending service into areas once considered unreachable. What policymakers had previously treated as a persistent market failure is quickly becoming a target of private-sector innovation. That is innovation inspired by need just as free market advocates love. That shift matters because public subsidies are most defensible where markets cannot, or will not, deliver. Here, carriers face strong incentives from competition, merger commitments, and consumer expectations to expand coverage. [T-Mobile](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-360637A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) remains bound by its commitment to reach 99% of America with 5G coverage. Verizon and AT&T face similar pressures, and they are investing accordingly. This too is exactly what a healthy, functioning market should look like. Companies invest in innovation, compete for customers, and deliver solutions. Government's role is to set the rules of the road and maintain competition, not to subsidize outcomes the private sector is already racing to achieve. Beyond duplicating private investment, redirecting BEAD funds toward mobile infrastructure would undermine the program's core strength: precision. BEAD, unlike other programs, was designed to identify specific unserved locations and direct funding to connect them with reliable, high-speed broadband. Expanding its scope invites the kind of overbuilding and waste that have plagued past federal broadband efforts. Consider the Universal Service Fund (USF). The Fund began with a narrow purpose, subsidizing telephone service, and grew into a sprawling subsidy regime financed by a tax on every American's phone bill. Federal connectivity programs have a habit of expanding well beyond their original intent, to the point where they become essentially unrecognizable from their original purpose. BEAD should not follow that path. Meanwhile, BEAD's core mission still remains unfinished. Millions of Americans, particularly in rural and tribal areas, are still waiting for the reliable, high-speed broadband that BEAD was created to deliver. That is the problem Congress set out to solve, and every dollar diverted to mobile coverage is a dollar not spent connecting those households. Public policy works best when it complements market forces rather than trying to override them. BEAD should stay focused on what it was built to do and leave dead zones to the companies already working to erase them. ***Bartlett Cleland serves as Executive Director for the Innovation Economy Alliance. Bartlett’s decades of work on technology and innovation in public policy have been informed by his broad array of work and education outside of traditional public policy channels. Whether relying on his business background of MBA, work at a human resources consulting firm or as a CEO, he seeks to make every policy debate relevant to what happens to real people and to real business. He has spent decades working for public policy think tanks, technology trade associations, social welfare organizations and on Capitol Hill. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Texas Puts BEAD Funding on Hold Over Allegations of Favoritism to Starlink URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-puts-bead-funding-on-hold-over-allegations-of-favoritism-to-starlink/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T12:53:53.000Z 💡 ■ Conservative Groups Push FCC to Leave Big Four/Local TV Station Deals Alone ■ NBC News: Amazon LEO Years Behind Schedule … and Starlink ■ MoffettNathanson: Starlink Mobile Has Many Hurdles to Clear Before Posing a Threat to Incumbents ■ Analyst Entner Sees Starlink Ending up with Grain’s 800 MHz Spectrum ■ Entravision CEO: Latino Viewers Will Decide Key House, Senate Races ■ Federal Lab in Illinois Finds Way to Slash AI Energy Needs, But Can it Scale? ■ Shentel Employees Help Raise $28,000 for Local Food Banks ■ People: NCTA Adds Three Lawyers to Its Legal Team BEAD: The BEAD program just hit a bump in the road that’s as big as Dallas. The Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) has paused all payments tied to the state’s $1.2 billion share of the federal broadband deployment program, halting disbursements until further notice as scrutiny intensifies over how grants were awarded. The freeze, disclosed [in an email](https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/12/texas-broadband-office-pauses-funds-disbursement/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) obtained by *The Texas Tribune*, followed allegations that the office showed favoritism toward **Elon Musk’s** Starlink, prompting lawmakers to order an audit and Comptroller **Don Huffines,** who just took office on Aug. 1,to launch an internal review. The broadband office is under the purview of the state comptroller. “No further action is required from subgrantees at this time,” the office said in the email. ”The BDO will provide additional guidance and updates as they become available.” ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TaqU!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5e4068a-d14c-4e98-893b-2236a11e178c_612x385.png) Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Don Huffines _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Massachusetts’ East Longmeadow Votes to Fund $43.5 Million Network URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/massachusetts-east-longmeadow-votes-to-fund-43-5-million-network/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:35.000Z August 12, 2026 – East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, is moving forward with a town-owned fiber network. The town council voted Tuesday to appropriate more than $43.5 million to fund construction of the fiber buildout, setting in motion a project that has been years in the making. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Under the arrangement, the town will own the physical fiber infrastructure and the network equipment. Whip City Fiber, the fiber optic subsidiary of Westfield Gas and Electric, will operate the network and handle installations, repairs, billing and customer service. During the council’s [August 11 meeting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w0ppCh52Cc&list=PLp26WjLCI0G0-SnFmBO8gZgBtlZNXBYhC&index=1&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a Whip City Fiber financial official told councilors the total combines an estimated $31 million project cost, roughly $4 million in earmarked free cash, and projected interest on the borrowing. The official described a plan to issue bonds in tranches over three years and roll them over a 10-year repayment window. Under the repayment plan, the town would draw on free cash in the first year of borrowing, capitalized interest in the second, and subscriber revenue from years three through ten. If revenue falls short, officials said the town would fall back on free cash and stabilization funds. “This has been thought about in every possible way,” Town Council Vice President **James Leydon**. “We’ve got it all planned out. We are in a position to make this happen, and I think we should be optimistic that this is going to work out really, really well.” Revenue projections now assume a 50 percent subscriber take rate, based on current figures from Westfield’s own network, officials said at the meeting. Whip City had projected back in 2023 that just a 33 percent subscriber take rate would be needed to cover the network’s costs. The financial assumptions were still being scrutinized as recently as Tuesday’s meeting. Make-ready work, originally expected to begin this year, has been pushed to January 2027, with completion now projected roughly six months later than earlier estimates, a delay officials attributed to permitting timelines with National Grid and Eversource. Officials have estimated it would take about two years before the first residential connections went live. Construction is set to begin with the town’s highest-density fiber service areas, covering roughly 21 of the town’s 34 total service areas, where cost per household is lowest. The town joins a growing list of Western Massachusetts communities, including Chicopee, Westfield, and South Hadley, which already operate municipal networks, and Hampden, Northampton, West Springfield, and Wilbraham, which are at earlier stages, betting that publicly owned fiber can succeed. East Longmeadow’s approval stands out against a very different outcome one town over. In May, voters in neighboring Longmeadow[ rejected a smaller borrowing request](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/longmeadow-voters-reject-municipal-fiber-network-proposal/), $8.6 million for the first phase of a planned $27 million network, falling short of the two-thirds majority required at town meeting. That vote followed a campaign by Mass Priorities, an outside advocacy group that has also opposed municipal broadband efforts in West Springfield and Southwick, and which has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on political advertising in the region since 2019. ### BEAD Weariness and AI Ambition Collide at Mountain Connect URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-weariness-and-ai-ambition-collide-at-mountain-connect/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T20:30:18.000Z DENVER, Aug. 12, 2026 – Attendees at the Mountain Connect conference here said that the major federal broadband subsidy program and artificial intelligence dominated the discussion at the conference. One question arising from both discussions, as was featured in a [Broadband Breakfast Live Online](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-12-2026-mountain-connect-2026/) session on Wednesday, is: How does the economics of rural deployment work? The mood around the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program is less anxious than exhausted. "There's not a sense of, 'we have all this money, we're going to go start good things, we're excited to do it.' It's just weary," said **Casey Lide**, a partner at the Keller and Heckman law firm. Years of anticipation explain most of that. "Everybody's at the starting gate. We've been at the starting gate for a long time, and we just need somebody to fire the gun," said **Steve Coran**, who chairs the broadband and communications infrastructure practice at the law firm of Lerman Senter. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Vendors feel it too, he said, because operators are not buying while sub-grant agreements go unsigned. ### *Walkaways, checkerboards and a cleanup round* Some companies are handing awards back before signing them, citing[ rising costs](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-working-on-bead-project-costs-permits/), federal liens on equipment, easement risk and compliance burdens. Moreover, the FCC's broadband fabric updates have stripped locations from approved project areas as well, Coran said. The leaves scattered footprints instead of clusters. "I have to build through areas, not to areas. My revenue projections are going to go down, my costs have gone up," Coran said. Rural electric cooperatives are among those backing out in most significant numbers. That, panelists said, is also owing to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's[ guidance conditioning BEAD funds](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-defends-bead-pole-rules/) on subjecting all of a co-op's poles to FCC jurisdiction – not just the poles used for BEAD builds. The guidance applies where no existing regulatory regime governs a provider's poles, a gap that often describes co-ops because the FCC does not reach them and many states do not either. A number of states that regulate pole attachments themselves wrote rules closely modeled on the FCC's, co-op exclusion included, so in many[ reverse preemption states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-taking-a-look-at-state-pole-attachment-laws/) the condition can still apply. The pole attachment controversy is only the most significant of many issues that have plauged BEAD, panelists said.[ ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-to-set-guidance-for-21-b-in-bead-funds-within-a-few-months/) Additionally, [about $21 billion remains in non-deployment funds](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-to-set-guidance-for-21-b-in-bead-funds-within-a-few-months/) with "still no concrete direction from NTIA about how states can utilize those funds," said **Brent Legg**, executive vice president of Internet access nonprofit Connected Nation.[ Guidance is now rumored for early September](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/), he said, and states are eager because of the amount of remaining funds. Some have floated the idea of a “cleanup round” in which BEAD funds would get spent in areas partially left behind in the first round of deployment. But some have modest expectations. "It's really hard to see how a cleanup round would result in a lot of additional fiber construction in these hardest to serve regions," Legg said. That also traces back to how the program[ treats technologies as interchangeable](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fiber-versus-wireless-debate-is-back-at-mountain-connect/) if they can both hit a speed threshold, Lide said. "Calling that technologically neutral is a fallacy." ### *Compute moves toward the edge* Regarding AI, data centers and Internet Exchange Points (IXP), Legg said that such deployments have chased cheap land, power and water outside metro areas to train models. But inference and agentic applications are latency-sensitive in a way that training is not. That may push inference-focused compute back toward population centers and[ make local interconnection critical](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rural-internet-access-critical-for-ai-competitiveness-connected-nation/). A single building in downtown Denver carries nearly all of Colorado's traffic, he noted, and "it is a huge single point of failure." Edge deployments are already outrunning forecasts, Lide said, citing a natural resources department that used AI to count the travels of fish populations. He said that while predictions of cloud and data center investment were overstated, predictions of edge AI investment are understated. The constraint is physical as much as financial. "If you want to have a low latency connection and actually have it worthwhile, it's got be sub-6 milliseconds," said **Stephen Rose**, CEO of Render Networks, a network construction management software company That threshold that means that compute resources must be within about 12 miles of the user. Rural passings running $10,000 to $15,000 a home against $1,200 to $1,500 in cities are where "the math doesn't math," he said. As regards next year’s Mountain Connect, Coran said: "My fervent hope is that we are talking about the success of projects and not negotiating agreements and walkaways and compliance risk." ### How Corning is Making Fiber Available for BEAD Winners URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/how-corning-is-making-fiber-available-for-bead-winners/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:35.000Z DENVER, Aug. 12, 2026 – Corning is staggering shipments of fiber for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment projects to match deployment schedules. It’s an effort to ensure supply that could be used by another award winner isn’t collecting dust in a warehouse, said **Bob Whitman**, Corning’s vice president of market development. He spoke at Mountain Connect here in Denver. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Demand for fiber from Corning and other American manufacturers is sky-high as tech companies continue to build data centers to support their artificial intelligence projects. BEAD requires that fiber funded under the program be made in the U.S., meaning rural ISPs are competing for the same highly desirable supply. Whitman said he was meeting with providers — 50 so far — and asking for their total fiber needs for a given BEAD deployment and for a deployment schedule. That would be used to get the ISP a shipment schedule before giving them a quote, he said. “Once we provide that shipment schedule, you can bank on it,” he said. “We’re trying to keep up with the award winners. If they have delays, then we delay shipments. If they have a new crew get on board and they roll faster, then we accelerate shipments.” He said the “vast majority” of providers he had talked to wanted to begin construction next year and finish within two years. It was common for ISPs to want to get all their fiber in bulk before starting to build, he said, which Corning isn’t going for. He also said Corning was “not having a lot of conversations with the big guys,” meaning national ISPs, but that even if one asked for fiber up front, Corning would refuse. Corning was one of four domestic fabric manufacturers that made commitments to the Commerce Department to make enough fiber available for BEAD winners, Whitman said. He said ISPs could go to one of the other three if for some reason Corning didn’t meet their needs. Executives from Corning, AFL, Lightera, and Prysmian, wrote an open letter saying they would make sufficient fiber available in March. Total BEAD demand accounts for just 5 percent of their capacity, they said. Prysmian [announced Wednesday](https://na.prysmian.com/resources/press-releases/prysmian-boosts-fiber-and-optical-cable-capacity-with-one-billion-plus-dollar-investment-creating-600-new-us-manufacturing-jobs?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it was investing an extra $1 billion across four of its facilities in the Carolinas and Tennessee. Corning is expanding its manufacturing capacity with a $500 million investment from NVIDIA, and has struck multibillion dollar deals with tech companies hungry for connectivity. In March, before the open letter, some BEAD winners said they were seeing a tighter fiber market. Some described having already-placed orders disrupted or canceled after the fact. **Todd Way**, CEO of BEAD-winner Douglas Fast Net, said Wednesday that the availability of compliant fiber was still a big supply chain challenge. ### *Workforce* Whitman said in his meetings with BEAD winners, he wasn’t hearing about ISPs struggling to secure workers. He said that was surprising. “What I have been routinely surprised about as I meet with some of these award winners is, they don’t seem to be having any trouble with workforce,” he said. ‘I hear every day, ‘I’ve got two, three crews ready to go.’” But **Ashley Travers**, who oversees BEAD projects at supply chain firm KPGCo, said she was hearing the opposite. She said data centers in rural communities tended to be longer term projects and pay better than fiber builds. ### Appeals Court Sides With Fiber Provider in Railroad Crossing Dispute URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/appeals-court-sides-with-fiber-provider-in-railroad-crossing-dispute/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:36.000Z WASHINGTON, August 12, 2026 – A federal appeals court has sided with a fiber provider in a dispute over whether a railroad can control, and charge for, access beneath its tracks. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled Friday that CSX Transportation could not use its Indiana railroad easements to block Zayo Group from running fiber optic cable beneath its corridor. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “At bottom, the scope of CSX’s railroad easements does not include the right to exclude third parties from the air above and the ground below its railroad corridor, at least to the extent those third parties are not disrupting CSX’s railroad operations,” Judge **Doris Pryor** wrote in [the decision](https://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/OpinionsWeb/processWebInputExternal.pl?Submit=Display&Path=Y2026/D08-07/C:25-1670:J:Pryor:aut:T:fnOp:N:3587367:S:0&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the unanimous panel, which included Judges **Frank Easterbrook** and **Nancy Maldonado**. “CSX’s easements do not necessarily include the right to license the air above and the ground below its railroad corridor. That right remains with the owner of the servient estate,” Pryor wrote. The panel affirmed a ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana that had already dismissed most of CSX’s claims against Zayo. ### *CSX sued Zayo in 2021* CSX sued Zayo in November 2021, alleging the fiber provider installed underground cable beneath a CSX corridor in Greencastle, Indiana, without CSX’s approval, without paying its licensing fee, and without going through its safety review process. CSX’s central argument was that its railroad easements necessarily carried an implicit right to exclude third parties from the ground below and air above its tracks. The Seventh Circuit rejected that theory, applying Indiana case law holding that an easement’s scope is defined by the purpose for which it was granted. For a railroad, that purpose is operating a rail line to transport goods, not general control over the surrounding land. Anything a landowner does, or permits a third party to do, that doesn’t interfere with rail operations falls outside the railroad’s authority to block, the court found. The panel’s decision drew on a line of older Indiana Supreme Court cases involving pipelines, gas wells, and utility lines beneath rail corridors, all of which held that landowners retain rights to their land below the surface so long as railroad operations continue undisturbed. Because CSX did not show that Zayo’s installations disrupted its trains, the court concluded CSX’s easements didn’t reach far enough to bar the cables or justify a licensing fee. One partial win for CSX: the panel found the district court had erred procedurally in dismissing some of CSX’s claims for lack of standing. CSX had adequately alleged a property interest even though that interest ultimately failed on the merits. That distinction didn’t change the outcome. The district court had whittled the case down substantially before the federal trial. CSX initially brought 10 counts against Zayo, including criminal trespass, civil trespass, unjust enrichment, and failure to pay rent, and later expanded its claims to cover additional unauthorized installations across the state. The Seventh Circuit ruling is binding precedent in Indiana and persuasive authority elsewhere in the Seventh Circuit’s jurisdiction, including Illinois and Wisconsin, and it comes down firmly on the side of telecom companies seeking to install or maintain fiber along rail corridors without a railroad’s sign-off. CSX has not indicated whether it will seek further review. ### *Providers, railroads have clashed over crossing fees* The ruling lands in the middle of a much larger, ongoing clash between the telecom industry and the freight rail industry over access to rail corridors. Broadband industry groups say unpredictable delays and steep crossing fees routinely block deployment to rural areas. Industry representatives from NCTA, CTIA, USTelecom, and the Fiber Broadband Association have reported permitting delays of 20 months and fees that can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars for an individual crossing, with no formal way to dispute them. States have taken different approaches to determining what railroads can charge fiber and telecommunications providers to cross. Some states have established standardized fees. Utah, for example, requires a fiber optic carrier to pay a one-time crossing fee that is currently based on a $1,250 statutory amount adjusted annually for inflation. South Dakota and Virginia take a similar approach, having established crossing fees of $750 and $2,000 respectively. West Virginia set the cost for fiber providers to cross at $750 in 2023, but a 2025 bill proposed increasing it to $1,500. Other states, like Minnesota, leave more room for regulators to determine what constitutes reasonable compensation. Consultants have warned that [providers often lack clarity](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/knowing-state-laws-helps-fiber-companies-work-with-railroads-expert-says/) about what individual states’ laws require, potentially leading them to accept railroad fees or insurance demands that may not be legally mandated. The issue has caught the attention of Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are weighing a proposal that would create a formal process for resolving disputes over crossing fees and other requirements. The[*RAIL Act*](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3268?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)*,* introduced by Sens. **Marsha Blackburn**, R-Tenn., and **Ben Ray Luján**, D-N.M., would have the Federal Communications Commission set enforceable timelines and dispute resolution rules for railroad crossing permits, working in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration. House and Senate versions were [introduced in November 2025](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-unveils-rail-act-days-after-house-advances-its-own-version/).The House version [advanced out of committee](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-commerce-committee-clears-broadband-permitting-bills/) in December; the Senate version has yet to. Neither has reached a floor vote. ### Verizon Offers $25K Reward to Catch Suspects Behind California Fiber Cuts URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-offers-25k-reward-to-catch-suspects-behind-california-fiber-cuts/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:36.000Z WASHINGTON, August 12, 2026 – Verizon is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for a string of fiber cable cuts. The company announced the reward Tuesday, days after a vandalized line severed service to thousands of customers across Los Angeles and Southern California. Verizon said crews restored service the same day, but the cuts have continued sporadically since, prompting the cash offer. “Acts of network theft and vandalism represent a direct threat to the safety and security of our communities, emergency services, healthcare and all who rely on critical communications,” Verizon said in [its statement](https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-offers-reward-network-vandalism?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Vandals also put their own lives at risk when perpetrating these crimes.” **Vandana Venkatesh**, Verizon’s chief legal officer, was more blunt in a statement carried by NBC Los Angeles, calling the incidents criminal acts and pledging that the company would pursue “all avenues” to help law enforcement track down and convict those responsible. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) As carriers have converted more of their networks to fiber, thieves hunting for copper to sell as scrap have continued targeting utility and telecom lines indiscriminately. Los Angeles County District Attorney **Nathan Hochman** has pointed to that disconnect directly, noting that people committing these crimes are going after cable that doesn't even contain the copper they're looking for. California leads the nation in these incidents by a wide margin, accounting for a third of all reported attacks in 2025\. Citing [data from NCTA](https://www.ncta.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Critical%5FAttacks%5FJune2026Final.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), a trade group funded by the broadband and cable industry, Verizon said California recorded 6,297 attacks on communications infrastructure that year. Los Angeles alone accounted for 1,131 of those incidents. The trade group also cited repeated copper thefts in the Oakland Hills that knocked out both internet service and traffic signals. NCTA estimated the incidents in California resulted in $252.6 million in economic losses. The reward announcement comes against the backdrop of a company reporting $138.2 billion in total 2025 revenue. More than 23 states introduced legislation addressing infrastructure vandalism and scrap metal theft in 2026, with 13 states enacting new laws. At the federal level, a bill known as [H.R. 2784](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2784?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would create new criminal penalties specifically for the intentional destruction of privately owned communications infrastructure. Verizon said it backed a recently enacted California law [AB 476](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab476?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) requiring junk dealers and recyclers to keep more detailed records of the metal they purchase, a measure intended to make it harder to offload stolen material. ### LPTV Stations Pitch FCC on New Datacasting Plan That Preserves Free TV URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lptv-stations-pitch-fcc-on-new-datacasting-plan-that-preserves-free-tv/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T12:56:36.000Z 💡 ■ S&P Global: Cogeco’s Breeezeline Under Intense Fiber, FWA Pressure ■ Sen. Mike Lee’s Bill Would Shrink Territory of Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ■ Gov. Morrisey Offers 20-Year ‘West Virginia Responsible Data Center Development Plan’ ■ Sen. Jon Husted’s China AI Supply Chain Bill Has Limited Role for FCC ■ SpaceX Urges FCC to Pull Licenses to Enforce Wireless Network Deployment Deadlines ■ T-Mobile Closes Spectrum Swap with Grain Management ■ Pa. AG Sues TikTok over Kids Access to Adult Content, Addictive Features ■ OMB: Federal Workers May Now Download TikTok on Government Devices ■ Report: Modern Architecture’s Low‑E Glass Creating ‘Faraday Cage’ Blocking RF Signals ■ People: Roger Keating Retiring from Hearst Television TV: Low power TV owners want to ditch the NextGen TV standard (ATSC 3.0) and beam datacasting services not just to TVs but also to millions of mobile devices. XGN/X1 Mobile and Tyche Media LLC asked the FCC to authorize voluntary use of the 3GPP 5G Broadcast standardfor LPTV stations, saying the move would modernize LPTV service while strengthening public‑safety capabilities. The Aug. 10 [petition for rulemaking](http://file///C:/Users/tedhe/Downloads/Petition%5Ffor%5FRulemaking%5F5G%5FBroadcast%5FLPTV%5FXGN%5FTyche%5FMedia%5FFINAL.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) urged the FCC to begin a formal proceeding. “The FCC should launch a rulemaking to make this model a permanent fixture of the FCC’s regulations,” said **Frank Copsidas**, CEO of XGN / X1 Mobile and Chairman of the LPTV Broadcasters Association. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pHbb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0397f087-2156-463b-af8f-30186c410e5d_1083x652.png) Frank Copsidas, CEO of XGN/X1 Mobile and Chairman of the LPTV Broadcasters Association _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### SpaceX Wants More Spectrum for Direct-to-Device URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-wants-more-spectrum-for-direct-to-device/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:36.000Z Aug. 11, 2026 – SpaceX is looking for more spectrum to be available for satellite use, it told federal regulators Tuesday. The company is buying $19.6 billion worth of licenses from EchoStar, and when the Federal Communications Commission approved that deal, it set buildout deadlines that could be satisfied by either terrestrial deployments or satellite direct-to-device performance. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The agency did the same when it approved T-Mobile’s sale of low-band licenses to Gran Management, which plans to lease them for direct-to-device. SpaceX would like to see the framework expanded, it said [in a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110070253/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with the FCC posted Tuesday. “These technology-neutral deployment guidelines encourage fast investments to put scarce low- and mid-band spectrum to use,” wrote **David Goldman**, SpaceX’s vice president of satellite policy. On the company’s first earnings call last week, executives said SpaceX planned to build terrestrial infrastructure to support its satellite-powered mobile service, a bid to compete directly with the major mobile carriers for subscribers. CEO **Elon Musk** described locating tiny femtocells on the mounts that fix SpaceX dishes to the roofs of buildings, a strategy [analysts were skeptical of](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/analysts-skeptical-of-spacex-mobile-plans/). Regardless, SpaceX had a list of bands in which it wanted to see satellite service allowed as a deployment option. Those included the 900 MegaHertz (MHz) band spectrum that location company NextNav wants to use for a 5G network and GPS backup, other 900 MHz spectrum used by utilities, and 5 megahertz of government spectrum the Commerce Department has identified for auction. SpaceX was unable to convince the FCC to allow satellite deployments in the upper C-band, which the agency cleared rules for last month. It also urged the agency [to expand](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-proposal-on-unlicensed-spectrum-for-direct-to-device-without-900-mhz/) a recent inquity into using other unlicensed spectrum for direct-to-device. ### *NextNav* NextNav has been pushing for the FCC to reorganize part of the 900 MHz band and give the company, which already operates there, a contiguous 15 megahertz to use for a GPS backup and lease to mobile carriers. The company was happy to see what it saw as support for its plan from the dominant low-Earth orbit satellite operator. NextNav stock was up 15 percent Tuesday. “This is a very exciting involvement for us,” CEO **Mariam Sorond** said on the company’s [earnings call](https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-nextnav-tops-revenue-forecasts-in-q2-2026-shares-jump-93CH-4852880?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Tuesday. Asked by an analyst whether SpaceX would potentially lease or buy the spectrum, Sorond said she believed SpaceX executives when they said they would use terrestrial gear and satellites to support a mobile service. “They have highlighted the need for low-band spectrum, and there is not much of that available,” she said. “I think their interest is driven by the fact that low-band is scarce, and they are showing their interest through this filing and wanting to make sure that low-band is made available.” Stakeholders think the FCC is working on a proposal based on a filing with the White House earlier this year, but aren’t sure where the agency is landing. A notice of proposed rulemaking can also be more open-ended and seek additional input. The plan has almost [uniformly faced opposition](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/some-lawmakers-wary-of-nextnav-proposal/) from other 900 MHz users. The band supports unlicensed operations by tolling operators, utilities, railroads, and others, who each fear NextNav’s proposal would cause unworkable interference. The House Appropriations Committee in April [attached language](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-appropriators-move-to-block-nextnav-proposal/) to an FCC funding bill for 2027 that would block NextNav's proposal, citing those concerns. The bill hasn't yet been taken up by the full House. Also on Tuesday, the Security Industry Association, an opponent of NextNav’s, posted an [AI-generated video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biT5UXDDHvE&t=8s&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) blasting the company for not answering technical questions about its coexistence testing in San Jose. Those test have FCC approval to continue through December 2027. Asked about coexistence testing on the call, Sorond said other tests with railroad companies in Colorado had gone well. “We are in dialogue with them to continue that engagement. We have also started talking to some of the other various licensed entities and unlicensed entities,” she said. She said the company would conduct more testing if necessary to advance its proposal. ### Hawaiʻi Begins $30.7 Million BEAD Broadband Buildout URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hawai-i-begins-30-7-million-bead-broadband-buildout/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:38.000Z WASHINGTON, August 11, 2026 – Hawaiʻi has moved to active construction on its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment buildout. The Office of the Governor and the University of Hawaiʻi finalized a $34 million contract with Hawaiian Telcom to deliver fiber-optic service to approximately 5,800 homes that currently lack modern broadband access, [the office said](https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2026/08/04/broadband-expansion-underserved-communities/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Tuesday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) A breakdown of BEAD award data lists Hawaiian Telcom’s deployment award at $29,928,000 for fiber to 5,725 locations plus 24 community anchor institutions. The state has made a separate preliminary award to Amazon Leo at $771,000 for low Earth orbit satellite service to 1,285 locations – a contract Hawaiʻi’s announcement did not mention. The combined award totals $30.7 million, just 20 percent of Hawaiʻi’s overall BEAD allocation of $149.5 million. Of the roughly 7,000 remaining unserved and underserved locations in Hawaiʻi, about 82 percent will be served with fiber and 18 percent through low Earth orbit satellite. The terrain driving that mix is distinct to Hawaiʻi. Most of the state’s rural areas sit on Hawaiian Home Lands, a trust of roughly 200,000 acres established in 1920 to provide homestead land for Native Hawaiians, which gives Hawaiʻi some land-access problems. Another geographic challenge distinct to Hawaiʻi is that much of the ground is volcanic rock, making underground fiber installation far more difficult. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The office also had to account for environmental hazards, citing climate change fueled sea level rises, hurricanes, tsunamis, and volcanic activity as high risks for broadband deployments. Amazon’s satellite locations are concentrated in the state’s most difficult-to-reach terrain, including mountainous areas on several islands and the sole broadband serviceable location on Niʻihau, the westernmost inhabited Hawaiian island. Hawaiʻi’s [interactive BEAD coverage map](https://histategis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?configurableview=true&webmap=da5c57e5eb8240f5a6a49f8fe3cbf2b5&theme=light&heading=true&legend=true¢er=-157.2379052349581,20.58818936492979&scale=2311162.217155&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) shows planned fiber and satellite locations by area. ### *Federal rewrite cut buildout costs by two-thirds* Hawaiʻi’s original draft proposal, released for public comment in August 2025, had allocated [closer to $95 million](https://www.benton.org/blog/states-finalize-their-bead-proposals?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) toward deployment. The final, post-restructuring award came in at roughly a third of that, suggesting competitive rebidding, and a greater willingness to use satellite service in the hardest-to-reach areas, sharply reduced the price of closing the state’s remaining coverage gaps. In June 2025, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration issued [a restructuring policy notice](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-rewrites-rules-for-bead-forcing-states-to-rebid-broadband-projects/) ordering states to move away from a fiber-priority framework toward a technology-neutral, lowest-cost selection process, dubbed the “Benefit of the Bargain” round. Notably, Hawaiʻi’s [2023 initial proposal](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hawaii-and-oregon-release-draft-bead-proposals/) never committed to serving all locations with fiber outright. In that filing, the University of Hawaiʻi declined to set a specific high-cost threshold – the price point above which it would consider non-fiber technology –saying instead it would use responses to its grant solicitations to determine, case by case, which locations might need a non-fiber solution. States had until September 4, 2025, to resubmit proposals under the new rules. Hawaiʻi’s [final proposal](https://www.hawaii.edu/broadband/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2026/01/Hawaii%5FBEAD%5FFP%5FAPPROVED%5F20251118.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) was submitted that day and approved by NTIA on November 18, 2025, [one of 18 states or territories](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trump-commerce-department-18-bead-proposals-approved-by-ntia/). ### *Hawaiʻi’s plan bets on Amazon Leo* Notably, the LEO award went to Amazon Leo, the rebranded Project Kuiper satellite service, rather than SpaceX’s Starlink, which has won substantial BEAD business in other states. Amazon said [in early July](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-working-on-bead-project-costs-permits/) its LEO service had crossed a threshold, roughly 390 satellites in orbit, that its executives characterized as enough to support continuous coverage across its initial target latitudes, putting an initial commercial rollout on track for later this year. But the company remains well behind its own federal deployment schedule: the FCC required Amazon to have half of its planned constellation, about 1,618 satellites, in orbit and operating by July 30, 2026\. Amazon fell far short, and the agency [granted it a limited waiver](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-grants-amazon-leo-deadline-waiver/) in June. As a condition, satellites Amazon deploys after that date will temporarily lose priority spectrum access until the company either hits the 50 percent mark or 20 months pass, whichever comes first. Amazon’s full 3,236 satellite constellation isn’t due until 2029. Under the finalized contracts, Hawaiian Telcom’s performance period runs four years, while Amazon Leo’s runs ten years. That longer runway stems from the Trump administration’s 2025 restructuring of BEAD, which gave satellite providers double the time to meet performance benchmarks than other technologies. Locations slated for fiber will be eligible for speeds up to 3,000 Mbps symmetrical, while satellite locations are expected to meet the program’s 100 \* 20 Megabit per second (Mbps) performance floor. Hawaiʻi’s own [final proposal](https://www.hawaii.edu/broadband/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2025/08/Hawaii-BEAD-Final-Proposal%5FDraft-for-Public-Comment.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) explains state broadband officials determined that LEO providers, while able to meet minimum performance requirements during the contract period, did not have the spectrum and architectural capacity to scale to future demand in the way fiber networks can. ### *Hawaiian Telcom’s much larger fiber ambitions* The state’s BEAD investment is layered on top of Hawaiian Telcom’s separate, larger commitment: [a $1.7 billion private buildout](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hawaii-announces-plan-to-become-first-fully-fiber-state/) the company says will make Hawaiʻi the first fully fiber-enabled state in the country. The BEAD award adds roughly 5,800 locations to a Hawaiian Telcom fiber network that already passed about 400,800 addresses statewide at the end of 2024 “This incredible BEAD award complements our more sustainable, long-term investment,” said **Su Shin**, president of Hawaiian Telcom. Lieutenant Governor **Sylvia Luke**, who oversees the state’s Connect Kākou broadband initiative, has framed the BEAD award as one piece of a broader infrastructure chain. State officials have said Hawaiʻi has [more than $390 million available](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hawaii-implements-digital-navigators-with-expected-bead-funding/) to achieve universal internet access and digital literacy for all. Construction on BEAD-funded projects is expected to begin this year, with Hawaiian Telcom and Amazon Leo expected to begin notifying individual households as service becomes available in their area. The deployment milestone comes shortly after **Garret Yoshimi**, the University of Hawaiʻi’s broadband director, retired in June. Yoshimi, UH’s longtime vice president for information technology and chief information officer, had overseen Connect Kākou’s broadband effort for more than a decade, since its earliest planning stages. Yoshimi’s departure comes at a symbolic moment for the program he helped build. As UH’s broadband director, he guided Hawaiʻi’s BEAD effort from its 2023 initial proposal through last year’s federal restructuring — work UH President **Wendy Hensel** credited in April, calling him “widely respected in his field” and someone who “will be greatly missed across the University of Hawaiʻi.” ### States Working on BEAD Project Costs, Permits URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/states-working-on-bead-project-costs-permits/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:39.000Z DENVER, Aug. 11, 2026 – As Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program projects begin to get underway, rising project costs could be a potential pain point. “We are seeing this across the board with providers,” said **Bree Maki**, executive director of Minnesota’s broadband office. She spoke at the Mountain Connect conference here in Denver. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Applicants bid for grants under the $42.45 billion BEAD program nearly one year ago, and under new Trump administration rules that prioritized cost-efficient builds. In the meantime, inflation has continued apace and AI companies’ demand for American-made fiber has grown. Maki said her office would support waivers to increase grant support if they made sense, even if they might not have a high chance of approval by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Minnesota is looking to spend about $379 million, about 60 percent of its allocation, to serve its nearly 75,000 BEAD-eligible locations. Most states are spending much less than they were allocated, a result of eligible locations falling over time and the Trump administration rules. **Sarah Baska**, director of Georgia’s broadband office, said one provider ended up refusing an award because it would have needed more money than it bid for to make its project work. NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** has said over 1 percent of BEAD’s nearly 4 million locations were refused by the winning provider for one reason or another. She told lawmakers in June that it wasn’t unexpected based on the program’s size, and that the agency had a process for working with states to find replacement ISPs. Roth has also said major U.S. fiber manufacturers have committed to making sufficient supply available amid high tech company demand, and that she doesn’t anticipate NTIA waiving its requirement that BEAD fiber be made in the U.S.. Baska said her office was still looking for a replacement provider. She said the office was also open to seeking waivers for increased support if it would keep projects from falling through. “I’m going to take as many shots on goal as possible,” she said. ‘If I don’t, then I definitely won’t get the waiver.” **Glen Howie**, director of Arkansas’s broadband office, cautioned it would be important to discern whether cost increases were the result of unexpected increases in material or labor costs, or an overly aggressive bidding strategy. “It’s important for the states to be objective and evaluate those requests very deliberately,” he said. ### *Permits* Navigating potentially labyrinthine local, state, and federal permitting requirements is also often cited as a potential roadblock. A recent analysis from New York Law School found the median BEAD project will need about 11 permits from eight different permitting authorities. Maki said hiring a dedicated staff member to coordinate permitting issues was helpful. Her office recently hired an archaeologist who used to work for the USDA, she said, and their expertise in historical and environmental reviews had been beneficial. She also had been convening meetings with local permitting agencies over the past two years to get a sense of their needs, she said. Howie said his office created a guide for ISPs with permitting agency contacts and process overviews. The office also did road shows around the state — he estimated more than 200 in total over the course of the last three years — where he and staff explained BEAD and urged counties to create broadband committees. He said the goal was to generate some local enthusiasm in addition to permitting preparation. “Not only is it, you go into their community and you’re potentially ripping open their roads and all these things, but they have some ownership, they want it to succeed, and they’re invested,” he said. NTIA has been working for years to reduce the permitting burden on program participants. The agency developed a digital tool for shepherding projects through the federal environmental and historical review process, and expanded a suite of exemptions to those rules that allow certain kinds of projects to be cleared without an intensive review. States also have to convene roundtables with ISPs and permitting agencies, and collect complaints when issues go unresolved. **Julie DeCuypere**, a broadband program manager at consulting firm Michael Baker, said it was important early in the process to communicate directly with rural permitting agencies. Those county and town offices may themselves not have a website, and were likely understaffed. “Probably the biggest thing is being patient and listening. It might be a part-time person” handling permits in rural areas, she said. “It might be a person volunteering on a community committee.” ### 22 Wisconsin Libraries Warn FCC Against E-Rate Cuts URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/22-wisconsin-libraries-warn-fcc-against-e-rate-cuts/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:38.000Z WASHINGTON, August 11, 2026 – Wisconsin libraries are pushing back against a federal review that could reduce support for their internet connections. Twenty-two public libraries across southeastern Wisconsin filed [joint comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/filing/26110069663?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Friday with the Federal Communications Commission opposing any move to terminate or restrict the E-Rate program, a roughly $2.5 billion federal subsidy that helps three-quarters of U.S. libraries, and nearly all public schools, pay for internet access and telecommunications services. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “If the FCC terminates or limits E-Rate funding, libraries throughout Wisconsin will be forced to seek other sources of bandwidth from providers that are far less stable, and possibly far less responsive,” the libraries wrote, adding that the shift would drive up administrative costs tied to procuring comparable connections. “For many libraries, even a small increase in the monthly bill can mean cuts to services elsewhere,” the coalition wrote. The letter responds to a sweeping FCC [proceeding opened June 25](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-clears-e-rate-review-local-permit-shot-clock-proposal/), when the commission voted to review the nearly 30-year-old E-Rate program, asking whether the program has fulfilled its mission and whether eligibility or funding levels should change. The FCC’s own Wireline Competition Bureau chief recently reaffirmed that a sweeping overhaul of the roughly $2.5 billion program remains on the table, hinting “large scale changes” may be coming in [a July 30 post](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-ponders-large-scale-changes-to-school-and-library-broadband-subsidy/). “Responsible governance sometimes means asking whether a program continues to serve its purpose, is still consistent with the statutory goal provided by Congress, and whether there is a need for large scale changes,” Bureau Chief **Joseph Calascione** wrote. The Wisconsin filing adds to a growing volume of comments [from schools, libraries and advocacy groups](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/schools-libraries-fight-to-preserve-e-rate-in-major-battle-at-fcc/) nationwide urging the FCC to preserve the discount program, which has been a fixture of federal telecommunications policy since 1997 and remains a primary funding mechanism for closing the digital divide in underserved communities. Signatories on the Wisconsin letter include the Racine Public Library, Beloit Public Library, Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, and libraries in Burlington, Delavan, Lake Geneva, Elkhorn and other communities across Racine, Rock and Walworth counties. The libraries argue E-Rate underwrites core infrastructure, not just public internet access for patrons, but “all aspects of library service delivery,” including wide-area networks, online catalogs and library websites, and growing demand for library-loaned ebooks and audiobooks. ### *Advocates push back on the screen-time framing* The FCC’s formal rulemaking is formally titled [*Ensuring Children’s Safe Use of Screens and E-Rate-Funded Services*](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-41A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), reflecting the FCC’s parallel interest in revisiting the Children’s Internet Protection Act and proposing screen-time restrictions as a condition of funding. The Wisconsin libraries’ letter does not address that piece of the proceeding. School and library advocates have criticized the FCC’s reasoning as a smokescreen, arguing that a federal review of CIPA would be unlikely to produce better outcomes for schools and libraries. **Noelle Ellerson Ng**, chief advocacy and governance officer at AASA, the School Superintendents Association, has argued the screen-time question is a curriculum matter, not a connectivity one. “Screen time, at its core, is a curriculum decision. E-Rate is a connectivity program. The FCC is not the agency tasked with answering questions about education, education pedagogy, and curriculum,” Ng [told *Education Week*](https://www.edweek.org/technology/fcc-launches-review-of-e-rate-program-amid-screen-time-debate/2026/06?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). **Joseph Wender**, executive director of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, made a similar argument last month, saying decisions about student screen time belong with local school boards and educators, not the FCC, and that the two issues are otherwise unconnected. Advocates so far have called for retaining the FCC’s existing reading of the law, saying it allows communities to set appropriate standards for children’s internet safety. Under the current framework, the federal law sets baseline internet safety requirements, but schools and libraries retain substantial discretion to develop and enforce their own policies based on local needs. Libraries have also voiced concern over provisions that would require them to [self-certify compliance through federal portals](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/library-groups-mobilize-against-fcc-proposal-to-reshape-e-rate/), an administrative task that many libraries do not currently handle in-house. SHLB and partners launched a national [Save Our E-Rate](https://www.shlb.org/save-our-e-rate?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) campaign after the FCC vote, urging libraries, schools, and advocates to submit comments and defend the program during the rulemaking process. E-Rate reaches the overwhelming majority of the institutions it was built to serve: more than 96 percent of the nation’s public schools participate, along with 73 percent of public library locations, according to Funds for Learning, an E-Rate consulting firm. ### As AI Grips World, The Thrill of Collecting Vintage Computers is Growing URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/as-ai-grips-world-the-thrill-of-collecting-vintage-computers-is-growing/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:43.000Z MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 11, 2026 (AP) — Software engineer **Josh Dersch** loves old computers. He spends countless hours tinkering in his garage, trying to coax decades-old machines back to life. He estimates he owns more than 200 vintage computers and devices in his Seattle home. [The Internet Dispersed Power. The Supreme Court is Concentrating ItPanelists at BroadbandLive event including the ‘father of the Internet,’ the author of the maxim that ‘Code is Law’ and a pivotal FCC chairman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/icon/291902499_377772294340770_1913533388107842851_n-15aa0320-d9f1-4eb6-b9a4-bbc2992fcbde.png)Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/thumbnail/postel_crocker_cerf_1994_copy.width-1000.format-webp-copy-1-f2d7ee16-f18f-42ef-8be2-41777781cf40.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-internet-dispersed-power-the-supreme-court-is-concentrating-it/) “It’s always been fascinating to me to see the origins of things,” Dersch said. “It’s a fun challenge to debug and repair. You can understand the entire system from top to bottom.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Dersch is part of a growing community of vintage computer collectors who are preserving the classic machines that helped launch the digital revolution. While Silicon Valley has since moved on to shaping the [future of artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), these hardware enthusiasts are intent on saving the Atari, Commodore and IBM machines that are ancestors to today’s laptops, wearable devices and smartphones. Where others see junk, people like Dersch see artifacts of computer history that are worthy of attention and respect. They delight in hearing the beeps and chimes of their childhood and firing up a low-def game of “Pong” or “Space Invaders.” “The enthusiasm for the history of computers and all the stuff around it is growing,” said **Erik Klein**, president of the Vintage Computer Federation, which organizes an annual festival at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View in the heart of Silicon Valley. ### *Vintage computer festivals bring collectors together* This year more than 3,500 people attended the two-day Vintage Computer Festival in early August that celebrated the 50th anniversary of [Apple, founded in 1976](https://apnews.com/article/apple-50-years-anniversary-computer-iphone-b462b82f1e202f28a75ab1a8070c00b7?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in nearby Cupertino, Calif. It featured a panel with co-founders **Steve Wozniak** and **Ronald Wayne** reminiscing about the company’s early days as a scrappy startup led by the late **Steve Jobs**. More than a dozen such gatherings have since sprung up in cities across North America, South America and Europe. Growing interest is reflected in more demand for [vintage computers](https://apnews.com/article/vintage-apple-computer-auction-jobs-wozniak-6757c8a9ac4eee986676cdf626fe0555?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in online marketplaces, Klein said. Rare, [iconic computers like the Apple-1](https://apnews.com/article/vintage-apple-computer-auction-jobs-wozniak-6757c8a9ac4eee986676cdf626fe0555?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) — the company’s first product — can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars. Collectors exhibited the computer systems that they have painstakingly restored to their original working condition, allowing attendees to play with the computers built long before the internet, social media and AI transformed the world. ### *Restoring the ‘grandfather of the modern computer’* Dersch drove down from Seattle to showcase the pride of his collection: the Xerox Alto. He spent years restoring what's considered “the grandfather of the modern computer,” which was developed at the pioneering Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s. The Alto was one of the earliest computers to move beyond text on screen and use the mouse and graphical user interface — such as windows, icons and cursors — that became the industry standard. The model famously inspired Jobs and **Bill Gates** to incorporate the technologies in their early products. Dersch’s exhibit featured a fully functioning Xerox Alto workstation with its boxy vertical monitor, chunky keyboard and mouse, as well as pizza-sized spinning disks that store tiny amounts of data by modern standards. “It’s fun to share what I’ve done with people. It’s fun to share in what other people have done,” Dersch said. “Also, there’s a consignment area where I can buy more junk to take home with me, so that’s always fun.” Klein, a Silicon Valley software engineering manager, was a passionate collector until his hobby overwhelmed his home and family life. He had as many as 150 computer systems — complete with accessories, documents and packaging — crammed into his closets and garage. He said his beloved collection had become an “albatross” and he worried about burdening his family. So he started selling and giving away his machines until he only had a few favorites left at home. ### *Similar events for collectors spread around the world* Now Klein channels his passion for vintage computers into organizing festivals, repair workshops, swap meets and other events as president of the Vintage Computer Federation. “So it’s really about evangelizing that history and evangelizing this hobby of maintaining, collecting and enjoying this vintage technology,” Klein said. **Sellam Ismail** is thrilled to see the collector community develop and mature since he organized the first festival in 1997, drawing about 150 hobbyists to a venue east of San Francisco. He ran the events for a decade. He later co-founded the Vintage Computer Federation, which runs festivals in the US and Canada. He’s helped other groups launch similar festivals in Argentina, Germany and Switzerland. “The community grew up. More and more people started getting old computers, started collecting them,” said Ismail, who once had a massive collection he stored in a warehouse. “Next year is the 30th anniversary. And I expect this to continue and grow even bigger.” *This article was written by Terry Chea of the Associated Press.* ### Vietnam’s VinSpace Signs Deal With Elon Musk’s SpaceX to Launch Satellites in 2027 URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/vietnams-vinspace-signs-deal-with-elon-musks-spacex-to-launch-satellites-in-2027/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:43.000Z HANOI, Vietnam, August 11, 2026 (AP) — Vietnamese aerospace company VinSpace said Tuesday it has signed a contract with [SpaceX](https://apnews.com/hub/spacex?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to send its first satellites into orbit aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission in 2027, as the Southeast Asian nation moves to develop its nascent space industry. VinSpace will launch its satellites on a SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission run by [**Elon Musk’s**](https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) company, which carries satellites from multiple customers on a single rocket to share launch costs, it said in a statement. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The satellites, which VinSpace said it will develop and operate, will test the company’s technology in orbit and support future commercial applications. VinSpace is part of Vietnam’s Vingroup conglomerate and was established in November 2025\. The company said in April that it planned to develop and launch its first satellites in 2027. Founded by tycoon **Pham Nhat Vuong**, Vingroup is Vietnam’s largest privately owned company. It has a sprawling business empire that touches many aspects of daily life, from real estate and retail to healthcare, education and tourism. It is [going global as it invests heavily in high-tech industries](https://apnews.com/article/vietnam-vingroup-uzbekistan-congo-property-vinfast-290c77eb74d682f6ac5dd8cab4866880?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) such as electric vehicles, space, artificial intelligence and robotics, sectors central to Vietnam’s ambition to become [Asia’s next tiger economy](https://apnews.com/article/vietnam-economy-climate-trade-mekong-067331203c59c61dbd6d40c04aa5d91d?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Vietnam has sought to build its aerospace capabilities for several decades but remains a relatively small player in the global space industry. It launched its first telecommunications satellite in 2008, followed by another in 2012, according to official documents. In March, it inaugurated a major space science and technology center in Hanoi’s Hoa Lac High-Tech Park, aimed at expanding the country’s satellite development and use of space-based data. Vietnam aims to become a mid-level space power in Southeast Asia by 2030. In February, Vietnam allowed SpaceX to launch its Starlink satellite internet service in the country. This was seen by some analysts as an effort by Vietnam to avoid U.S. tariffs. Starlink has since begun accepting orders in Vietnam. VinSpace said the agreement with SpaceX is part of its plan to become a full-service aerospace company, developing capabilities ranging from satellite design and manufacturing to launch management, satellite operations and space-based data services. “Reliable access to space is fundamental to turning satellite innovation into operational missions,” VinSpace CEO **Thu Vu** said in a statement. VinSpace did not disclose the value of the contract or the number or specifications of the satellites. *This article was written by Aniruddha Ghosal of the Associated Press.* ### FCC's Trusty Does Not Believe in the Great Starlink Replacement Theory URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-trusty-does-not-believe-in-the-great-starlink-replacement-theory/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T12:50:29.000Z 💡 ■ Shentel CFO Views Starlink As a ‘Niche’ Service Always Inferior to HFC, Fiber ■ NCTA CEO to Congress: Permitting Delays Threaten BEAD Program ■ Socialist Sanders Tells AI Giants to Hit Pause or Else ■ Massachusetts Town Poised to Spend $43.5 Million to Overbuild Charter ■ Roslyn Layton: Carr’s FCC Made Right Call to Lift 39% Cap ■ Duff & Phelps Analysts: Starlink Mobile Not Ready for Prime Time ■ TDS Paid $24.4 Million for Granite State Communications LEO: Republican FCC Commissioner **Olivia Trusty** does not believe in the Great Starlink Replacement Theory. “Satellite broadband is expanding connectivity to places where traditional terrestrial networks remain difficult or uneconomical to deploy. That is particularly meaningful for island nations, remote communities, maritime industries, and disaster recovery,” she said. “Satellite connectivity is not replacing fiber. It is complementing fiber. It is helping to extend the reach of digital opportunity to everyone, everywhere.” Trusty addressed the LEO issue and other policies [in an Aug. 10 speech](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424105A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at a conference in the Dominican Republic. She noted markets continue to generate surprises. “… History consistently reminds us that innovation rarely shrinks the economic pie. More often than not, it expands it,” she said. “When streaming video entered the market some questioned whether broadband networks could handle the explosive growth in traffic. Yet consumer demand for streaming became one of the strongest incentives for providers to invest in faster fiber networks, upgraded wireless infrastructure, and more resilient internet architecture.” ***(More after paywall)*** _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### The Farm Bill Fight That Will Shape Rural Broadband URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/the-farm-bill-fight-that-will-shape-rural-broadband/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T12:44:06.000Z Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman **John Boozman**, a Republican from Arkansas, held a markup hearing on his version of the Farm Bill on Thursday, August 6\. It didn’t go very well. In the long-delayed milestone meeting – which could ultimately reshape Rural Americans connections to the Internet – [Republicans were unable to move their bill forward](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-agriculture-committee-fails-to-advance/). Democrats held together, and the absence of two GOP senators, **Tommy Tuberville** of Alabama and **Mitch McConnell** of Kentucky, meant the measure failed on a 10-11 vote. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Most people think of the Farm Bill primarily because of its connections to crop insurance, commodity price supports, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But the legislation, which Congress reauthorizes roughly every five years, governs an enormous swath of American agricultural and rural policy, including conservation programs, farm credit, rural water and wastewater infrastructure, forestry, and energy. The current fight between the House and Senate over SNAP funding levels has been the loudest obstacle to passage, and proved to be the case on Thursday. But tucked inside the Farm Bill’s rural development title is a provision that governs the future of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect broadband program. ### *What’s at stake in the Farm Bill for broadband* ReConnect has provided more than $4.4 billion in loans and grants for rural broadband deployment since 2018, reaching some of America’s most remote and expensive-to-serve communities.[ The House Farm Bill, passed in April by a narrow 224-200 margin, would make ReConnect permanent](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-passes-farm-bill/). But the House version sets minimum project speeds at just 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) for downloads and 25 Mbps for uploads. And it restricts eligibility to areas lacking 25 Mbps for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads for service. Critics say that – as with previous broadband programs such as the Connect America Fund deploying broadband at 10 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads, such low thresholds would doom Rural America to a lower tier of service. [The proposed Senate version takes a more ambitious approach](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-farm-bill-would-codify-reconnect-program/). In addition to making ReConnect permanent, it would use higher required speeds and broader eligibility. At a previous hearing on the topic before the Senate Agriculture Committee, **Jesse Shekleton**, director of Broadband Operations at Jo-Carroll Energy [pushed for the higher speed standard](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/farm-bill-should-include-higher-broadband-speed-requirements/). “Demands for bandwidth on farms will continue to grow,” he said The Farm Bill also matters for broadband beyond ReConnect. Both the House and Senate versions would codify technical assistance for rural broadband planning and include provisions preventing ReConnect from overlapping with the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment grant program of the U.S. Commerce Department. ### *Under threat from both sides* Even as Congress debates how to strengthen ReConnect, the program faces pressure from an unexpected direction: The USDA itself proposed canceling $40 million in unused ReConnect funds in its fiscal year 2027 budget request.[ House appropriators broke with that request and restored the funding in June](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/reconnect-funding-restored-in-fy2027-usda-bill/), a rare instance of Congress overruling an agency on its own program budget. But with BEAD money now flowing,[ calls to eliminate USDA broadband programs as duplicative have grown louder](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/calls-grow-to-eliminate-usda-broadband-program-watchdog-group-says/). ### *Broadband now ‘table stakes’ for rural economic development* Broadband and rural economic development was the subject of [Wednesday’s Broadband Breakfast Live Online discussion](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rural-broadband-pays-off-only-when-communities-decide-panelists-say/). In it, panelists said that broadband has become the price of admission for a rural community rather than a growth strategy on its own. Well-connected rural counties post 18% higher per capita income and roughly 210% higher business growth than underserved peers, according to a Center for Rural Innovation study cited by **Bartlett Cleland**, executive director of the Innovation Economy Alliance. Also contributing to the discussion was **Amy Huffman**, policy director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, who cited her 2011 master’s thesis on the question of whether rural residents would get online if networks were built. Her answer – then and now – is maybe. Also weighing in on the benefits for rural communities was **Jonathan Chambers**, co-CEO of Conexon, which works with co-ops to build fiber networks, and has helped transform connectivity in many rural communities. Watch [the discussion on Broadband Breakfast](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/daily-yonder). ### *On the ground, BEAD is getting complicated* On another front, the $42.5 billion BEAD program is now becoming operational in states across the country, with providers moving into permitting and early construction. [Minnesota signed its first construction contract](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/minnesotas-first-bead-contract-lands/) under the $42.5 billion federal program on July 30\. California cleared federal review July 17, leaving only Illinois as the last state waiting on sign-off from both the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. But being approved is not the same as being built. Minnesota’s projects will reach 74,739 locations with $378.9 million in federal money and nearly $190 million in matching funds. The state must place its remaining initial projects under contract by Oct. 8\. Getting the first one signed took more than 18 rounds of revisions with federal reviewers. And often, the fights are over poles. Electric cooperatives, which own much of the existing pole infrastructure in rural America and are well-positioned to build broadband alongside it, are[ finding BEAD’s pole attachment rules onerous](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/electric-co-ops-finding-bead-rules-onerous-especially-on-poles/). Two co-ops said they turned down tentative BEAD awards entirely because compliance costs made the projects unworkable.[ ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-defends-bead-pole-rules/) [NTIA, however, has defended this pole-attachment policy](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-defends-bead-pole-rules/) as necessary for deployment. ### *Starlink changes the math – again* An accounting of rural broadband in mid-2026 has to grapple with Starlink, a key part ofElon Musk’snow-public company, SpaceX. Low-Earth orbit satellite internet has improved dramatically in speed and reliability. So much so that Starlink’s performance is showing up in cable company Q2 earnings calls. Comcast, Charter, and Shentel have all faced questions from Wall Street analysts about rural customer losses to satellite — a signal that Starlink is now a genuine competitive threat in markets those companies assumed were captive. This feeds the argument of some that federal programs are racing to build fiber infrastructure that commercial satellite has already rendered unnecessary. But that argument doesn’t account for exactly how [capacity-constrained Starlink is](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-broadband-policy-is-increasingly-being-recast-around-satellite/) in dense-use scenarios. It also doesn’t account for questionable reliability standards for Starlink – as good as it is – versus symmetrical fiber networks. ***This article was produced in collaboration with Broadband Breakfast partner Daily Yonder, and is also published on*** [***Daily Yonder on August 11, 2026***](https://dailyyonder.com/the-farm-bill-fight-that-will-shape-rural-broadband/2026/08/11/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***.*** ### Iyad Tarazi: AI and the New Economics of Wireless Growth URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/iyad-tarazi-ai-and-the-new-economics-of-wireless-growth/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T21:55:35.000Z For most of the wireless industry’s history, operators seeking growth have had three main options: acquire more spectrum, build more infrastructure or upgrade network equipment. All remain essential, but each requires substantial capital, time or both. A fourth option is emerging: using AI to extract more capacity and economic value from spectrum and infrastructure already in place. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) These techniques operate at the physical layer, where terrain, buildings, foliage, antenna characteristics, propagation and interference determine how a wireless network performs. This differs from applying generative AI to customer care or using machine learning to automate routine network operations. It brings intelligence directly to systems governed by real-world physics—an emerging category often described as Physical AI. ### *The hidden cost of uncertainty* Wireless networks are designed around what engineers can predict with confidence. When propagation and interference cannot be modeled precisely, planners compensate by reserving more margin, limiting power, assuming less usable spectrum, adding sites or conducting lengthy field testing. These are reasonable decisions based on the information available, but their accumulated cost can be significant. Traditional RF tools necessarily simplify the physical environment because modeling every relevant interaction at high resolution has been computationally prohibitive. Physical AI changes what is practical. GPU-accelerated ray tracing can process complex RF interactions across detailed three-dimensional environments. LiDAR, terrain, building, foliage, water and equipment data can create a more faithful representation of a deployment area, while field measurements help refine the model over time. This gives operators more than faster planning. It provides a higher-confidence basis for deciding how much spectrum is usable, how many sites are necessary, what performance can be offered and where investment is most likely to produce a return. ### *Turning precision into capacity* In shared-spectrum environments, conservative assumptions can leave usable capacity on the table. Incumbents must be protected and neighboring networks must coexist. But when interference can be modeled more precisely, that protection does not have to rely on overly broad guardrails. The first Physical AI platform purpose-built for shared spectrum is now operating across hundreds of live commercial CBRS deployments. Developed by Federated Wireless, Spectrum AI provides an early indication of what this category can make possible. Field results have shown up to 50% more usable spectrum capacity, propagation predictions with more than 90% accuracy and simulation speeds 100 to 1,000 times faster than previous approaches. In congested environments, improved allocation, interference coordination and network configuration have together produced capacity gains as high as fivefold—without acquiring additional spectrum or adding infrastructure. The benefits also extend to network cost. In applicable designs, greater precision can reduce the number of sites needed to meet coverage or performance targets. That means fewer towers, radios and installations, along with lower backhaul, power and operating expenses. Live deployment work has shown potential network-cost reductions of up to 40%. ### *A new capital-planning equation* Planning speed affects how many alternatives an operator can evaluate before committing capital. When a simulation that once took hours can be completed in seconds, teams can test far more combinations of sites, channels, power levels and equipment. Instead of asking only whether a design will work, they can compare options and identify the design that produces the strongest business outcome. RF planning can increasingly help answer questions that once sat elsewhere in the organization: How many homes can be served? Which towers should be activated first? Where does a competitor’s footprint leave attractive white space? What return can be expected from a proposed expansion? The modeling remains grounded in physics, but the output becomes useful for investment decisions. This matters most in markets with tight economics. In fixed wireless and rural broadband, eliminating a site, accurately qualifying an address or making another block of spectrum usable can determine whether a marginal deployment is viable. Private wireless and other shared-spectrum deployments benefit from the same ability to turn greater certainty into a stronger business case. ### *From network automation to physical intelligence* Physical AI will not eliminate the need for spectrum acquisition, new infrastructure or equipment upgrades. Demand will continue to grow, and all three traditional levers will remain fundamental. What changes is the assumption that the performance of existing assets is fixed. Spectrum coordination and network planning can instead become continuous optimization processes, adapting as deployments, interference conditions and business priorities evolve. This cannot be accomplished with a general-purpose AI model alone. It depends on physics-based simulation, detailed geospatial and equipment data, live spectrum information and measurements from operating networks. Governance and auditability are also essential so operators can understand recommendations and retain control over network changes. As these capabilities mature, operators will face a new question when planning network growth. Before buying another license, building another tower or replacing another radio, they will increasingly ask whether the spectrum and infrastructure they already possess can do more. Often, the answer will be yes. Greater modeling precision can reveal capacity that conservative assumptions had placed out of reach—and give operators the confidence to put it to work. ***Iyad Tarazi joined Federated Wireless as CEO in September 2014, after leaving an executive post at Sprint in a March 2014 restructuring. At Sprint he was vice president of network development and led the Network Vision modernization project; before the Sprint-Nextel merger he ran Nextel's network engineering organization — network planning, integration, performance engineering, testing and core deployment. He also worked at MCI and served on the board of CafeX Communications. He has led Federated for more than a decade after nearly nine years on the network side at Sprint. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.***[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federated%5FWireless?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ### As Data Centers Spread, Cities Fight to Keep Up URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/as-data-centers-spread-cities-fight-to-keep-up/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:44.000Z WASHINGTON, August 10, 2026 – Across the country, local governments are discovering that zoning codes written before the data center boom often have no way to account for facilities. Now, officials are playing catch-up. Aurora, Illinois, didn’t have a category for data centers in its zoning code. So for years, it treated them like warehouses. That meant new data centers were approved administratively, by right, with no public hearing and no review distinct from a building full of pallets. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The gap went unnoticed until it didn’t. Electricity rates in the area jumped 24 percent in 2025, which the local utility attributed directly to new data center demand. Residents raised alarms about water scarcity, with some downstate Illinois communities building pipelines to Lake Michigan just to secure supply. An existing facility failed to meet state noise requirements. City officials declared a moratorium on new data center approvals on September 25 of last year, giving themselves roughly six months to figure out what to do. “We wanted to ensure that some kind of public process was put in place,” **Allison Lindberg**, director of sustainability and economic development for the city of Aurora, Ill., said during [a webinar](https://www.nlc.org/events/local-policy-responses-to-data-center-development-moratoria-zoning-agreements-and-community-engagement/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) hosted Monday by the National League of Cities on local policy responses to data center development. “We weren’t necessarily allowed to ban or prohibit data centers, but we did want them to become good neighbors.” Staff researched other cities’ ordinances, surveyed residents, and met one-on-one with more than a dozen other Illinois municipalities, industry representatives and labor unions. An open house drew roughly 200 people. The city used the input to adopt permanent regulations this spring, just before the moratorium expired. ### *Data centers required to source 25% of load from renewable energy* Under [the new rules](https://www.aurora.il.us/Property-Business/Zoning-and-Planning/New-Data-Center-and-Warehouse-Regulations?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), all new data centers are required to source at least 25 percent of their load from renewable energy and maintain on-site battery storage covering 50 percent of peak load for 15 minutes, with alternative compliance available if neither is feasible on site. Developers must submit a water study, an energy plan and a sound study verified before final occupancy. The city set daytime and nighttime noise limits, vibration limits and energy and water consumption caps. Aurora prohibited modular nuclear generation outright, classified natural gas generation as a conditional utility use, and wrote state biometric privacy protections directly into its local code – a response, Lindburg said, to concerns that the industry was lobbying to weaken Illinois's Biometric Information Protection Act at the state level. The city also now requires a water plan disclosing any chemicals used on-site, including in closed-loop cooling systems. Despite industry pushback that the requirement was excessive, Lindburg said subsequent water quality has validated the decision. The city collects little sales tax from data centers and modest property tax, but does collect a utility tax Lindburg estimated at roughly $10,000 per megawatt annually. Under that metric, a single 100-megawatt facility would generate about $1 million a year for the city. Still, several data center projects had already rushed to secure approval under the old rules, submitting their applications on the day the city’s moratorium took effect. Aurora sits in what Lindberg described as the fourth largest area for data center development in the country, drawing developers with its available fiber, water and urban access. ### *Anchorage’s zoning code had the same problem* The city of Anchorage, Alaska took a more proactive approach. The city hadn’t yet received a major data center application, when Anchorage Assembly Chair **Anna Brawley** helped write a new data center ordinance before developers came knocking. Brawley, whose background is in city planning, said the effort traced back to a National League of Cities conference last November, where the question of how Anchorage would handle a data center proposal first crossed her mind. When Brawley reviewed Anchorage’s existing zoning code, she found the same structural blind spot Aurora had: no category actually fit a modern data center. “Warehouse” referred to buildings used to store physical goods. An older “data processing center” designation described a distinctly 1990s-era use for offices where employees processed transactions such as credit card records. Neither category contemplated the enormous energy, water, and land use demands associated with a modern data center. City officials [adopted the ordinance in March](https://www.dwt.com/blogs/energy--environmental-law-blog/2026/04/anchorage-adopts-data-center-framework?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), establishing a new land use and permitting framework for data centers and similar energy-intensive facilities. Under the ordinance, data centers are limited to commercial and industrial zones and barred from residential areas outright. Developers must obtain a conditional use permit, triggering public notice and a review process that gives residents a chance to weigh in. The ordinance also sets design standards meant to address noise and visual impact, including screening and enclosure requirements for equipment, landscaping buffers, and setbacks of roughly 200 feet from residential or other noise-sensitive uses. Applicants must show that adequate electrical, water and wastewater capacity exists to support the project. If it doesn’t, the city can require the developer to fund infrastructure upgrades as a condition of approval. Even a proactive ordinance has limits, though. Brawley noted several active data centers are being proposed just outside Anchorage’s regulatory reach. Those include a request for proposals from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a joint U.S. Air Force and Army base, seeking private operators on land the municipality cannot regulate; interest from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, which has land but limited water infrastructure; and a proposal on Alaska’s North Slope tied to stranded natural gas. She noted that at least one candidate in Alaska’s current gubernatorial race has proposed a [New York-style moratorium](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-york-becomes-first-state-to-impose-data-center-moratorium/) on AI data centers specifically. Anchorage, is Alaska’s largest city, with roughly 300,000 residents in a state of just over 770,000, and has some natural draws for the industry, including cold weather and ample water, but is also grappling with a looming natural gas shortage of its own. ### *A national pattern* Aurora and Anchorage represent two ends of the same problem, according to Dr. **Lauren Bridges**, an assistant professor of media studies at the University of Virginia, who tracks state and local data center legislation. At the local level, she pointed to a wave of moratoriums that has “spread like wildfire” in recent months, alongside zoning and land-use changes, noise ordinances and growing attention to water use. The overall trajectory, she said, is a shift from an incentive-based paradigm, which once offered data center developers generous tax breaks and streamlined permitting, toward a phase of intense community scrutiny, tighter oversight and, in some cases, outright bans. A U.S. data center moratorium tracker, maintained by Interconnected Capital, counted 219 local moratoriums nationwide as of August 4, including 183 that remained active, underscoring the scale of the regulatory backlash to data center development. ### AT&T Seeking Refund on FCC Location Data Fine URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-seeking-refund-on-fcc-location-data-fine/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:47.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2026 – AT&T has joined the other two national wireless carriers in asking judges for a refund on a Federal Communications Commission fine from 2024. The agency fined the carriers a total of more than $200 million for not vetting third parties thoroughly enough before selling them customer location data. The companies have said they stopped selling that data by 2019. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The companies paid but appealed, arguing the agency couldn’t issue fines at all under recent Supreme Court precedent in *SEC v. Jarkesy*. They came away with a high court ruling that found FCC could issue forfeiture orders, but the penalties weren’t mandatory until the Justice Department sued to collect and won in court. Experts have said [it’s still unclear](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/impact-of-supreme-courts-fcc-fine-ruling-still-unclear-experts/) how often companies will go that route in practice. Regardless, that was not the common understanding of FCC fines, AT&T argued to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The company said it wouldn’t have paid its $57 million penalty if its lawyers didn't think it absolutely had to. “The Commission’s every action culminating in its final forfeiture order and leading to AT&T’s petition for review indicated that AT&T was obligated to pay the $57 million forfeiture immediately,” **Pratik Shah**, an attorney representing AT&T, wrote in [a Thursday filing](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.219140/gov.uscourts.ca5.219140.164.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “At the very least, the Court should order the Commission to issue AT&T a refund.” When the Supreme Court ruled on the issue in June, it reversed a Fifth Circuit decision and sent it back down. T-Mobile and Verizon did not get the same treatment, since in their challenges lower courts had sided with the FCC, and they’ve [each asked](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-t-mobile-want-refunds-on-location-data-fines/) the Supreme Court to send their cases back down too so they can pursue refunds. The carriers had previously asked for one, but Chief Justice **John Roberts** wrote for the 8-1 majority that the court wasn’t taking a side on the issue. AT&T also wanted the Fifth Circuit to reconsider other issues it said were still unresolved, including whether the location data at issue was even covered by FCC privacy rules and whether the fine amounts were allowable under agency rules. The carrier argued neither was true. AT&T wanted the Fifth Circuit to find FCC rules only cover location data related to voice calling, a telecom service, and that fines were capped at $2 million. The Second and D.C. Circuits, which heard the T-Mobile and Verizon challenges, said that carriers providing bundled voice and mobile broadband service meant the location data related enough to the voice service relationship that it was covered. They also found it was valid for the FCC to treat each data sale as a separate rule violation, which is how it reached the cumulative $200 million in fines. CTIA, the wireless industry group, has [also asked](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ctia-wants-supreme-court-to-again-review-decisions-upholding-carrier-fines/) the Supreme Court to review the case again and hand down answers on those questions, with the same positions as AT&T. The FCC has to respond to AT&T’s arguments at the Fifth Circuit by Sept. 5\. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, a commissioner at the time, dissented from the fines when they were handed down. But under his leadership the agency has been defending the penalties and its ability to issue them, arguing that many consumer protection rules would go unenforced if it couldn't levy fines. ### Charter, Cox at Odds with Calif. Advocacy Groups on Merger Conditions URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/charter-cox-at-odds-with-calif-advocacy-groups-on-merger-conditions/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:47.000Z Aug. 10, 2026 – Charter and Cox Communications want California regulators to approve their $34.5 billion merger with fewer strings attached than consumer advocates. The California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote on approving the deal at its Aug. 13 meeting. Unusually for recent telecom mergers, the agency will have [two proposed decisions](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cpuc-judge-proposes-approving-charter-cox-merger/) to choose from. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) One, from the CPUC Administrative Law Judge **Jamie Ormond**, who has been overseeing the case, would go further than the settlement agreements the companies reached with two consumer groups. It would require more rural deployment and low-income service commitments over longer periods of time. The other, from the office of CPUC Commissioner **Matthew Baker**, would accept those two settlements as-is, and impose many fewer extra conditions. In July 29 and Aug. 3 filing with the agency, the companies [said they preferred](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M612/K446/612446037.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Baker’s option. Ormond’s proposed decision “imposes unconditional, infeasible buildout mandates that *drastically* expand” what the companies agreed to, attorneys **Margaret Tobias** and **Zeb Zankel** wrote. Charter had agreed to spend $275 million upgrading its new California footprint to gigabit speeds. Ormond’s proposal would simply require the company’s entire in-state footprint to be upgraded, in addition to 6,000 new locations Charter would have to deploy to. The companies wanted the new deployment requirement struck, arguing that with California’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program awards approved it would be moot. The Utility Reform Network, a California advocacy group that did not settle and has opposed the deal, wanted the CPUC to [go even further](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M612/K777/612777803.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The group generally supported the agency adopting Ormond’s proposal over Baker’s, as did another set of in-state advocacy groups like Digital Equity Los Angeles. TURN attorney **Alexandra Green** wrote that the number appeared to come from a filing in which Charter said there were 6,000 un- or underserved locations in its footprint, but that the number should be increased to account for the addition of Cox locations. Ormond would also extend Charter’s low-income agreements — providing a $20 per month broadband plan and participation in the state’s low-income broadband subsidy, among other things — by years more than the companies and advocacy groups settled on. The companies said there was no reason for that, and that its five-year commitments lined up with the Verizon-Frontier merger approved in the state last year. CalAdvocates, the consumer advocacy office housed within the CPUC that reached a settlement with the companies, didn’t file comments but [posted a blog](https://www.publicadvocates.cpuc.ca.gov/press-room/commentary/260804-cox-charter-settlement-would-protect-californians-from-higher-broadband-prices?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) defending its settlement terms and urging the CPUC to adopt them as written. ### *Modifying settlements?* The California Emerging Technology Fund, a nonprofit that reached a settlement agreement with the companies, also supported Baker’s proposal. [It argued](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M613/K164/613164562.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the CPUC didn’t have the authority to alter the terms of existing settlement agreements before adopting them. “Bottom-line, a settlement agreement requires the assent of its parties,” CETF CEO **Sunne Wright McPeak** wrote. In a filing last month, Charter and Cox argued it [was unprecedented](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M612/K353/612353878.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the CPUC to combine two settlement agreements into one containing terms not present in either individual agreement. “Joint Applicants are not aware of any prior instance in which the Commission, or a reviewing court, has construed” agency rules “as authority to create the new, consolidated ALJ’s Proposed Joint Settlement that no party negotiated or executed,” Zankel and Tobias wrote. TURN and other advocacy groups argued the agency should make the terms of Ormond’s joint settlement into conditions of the agency’s approval of the deal. Green wrote that if the CPUC approved Ormond’s decision, there was a chance that the companies and settling advocates would simply not agree to the joint settlement terms, leaving them void. ### *Recent meetings* Representatives from Charter, CETF, and TURN have been pressing their cae with CPUC staff in recent days. Charter executives [met with](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M613/K990/613990000.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) CPUC staff on Aug. 4 to argue for small changes to Baker’s proposed decision, including clarifying a five-year duration for several conditions and a “phase-in period” for offering 72-hour battery backup. McPeak [met with staff](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M613/K727/613727767.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from multiple commissioner offices last week to defend CETF’s settlement agreement and urge the adoption of Baker’s proposal. Green and **Ryan Johnston**, another TURN regulatory attorney, [also met with](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M613/K859/613859256.PDF?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) CPUC officials to push for Ormond’s plan. They reiterated that the joint settlement terms should be made merger conditions to ensure they would be executed if the Ormond proposal were approved. ### ZiTel to Take Over Troubled Virginia Broadband Projects URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/zitel-to-take-over-troubled-virginia-broadband-projects/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:48.000Z WASHINGTON, August 10, 2026 – ZiTel will take over a troubled Virginia broadband project, inheriting 14,547 potential customer locations and a construction schedule that leaves the provider less than a year to meet its first major deadline. The provider has been approved to take over RiverStreet Network’s unfinished broadband deployment in Franklin, Henry and Patrick counties. The Virginia broadband office determined in July that RiverStreet was incapable of completing its deployment work after, and [subsequently removed RiverStreet from the project](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/riverstreet-networks-loses-virginia-contracts-after-numerous-delays/) as federal deadlines for spending the underlying pandemic-era broadband funds were fast-approaching. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) ZiTel now plans to begin construction within about a month. **Rodney Gray**, the company’s chief operating officer, said ZiTel expects eventually to have about 10 crews working simultaneously across the three counties. “This is a very daunting task,” Gray said, while expressing confidence that ZiTel can complete the work within the revised deadlines. The project is backed by the Capital Projects Fund, created through the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, which carries [a federal expenditure deadline](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/treasury-extends-capital-projects-fund-deadline-for-broadband-builds/). Virginia has obtained extensions for the project, giving ZiTel until June 30, 2027, to complete the 2022 portion of the work and until Dec. 31, 2027, for the 2023 portion. The company’s approach will differ from RiverStreet’s in an important respect. ZiTel says it performs most of its construction with its own employees and equipment rather than relying heavily on outside contractors. ZiTel, based in Moneta, Virginia, was founded in 2017, and has built its business around grant-funded broadband deployments in rural Virginia. The company has already completed a major VATI project in nearby Bedford County. The 2022 project received an $8.5 million VATI award, while Bedford County committed $5.5 million in ARPA funds as its local match. The county says the ZiTel project was substantially complete by July 2025, covering 5,650 addresses. ZiTel’s takeover is part of a broader effort by Virginia to salvage broadband projects after RiverStreet Networks [was removed from multiple](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/riverstreet-networks-loses-virginia-contracts-after-numerous-delays/) state-subsidized deployments, impacting more than 30,000 rural customers, following years of delays and financing problems. As of June, RiverStreet had [delivered only 40 connections](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/riverstreet-years-late-on-broadband-projects-funded-by-covid-era-grants/) out of 14,547 potential locations in Franklin, Henry and Patrick counties. Appalachian Power has already completed substantial portions of the middle-mile infrastructure for the Franklin, Henry and Patrick County project, including utility-pole work and fiber deployment. Now, the question is whether ZiTel can move quickly enough to turn a project that had become a major liability for the state into a completed network. For residents who have waited years for service, the provider change offers a fresh start. ### Lumos Asks FCC to Preempt Two Ohio Counties’ Rights-of-Way URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lumos-asks-fcc-to-preempt-two-ohio-counties-rights-of-way/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:51.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2026 – Two northeastern Ohio counties are hiring outside counsel to fight a federal petition filed by fiber optic provider Lumos. Lumos filed [its petition](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26109835097/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on June 18 asking the Federal Communications Commission to preempt Stark and Mahoning Counties’ local right-of-way requirements under Section 253 of the Communications Act, arguing that permitting requirements in both counties have effectively caused it to abandon projects that would have reached roughly 200,000 Ohio households. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “This wasn’t a decision Lumos made lightly,” Lumos’s VP of Marketing **Derek Kelly** said in [a statement](https://www.lumosfiber.com/blog/2026/07/13/why-lumos-filed-an-fcc-petition-to-protect-competition-in-ohio/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) explaining the company’s decision. “Before filing the petition, more than a year was spent working with county officials in an effort to find a practical path forward.” In Stark county, Lumos challenged a $1-per-linear-foot construction fee and inspection charges of $55 to $75 an hour. The company also drew issue with both counties over requirements that construction plans be prepared and certified by an Ohio-licensed professional engineer and supported by base mapping from a professional surveyor. Lumos estimates Stark county’s requirements would have added about $2.74 million to its project, roughly 50 percent of anticipated costs and 23 percent of expected five-year county revenue, while Mahoning’s survey mandate alone would add an estimated $3.9 million. “The surveying requirement alone would have added roughly $1.5 million in costs and potentially delayed construction for years due to the limited number of licensed surveyors available to perform the work,” Kelly wrote. He argued the same right-of-way access in other jurisdictions generally would not exceed $500. Lumos ultimately abandoned both buildouts, stranding more than $2.6 million in sunk engineering costs and leaving an estimated 200,000 households without access to its service. ### *Local officials describe the rules differently* Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office civil division chief **Kathi Welsh,** whose community has clashed with fiber installers over damaged utility lines and unfinished excavation work, said the survey mandate exists to ensure safety and protect existing infrastructure in the right-of-way. Lumos already faced a significant safety incident in the region. The company was boring underground in Girard on April 30 when a gas line ruptured and triggered an explosion that destroyed a home, leaving its residents homeless. Girard has suspended further fiber excavation pending the results of a state investigation, and township officials in nearby Boardman have asked state lawmakers for expanded authority to issue emergency stop-work orders and set uniform excavation safety standards. Welsh said that a favorable ruling for Lumos would constrain how the county manages its roads generally. ### *Recurring issues for the provider* Lumos has faced pushback from local officials over its construction work before. A lawsuit filed in Spartanburg County, S.C. [reported April 2025](https://www.foxcarolina.com/2025/04/23/internet-service-provider-ruptured-sewer-line-near-upstate-home-lawsuit-says/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) alleged Lumos ruptured a sewer line, causing sewage backflow into a home and a resident’s infection. The suit claims Lumos has been responsible for six gas leaks and multiple water-main strikes in Columbia, S.C., plus a sinkhole in a public road, and says the incident was one of several. In Floyd County, Ind., commissioners issued an immediate stop-work order [in June 2025](https://www.wdrb.com/news/judge-issues-immediate-stop-work-order-for-fiber-optic-installation-in-floyd-county/article%5F9b804ec8-e5da-43d5-8066-bd8a3a5f92bd.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on all Lumos utility permits, citing violations of the county utility agreement and public-safety concerns raised by a local fire district. Lumos had planned to serve more than 80,000 homes in Clark and Floyd counties. The company has been pursuing an aggressive expansion since T-Mobile and private equity firm EQT completed a joint venture to acquire Lumos in April 2025, with the companies targeting expansion of the fiber network to 3.5 million homes by the end of 2028\. T-Mobile took a 50 percent stake and assumed the customer relationships, while Lumos continued building and operating the fiber network. In a July 2026 post, Lumos says it “fully supports reasonable local oversight” and works with “hundreds of municipalities across the country,” however, the permitting requirements imposed in Stark and Mahoning counties made deployment economically unworkable. ### *As for the two northwestern Ohio counties* Mahoning County Commissioners approved a resolution Thursday authorizing the appointment of Washington, D.C.-based [telecom attorney](https://bbklaw.com/people/gerard-lavery-lederer?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) **Gerard Lederer** of Best Best & Krieger, at the request of the county prosecutor’s office. Mahoning will cover the legal costs upfront, with Stark county reimbursing half. Before joining BBK, Lederer was with Miller & Van Eaton, a firm known for representing municipalities on right-of-way law, where he often represented local governments on cable, wireless, and small-cell siting disputes. He has been publicly critical of federal efforts to preempt local right-of-way authority. In [January 2026](https://bbklaw.com/resources/a-012626-telecom-partner-gerard-lavery-lederer-featured-in-communications-daily?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) he raised concerns about the American Broadband Deployment Act’s impact on local permitting authority and [in October 2025](https://bbklaw.com/resources/a-100725-bbk-partner-gerard-lederer-quoted-in-telecommunications-reports?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) he questioned whether the FCC had adequately justified new wireless infrastructure streamlining rules. ### TV Stations ‘Sitting on a Gold Mine of Spectrum,” Scripps CEO Adam Symson Says URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tv-stations-sitting-on-a-gold-mine-of-spectrum-scripps-ceo-adam-symson-says/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T12:38:22.000Z 💡 ■ Trump Nominates Danielle Thumann Severs, 34, to Fill GOP Seat at FCC ■ SpaceX to FCC: Zero Out the $4.5 Billion High Cost Fund ■ Report: Musk Opposed to Letting Ukraine Attack Deeper into Russia Using Starlink ■ Vandals Attack Charter’s Fiber Network in Some Posh Areas of Los Angeles ■ N.J. Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) Endorses Moulton over Markey in Sept. 1 Primary ■ ZiTEL Takes Over for RiverStreet Networks in Rural Virginia Counties ■ Ohio Counties Hire D.C. Lawyer Lederer to Battle Lumos over Permitting ■ Ziply Fiber Reports Solid Second Quarter for Canadian Parent BCE ■ Jennifer Gilsenan Named Acting FCC Space Bureau Chief by Carr ■ Tucows Still Looking to Sell Fiber Unit Ting Internet TV Air: TV station owners continue to send out bullish signals about the value of their FCC-licensed airwaves. E.W. Scripps CEO **Adam Symson** said investors are overlooking the rising value of broadcast spectrum, underscoring a growing industry debate after Sinclair signaled it may eventually explore a spectrum deal with **Elon Musk’s** Starlink. Symson [told](https://seekingalpha.com/article/4933187-the-e-w-scripps-company-ssp-q2-2026-earnings-call-transcript?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Wall Street analysts Aug. 7 that the company’s airwaves are a hidden treasure. “There’s no question in my mind that we’re sitting on a gold mine of spectrum, one that actually has proven to be increasing in value over time. And there’s also no question that none of that value is reflected in our stock price,” Symson said. Scripps shares are worth about $303 million, down 17% year to date. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tQVj!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F03c1307d-ed9d-41e1-87a5-3af4a6499c53_942x531.png) E.W. Scripps CEO Adam Symson _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Liliana Aide Monge: AB 2279 Deserves a Floor Vote. California's Digital Divide Can't Wait URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/liliana-aide-monge-ab-2279-deserves-a-floor-vote-californias-digital-divide-cant-wait/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T22:48:18.000Z In today's economy, access to reliable, affordable broadband is no longer a luxury. It is essential for education, employment, health care, small-business growth and civic participation. Yet millions of Californians, particularly those in low-income, rural, Tribal and other underserved communities, continue to face barriers to connectivity, device access and digital skills. For more than a decade, California's Regional Broadband Consortia (RBCs) have played a critical role in closing that gap. Established through legislation authored in 2010 by then-state Sen. **Alex Padilla**, RBCs were designed to serve as the bridge between local communities and state policymakers. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) They bring together counties, cities, schools, community organizations, businesses, labor groups and internet service providers to identify needs, inform state broadband investments and help communities access available resources. Their impact has been significant. Across California, RBCs have helped identify unserved and underserved areas, supported local broadband planning, expanded awareness of digital inclusion programs and connected communities to state funding opportunities. As California continues making historic investments in broadband infrastructure, the need for trusted regional partners that can help ensure those investments reach the people who need them most has only grown. Unfortunately, changes made over the years have narrowed the role of RBCs and limited their ability to address the full range of digital divide challenges facing communities. At the same time, administrative burdens and funding constraints have made it harder for consortia to maximize their impact. Efforts to address those issues through a recent California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) proceeding resulted in only modest changes, leaving many concerns unresolved. That is why Assemblymember **Mike Gipson** introduced AB 2279. The bill would restore the original intent of the RBC program, modestly increase funding and provide the CPUC with direction to implement practical, common-sense regulations that allow consortia to better serve their communities. The proposal has earned unanimous bipartisan support in both the Assembly and the Senate policy committee, a rare achievement in today's political climate. That support reflects a simple reality: AB 2279 is a practical solution that does not rely on taxpayer dollars or the state's General Fund. Existing fees collected by the CPUC already support broadband programs and have generated a substantial surplus. AB 2279 would allow a small portion of those existing resources to be invested in the local partnerships that help ensure broadband programs succeed. The bill now awaits action by the Senate Appropriations Committee. With a critical deadline approaching, lawmakers have an opportunity to strengthen California's broadband ecosystem and accelerate progress toward digital equity. California has made meaningful strides in expanding broadband access, but the work is far from complete. The digital divide continues to limit opportunity for too many residents. AB 2279 would strengthen one of the state's most effective tools for connecting local communities to broadband solutions and ensuring that no Californian is left behind. We urge the Senate Appropriations Committee to advance AB 2279 and move the bill to the full Senate for consideration. ***Liliana Aide Monge is a nationally recognized digital equity and workforce development leader dedicated to advancing equitable economic mobility across Los Angeles County and beyond. She currently serves as Director of Digital Equity at UNITE-LA, where she leads regional strategies to close the digital divide and expand broadband access, affordability, adoption and workforce pathways across all 88 cities and unincorporated communities in Los Angeles County. In her role at UNITE-LA, Monge directs digital equity initiatives that align infrastructure investment with education, workforce development and economic opportunity. Unite-LA is the convener of the Los Angeles Digital Equity Action League (LA DEAL), which serves as the Regional Broadband Consortia for the Los Angeles region. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### House Committee Wants More FCC Oversight of Chinese Firms URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-committee-wants-more-fcc-oversight-of-chinese-firms/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:52.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2026 – The House Select Committee on China wants Congress to expand the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to crack down on Chinese companies. The committee found three companies maintained presences in U.S. telecom networks despite having their authorizations revoked or denied by the FCC; China mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Those revocations prevent the companies from directly offering telecom service, but don’t stop them from occupying data center space or offering cloud and other networking services. That continued network presence, which [a Tuesday report](https://chinaselectcommittee.house.gov/media/reports/stranger-pings-chinese-telecom-companies-infiltrate-us-infrastructure?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from the committee found each company maintained, opened the door to future cyber attacks by entities linked to the Chinese government, the lawmakers argued. The three companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The report didn’t accuse the companies of willingly facilitating any hacks. The lawmakers’ investigation found nearly 109,000 instances over seven years in which Chinese networks claimed American internet addresses without authorization and diverted data, calling them “high-confidence” hijacks of the internet’s traffic routing system. Among those, nine hijacks on a “core communication network” were processed on China Mobile infrastructure, and three hijacks on “one major telecommunications provider” originating from China Unicom claims, the report said. During the Salt Typhoon hacks in 2024, China Mobile network gear was involved in nearly 50 hijacks over the course of a month, including 8 “high-severity” ones, according to the report. Officials from the companies told the committee they didn’t keep logs of the incidents. While certain severe incidents were linked to the Chinese firms’ networks, the majority were not. The report said U.S. network companies should enforce stricter standards on traffic routing. “Closing the routing-layer dimension of this threat requires allied network operators to enforce common route origin validation standards, share rapid route-leak notifications, and refuse to propagate unauthorized announcements from high-risk carriers,” the report said. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** has been trying to block network and interconnection gear from Chinese companies for years, calling covered companies’ continued operation in the U.S. an “unregulated end run” around FCC rules. He wrote about the issue in [Project 2025](https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24088042/project-2025s-mandate-for-leadership-the-conservative-promise.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the conservative Heritage Foundation’s collection of policy proposals produced during the 2024 election. The agency earlier this year [took input on](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/trade-groups-dont-want-broad-interconnection-ban-for-chinese-firms/) whether to block U.S. carriers from connecting to data centers and other equipment owned by companies on the agency’s covered list, a list of largely Chinese and Russian companies (including the three focused on in the report) deemed security threats by American law enforcement agencies. U.S. companies and industry groups weren’t fans of cutting the Chinese firms out of domestic networks entirely. They told the FCC that there was always going to be some level of legitimate demand for traffic routing to and from China, and so they would have to connect directly with firms that offered that service. China Telecom also told the agency that American carriers would be faced with higher submarine cable costs and increased latency, at least with respect to traffic to and from China and surrounding countries, if they were unable to interconnect with its equipment. Still the report recommended Congress prevent U.S. telecom companies from interconnecting with covered list entities at all without case-by-case FCC approval. The lawmakers also wanted expanded FCC authority to remove remaining network gear after a licensed denial or covered list designation, and extra funding for the State Department to build baseline traffic routing practices that would mitigate the hijacks the committee tried to investigate. “The CCP does not allow U.S. telecom companies into China,” China Committee Chairman **John Moolenaar**, R-Mich., said in a statement. “We must cut these subsidiaries out of our domestic infrastructure to protect the American people.” The report also recommended more funding for swapping out potentially insecure gear from U.S. networks. The FCC has already spent about $5 billion getting equipment from Huawei and ZTE out of domestic mobile networks. ### 3 More AST SpaceMobile Satellites Launched URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/3-more-ast-spacemobile-satellites-launched/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:53.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2026 – AST SpaceMobile successfully launched three more of its massive BlueBird satellites on Wednesday, for a new total of 13 in orbit. The three launched Wednesday are larger than the company’s initial five satellites, AST said in a release, and can support higher mobile broadband speeds. They were launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The units will take a few weeks to fully unfold to their operational form. AST CEO **Abel Avellan** said in a [post on X](https://x.com/AbelAvellan?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the next three satellites were expected “to follow soon after,” but didn't give a date. He said production was in progress through unit number 42. The company is working to offer a direct-to-device mobile service that would compete with planned constellations from SpaceX and Amazon. But it's [behind schedule](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacexs-aborts-starship-launch-planning-another-next-week/) on its goal of having at least 45 satellites in orbit, which will be necessary to offer commercial service. That target has been pushed to early 2027 because of a lack of sufficient launch capacity. Still, Avellan said [in a release](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260805761351/en/AST-SpaceMobile-Announces-Successful-Orbital-Launch-of-BlueBirds-11-12-and-13?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that the company was preparing for beta services “later this year.” The company has deals with dozens of mobile carriers to provide direct-to-device service with its satellite constellation. In the U.S., AST has partnered with AT&T and Verizon. In May, one of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rockets exploded on the launch pad, leaving the rocket grounded pending a Federal Aviation Administration investigation. New Glenn was one of the launch vehicles AST was relying on to get its huge BlueBird satellites in orbit. That was after another unsuccessful New Glenn launch that didn’t get an AST satellite to the correct orbit, forcing the company to burn the unit up in the atmosphere. As a potential means of addressing its difficulties in securing launch services, the company is trying to [raise an additional](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacexs-aborts-starship-launch-planning-another-next-week/) $1 billion from share sales. The company told the Securities and Exchange Commission the extra cash would allow it to consider “partnerships and/or acquisitions to further vertically integrate its business and mitigate risks associated with third-party launch providers.” That might include buying a launch provider, to avoid having to deal with third parties and have a dedicated supply of launches to support its direct-to-device ambitions. Rocket launcher Rocket Lab had a similar motivation when it struck a deal to buy Iridium for $8 billion. Iridium already had satellites and valuable direct-to-device spectrum, which would have been difficult for the rocket company to build and acquire itself. ### Christine O'Connor: An Enduring Commitment to Universal Service Transformed Alaska URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/christine-oconnor-an-enduring-commitment-to-universal-service-transformed-alaska/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T20:43:13.000Z It used to be a real challenge to talk to someone across Alaska, or across the country. Many Alaskans remember waiting in line to use the only telephone in a village. For me, it was the phone at the winter watchman's house in Ekuk. We each got a few minutes because everyone was waiting. Long-distance calls were expensive, and simply talking to family or conducting business required patience and persistence. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Even after the internet arrived, connectivity remained limited in many parts of Alaska. Just a handful of years ago, I visited Unalaska where businesses routinely copied payroll records onto DVDs and shipped them overnight because their internet connections couldn't support cloud-based applications. Those experiences were separated by decades, but they reflected the same challenge: in Alaska, the need for connectivity often arrived long before the infrastructure did. Today, those stories are history. Students attend online classes. Patients meet with specialists hundreds of miles away through telehealth. Small businesses manage payroll and accounting in the cloud. Families share video calls. Commercial fishermen check weather forecasts and fishery announcements from their boats. Connectivity has become part of everyday life. That transformation did not happen by accident. For generations, Congress has recognized that Alaska's geography makes communications infrastructure uniquely expensive to build and maintain. Through universal service our nation made a simple commitment: where an Alaskan lives should not determine whether they can participate in modern life. As technology expanded from voice service to broadband, federal programs evolved. The FCC’s Universal Service Fund, USDA's ReConnect program, NTIA's Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, and now the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program have addressed different pieces of the challenge and transformed connectivity across Alaska. One of the most important chapters in that effort has been the Alaska Plan. Over the last decade, the Alaska Plan gave providers something that is often in short supply: long-term certainty. In return, providers made measurable commitments to sustain and improve service, invest in networks built for some of the hardest places to reach, and keep service affordable. More than 90,000 locations in rural Alaska have gained new or upgraded access to broadband, and more than 65,000 rural Alaskans can access upgraded wireless service. The certainty of the Alaska Plan allowed companies to invest in networks that will serve Alaskans for decades. Today, communities from Utqiagvik to Hydaburg to Akutan have fiber broadband. But the work is not done. Thousands of Alaskans still need reliable broadband service, and BEAD will connect many of them over the next several years. New satellite technologies are creating additional opportunities in places where terrestrial networks remain impractical. These technologies work together. Satellite service complements, not replaces, the fiber networks that connect Alaska to the rest of the world. Even the most advanced satellite systems rely on terrestrial fiber backbones to carry traffic across Alaska and beyond. The transformation of communications in Alaska is one of our state's quiet success stories. It reflects decades of commitment by Congress, Alaska's congressional delegation, the FCC, NTIA, USDA, providers, local communities, and countless Alaskans who believed that geography should not determine opportunity. During my career in Alaska telecommunications, I’ve watched our state grow from an era when many communities struggled for basic connections to one in which broadband has become essential infrastructure for daily life. That work is not complete. But because of a shared commitment to universal service that has endured, Alaska is more connected today than at any point in our history. ***Christine O'Connor is executive director of the Alaska Telecom Association, where she represents Alaska's telecommunications carriers before Congress, the FCC, the state Legislature and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. She has led ATA for more than a decade, following nine years at Matanuska Telephone Association. A fourth-generation Alaskan and graduate of Alaska Pacific University, she returns to Bristol Bay each summer to setnet with her family. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.***[](https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/316597?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ### Inside Russia’s and China’s Potential Plots to Take Down Starlink URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/inside-russias-and-chinas-potential-plots-to-take-down-starlink/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:53.000Z WASHINGTON, August 7, 2026 – As SpaceX’s Starlink emerges as a powerful military tool, there’s increasing evidence that Russia and China are seeking opportunities to get rid of the low-Earth orbit satellites, even if it means developing weapons that are the stuff of science fiction. Hidden behind Starlink’s civilian uses is the fact that the technology is an extremely valuable military weapon– so helpful that Russia and China are taking notice. The satellites have become ground zero for military efforts in Ukraine, offering important ways to connect. The technology has helped Ukrainian military forces communicate and guide drones on the battlefield. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “The war in Ukraine made the military utility of Starlink crystal clear to everyone. So clear to Beijing that it wants its own broadband constellations,” Center for Strategic and International Services deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project **Clayton Swope** told Broadband Breakfast. In a [July 20 Light Reading podcast](https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/policy-tech-and-convergence-to-collide-at-the-independent-show?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), ACA Connects CEO **Grant Spellmeyer** expressed concerns regarding potential attacks against China, saying that we need to invest in other internet options like fiber that “doesn’t get blown out of the sky by the Chinese.” China is developing its own rival versions of Starlink called SpaceSail and Guowang. The Chinese LEO satellites aim to market to America’s politically sensitive areas overseas, where Starlink is unavailable for service. ### *Extremely useful for Ukraine* The technology has become so useful for Ukraine that Ukrainian President **Voldymyr Zelenskyy** is seeking permission from SpaceX CEO **Elon Musk** to expand military access for Ukrainian fighters. During the Ukrainian president’s short trip to Washington at the [end of July](https://apnews.com/article/trump-ukraine-zelenskyy-starlink-musk-778ba3f2917298cd3b1af169d1427efc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), he sought assistance from President **Donald Trump** and other American officials to help Ukraine win permission to use Starlink to guide drone strikes inside Russia. Up to now, Musk has only allowed Ukraine to use Starlink in Ukraine. Since the LEO satellites have become extremely valuable for communication and guiding drones, Russian troops have been thought to illegally use the satellites. However, in February, SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink, said it was able to successfully block Russian use of Starlink, striking a blow to Russian forces. “The Ukrainian government and SpaceX worked to create a verification system where legitimate Ukrainian users would register their terminals and unregistered terminals would be disabled,” editors Secure World Foundation (SWF) Chief Director of Space Security **Victoria Samson** and SWF Space Security and Stability **Kathleen Brett** wrote in the [2026 SWF’s Global Counterspace Capabilities Report](https://www.swfound.org/publications-and-reports/2026-global-counterspace-capabilities-report?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) SpaceX also created an update that cuts connectivity if the user moves more than 75 kilometers per hour, successfully blocking Russian drones. In a[ Feb. 1 post on the social network X](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2017868971479818599?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com),Musksaid, “Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked. Let us know if more needs to be done.” Granting expanded Starlink access to Ukraine could come with high risks for Musk. Russia and Ukraine are already seeking ways to strike blows to Musk’s technology, and granting access could provoke further aggression. ### *Russian jamming systems* In an attempt to stop Starlink, Russia has deployed powerful jamming systems called Volna Kupol Garant to disrupt Starlink connections. The devices emit a signal that destabilizes Starlink connections in about a 2.5-kilometer radius and are only capable of jamming one satellite at a time. While jamming provides a non-lethal way to neutralize Starlink, developing lethal weapons allows Russia and China the opportunity to prepare for future military threats. “China and Russia want to erode the military edge to the United States from Starlink,” Swope said. “If Russia and China weren’t developing weapons with Starlink in mind, I would be surprised.” In July, The Insider [leaked documents](https://theins.press/en/inv/294635?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from a series of Russian Chinese military meetings in Nov. 2023 at a summit in Guangzhou, China, revealing a joint plan to take down Starlink. The slides included a three-level escalation plan to take on the low-Earth orbit satellites. ### *Three-phase plan to combat Starlink* Phase one involves legal and diplomatic pressure, proposing that Russia and China build an international coalition to push for limits on constellation expansion. Phase two seeks to block Starlink’s physical space by having Russia and China file jointly for critical frequency bands and orbital slots.Phase threeenacts a more aggressive approach of physically destroying the LEO satellites. It has long been suspected that Russia and China are developing anti-Starlink weapons beyond jamming. To eliminate the LEO satellites, slides from Guangzhou propose starting with a cyber war. The plan starts with “access spoofing, virus infection and the exploitation of vulnerabilities” to paralyze satellites through malware, making them unusable. However, hacking the technology would be incredibly difficult because of the value SpaceX places on Starlink’s cybersecurity. According to the 2026 SWF’s report, the company created a “bug bounty” program in 2022 where “researchers were invited to try to find cyber vulnerabilities in the entire Starlink system.” ### *Going beyond cyberattacks with high-density pellets* Russia and China have also been exploring potential weapons that could go beyond cyber-attacks by physically damaging or destroying the LEO satellites. Two NATO-nation intelligence services suspect that Russia is developing an anti-satellite weapon using [destructive orbiting clouds of shrapnel](https://apnews.com/article/russia-starlink-musk-ukraine-space-china-canada-c69c1fda5ffc93828712ab723e606a2c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), according to the Associated Press. The weapon would seek to flood Starlink orbits with hundreds of thousands of high-density pellets, potentially disabling multiple satellites at once. However, the weapon has been met with skepticism because the high-density pellets could cause chaos, destroying satellites for other companies, including Russia and Chinese satellites. The Commander of the Canadian military’s Space Division, Brig. Gen. **Christopher Horner** says while he has not personally been briefed on that type of weapon, the possibility cannot be ruled out in light of previous U.S. allegations that Russia also has been pursuing a nuclear, space-based weapon. “If the reporting on the nuclear system is accurate and that they’re willing to develop that … it wouldn’t strike me as shocking that something just short of that, but equally damaging, is within their wheelhouse of development,” Horner said according to the Associated Press. Samson told Broadband Breakfast that Russia is reportedly working to develop a nuclear space weapon that would destroy satellites by creating a massive energy wave when detonated. The weapon would be capable of wiping out mega constellations of satellites. However, because of repercussions, detonating a nuclear weapon is not something Russia would likely use as a last resort. ### *Chinese ground-based microwave weapon?* China has also been developing its own weapons. In February, the [Asia Times](https://asiatimes.com/2026/02/chinas-starlink-killer-new-cutting-edge-of-microwave-weapons/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) reported that Chinese researchers developed a powerful ground-based microwave weapon potentially capable of disabling or frying the internal electronics of LEO satellites. Chinese researchers have also proposed a wide [variety of weapons](https://apnews.com/article/spacex-musk-starlink-china-satellites-759e53143378357ce3af21ca8a6916df?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), including a fleet of satellites with corrosive materials to damage Starlink satellites, optical telescopes to monitor Starlink arrays, concocting deep fakes to create fake targets and shooting powerful lasers to burn Musk’s equipment. Even if a weapon was developed, it would still be challenging to take down the satellites. “It would be pretty hard to take down Starlink with a kinetic weapon. Right now, there are almost 10,900 active Starlinks in orbit,” Samson told Broadband Breakfast. “If I were Russia, I’d be continuing to jam Starlink communications. The other technologies may not work, while jamming can be done today.” ### White House Nominates Danielle Thumann for FCC Spot URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/white-house-nominates-danielle-thumann-for-fcc-spot/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:53.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2026 – President **Donald Trump** nominated Danielle Thumann to serve on the Federal Communications Commission. The White House sent [Thumann’s nomination](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-e61c/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the Senate Friday. She is currently a senior counsel in FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**’s office. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Thumann was previously a legal advisor to Carr for two years when he served as a commissioner. She left in July 2023 to work as a senior attorney at Crown Castle before [rejoining Carr’s office](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/thumann-re-joins-carrs-fcc-office-as-legal-advisor/) in August 2024. “Danielle is a dedicated public servant and has consistently delivered policy wins from bridging the digital divide and protecting consumers to advancing public safety,” Carr said in a [post on X](https://x.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/2085752118774845624?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). She’ll have to be confirmed by the Senate before taking a spot as a commissioner. That would give Republicans a 3-1 majority at the agency. The FCC by law can't have more than three members from the president’s party. Thumann’s nomination was not paired with a candidate for the open Democratic seat, as presidents prior to Trump have typically done. “Congratulations to Danielle on her nomination to the FCC. Serving on this Commission is one of the most rewarding jobs in government,” FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez**, the agency’s lone Democrat, [posted on X](https://x.com/AGomezFCC/status/2085759745655472379?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “I look forward to continuing our work together, hopefully soon with a full Commission of five, the way this agency was built to operate.” Sen. **Maria Cantwell**, D-Wash., opposed FCC Commissioner **Olivia Trusty**’s nomination last year, citing a similar lack of Democratic appointees despite an open seat. The FCC also needs three commissioners to have a quorum and be able to vote on new proposals and orders. When asked in June why she thought Trump had yet to fire her, Gomez responded: “I don’t know, but I’m assuming the quorum is a good reason.” Trump has fired Democratic appointees at other agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, something the Supreme Court recently affirmed the White House’s authority to do. In a recent Harvard Business Review paper, former FCC Chief of Staff **Blair Levin** said [it was likely](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/communications-act-could-give-fcc-commissioners-firmer-legal-footing-than-slaughter/) Trump would nominate a third Republican before firing Gomez, if he were going to, to avoid the disruption that would come from lacking a quorum. But he cautioned that that path also faced "legal and political challenges," and could be fought in court. Carr also already has a 2-1 majority. Gomez's term officially ended June 30, but she can remain in her seat unless she is replaced or until the next session of Congress ends. That would be in January 2028. NCTA, which represents the cable industry, was pleased with Thumann’s nomination. “Danielle brings deep expertise in communications law and policy, along with valuable experience across the FCC and the private sector, that will serve the Commission and the American public well,” NCTA CEO **Cory Gardner** said in a statement. “We look forward to working with her to advance policies that promote investment, innovation, and world-class wired and wireless broadband networks for consumers and businesses across the country.” ### Hoopa Valley Tribe Opens Data Center to Advance Tribal Data Sovereignty URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hoopa-valley-tribe-opens-data-center-to-advance-tribal-data-sovereignty/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:53.000Z August 7, 2026 – The Hoopa Valley Tribe has opened a new data center that will serve as the operational hub for its tribally-owned broadband network. The Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District celebrated the grand opening of its new data center last month, marking a milestone in the Hoopa Valley Tribe’s effort to expand high-speed internet access across the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, Willow Creek, and Trinity County. “This is truly a great day for the Hoopa Valley Tribe, for the department and for the Hoopa people,” Hoopa Valley Tribal Vice Chairman **Jordan Hailey** said. “It makes me proud as a Hoopa Tribal member and a member of this community to see everything that they’ve accomplished.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The data center will house the equipment needed to operate HVPUD’s growing fiber network and will serve as the dedicated home for Acorn Connected, the Tribe’s internet service provider. Designed by a regional architect and built by ACGC of Eureka, the facility incorporates Hupa design elements, wood accents, and artwork from local artists. Beyond its technical role, HVPUD says the facility represents a step toward Tribal data sovereignty, giving the Tribe greater ownership and control over the infrastructure, systems, and information serving its community. More than 50 community members, HVPUD staff, project partners, and local leaders attended the event, which included facility tours. "We’re looking to have our community support us in our next fiber journey, starting with this data center,” HVPUD General Manager **Linnea Jackson**. “It’s going to be our hub. It’s going to be for our customer base, and it’s for our Hoopa people.” ### *Fiber expansion follows* The data center’s opening comes as HVPUD moves forward with the Hoopa Trinity Rural Access Linkup Initiative (TRAIL) project, which will extend fiber-optic broadband into portions of Willow Creek and Trinity County that have long lacked reliable service. Once construction is complete, eligible homes, businesses, and community institutions within the project footprint will be able to sign up for service through Acorn Connected, HVPUD’s communications and technology division. HVPUD plans to offer speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second, with custom 10-Gigabit connections available on request. “Our people have called this valley home for millennia, so our commitment to this region goes far deeper than just providing a service — we are deeply invested in our collective future,” Jackson said. “When you need support, you aren’t calling a distant call center; you’re reaching neighbors who are genuinely responsive and care about keeping our community connected.” HVPUD is currently completing design, surveys, and permitting for the TRAIL project, with work expected to continue through summer 2026\. Construction is anticipated to begin in early 2027 and wrap up by December 2027, following existing roads, rights-of-way, and utility routes where feasible to minimize disruption. This phase will serve eligible properties within the funded project area in Trinity County and portions of Willow Creek and Douglas City. The project is funded through the California Public Utilities Commission’s Last Mile Federal Funding Account Program, part of the state’s broader push to close broadband gaps in unserved and underserved areas. Together, the data center and the TRAIL project reflect HVPUD’s broader strategy: build the local infrastructure and workforce to operate a Tribally owned network, then use it to connect communities that have gone without reliable broadband for years. “We are a regional leader, and we anticipate being in that same position for years to come,” Jackson said. ### Cable One Down 17,000 Broadband Subs, Optimistic About Mobile URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-down-17-000-broadband-subs-optimistic-about-mobile/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:56.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2026 – Cable One lost 17,100 consumer broadband subscribers in the second quarter, in line with estimates the company disclosed in a financial filing [last month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-expecting-to-lose-up-to-18-000-residential-broadband-customers-in-q2/). The cable operator shed 300 business subscribers, for a total of 968,200 broadband customers. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) Among those, average revenue per user (ARPU) was $80.56, a slight decrease year-over-year but an increase from last quarter. The metric will have to fall further for Cable One to reverse subscriber losses, MoffettNathanson founder **Craig Moffett** wrote in an investor note. He pointed out that other cable companies, as well as fiber and fixed wireless competitors, had lower ARPUs and thus more attractive prices. “Cable One’s broadband pricing arguably positions the company to compete only at the high end, a problematic positioning given the relatively weak demographics of Cable One’s footprint,” he wrote. “The company’s balance sheet constraints limit its ability to cut prices aggressively — or even broadly — but that shouldn’t preclude greater nimbleness in addressing value-conscious customers among whom today Cable One is underrepresented.” Cable One launched its mobile service in March of this year, mirroring many of the national ISPs’ strategy of reducing switching by bundling fixed and mobile broadband. “While it remains small relative to our core broadband operations today, customer adoption trends and the pace of growth across the platform are encouraging,” CEO **Jim Holanda** said on the company’s [earnings call Thursday](https://ir.cableone.net/news-events/investor-news/news-details/2026/Cable-One-Reports-Second-Quarter-2026-Results/default.aspx?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Customers have known us as a broadband provider for many years, and we expect it will take time for customers to view us as a mobile provider.” Cable One CFO **Todd Koetje** said that efforts to attract new customers would “have some pressure on ARPU” going forward, and said an analyst’s prediction that subscriber trends would start to improve year-over-year “a fair assessment.” Executives said the company wasn’t seeing meaningful competition from SpaceX’s satellite broadband service. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Cable One reported $349 million in total revenue and a net loss of $1.16 billion. The latter was due largely to some non-cash impairments related to its investment in Vyve Broadband. The cable company is in the process of fully acquiring Vyve, but is [in conflict](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cable-one-expecting-to-lose-up-to-18-000-residential-broadband-customers-in-q2/) with other Vyve lenders over the terms. ### *Liberty Capital* Liberty Capital Corporation, formerly GCI Liberty, acquired a fixed wireless provider in the second quarter for $11 million, along with its 5,400 broadband subscribers. The Alaska-based cable operator also lost 500 subscribers in its existing footprint, for a total of 155,400\. It also added 1,700 postpaid mobile lines for a total of 167,000. Liberty is acquiring Alaska longhaul fiber provider Quintillion for $310 million. CEO **Ron Duncan** said on the company’s [earnings call Thursday](https://www.libertycapitalcorp.com/news/detail/91/liberty-capital-reports-second-quarter-2026-financial-and-operating-results?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that Liberty expected that deal to close this year. The company is also initiating a dividend as it expects capex to fall after this year. Liberty reported $261 million in revenue for the second quarter and $59 million in free cash flow over the prior 12 months. Duncan said SpaceX’s satellite broadband service “remains a viable broadband competitor, and we take that competition seriously.” He noted the two companies have partnerships on business connectivity and as a backup in remote communities. ### *Uniti Group* Uniti’s residential broadband business added 38,000 new fiber subscribers in the second quarter, its most ever, for a total of 603,000. That fiber footprint expanded by 141,000, now reaching 2.1 million homes. That’s about 46 percent of the company’s consumer footprint, CFO **Paul Bullington** said on the company’s [earnings call](https://investor.uniti.com/news-releases/news-release-details/uniti-group-inc-reports-second-quarter-2026-results?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last week. The company is aiming to reach 3.5 million homes by the end of 2029, he said. Fiber ARPU was $76.97, down year-over-year. CEO Kenneth Gunderman said this had to do in part with pricing competition from cable companies, and Bullington pointed to the timing of rate adjustments. “For the remainder of the year, we expect Consumer Fiber ARPU to decrease low single digits year-over-year in the third quarter, but should stabilize in the fourth quarter with an expected increase of low single digits year-over-year,” Bullington said. The company is still aiming for 2-3 percent ARPU growth in 2027 and after. Uniti reported revenue of $910 million and a net loss of $156 million on the quarter. Rumors of T-Mobile being interested in acquiring Uniti’s fiber business did not come up on the call. ### *Tucows* Tucows Ting Internet brand added 3,700 fiber subscribers, for a total of 60,500\. Ting brought in $21 million in revenue. The company is still planning to sell Ting, which “continues to be an important priority for management and the board,” Tucows CEO **David Woroch** said on the company’s [earnings call Thursday](https://www.tucows.com/investors/financials?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “We expected this process to move more quickly, but there are interdependencies for an efficient transaction that we are solving for,” he said. The company bought back some shares from an investor last week, which Woroch said was part of that process. Tucows [doesn’t expect](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tucows-names-new-ting-ceo-makes-progress-on-sale/) to make much money on the sale, given Ting’s existing debt. ### Rural Broadband Pays Off Only When Communities Decide, Panelists Say URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rural-broadband-pays-off-only-when-communities-decide-panelists-say/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T14:38:32.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2026 — Broadband has become the price of admission for a rural community rather than a growth strategy on its own, panelists said Wednesday on [Broadband Breakfast Live Online](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-august-5-2026-how-broadband-can-kickstart-rural-economic-development/). Well-connected rural counties post 18% higher per capita income and roughly 210% higher business growth than underserved peers, according to a Center for Rural Innovation study cited by **Bartlett Cleland**, executive director of the Innovation Economy Alliance. Ironically, the biggest gains went to residents already there, rather than to newcomers. A Purdue University study put full rural digital access at $65 billion a year in national benefit, and Deloitte has estimated 800,000 additional jobs, he said. But the distribution of benefits suggests a different reading of the data. "It could be that broadband is table stakes," according to Cleland. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) Table stakes only pay off once households actually buy in, added **Amy Huffman**, policy director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. Huffman said that her 2011 master's thesis asked whether rural residents would get online if networks were built. Her answer – then and now – is maybe. "People are not necessarily going to adopt a network just because it's built in their community," she said, citing affordability, skills and devices as the gating factors. The cheapest service in Western North Carolina still runs $70 a month, she said, meaning that too many households are operating on a mobile phone alone. She asked: "Are you going to actually be able to compete in a marketplace if you don't have a device in your home that helps you build a business from your home?" Also weighing in on the benefits for rural communities was **Jonathan Chambers**, co-CEO of Conexon, which works with co-ops to build fiber networks. "The American model of a rural electric cooperative is unique in the world. That model has sustained rural communities since the late 1930s through today. It's community decision making about building infrastructure that is owned by the community and sustained by the community and in turn sustains the community itself." ### *Is satellite good enough for rural?* The discussion included reference to the impact that low-Earth orbit satellite internet, particularly by SpaceX’s Starlink, has had. Its impact is clearly felt in rural communities, but for now, capacity constraints means that LEO "doesn't seem to be meeting the need completely," Cleland said. The technology may matter less than the training around it, Huffman said. "It's really essential when we think about the infrastructure and the communities across the country that we also think about the human infrastructure." [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) "Starlink is internet access. No question,” added Chambers. “But is it broadband? This is Broadband Breakfast, not Internet Access Breakfast." Chambers argued that federal broadband and internet speed definitions have never been technology neutral. "They're intended to accommodate technologies that have lesser capabilities." But his larger argument, he said, was about local authority, not particular technologies. "When we're spending public money, let the public have a say," Chambers said. "Let these rural communities have a say as to what gets deployed there. They're the only ones whose lives and livelihoods depend on it." He cited a strong showing for fiber. "Highest customer satisfaction for broadband in the country, bar none, are electric co-op fiber networks. \[They have the\] lowest rates and best service across the board." ### *Data center dispute* Data centers surfaced as just such a test case, and the panel split. Cleland argued the underlying economics are widely misunderstood and pointed to counties in Northern Texas and northeastern Louisiana courting the investment. He said that data center deployment had lowered electricity costs in their communities. Huffman countered that hyperscale operators "are benefiting tremendously by everyday people being online, but they're not contributing to people getting online." She added: "When you are responsible and accountable to your neighbor, you're going to treat your neighbor well." ### Court Orders Instagram and Facebook's Meta to Pay $567M to Address Kids' Mental Health Online URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/court-orders-instagram-and-facebooks-meta-to-pay-567m-to-address-kids-mental-health-online/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:56.000Z August 7, 2026 (AP) – A New Mexico court has ordered Instagram and Facebook parent company Meta to pay $567 million to address harms to young people from its platforms in the second phase of a landmark trial. Judge **Bryan Biedscheid** said in a ruling late Thursday that the bulk of the money — $420 million — will be used for treatment services for young people. The rest will go toward awareness and prevention, screening services and other costs over the next five years. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The new penalty is in addition to the $375 million in civil penalties that jurors ordered against Meta in March after determining the company knowingly [harmed children’s mental health](https://apnews.com/article/meta-trial-child-sexual-exploitation-5ad9f7bf1ad05bef9d177938e94f0e8b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. In the second phase, prosecutors asked the judge to impose fundamental changes at Meta aimed at reining in addictive features, improving [age verification](https://apnews.com/article/internet-age-verification-supreme-court-def346d7bf299566a3687d8c4f224fec?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and preventing child sexual exploitation through default privacy settings and closer oversight. The total amount Meta is responsible for — $942 million — is a small fraction of of its annual profit, which was about $60 billion in 2025\. Investors seemed to shrug off the New Mexico ruling in after-hours trading Thursday, sending Meta’s stock down less than half a percent to $589.44. Still, the ruling is another setback for Meta, which faces an avalanche of lawsuits from thousands of families of children harmed by social media. New Mexico Attorney General **Raúl Torrez** said it sends an unmistakable message that companies will be held accountable when their product designs knowingly put children at risk. “Today’s decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online,” he said in a statement. Meta vowed to appeal. “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content," the company said in a statement. "We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.” ### *The look of Meta's platforms could change* The judge ordered Facebook and Instagram to build banner and informational screens to clearly explain its protection features, best practices and tools to address inappropriate comment, for example, and display them regularly. Those changes and an educational campaign in New Mexico would be subject to review by the state. The court said federal children’s privacy laws prevent Meta from applying age-verification tools to children under 13\. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, means it cannot order Meta to request children to submit personal data or be passively tracked online, even for age verification purposes. The court also noted that ordering verification of children’s ages only for Meta and not other social media companies would be “inequitable and unduly injurious” to the company. Instead, the court ordered Meta to continue to improve its age assurance tools in New Mexico, which include using artificial intelligence to determine people’s age based on signals such as who their friends are and what types of content they post and consume. Meta must also attempt to develop a dedicated “under-13-years-of-age prediction model” in the next two years. Additionally, Meta should also request proof of age for Instagram and Facebook users in New Mexico it estimates to be under 13\. If it determines a user to be under 13, or under 18 but without being able to estimate a specific age, Meta must treat the user as under 13 or under 18 until the user verifies their age. The company must also partner with schools or a child safety organization to create a reporting portal where school staff can flag users who may be under 13\. And it must delete personal information it has collected on users under 13\. The court also ordered Meta to report on its progress twice a year on how it’s complying with the abatement measures. ### *Meta is gearing up for a trial this month in California amid flood of lawsuits* Meta is also gearing up for a trial later this month in federal court in Oakland, California. Here, Meta will face the first four of [29 states that sued it in a federal multi-district lawsuit filed in 2023](https://apnews.com/article/instagram-facebook-children-teens-harms-lawsuit-attorney-general-1805492a38f7cee111cbb865cc786c28?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. Eight states, including Tennessee, where a trial is currently ongoing, filed lawsuits in their own state courts. And late last month, Meta, along with TikTok, Snap and Google’s YouTube, [were sued by the families](https://apnews.com/article/meta-tiktok-youtube-snap-lawsuit-7e0f338b7c6f7529317cdd58468ce11c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of four teenagers who died by suicide over what they describe as “years of escalating harms” from using their platforms that eventually resulted in their deaths. What comes out of New Mexico is the first of many dominoes that will fall for Meta, said **Laura Edelson**, an assistant professor at Northeastern University focusing on social media and cybersecurity. “America is not going to pass a law that bans social media," Edelson said. "But if companies like Meta know they’re causing harm to users by product design, the states are finally finding a way to rein this in.” *This article was written by Barbara Ortutay and Wufei Yu of the Associated Press.* ### FCC Lifts 39% Cap But Do TV Stations Squeezed by Big Tech Have a Future? URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-lifts-39-cap-but-do-tv-stations-squeezed-by-big-tech-have-a-future/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T13:03:46.000Z 💡 ■ John Malone’s GCI to Start Paying Dividends from Surging Free Cash Flow ■ U.S. Judge Removes Nexstar Executives from TEGNA Board ■ Sook: Nexstar Not Feeling Pressure to Settle Antitrust Case ■ Scripps Posts $1.2 Billion Quarterly Loss Mostly on Goodwill Charge ■ CAR’s Suhr: Opponents Have Disney ‘Over the Barrel’ on DEI ■ Zayo in Fiber Corridor Deal with NVIDIA to Support AI Demand ■ People: Keelin Ferris Joining Carr’s Office as Legal Advisor ■ People: SpaceConnect Association Elects First Board Members Policy: TV station owners now have new freedom to merge, but did the opportunity arrive too late to be material? FCC regulators on Aug. 6 [voted to eliminate](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424076A2.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the long‑standing 39% national TV ownership cap, a move Chairman **Brendan Carr** said was necessary to prevent local broadcasters from suffering the same collapse that devastated local newspapers, a fate partially abetted by his agency’s paralysis decades ago. “I don’t want local broadcast TV to go the way of local newspapers. And yet the risk is real. To be sure, big city stations will be fine – the way big city newspapers are fine today. But that will not be the case everywhere,” Carr [said](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-424076A2.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “We should stop hamstringing this one segment of the broader market with outdated restrictions.” The 39% cap refers to TV households a single TV station group may reach nationally, not to an actual numerical cap on stations owned. The FCC went forward over the objections of Democratic FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez,** who, like DIRECTV and some cable operators, insisted only Congress could raise the cap. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!baxO!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb98413ef-b5e2-4681-9556-485e2217e323_1089x642.png) FCC Chairman Brendan Carr at FCC Headquarters on Aug. 6, 2026 _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### From Megabits to Milliseconds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/from-megabits-to-milliseconds/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T13:00:24.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-07-at-3.44.11---PM-1.png) ## White Paper From Megabits to Milliseconds ### *White Paper Provided by Connected Nation* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-07-at-3.45.11---PM.png) ### *Introduction* **:** *This Time Is Different* It is tempting to think that the places where artificial intelligence is “made” will be the places where its economic benefits accrue. That intuition has historical precedent. Detroit’s rise as the center of automobile manufacturing reshaped the American Midwest for decades. Silicon Valley’s role in the semiconductor and personal computing revolutions produced one of the most durable concentrations of wealth and innovation in modern history. As AI investment surges and ever-larger data centers are announced, it is natural for regions to hope that hosting AI infrastructure will make them the next great center of technological gravity. But this time is different. Hosting a data center will not turn a region into Silicon Valley. Today, infrastructure matters in a different way. AI is not a single technology but a stack, and different layers of that stack have different infrastructure needs. AI training, which produces new models, is increasingly constrained by power supply and transmission capacity. AI deployment—the inference phase where models are actually used—depends far less on power and far more on communication network performance. Especially important is latency: the “reflexes” of the internet, as distinct from bandwidth or throughput, which is often, somewhat misleadingly, called “speed.” This distinction will become more important as AI moves out of screens and into the physical world. As AI systems begin to augment human perception in real time, or guide machines through messy environments, milliseconds matter. Network performance requirements are poised to escalate, reshaping the geography of digital advantage and disadvantage and redefining what they mean. Some areas rich in last-mile fiber risk lagging behind because of a lack of local interconnection—though, fortunately, this problem is likely cheaper to solve than the tens of billions spent closing the last digital divide. That earlier wave of investment has been remarkably successful. Decades of private and public effort have dramatically increased available bandwidth and closed most coverage gaps, even if some remote areas will remain dependent on satellite. Fiber deployment has accelerated to over ten million passings per year (see The Broadband Competitive Landscape on the Eve of BEAD). Even where fiber is absent, cable upgrades have made gigabit service widely accessible. Gigabit download speeds—far beyond the needs of most current applications—are now available to a majority of broadband service locations. The central constraint of the 2010s — insufficient throughput for streaming video - was not solved by accident. Carriers and ISPs competed their way past it, deploying capacity that now far exceeds what any mainstream application demands. But success has changed the problem rather than solved it. The goalposts have moved. As bandwidth has become abundant, other aspects of network performance have emerged as binding constraints. The most important of these is latency—the time it takes for data to travel across the network— and the interconnection structures that shape that journey. Latency is a “time tax” on every interaction that gigabit bandwidth alone does not address. Indeed, as bandwidth increases, latency accounts for a larger share of total delay. While measurement remains imperfect, most places are likely already past the point where latency, not bandwidth, determines the effective “speed” of most internet use. As Jensen Huang highlighted in his recent keynote address at the GPU Technology Conference, agentic AI, which often does human-like web search tasks without being constrained by the speed of human thought processes, depends on ultra-low latency for high performance. So far, this shift has been easy to overlook. As long as a human is in the loop, human perception imposes a natural ceiling: even mediocre latency feels instantaneous. But that constraint is disappearing. As AI systems begin to act in the world—guiding robots, aligning augmented reality overlays, coordinating machines— computer rather than human reflexes become the limiting factor. Latency becomes the binding constraint on syncing a local actuator with a remote “brain.” “AI infrastructure” is beginning to loom in policymakers’ thinking as a key driver of competitiveness. It is— but distinctions matter. The infrastructure constraints on AI training are primarily about power. But training capacity, while economically meaningful, is not the main determinant of broad regional advantage. AI inference—where AI is actually used—depends far more on communication networks: local peering, interconnection density, and the efficiency of data routing. The emerging domain of physical AI will depend especially on these factors, requiring ultra-low latency and highly reliable connectivity. At some point, a physical AI “killer app” will emerge—something that people expect to work seamlessly, everywhere. When it does, some regions will find that their networks cannot support it—not because they lack fiber to the home, but because their data must travel too far, through too many hops, to stay within its latency requirements. The frontier is shifting from megabits to milliseconds—from scarcity of throughput to the barrier of reflex speed. The telecommunications infrastructure ecosystem must evolve. > “The frontier is shifting from megabits to milliseconds — from scarcity of throughput to the barrier of reflex speed.” ### Broadband Engineering Consultants Launch Preconstruction Framework URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-engineering-consultants-launch-preconstruction-framework/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:50:56.000Z August 6, 2026 – Biarri Networks and Big Broadband LLC are partnering together to establish a systematic broadband preconstruction evaluation framework. The companies announced a joint evaluation on Thursday, Aug. 6, integrating Biarri Network’s advanced network quality with Big Bang Broadband’s Infrastructure Capability Qualification. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The ICQ evaluation system will help determine preconstruction capabilities for broadband before capital decisions are finalized. This includes investigating whether physical and optical infrastructure can support declared workloads, protection requirements, advanced technologies and higher-value services. “ICQ is designed to help network owners turn fiber’s technical advantage into a business advantage,” Big Bang CEO **David Malfara** said in the Aug. 6 release. “A provider with a clear, evidence-based view of what its infrastructure can support can intentionally pursue protected services, resilient service tiers, demanding enterprise and institutional customers, advanced optical applications and new workloads.” The ICQ system will provide owners with the opportunity to determine if the network is fit for purpose, evaluate potential element improvements and close capability gaps before construction. By implementing ICQ, network owners will be able to gain an idea of what the service is capable of before construction, allowing them to implement changes beforehand. This includes upgrades that would be costly to implement after construction, like changes to routes, cable sizes, fiber assignments, protection arrangements and optical arches. Biarri Vice President of Telecom Engineering services **John Tait** explained, “The objective is to give service providers a clear view of what their fiber network will be capable of, what capabilities must be preserved and what the cost and benefit trade-offs are before it is built.” Biarri Networks is a Denver, Co.-based telecommunications engineering company. Big Bang Broadband is a broadband engineering, policy, regulatory and strategic advisory company based in Orlando, Fla. ### Farm Bill Fails to Advance from Senate Agriculture Committee URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-agriculture-committee-fails-to-advance/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:01.000Z WASHINGTON, August 6, 2026 – The fate of millions of dollars in rural broadband funding remains unresolved as Congress heads into its August recess. The Senate Agriculture Committee failed Thursday to advance the[*Agricultural Act of 2026*](https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/agricultural-act-of-2026-farm-bill-20?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the chamber’s version of a long-delayed farm bill. The stalled bill includes language that would codify and consolidate the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect broadband program, which has distributed $5.5 billion in rural broadband funding since 2018, but has never operated on a permanent statutory basis. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The Senate draft, released [in June](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-farm-bill-would-codify-reconnect-program/) by the office of Committee Chairman **John Boozman**, R-Ark., and revised again in late July, would authorize up to $100 million a year for ReConnect through 2031, targeting underserved areas where 90 percent of households lack access to broadband service offering speeds of 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload. Under the draft legislation, newly funded projects would be required to deliver at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds. Those figures differ from the House-passed [*Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026*](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7567/text?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which cleared the chamber 224-200 [in April](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/house-passes-farm-bill/) and set a lower 50 \* 25 Mbps speed floor for ReConnect builds, while using the same 25 \* 3 Mbps eligibility threshold. Both chambers’ bills would reauthorize ReConnect through 2031, bar USDA from regulating broadband rates through the program and call for closer coordination among federal and state broadband funding efforts. The Senate text would also expand support for middle-mile infrastructure and add a “last acre” initiative aimed at extending connectivity directly to farms and ranches for precision agriculture uses. Because the Senate committee did not advance its bill, the chamber cannot yet begin reconciling those differences with the House-passed version. Boozman recessed the committee rather than adjourning it, a procedural move that lets him reconvene members at any time, including after the Senate returns from its August break on Sept. 14, without a new markup being formally scheduled. That gives the committee little room to maneuver: the current farm bill, an extension of the 2018 law, expires Sept. 30, and it would already be the third consecutive year Congress has relied on a stopgap rather than a full five-year reauthorization. ### *Bill falls on party lines over SNAP* The Senate farm bill fell on a party line vote of 10-11\. Republicans on the Senate Agriculture committee needed at least one Democratic vote to advance the bill. Two Republican members, Sens. **Tommy Tuberville** of Alabama and **Mitch McConnell** of Kentucky, did not vote. Tuberville left the meeting before the final committee vote; McConnell has been on medical leave since a fall in mid-June and has not appeared in public since. Committee Democrats stood united against the package, holding out for a two-year delay to a new requirement that states help cover a portion of the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits based on their payment error rates. Boozman had offered a one-year delay instead, paired with other provisions authorizing year-round E15 fuel sales, and additional funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which distributes USDA food through food banks. Boozman told the committee his offer represented Republicans’ final position. Ranking Member **Amy Klobuchar**, D-Minn., said she wants a bipartisan deal but that resolving the SNAP dispute has to come first. Senate Majority Leader **John Thune**, R-S.D., a longtime committee member, argued the one-year delay would still save money for states in the room. Sen. **Cory Booker**, D-N.J., said the outcome was expected going in, framing the markup as unlikely to produce a farm bill regardless of what else got resolved. Senators separately adopted dozens of amendments to the underlying text before the failed final vote, including one from Thune reinstating mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef, and others permanently transferring the Food for Peace program to USDA and making hot rotisserie chicken eligible under SNAP. The markup anticipated 206 amendments, but Democrats introduced only 13\. Democratic amendments aimed at reversing SNAP funding cuts and adding other nutrition priorities were rejected along party lines.Republican priorities were incorporated into the manager’s amendment. ### Analysts Skeptical of SpaceX Mobile Plans URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/analysts-skeptical-of-spacex-mobile-plans/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:01.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2026 – During its first earnings call as a public company, SpaceX executives said they intended to build out terrestrial components and use their credit-to-device service to compete with the wireless carriers. Telecom industry analysts don’t think the plan is very likely. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [The idea](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-planning-terrestrial-deployments-to-support-direct-to-device/) would be to place tiny “femtocells” on mounts already used for the company’s fixed broadband dishes “all over the place,” SpaceX CEO **Elon Musk** said. They would use spectrum SpaceX is buying from EchoStar for $17 billion, which can be used for both terrestrial mobile and direct-to-device satellite service. That would ideally allow the company to avoid spending billions on a traditional mobile network and additional spectrum licenses, and allow the company to acquire “quite a few” of the U.S. carriers’ customers. The carriers’ stocks each dropped after the comments, but have since recovered. “The idea of seamless Satellite + Starlink small cell wireless network seems far-fetched to us as a workable solution,” BNP Paribas analyst **Sam McHugh** said in an investor note. He noted that Musk, known for grandiose predictions, also predicted Starlink would carry a majority of the entire world's internet traffic by the end of the decade. If there were that many Starlink dishes, it might be feasible, he wrote, but that’s not likely in the U.S. any time soon. “In our view, it is highly improbable that Starlink will carry the majority of internet traffic in the US in the next decade,” McHugh wrote. “Lower Starlink broadband penetration means any femto cell plan is likely to be even further from being a credible solution for wireless.” Multiple analysts have said SpaceX’s [only avenue](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-buoyed-by-launch-dominance-but-starlink-mobiles-future-unclear-analysts-say/) for competing directly with the carriers is a deal to offer service on one of their networks. That’s due largely to the difficulty of serving dense areas or indoor users over the massive distance between the ground and orbiting satellites. “Nothing in today's commentary — including floating the relatively well-worn idea of a mesh network of rooftop ‘femtocells’ — changes that assessment,” MoffettNathanson analysts wrote in a Wednesday investor note. Each of the three carriers have shot down the idea of a mobile virtual network operator deal (MVNO), and they’re forming a joint venture aimed at promoting use of their spectrum in remote areas, rather than their whole network. But McHugh saw the aggressive talk as a potential means of pressuring one of the carriers into granting an MVNO, something MoffettNathanson analysts also think the company will generally put a lot of effort into doing. Satellite industry analyst **Tim Farrar** has said the same about previous media reports of SpaceX pursuing an offload deal with cable giant Charter and even considering buying a carrier outright. That pressure might continue until at least the upper C-band spectrum auction next year. If SpaceX competes heavily for those licenses, it could be interpreted as a sign the company does have real mobile ambitions. Or it would mean SpaceX was trying to hoard valuable assets to convince a reluctant carrier to give it an MVNO deal. Although Farrar has noted the tight deployment deadlines on upper C-band licenses would make them less attractive. “We are doubtful that Starlink would really want to build a terrestrial wireless network, let alone buy a carrier, but Musk may be left with little choice other than to make a more aggressive move if the telcos retain their united front” on an MVNO, Farrar wrote in an investor report excerpt he [posted on X](https://x.com/TMFAssociates?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). McHugh also noted that SpaceX Chief Operating Officer **Gwynne Shotwell** said on the call that the carriers’ combined annual wireless revenue was $600 billion, when the real figure is about $220 billion. He saw that as “reinforcing our view that their wireless ambitions and plans are highly embryonic, and not yet fully fleshed out / credible.” ### Comcast Business is Deploying Private Wireless Network in Smartlink Headquarters URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/comcast-business-is-deploying-private-wireless-network-in-smartlink-headquarters/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:00.000Z WASHINGTON, August 6, 2026 – Comcast Business, the commercial division of Comcast, is enhancing cellular coverage for office buildings through the creation of its private wireless network. The company announced it is deploying a private wireless network in Smartlink’s company headquarters. Smartlink designs, builds and sustains wireless infrastructure for carriers and tower companies across the company. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The private wireless platform will merge carrier-grade neutral host cellular coverage with a dedicated Citizens Broadband Radio Service-based private wireless network. The network will offer enterprise-grade security, an adaptable network and a singular managed platform. Office buildings traditionally are challenging to keep connected because of the way many buildings are designed. Comcast Senior Vice President of Wireless Partnerships and Development **Justin Markle** noted that offices have long faced the difficult challenge of choosing insufficient cellular coverage or making investments in multiple networks to achieve baseline connectivity. “Private wireless and neutral host networking delivered through Comcast Business’s unified managed platform changes that equation. By combining carrier-grade cellular service and private wireless operations into a single, scalable solution, organizations can simplify connectivity and manage costs.” Markle explained in the [Monday, Aug. 6 release](https://business.comcast.com/about-us/press-releases/2026/cb-brings-enhanced-private-wireless-networking-to-the-corporate-office?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Previously, organizations have addressed connectivity issues by deploying overlapping technologies, requiring separate management models and vendors. Comcast’s private wireless platform will create a new connectivity model that reduces the complexity and costs of building wireless infrastructure. Smartlink’s choice of the private wireless plan marks Comcast Business’ expansion into the commercial office market and creates a model that other enterprises and commercial property owners can replicate. “Like many building occupants, our Smartlink team struggled to find the right networking solution that could meet our growing connectivity needs,” Smartlink CEO **Jason Campbell** said in the release. “Comcast Business delivered a single solution that solves our coverage challenges and gives us a dedicated operational network, at a price point that made the decision an easy one.” Comcast Business has also deployed similar networks to a variety of environments like universities, hotels and sports arenas. ### Zayo, Nvidia Team Up to Expand Fiber for AI Traffic URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/zayo-nvidia-team-up-to-expand-fiber-for-ai-traffic/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:07.000Z WASHINGTON, August 6, 2026 – Digital infrastructure provider Zayo announced Thursday that it is working with Nvidia to expand the long-haul fiber needed to support the buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure. The buildout includes more than 8,000 miles of new fiber-optic cable connecting cities where the companies expect AI-driven data traffic to grow fastest. Zayo said that includes six brand-new long-distance routes, plus upgrades that add capacity to its existing network in 10 markets with heavy demand. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Asked about the financial terms of the deal, a Zayo spokesperson told Broadband Breakfast that the partnership follows the company’s standard deal framework, with the same return objectives and investment criteria Zayo has applied across its business over the past decade. Rather than an equity partner, Nvidia’s role is that of a customer, the spokesperson said. Nvidia will have significant access to capacity across both the new and overbuilt routes, but Zayo will build, own and operate the network itself, with the remaining capacity available to the rest of Zayo’s customer base. Zayo executives framed the buildout as a response to a shift in where network infrastructure needs to exist. “AI is fundamentally reshaping where and how network infrastructure needs to be built across the U.S.,” Zayo CEO **Steve Smith** said in the companies’ announcement, adding that while most of the market is focused on overbuilding existing routes, Zayo is one of a few providers targeting new locations. **Vladimir Troy**, Nvidia’s vice president of engineering for AI infrastructure, said that as AI systems grow, the network connecting data centers is becoming just as important as the processing power inside them, saying the partnership pairs Zayo’s fiber buildout experience with Nvidia’s position in AI infrastructure. The announcement builds on a broader expansion Zayo says it has undertaken over the past 18 months. New build and overbuild projects are set to cover more than 15,000 route miles across North America. The company says its North America network now spans 32 million fiber miles, including 224,000 route miles, before counting the 8,000 new miles from the Nvidia partnership. Its recent [acquisition of Crown Castle’s fiber business](https://chat.broadbandbreakfast.com/feed?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) added roughly 90,000 metro route miles and pushed Zayo’s total on-net enterprise reach past 70,000 locations, strengthening its metro density for AI inference workloads. Lumen Technologies, which operates a roughly 350,000 route mile network and has also been winning large AI-related fiber contracts, is generally considered Zayo's closest rival in scale. Zayo has increasingly positioned itself around AI infrastructure demand, including through its [AI Infrastructure Blueprint](https://www.zayo.com/newsroom/zayo-and-equinix-set-the-standard-with-the-ai-infrastructure-blueprint/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). ### FCC Approves Proposal on Unlicensed Spectrum for Direct-to-Device, Without 900 MHz URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-approves-proposal-on-unlicensed-spectrum-for-direct-to-device-without-900-mhz/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:07.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission unanimously voted Thursday to seek comment on opening up unlicensed spectrum for direct-to-device satellite service. The adopted proposal did not include questions about the 902-928 MegaHertz (MHz) band that were in the [public draft](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-423135A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of the item. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) “It’s significantly more complex than the 2.5 GHz or 5.8 GHz. There’s multiple types of incumbent services with varying levels of protection that are there,” said **Andrew Hendrickson**, chief of the FCC’s office of engineering and technology. “Ultimately we decided not to consider it.” After the public draft was released, geolocation company NextNav raised [similar concerns](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-unlicensed-spectrum-users-want-tweaks-to-fcc-direct-to-device-proposal/) with a top advisor to FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**. The company uses priority licenses in the band, and noted a similar arrangement doesn’t exist in the other bands that would be considered. Rural ISPs that used the band said they were also concerned about potential interference. The adopted item would still seek input on the feasibility of allowing direct-to-device service in the 2400-2483.5 MHz and 5725-5850 MHz bands, used by many kinds of device for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. ABout 200 megahertz in total will be considered, the agency said. “These frequencies could yield more capacity to complement D2D services and encourage experimentation,” Carr said at the agency’s Thursday meeting. “Our inquiry today asks a lot of questions that are designed to ensure that these bands remain an American success story for existing and future services of all types.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) During a July webinar, technical experts said it could be difficult to make unlicensed spectrum work for direct-to-device outside of rural areas. Still, SpaceX supported the agency’s effort and asked it to go further. SpaceX and other satellite operators have spent billions to acquire spectrum set aside for direct-to-device, a relatively scarce and now valuable resource. On the company’s first earnings call this week, SpaceX executives [said they intended](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-planning-terrestrial-deployments-to-support-direct-to-device/) to compete with the mobile carriers, although analysts have been skeptical of the idea. ### *USF administration, Rural Healthcare* The FCC also advanced an item that will seek comment on ways to streamline the administration of the agency’s $8 billion-per-year Universal Service Fund. USF is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), a nonprofit the FCC set up for the purpose. The proposal the agency adopted, also unanimously, would ask about ways to reduce USAC’s overhead, increase its public reporting, and mitigate conflicts of interest on its board, among other things. FCC Commissioner **Olivia Trusty** added edits from [the public draft](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-423137A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that will ask about additional oversight over USAC decision making and stakeholder outreach. FCC Commissioner **Anna Gomez** secured edits that ask about training for auditors, bringing some USAC function within the FCC, and adding board members with experience managing federal funding. Currently the board is composed mostly of representatives from stakeholders that pay into and participate in the fund. The Supreme Court upheld USAC’s legality last year after a challenge from a conservative nonprofit. The same group is challenging parts of the USF and USAC again; oral arguments were held before a Fifth Circuit panel Wednesday. The agency also unanimously adopted an item that will seek comment on how to improve the Rural Health Care program, a subset of USF that spends about $500 million each year. The proposal seeks comment on multiple tweaks, including clarifying certain program rules and establishing a uniform list of eligible services. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, which has been at odds with the Carr FCC on other inquiries into USF programs, was pleased this time. "Today’s vote represents a real opportunity to strengthen a program that connects rural hospitals and clinics to the affordable broadband their patients rely on every day," **Joey Wender**, SHLB's executive director, said in a statement. The agency also voted to repeal its cap on national broadcast station ownership, which has been highly controversial. Gomez Dissented, calling the move illegal. ### *2028 spectrum auctions* At the agency’s press conference, Carr said his focus with respect to spectrum lately had been “getting AWS-3 behind us, getting C-band done, and focusing on three big, new spectrum auctions for ‘28.” He’s already said the agency would hold an auction in the 2.7 GHz band in 2028\. He didn’t elaborate on the other two. He said the agency’s work on the 2028 auctions was “already underway, including work on 2.7.” That’s government spectrum the Commerce Department is studying for potential repurposing. It hasn’t been officially tapped for commercial use yet, but wireless industry groups and government officials like the prospect of getting some of the airwaves out the door in an auction. Carr didn’t say how he was thinking about shared CBRS spectrum but said there were staff focused on many bands, including CBRS. Users have been worried the agency would consider auctioning a portion of the band, or increasing power levels. In response to a question about multiple recent additions to the agency’s covered list — blacklisted gear deemed a potential national security risk — Carr said the decision about what to add was made by other executive branch agencies. The FCC simply carried out national security officials decided was best, he said. Gomez, the agency’s lone Democrat, criticized the “haphazard” rollout of some covered list additions. Companies looking for exemptions to the agency’s ban on new foreign-made Wi-Fi- routers have to get a temporary approval from the Defense Department, which involves submitting a plan for onshoring manufacturing. Experts have said that would be difficult to meaningfully onshore given the higher cost of labor in the U.S. *Update: This story was updated with additional information* ### Optimum Beats on Broadband Losses, but Debt Looms URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/optimum-beats-on-broadband-losses-but-debt-looms/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:08.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2026 – Optimum Communications lost 40,000 broadband subscribers in the second quarter, fewer than analysts expected but more than the same time last year. The cable operator also reported increased broadband average revenue per user (ARPU), both sequentially and year-over-year when Wall Street had expected a decline. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “An improvement in broadband subscriber results with ARPU growth is what every Cable investor is hoping for from all the major operators,” New Street Research analyst **Vikash Harlalka** wrote in an investor note. “Optimum delivered on that this quarter where the other two large operators missed.” The company’s stock was up more than 2 percent after [its earnings call](https://investors.optimum.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/239/optimum-reports-second-quarter-2026-results?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Thursday. But analysts said a $26 billion cloud hung over those otherwise positive results. Optimum has a large amount of debt coming due in the coming years, including $6 billion starting in 2027, and is trying to cut a restructuring deal with lenders. “All parties obviously understand that a negotiated settlement is coming. But there is a great deal left to be gained or lost in the settlement terms,” MoffettNathanson founder **Craig Moffett** wrote in an investor note. To that end, Optimum [earlier this summer](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/optimum-raises-500-million-as-debt-wall-looms/) placed its eastern footprint and Lightpath business in a subsidiary that lenders (at least arguably) can’t touch. That makes it possible the company subsidiary that holds all the debt might go into bankruptcy, according to Moffett. And that prospect makes it more likely that lenders will be forced to the table to make a deal, according to New Street, since recovering against only the western footprint is a less attractive prospect. “We believe that the measures we have taken increase the likelihood of a consensual, comprehensive deal and mitigate the potential adverse impact of failing to achieve such a resolution,” Optimum CEO **Dennis Mathew** said. “That work is ongoing, and we are approaching it deliberately with the goal of reaching an outcome that supports the long-term health of the business.” The company did not give other updates on the process during the call. Optimum is currently suing the giant investment firms that lent it money, accusing them of colluding to keep the price of the company’s debt high. ### *Broadband, mobile subscribers* While the company lost 40,000 broadband subscribers on net, it gained 20,000 fiber customers, and added 9,000 subscribers by negotiating bulk billing deals in apartments it already served. Mathew said SpaceX’s satellite service had not been a major source of competition. Subscriber churn was still high because of promotional offers from other competitors, he said. The company is also decomissioning about 48,000 passings in very low-penetration parts of its western footprint. Optimum counted nearly 4,050,000 broadband subscribers at the end of the quarter, including nearly 750,000 fiber subscribers. The company also added 50,000 mobile lines, its best second quarter ever, for a total of 724,000\. Mathew said nearly 9 percent of Optimum’s broadband subscribers took a mobile line. Video losses of 46,000 were the lowest in six years. Bundling video and mobile with broadband is a big part of Optimum’s plan to stem continued broadband subscriber losses to fiber and fixed wireless. Moffett wrote that it was strange to see broadband ARPU increase despite Optimum’s new ultra-cheap $25 plans, and not necessarily a good thing. Cable companies like Optimum are trying to bring prices down to be more competitive and address longstanding consumer frustration over price hikes, and Optimum’s $75.11 is still higher than the cable giants and AT&T’s fiber unit, he noted. “Optimum’s best alternative is instead to compete based on converged pricing” with fixed and mobile bundles, he wrote. “Optimum’s converged pricing is lower than that of its competitors. Bundling with mobility is therefore at least as important as standalone pricing when thinking about fixing the broadband value proposition.” The company offers its mobile service on T-Mobile’s infrastructure through a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal. Optimum expanded that deal to cover extra wearable devices in the quarter, Mathew said. ### In FCC’s High-Cost Modernization Docket, SpaceX Stands Alone URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/in-fccs-high-cost-modernization-docket-spacex-stands-alone/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:13.000Z WASHINGTON, August 6, 2026 – SpaceX asked federal regulators again Tuesday to eliminate the government’s High-Cost broadband subsidy programs, arguing the programs have “outlived their purpose” and the money would be better spent elsewhere. But virtually every other stakeholder opposed SpaceX’s proposal. Rural telephone cooperatives, cable operators, fiber associations, wireless infrastructure firms and carrier groups urged the FCC to modernize the programs rather than eliminate them, arguing the subsidies remain essential to keeping broadband available and affordable in high-cost, rural areas. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) The dispute centers on the Federal Communications Commission’s [High-Cost program modernization proceeding](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-consider-high-cost-update-at-may-meeting/), opened May 21\. The program spends about $4.5 billion each year to build and maintain rural broadband networks, and has more than 15 programs under its umbrella. The [public draft](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-35A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) of the proposal asks how the FCC should consider its rural broadband subsidies in light of the burgeoning low Earth orbit satellite connectivity offerings from SpaceX and Amazon. Stakeholders’ [comments were due](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2226-96%22%20OR%20%2210-90%22%29%29&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Tuesday, August 4. In [its filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069485/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), submitted by **Joseph Bissonnette**, SpaceX’s principal for satellite policy,argues the market failure the programs were designed to fix no longer exists. The company says Starlink has grown to more than 12 million subscribers and that independent measurements show its median U.S. speeds now exceed the 100 \* 20 Megabit per second (Mbps) benchmark used in some High-Cost programs, with next-generation satellites expected to expand capacity later this year. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The company wants the roughly $4.5 billion spent annually on High-Cost programs redirected to the FCC’s Lifeline affordability program instead, which it says addresses the bigger remaining problem: cost, not availability. Nearly all other stakeholders pushed back against that framing, with rural carrier and cooperative groups being the most direct in resisting cuts. The Rural Wireless Association, represented by outside counsel **Carri Bennet**, argued [in comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069459/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) satellite should be treated as “a supplement to, not a substitute for” terrestrial broadband, and that the FCC’s broadband maps aren’t yet reliable enough to justify cutting support. WTA – Advocates for Rural Broadband devoted an entire section to satellite’s limits, writing [in comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069441/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that LEO service is not the “magic solution” to rural connectivity gaps, and cited SpaceX’s own IPO risk disclosures on collision risk, spectrum sharing, and financial exposure. The Wireless Infrastructure Association, [filing through](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069479/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) senior counsel **Stephen Keegan**, backed a “technology-neutral, but not technology-blind” approach, arguing satellite remains a complement to terrestrial networks given its capacity and latency limits. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, [in comments](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069460/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) submitted by Regulatory Affairs Director **Erin Fitzgerald Dobozy**, went further, framing its members’ fiber-based cooperatives as offering superior, scalable service and arguing satellite is an “insufficient substitute for robust terrestrial infrastructure.” ### *Rural providers call for ongoing support* Another question before the FCC is what to do as several of its largest High-Cost support mechanisms approach the end of their authorized terms. A-CAM I, the original Alternative Connect America Cost Model, which provides fixed support to rural carriers to build and operate broadband networks, is scheduled to sunset at the end of 2026\. Revised A-CAM I and A-CAM II are scheduled to sunset at the end of 2028. The FCC is also considering the future of legacy operating-support mechanisms which help carriers recover the unusually high costs of serving sparsely populated areas, such as Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support and High-Cost Loop Support. Several commenters said letting that support lapse, without something to replace it, would land directly on rural customers’ bills. The Oklahoma Rural Telecommunications Coalition, [filing through](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069465/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) attorneys **Ron Comingdeer** and **Dustin Murer**, supplied anonymized rate data suggesting members’ customers could see monthly bills rise by as much as $1,169 if support disappeared without a replacement mechanism. NRECA called for a new ongoing operating expense support program. “Providers serving areas with the lowest population densities and toughest terrains may face difficulty financing network maintenance and upgrades only using revenue from customer rates once support ends,” NRECA’s filing states. The Competitive Carriers Association, [filing through](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069468/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) general counsel **Angela Simpson**, asked for a multi-year transition for carriers facing reduced support as legacy programs sunset, and continued funding for network operating costs. USTelecom, [filing through](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069473/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Vice President **Lynn Follansbee**, asked the FCC to hold off on permanent changes and instead extend current programs through 2030 while the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, and other federal investments play out. ### *Stakeholders call for higher broadband standards* Several commenters used their filings to argue the FCC’s underlying speed benchmark – 100 \* 20 Mbps in most current programs, and as low as 25 \* 3 Mbps in others – is already outdated and should be raised as part of any modernization. The Fiber Broadband Association, [filing through](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069466/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) President and CEO **Gary Bolton**, made that case on statutory grounds. FBA pointed to [Section 254 of the Communications Act](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/254?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which directs the FCC to consider “the extent to which” a service has “been subscribed to by a substantial majority of residential customers” when deciding what to subsidize. Citing OpenVault subscriber data, FBA said the most popular speed tiers nationally are now between 200-400 Mbps and 1 Gbps or faster, while tiers of 100 Mbps or less made up just 7.4 percent of subscriptions in late 2025, down from 8.8 percent a year earlier. On that basis, FBA argued the current High-Cost benchmarks fall well short of what a substantial majority of Americans already buy, and said the FCC is legally obligated to move the threshold up. NRECA similarly pushed for a 100 Mbps symmetrical minimum – meaning equal upload and download speeds – for any network receiving support. NRECA cited its own benchmarking survey with the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative finding that nearly half of rural cooperative customers already choose plans faster than 475 Mbps symmetrical, and pointed to accelerating upstream usage growth. The group argued that tying support to the current 100 \* 20 Mbps benchmark “serves only to perpetuate dated and/or sub-par network infrastructure in rural America.” ### *Some agreement?* SpaceX wasn’t entirely alone. Two commenters lined up, at least partially, with its call to wind down legacy support. NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, filing through **Pamela Arluk** and **Steven Morris**, came closest to SpaceX’s position among the industry groups in the docket. NCTA urged the Commission to let A-CAM programs “sunset on schedule” and to phase out or substantially reduce legacy operating-support mechanisms like CAF BLS and HCLS. But its reasoning was different from SpaceX’s: NCTA argued that newer fiber and hybrid-fiber networks funded through BEAD and other programs have lower operating costs than the legacy copper networks the High-Cost program was built to sustain. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation went further, aligning most closely with SpaceX's bottom line. In comments, ITIF argued the FCC “should eliminate legacy high-cost support mechanisms” and “should allow A-CAM programs to sunset as scheduled,” writing that private investment, technological innovation, and other federal deployment programs “have substantially narrowed the broadband deployment gap” since those mechanisms were adopted. Rather than backing elimination, WISPA, representing fixed wireless providers and [filing through](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069453/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Vice President of Policy **Louis Peraertz**, proposed consolidating legacy mechanisms into a single technology-neutral, cost-model-based program open to any terrestrial technology, with satellite eligible only as a narrow fallback for locations where terrestrial buildout is proven infeasible. ### Sinclair Ready to Talk Spectrum Deals with Starlink after Transition to NextGen TV URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/sinclair-ready-to-talk-spectrum-deals-with-starlink-after-transition-to-nextgen-tv/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T12:58:44.000Z 💡 ■ Nexstar Posts Record Second Quarter Revenue on TEGNA Merger ■ Optimum Down 40,000 Broadband Subs in Second Quarter ■ NEPA Valley: ACLP Finds BEAD ‘Winners’ (Excluding Starlink) Need (Gulp) 86,402 Permits Nationwide ■ NCTA: USF Not Meant to be ‘a Funding Stream in Perpetuity’ ■ Pole Delays Capping Archtop Fiber at 20,000 Customers in Upstate New York ■ Hawaiian Telcom to Receive $149.5 Million from BEAD to Connect Hawaii ■ Capitol Hill Panel: FCC Needs Explicit Power to Remove China Gear ■ Ookla: Charter Now the World’s Largest Wi‑Fi 7 Provider ■ Welch Amendment to Make USDA Use 100/100 Mbps in ReConnect Program ■ Charter Network Damaged by ‘Criminal Attack’ in North Carolina ■ Dell’Oro Group: Data‑Center Spending on PON Gear Up 844% in Past Year Spectrum: Looks like **Elon Musk** could disrupt another industry – broadcast TV. Sinclair Inc. – which owns 177 TV stations in 79 markets – is weighing the possibility of eventually pursuing a spectrum deal with Musk’s Starlink. But CEO **Christopher Ripley** told analysts Aug. 5 that any move like that would likely come after the broadcaster completed its transition to NextGenTV/ATSC 3.0 and evaluated the profitability of evolving new programming in addition to data casting services being developed by EdgeBeam Wireless, an industry consortium that includes Nexstar Media Group, Gray Media, and Scripps. “The industry will have to assess – is it better to run those use cases over that spectrum and earn an annuity stream of income from it or is it better to transact to sell or lease to someone like Starlink,” Ripley said. He added, “I think all of those are possibilities and it’s really just an economic equation.” ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!pKV6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F330abee7-7749-429b-92d5-d086c6b219fd_586x350.png) Sinclair CEO Christopher Ripley _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### SpaceX, Unlicensed Spectrum Users Want Tweaks to FCC Direct-to-Device Proposal URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-unlicensed-spectrum-users-want-tweaks-to-fcc-direct-to-device-proposal/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:13.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2026 – Current users of unlicensed spectrum are hoping for some changes to a draft proposal that would invite comment on using the airwaves for direct-to-device satellite service. The Federal Communications Commission is [set to vote](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-to-vote-on-proposal-for-more-direct-to-device-spectrum-in-august/) Thursday on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would propose allowing direct-to-device operations in the 902-928 MegaHertz (MHZ), 2400-2483.5 MHz, and 5725-5850 MHz bands. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The agency’s idea is to meet increasing demand for direct-to-device spectrum, which SpaceX and others are spending billions to acquire and use to provide satellite connectivity [outside the reach](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-planning-terrestrial-deployments-to-support-direct-to-device/) of terrestrial mobile networks. Representatives from WISPA, which represents wireless broadband providers, met last week with legal advisors to each of the three FCC commissioners to urge against including “unsupported conclusions” from the draft in the adopted text. The [group said](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069076/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) its members use the 900 MHz spectrum at issue to serve homes and businesses that are surrounded by trees and can’t be reached by other unlicensed spectrum, plus the 500 MHz airwaves to serve rural areas. The 500 MHz spectrum is also used by Wi-FI and utilities, wrote **Louis Peraertz**, WISPA’s vice president of policy. The group wanted multiple sentences deleted or reworked, including statements about the lack of rural service in the bands at issue and a tentative conclusion that direct-to-device wouldn’t cause interference for existing users. NextNav CEO **Mariam Sorond** also met last week with a top advisor to FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** to voice concerns. NextNav provides geolocation services using 900 MHz licenses, and is separately asking the FCC to allow it to operate a nationwide GPS backup in the band and lease its fallow spectrum to mobile carriers. Sorond urged the agency to consider a similar scheme for satellites in the 900 MHz band, given priority location monitoring licenses were auctioned in the band. It would be similar to the FCC’s rule around satellite providers leasing carriers’ terrestrial 5G spectrum, the company wrote [in a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110068796/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). The FCC should “seek additional comment on the regulatory framework and use cases in the lower 900 MHz band as compared to the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands also under consideration,” wrote **Renee Gregory**, NextNav’s vice president of regulatory affairs. Broadcom, Intel, and Cisco held meetings with top advisors from each commissioner’s office proposing changes to the draft. The [companies wanted](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069116/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) more assurance that currently active unlicensed devices wouldn’t face interference from satellite communications. During a [WInnForum webinar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-R1HYovZzc&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last month, experts said the FCC’s idea to allow direct-to-device into unlicensed bands might not work well outside of the most isolated areas. “I can’t see how it’s going to work, because there’s just going to be so many devices working out there,” said **William Webb**, a consultant and longtime telecom engineer. “If this is deeply, deeply, deeply rural, then maybe. But then there’s probably not a spectrum challenge in those areas anyway.” **Dennis Robertson**, a former professor and advisor to the Commerce Department and FCC on spectrum issues, agreed that it would be a technical challenge to coordinate. In areas “that have very large land masses with very low population density, it may be possible to use that capability,” he said. “But certainly if you’re talking about an urban environment, it’s impossible to even consider how that might be feasible. At least for me.” ### *SpaceX, CTIA* SpaceX, for its part, wanted the FCC to consider additional bands beyond the three named in the NPRM. “The proposed Part 15 spectrum bands and the associated classes of devices should be presented in the final version as one option among many to increase deployment of next-generation satellite services for consumers,” wrote **Joseph Bissonnette**, SpaceX’s head of satellite policy, [in a filing](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069222/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) posted Monday. He added that “doing so is particularly important in light of existing, wide-bandwidth domestic or international allocations for the fixed- and mobile-satellite service that remain unnecessarily encumbered by legacy rules but could be used for robust and reliable connectivity for consumers.” CTIA, which represents the wireless carriers, [was not pleased](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110069394/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) with what it called an “eleventh-hour proposal to significantly expand the scope of this proceeding far beyond the FCC’s stated intent.” “SpaceX’s request would effectively tee up all bands, without regard to current uses, incumbent rights, or policy implications and would be far beyond the scope of the proceeding the public has been reviewing since the Draft NPRM was announced,” wrote **Michael Mullinix**, CTIA’s vice president of regulatory affairs. “It would unnecessarily generate a massive array of comments, would dilute the FCC’s intended focus, and most assuredly, would not be in the public interest.” ### RiverStreet Networks Loses Virginia Contracts After Numerous Delays URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/riverstreet-networks-loses-virginia-contracts-after-numerous-delays/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:13.000Z RiverStreet Networks has been removed from multiple broadband deployment projects by the [Virginia Broadband Office](https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/broadband?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) after years of delays, leaving the state scrambling to find a replacement suitor for projects intended to bring affordable Internet access to more than 30,000 rural customers across The Old Dominion state. The company was stripped of its state contracts after it repeatedly failed to meet deadlines and struggled to find additional funding needed to complete promised state deployments. Most of the state contracts heavily subsidized RiverStreet via the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) But state officials say RiverStreet repeatedly failed to deliver promised connectivity to counties all across the state. In Patrick, Henry, and Franklin counties, for example, RiverStreet was selected in 2022 and 2023 by the West Piedmont Planning District to bring fiber Internet access to 14,547 households. But according to local news outlet [*Cardinal News*](https://cardinalnews.org/2026/07/16/riverstreet-networks-removed-from-multiple-broadband-deployment-projects-in-rural-virginia-after-years-of-delays/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the ISP had delivered just 40 total connections across all three counties. “Well, it’s certainly been frustrating, and I have dedicated a tremendous amount of my time to this project,” Henry County Administrator **Dale Wagoner** told the outlet. “I’ve served as lead \[on the project\] since day one and the first grant application. It’s most frustrating for our residents who we’ve been promising broadband to for many years now.” According to Wagoner, officials from the [West VATI](https://dmz1.dhcd.virginia.gov/C4P/VATI?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), or Virginia Telecommunication Initiative project are collaborating with West Piedmont officials to secure a new ISP to take over deployment. The West VATI project was funded via a $33.5 million ARPA grant and $59.4 million in matching funds from Riverstreet and other government partners. The story is much the same for territories covered by the West Piedmont East VATI project, which covers Internet access expansion across Amelia, Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Nottoway, and Pittsylvania counties. There, RiverStreet had completed construction to only around 35 percent of the target area’s 27,997 potential subscribers. Elsewhere Riverstreet had completed just 4 percent of the promised deployments in Campbell County, and none of the promised connections in Nottoway and Dinwiddie counties. In Pittsylvania County, officials say Riverstreet provided broadband access to 854 of 2,105 total locations. The East VATI project was funded by an $87 million ARPA grant, and $65.4 million in match funds from RiverStreet and local governments. The Virginia state Department of Housing and Community Development says it’s working to reclaim unspent funding from Riverstreet and put it toward finishing the long-promised buildouts. The provider did not respond to a request for comment. ### *Numerous potential reasons for lagging deployments* **Doug Dawson**, a municipal broadband and telecommunications expert who consults with municipalities, stated numerous potential factors could have resulted in RiverStreet’s inability to meet state obligations. “I know they took on a huge number of projects in both Virginia and North Carolina, and they might have bitten off more than they can chew,” Dawson said. “On top of taking a lot of grant money, they’ve also bought several ISPs in the last few years.” Many other ISPs are simply struggling to fulfill deployment promises due to higher costs related to tariffs, the Iran war, inflation, or other economic conditions. “The other possibility is that they took on quite a few grants in the earliest days of ARPA and State grants and they might have found themselves being killed by costs that came in higher than they expected,” Dawson said. “It’s not hard to imagine them getting overextended because of increasing interest rates. I know a number of medium ISPs of their size who have scaled back simply due to interest costs.” In addition to losing its ARPA funding, RiverStreet may be looking at losing its $44 million share of the state’s $1.4 billion share of the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, made possible by the 2021 infrastructure bill. “We were essentially kept in the dark about their finances and their search for additional financing until really just a couple of months ago,” West Piedmont Planning District Commission executive director **Michael Armbrister** [told local news outlets](https://cardinalnews.org/2026/07/16/riverstreet-networks-removed-from-multiple-broadband-deployment-projects-in-rural-virginia-after-years-of-delays/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “Our goal all along has been to connect folks and give them access to broadband. That’s the reason that we jumped in and partnered with RiverStreet and the counties, was just to connect folks. That’s still our goal.” ***This article comes from the Community Broadband Networks Initiative of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, and was published on*** [***CommunityNets.org on August 5, 2026***](https://communitynetworks.org/content/riverstreet-networks-loses-virginia-contracts-after-numerous-delays?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***, and is reprinted with permission.*** ### Senate Commerce Advances Kids’ Online Safety Bills URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-commerce-advances-kids-online-safety-bills/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:18.000Z WASHINGTON, August 5, 2026 – The Senate Commerce Committee gave children’s online safety advocates plenty to celebrate Wednesday. The committee voted unanimously to advance the [*Kids Online Safety Act*](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1748/text?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) along with three other measures aimed at regulating how technology platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots interact with children and teens. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The committee reported KOSA favorably as amended by a substitute from Sen. **Marsha Blackburn**, R-Tenn., who told colleagues the bill now carries 75 Senate co-sponsors. KOSA, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Blackburn and Sen. **Richard Blumenthal**, D-Conn., would require covered online platforms to take reasonable measures to prevent and mitigate specified harms to users under 17, including risks related to suicide, eating disorders, sexual exploitation, bullying, substance abuse and addictive platform design. The bill would require platforms to provide minors with the most protective privacy and safety settings by default. ### *Contrast with House version of the measure* The bill passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support in 2024, winning a 91-3 vote, but later stalled in the House. Blackburn used Wednesday’s markup to draw a contrast with the [House version of KOSA](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/democratic-senators-oppose-weak-house-kids-online-safety-act/) passed by the House earlier this summer. “The Senate cannot and will not accept the version that the House passed earlier,” she said, calling it “toothless” and “a pale imitation” of the Senate’s approach. Sen. **Dan Sullivan**, R-Alaska, offered – then withdrew – an amendment to fold in his [*Ads for Mental Health Act*](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/414?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), requiring platforms to report annually to the Federal Trade Commission on mental health public service advertising provided. Two more bills cleared the committee without recorded objection: the [*CHATBOT Act*](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4407/text?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), sponsored by Committee Chair **Ted Cruz**, R-Texas, and Sen. **Brian Schatz**, D-Hawaii, as amended, would establish parental controls and privacy protections for minors using AI chatbots; and the [*Children’s Artificial Intelligence Toy Safety Act*](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5171/text?s=2&r=1&hl=s+5171&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), sponsored by Sen. **Tammy Duckworth**, D-Ill, would examine and address potential privacy and safety risks posed by AI-enabled toys marketed to children. The panel also advanced the [*Youth AI Privacy Act*](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4199?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), sponsored by Sen. **Ed Markey**, D-Mass., but not before a debate over how long AI chatbots should be allowed to retain minors’ personal information. As introduced, the bill would have directed the Federal Trade Commission to establish limits on how long AI chatbots could use a minor’s personal data to shape future responses. The committee’s substitute removed that FTC rulemaking authority and instead created a 30 day default retention limit, while allowing parents to extend the period through verifiable consent. Markey opposed a separate amendment that would have eliminated the 30 day cap, warning that it could allow chatbots to build effectively permanent memories of minors’ personal disclosures. “The 30-day limit is a reasonable guardrail against effectively having a permanent memory for minors,” he said. The committee ultimately adopted the substitute, preserving the cap. ### *Privacy advocates called the bill’s advance a win* Privacy advocates said they viewed the bill’s advancement as a win. The Electronic Privacy Information Center and more than a dozen coalition organizations urged the committee to support the measure in [a letter](https://epic.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Civil-Society-Support-for-Youth-AI-Privacy-Act%5F-Senate-Commerce-Letter.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Tuesday, citing provisions aimed at limiting manipulative chatbot design, restricting targeted advertising to minors, and protecting minors’ personal data from certain uses, including AI model training. Not all bills fared as well. The [*SCREEN Act*](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/737/text?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), from Sens. **Mike Lee** and **John Curtis**, R-Utah, failed to advance after the committee couldn’t reach quorum, with a 15-13 tally falling short despite four additional proxy votes. Ranking Member **Maria Cantwell**, D-Wash., said she could not support the legislation “as written today.” The Computer & Communications Industry Association, whose members include Google, Meta and Amazon, sent [a letter](https://ccianet.org/library/2026-08-04-fed-aff-ccia-concerns-kosa-yapa-chatbot/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to the committee ahead of the markup outlining opposition to several of the bills, including KOSA, the Youth AI Privacy Act, and CHATBOT Act. CCIA said it shares lawmakers’ goal of protecting young internet users but argued parents, using tools already available to them, should remain the primary drivers of their children’s online habits. The group warned that the bills under consideration would replace that parental discretion with “prescriptive federal mandates” built on standards it called vague and inconsistent, raising constitutional concerns, threatening to restrict lawful speech, and creating significant compliance burdens for digital services. ### Fifth Circuit Judges Probe USF Spending, Administrator URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fifth-circuit-judges-probe-usf-spending-administrator/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:18.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2026 – Judges probed the role of the $8 billion-per-year Universal Service Fund and its administrator Wednesday. Conservative nonprofit Consumers’ Research is challenging the Federal Communications Commission program again, after a defeat at the Supreme Court last year. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) USF supports building and maintaining rural broadband networks, plus voice and internet discounts for low-income households, schools, and healthcare centers. Taking up a dissent from Justice **Neil Gorsuch**, Consumers’ Research is arguing that two provisions of the law standing up the fund are invalid under the nondelegation doctrine, the idea that Congress can’t hand its powers to agencies without proper guardrails. A panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit heard oral arguments in New Orleans Wednesday Last year's 6-3 Supreme Court opinion said the rest of the law passed muster under that standard, effectively shielding much of the fund from being declared unconstitutional on those grounds. Chief Judge **Jennifer Walker Elrod** indicated Wednesday that she wasn’t eager to go down that road again with the provisions Consumers’ Research challenged. The Fifth Circuit found the entire fund violated the nondelegation doctrine before the Supreme Court reversed its decision last year. “The court was not taken with the nondelegation argument the last time,” she said. “Is it necessary for us to address that?” Still, she did ask FCC attorney **James Carr** how the 1996 Telecom Act limited the agency’s ability to raise money under the two provisions. They relate to “additional” and “advanced” services. Carr responded that the agency had to make sure any new service funded with USF money was “economically reasonable” and wouldn’t drive up the quarterly contribution factor. The program is funded by fees on interstate and international voice revenue — a shrinking pool that Congress is working to expand. Elrod asked whether that was enough, and whether the contribution factor should go down. The figure does sometimes decrease sequentially, but is at a record 38.8 percent for the third quarter of 2026. Carr said the fund spent money on maintaining networks and providing necessary gear for schools to outfit themselves with ubiquitous Wi-Fi, which kept expenditures roughly flat from year to year. **Joey Wender**, executive director of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, said the group was feeling confident after arguments. SHLB intervened on the FCC’s side. “I think the FCC and SHLB made a strong and convincing case that the Universal Service Fund is constitutional and essential,” he said in an interview. ### *USAC* Judges also asked attorneys about the role of the Universal Service Administrative Company. That’s the nonprofit the FCC set up to administer the fund. Consumers’ Research is arguing the FCC lacked the authority to create USAC and delegate power to its board. Judge **Andrew Oldham** pressed Carr on whether the FCC had ever adjusted a contribution factor proposed by USAC. Carr said that was only infrequent because USAC was simply doing math in line with the FCC’s policy, and the agency oversaw USAC’s process and cleared contribution factors before they were formally proposed. Oldham also wasn’t convinced there was explicit legal authority in the Telecom Act for the agency to stand up USAC. Carr said a 2021 law explicitly allowed USAC to administer two since-shuttered pandemic subsidies, and that Congress wouldn’t have done that if legislators had an issue with the nonprofit’s role. “It’s just hard to imagine. If Congress really thought there was some doubt about the creation of USAC,” he said, “why in the world would Congress pass statutes in 2021 allowing the FCC to expand the use of USAC?” The judge did not appear swayed. “It’s not our job to guess what they were thinking,” Oldham responded. “It’s only our job to read what they did.” ### Fiber Users More Likely to Engage With AI More, Analyst Finds URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fiber-users-more-likely-to-engage-with-ai-more-analyst-finds/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:18.000Z WASHINGTON, August 5, 2026 – Those with fiber are more likely to use artificial intelligence, especially for longer, more intense sessions, an industry analyst and a data surveyor emphasized in a webinar. Recon Analytics founder and analyst **Roger Etner** discussed recent survey findings around people’s perceptions and usage of AI in the Fiber for Breakfast webinar hosted by Fiber Broadband Association CEO **Gary Bolton** on Wednesday. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The pair said recent AI sessions on fiber networks are 50 percent more intensive than those on cable-industry co-axial networks. The number of questions asked of AI is heavily connected to internet connection quality, they said. “People on a fiber connection are moving so much data at such high speeds with low latency, and it's a more rewarding experience when you’re not waiting,” Etner explained, noting that better quality sessions lead to more interactive experiences with the technology. During a previous webinar [in May](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ai-boom-requires-quality-fiber-to-expand/), RVA CEO **Michael Render** also emphasized the importance of fiber in the expansion of AI, saying, “Fiber is foundational to this society and the disruption that we are facing.” Etner said that a quarter of Americans are using AI every day on their cellphone, engaging in lighter chatbot work, and engaging in more intensive work like video creation on laptops that provide stronger connections. Fiber creates a better setup for AI applications, helping users engage in heavier AI usage, he said. AI expansion has placed a huge demand on networks, creating shifts in network usage and requiring internet service providers to significantly upgrade metro networks. Etner said, “AI is driving such a dramatic amount of increase in data consumption, it is insane.” The shift in AI usage has also impacted how Americans view the technology, with 70 percent of Americans expressing one specific hope and one specific fear around AI. The main concern around AI is job security, with several Americans expressing concerns over job loss regardless of income, location and age. A recent survey from the Phoenix Center found that workers who use AI more are[ roughly 10 percentage points](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/workers-that-use-ai-are-more-concerned-it-will-take-over-jobs-phoenix-center-finds/) more likely to express concerns that AI is coming for their own jobs. “What we see is regardless of income, and what you do, the fears are universal. The hope is not, the more you use AI, the more hopeful you become,” said Etner. He noted that those who understand the technology are more hopeful because they see AI as a tool that they can use instead of a threat. ### BEAD Projects Could Require 86,000 Permits Nationwide, Analysts Say URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-projects-could-require-86-000-permits-nationwide-analysts-say/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2026 – Projects under the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program are likely to require at least 86,400 permits in all, and potentially many more, according to [a new report](https://broadbandexpanded.com/posts/beadpermitting?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com#fig-distribution) from New York Law School. The median terrestrial BEAD project will need something like 11 permits from eight different permitting authorities, and one in seven will require more than 20 permits, the law school’s Advanced Communications Law & Policy Institute estimates. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Nearly half of the total permits will come from federal entities, the group found, and 95 percent of projects will need at least one federal permit. State permits will be required from 76 percent of projects, municipal permits from 62 percent, and private railroad or utility rights-of-way from 71 percent. **Michael Santorelli**, director of ACLP, said the 86,400 figure was likely an undercount. The [group split](https://broadbandexpanded.com/files/data/bead/BEAD%20Permitting%20Analysis%20-%20July%202026.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) BEAD projects by county (they’re defined differently depending on the state) and counted each instance of project area’s locations being in or near mapping layers that indicate a permit. Those include federal land and wetland boundaries, railroads, and historical places, among others. That could lead to federal permits being counted more than once (for example, a single project stretching across two counties would only in practice need one federal permit), but Santorelli said the group controlled for that where it could. ACLP also only counted permits from counties and municipalities once, despite those authorities typically issuing more than one permit, Santorelli said. The group also focused on the served locations rather than fiber routes, which he said made it likely the various rights-of-way permits were undercounted too. “On net, the figures are very much a lower bound. It was never meant to be an engineering-grade study of any one build, just an illustration of the overall magnitude and distribution of permitting exposure nationally,” Santorelli said in an email. The analysis focused on the more than 2.9 million BEAD locations that will receive service from non-satellite ISPs. Satellite providers are simply required to send a dish to a user’s house, which won’t trigger a construction permit. ### *NTIA efforts* The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is managing BEAD at the federal level, has been working for years to reduce the permitting burden on program participants. The $42.45 billion program was set to have an even bigger focus on fiber under the Biden administration, and the agency foresaw a deluge of permits that all levels of government were ill-equipped to process quickly. The agency developed a digital tool for shepherding projects through the federal environmental and historical review process, and expanded a suite of exemptions to those rules that allow certain kinds of projects to be cleared without an intensive review. The tool appears to be working in some cases. In Louisiana, the state’s winners have largely cleared those federal reviews, and the [broadband office said](https://connect.la.gov/press-releases/louisiana-and-ntia-process-first-nepa-approvals-in-the-nation-clearing-path-for-bead-funded-construction?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the typically monthslong process was done in two days in some cases. That still leaves state and local permitting authorities, not to mention other federal land management agencies. NTIA has convened roundtables with states and other federal agencies, and is requiring states to convene their own stakeholder meetings and field complaints from ISPs. In the report, Santorelli and ACLP data analyst **Alex Karras** wrote that one additional option might be using remaining BEAD funds to boost local permitting capacity. More than half the program’s budget will be available for such “non-deployment” uses after Trump administration efforts to drive down project costs. “Municipalities that lack the resources to review and approve BEAD-related permits could benefit from a short-term infusion of funds to hire additional staff or outsource these functions,” they wrote. “States that have yet to do so could invest these funds in building digital tools to assist with BEAD deployments and future builds.” NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** has spoken positively about using non-deployment funds to ease permitting burdens. The agency is behind on producing guidance on how states can use those funds, and is now aiming to get that out this summer. ### Rebecca Stone: What ISPs Need to Know About ‘Work from Home’ Habits URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/rebecca-stone-what-isps-need-to-know-about-work-from-home-habits/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T15:25:20.000Z The home network is becoming more like a corporate information technology network. One of the main reasons is the explosive growth of remote work since the pandemic. Working from home is now a global phenomenon, but it can look completely different depending on which side of the Atlantic you're on. Aggregated network data from millions of subscriber households across the U.S. and Europe reveal that, although remote work is global, the underlying usage patterns differ dramatically: in session length, bandwidth intensity, application mix and the shape of the working day itself. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) For ISPs still planning capacity around a one-size-fits-all residential optimization model, the implications are significant. The home network is now business-critical infrastructure, and the data shows we need to treat it that way. ### *Same tools, different usage patterns* Business video conferencing is now a fixture of the working week on both sides of the Atlantic. In the U.S., nearly two in five households (38.78 percent) are conducting a business video call on any given workday. In Europe, the figure is 20.34 percent, one in five. Both markets are growing at roughly four percentage points year-on-year, with no sign of plateauing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/data-src-image-3838f3ac-5bbe-4e20-9d49-c4d458e30737.png) The application landscape for both markets is remarkably similar. Microsoft Teams and Zoom together account for approximately 77-78 percent of business video-conferencing households in both markets. But beneath that structural similarity, the split is instructive. Zoom carries a 13-percentage-point higher reach in the U.S. (58 percent versus 45 percent in Europe), while Teams is used more in European households (74 percent versus 67 percent). The picture shows two markets with the same applications but different institutional usage patterns: Europe leaning deeper into Microsoft's enterprise stack, and the U.S. retaining a stronger Zoom foothold. Neither is better or worse. They simply reflect the enterprise purchasing patterns and overarching IT governance strategies of each region. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/data-src-image-46eb475a-eb06-4f7f-a430-327591577746.png) ### *Europeans call less, consume more bandwidth* This is where the data becomes a bit surprising. European households make fewer video calls than their U.S. counterparts, but when they do, they stay on significantly longer and consume far more bandwidth. In Europe, the median Teams session runs 2.41 hours per household per month, 69 percent above the U.S. equivalent of 1.43 hours. That is not a marginal difference. It points to a structurally different meeting culture: fewer, longer, more substantive sessions versus the shorter, higher-frequency check-ins that tend to characterize the U.S. workforce. Bandwidth confirms the pattern. European Teams households consume 2.14 times as much bandwidth per month as their U.S. counterparts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/data-src-image-0c0ef413-7311-460d-8297-d875d565ab1c.png) ### *Cultural norms shape the work day* The working-hours data adds context to the cultural differences. In the U.S., the active window for business video calls runs from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm local time. In Europe, that window is smaller: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Both markets peak in per-household intensity between 10:00 and 11:00 am. The midday pattern is equally telling. European households show a pronounced two-hour dip in call volume at lunchtime, which is approximately 20 percent below the morning peak. The U.S. equivalent is lower at around 10 to 15 percent, and compressed into about one hour. European working cultures have historically placed a greater emphasis on protected hours and defined breaks. What we are seeing is that cultural norm expressed at the network level. ### *What this should tell the industry* These findings should have direct implications for how service providers approach network planning, subscriber experience and commercial messaging. First, a single global network optimization model is insufficient when usage patterns differ this sharply by region. European households need different Quality of Experience (QoE) parameters than U.S. households. They need different peak-time provisioning, different session-length assumptions, different bandwidth profiles. One-size-fits-all capacity planning will underserve one market or the other. Second, application-layer visibility is becoming table stakes. An operator who sees only aggregate household throughput can't distinguish between a home streaming a movie and a home running a six-person Enterprise Teams call with screen sharing. The bandwidth may look similar, but the consequences of degradation are entirely different. When a work call drops, it is not a minor inconvenience. It is a potential point of failure the subscriber will attribute to their provider. Third, the definition of "working from home" is itself expanding. Video conferencing may be the most visible workload, but it is no longer the only one. Autonomous AI agents or Large Language Model (LLM)-powered tools that research, draft, summarize and execute tasks in the background are rapidly becoming part of the professional workflow inside the home. These agents run in parallel with a video call, not instead of one, adding persistent, session-based demand that looks nothing like traditional browsing or streaming. The home network is becoming a workplace not just for the person on camera, but for the AI tools working alongside them. This creates a meaningful opportunity for service providers to reframe their value proposition. The conversation can move beyond speed tiers and into an *ideal work-from-home configuration*: a home network optimized not only for a Zoom or Teams call but also for everything running concurrently. That is a message with genuine commercial resonance for the growing segment of subscribers whose livelihoods depend on their residential connection. The ISP that treats the home network as business-critical infrastructure, optimizes it for customized usage patterns and effectively communicates that value proposition to end users will win the subscriber confidence and Quality of Experience battle. *This analysis is based on anonymized, aggregated network data from U.S. and European deployments, covering January 2025 to May 2026\. Penetration rates reflect daily averages across active households. Session time uses median values. All cross-market comparisons are per-household normalized.* ***Rebecca Stone is Chief Customer and Marketing Officer at Plume, a global SaaS platform delivering AI-native network intelligence that powers connected experiences for 450-plus ISPs across 58 countries. Ms. Stone is responsible for overseeing the complete customer lifecycle, from brand awareness and market positioning through onboarding, adoption and retention. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Elon Musk's Message to Rival ISPs – More Pain on the Way URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/elon-musks-message-to-rival-isps-more-pain-on-the-way/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T13:08:20.000Z 💡 ■ Cal Advocates Urges CPUC to Approve Charter-Cox Merger ■ ITIF Analysts: FCC Should Phase Out the $4.5 Billion High Cost Fund ■ NTCA Lawyer Tells FCC That Availability of Starlink Does Not Mean a Location is Adequately Served ■ Break Glass Moment: TV Station Owner Scripps Cuts Nearly 6% of its Workforce ■ NCTA Points to Research Showing Set-Tops Are More Energy Efficient ■ Fischer Puts $100 Million in Senate Bill to Improve Broadband on Farms ■ Texas Comptroller Orders Internal Review, Though Not Clear If BEAD Related ■ Archtop Fiber Launches Fiber Service to 1,500 in Sand Lake, N.Y. ■ Senate-Passed Husted Bill Would Require FCC to Form Team Targeting Foreign Robocalls ■ Free State Foundation Senior Fellow Andrew Long Praises FCC’s New Broadband Labels ■ People: John Hinshaw Named to Lumen Board ■ Digital Bridge Group Did Not Reveal WOW! Performance Figures LEO: SpaceX CEO **Elon Musk** had a simple message for his broadband rivals: More pain is on the way. “It’s not out of the question that at some point, Starlink will deliver a majority of the world’s Internet,” Musk said on an Aug. 4 earnings call with Wall Street analysts. Musk’s comments came a day after Hughes Satellite Systems Corp. filed for bankruptcy, citing withering competition from Starlink. Musk’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite Internet access service added 1.7 million subscribers globally in the second quarter, up from 1.3 million in the prior quarter, to end with 12 million. Musk did not break out U.S. net adds, but it’s likely the U.S. customer count rose by at least 10%. The massive Starship rocket – with its payload of V3 satellites far more powerful than the current generation – is the source of SpaceX’s growth and strength in the broadband arena. “We expect the cadence of flights to be increasing rapidly, and probably a year from now, we will be doing at least one flight a day, possibly more,” Musk said. The impact of the V3 satellites will take some time. “We’d need some critical mass of V3 satellites, probably at least on the order of about 1,000\. Probably that’s approximately second quarter next year would be, I think, where we’d get to that point.” Starship can deliver about 60 V3s per mission. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Kl4o!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F66611631-d3f0-4940-bd44-c7ed53683605_570x342.png) SpaceX CEO Elon Musk _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### SpaceX Planning Terrestrial Deployments to Support Direct-to-Device URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-planning-terrestrial-deployments-to-support-direct-to-device/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:22.000Z WASHINGTON, AUG. 4, 2026 – SpaceX reported 12 million consumer Starlink subscribers at the end of the second quarter, slightly below analyst expectations. The metric increased by 1.7 million from the previous quarter and doubled over the course of the year. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The rocket company released its first quarterly report as a public company Tuesday afternoon. Its stock fell more than 7 percent in after-market trading. Average revenue per user (ARPU) was $66, the same as the previous quarter and down from $85 a year ago. **Bret Johnsen**, SpaceX’s CFO, said that as Starlink continued to roll out globally ARPU might be pushed down due to local offers. The company expected enough new subscribers would sign on that revenue would still increase. Connectivity was SpaceX’s only profitable segment, posting $1.66 billion in operating income. The company did not disclose revenues or other metrics related to its nascent direct-to-device business. The company was awarded $6 billion in government contracts in the quarter, which Chief Operating Officer **Gwynne Shotwell** said were “beginnings of additional capacity that we will bring online.” The space unit, focused on developing and launching rockets, had $542 million in operating losses, and the AI division lost $1.26 billion. Overall, the company reported $7.8 billion in revenues, ahead of expectations, and a net loss of $541 million. That’s down from $1 billion in net losses the same time last year. ### *Direct-to-device* Shotwell said the company expected to build out terrestrial infrastructure to support its direct-to-device service. “We definitely intend to build out terrestrial components,” she said. She and Musk described deploying Starlink dishes using the spectrum across the country, rather than larger radios. “We feel reasonably confident that we can deploy a large number of small stations — they’re essentially just Starlink dishes that also provide connectivity in the mobile spectrum bands — and have them be all over the place,” Musk said. The wireless industry, along with [industry analysts](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-buoyed-by-launch-dominance-but-starlink-mobiles-future-unclear-analysts-say/), has repeatedly cast direct-to-device as a complement to terrestrial networks rather than a direct threat. Carrier and tower executives have cited SpaceX’s comparatively scant spectrum resources and the brutal physics of serving dense areas with signals from space. Still, Shotwell said that SpaceX had ambitions to take some market share from the major wireless carriers. “I anticipate us to be able to acquire quite a few of their customers, because I think our service will be better,” she said. ### *Starship* CEO **Elon Musk** said on the company’s earnings call that the company’s next test launch of its Starship rocket, set for later this month, would for the first time deliver Starlink V3 satellites into operational orbit. Assuming the company gets regulatory approvals, the plan is to catch the Starship unit after that next launch, rather than have it splash down into the ocean. Catching the rocket out of the air is important for the company’s plans of reusability. SpaceX says those V3 satellites have 10 times the downlink capacity of its V2 satellites and expects them to provide a big performance and capacity boost. A Starship [test last month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-logs-thirteenth-starship-launch-first-starlink-v3-test/) took 20 V3 satellites into orbit, but they were only used to do some tests before being sent to burn up in the atmosphere. Launching large Starlink V3 and next-generation direct-to-device constellations will require the massive Starship rocket to become reusable. SpaceX is aiming to accomplish that this year, but MoffettNathanson analysts have put it [further in the future](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-logs-thirteenth-starship-launch-first-starlink-v3-test/). Musk said the Starship unit launched last month was still floating in the ocean after it landed. The company has retrieved it yet, but based on data from the rocket he said he considered the longstanding problem of withstanding the immense heat of reentering the atmosphere “solved.” ### Tower Companies Optimistic Amid Spectrum Auctions, Potential AI Deployments URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tower-companies-optimistic-amid-spectrum-auctions-potential-ai-deployments/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:22.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2026 – Big tower companies are feeling good about the future. On earnings calls in recent weeks, executives pointed to the government’s plan to auction spectrum in the coming years and the potential for AI companies to deploy computing gear on their infrastructure. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) They were also not nervous about direct-to-device satellite service reducing demand for terrestrial wireless networks. Crown Castle, American Tower, and SBA Communications each reported results in line with or exceeding analyst expectations. As of Tuesday afternoon, each company’s stock was up since its earnings call. ### *Spectrum, densification* SBA CEO **Brendan Cavanagh** noted the Federal Communications Commission is set to auction 160 megahertz of upper C-band spectrum next year. Those licenses will come with deployment deadlines that, while loosened after carrier pushback, are still aggressive. The FCC also wants to hold an auction in the 2.7 GigaHertz (GHz) band in 2028\. That spectrum is among four federal bands the government is studying with the aim of allowing commercial use. “This will, of course, be good for SBA,” Cavanagh said on the company’s earnings call Monday. “We expect to see incremental equipment deployed at our sites, driving organic growth for years to come.” **Steven Vondran**, CEO of American Tower, said that both further 5G deployments and the 6G transition, which will allow the use of new and higher frequency spectrum, would require denser radio deployments. “Based on our discussions with carrier customers, supporting future traffic growth will require meaningful network densification, creating additional opportunities across our portfolio,” he said on the company’s July 28 earnings call. Still, analysts at MoffettNathanson cautioned that those boons would be years away. “The pipeline of catalysts that might drive upside isn’t as robust as one might like. The Upper C-band auction is scheduled for next summer, but the spectrum won’t be available for deployments for several years thereafter,” analyst **Nick Del Deo** wrote in a Monday investor note. “6G is years away, and there doesn’t seem to be much enthusiasm from the carriers after 5G failed to contribute to their economics like they hoped.” ### *AI* Cavanagh said SBA had been talking with multiple companies potentially interested in attaching computing gear to its towers. The idea would be to locate what are effectively mini data centers at tower sites. “We are talking to a number of parties who have an interest in this more disaggregated approach to compute, and specifically to spread out the usage of power,” he said. “Those types of things that I think present challenges in the existing more centralized or hyperscale data center structure.” **Chris Hillabrant**, CEO of Crown Castle, said the company was involved in multiple trials of the same arrangement. He said that there could be more demand going forward as large data centers faced permitting and power capacity delays. Del Deo was skeptical. He wrote that even a small amount of additional power at each of Crown Castle’s 40,000 towers could drain an extra 1 percent of the entire U.S.’s annual consumption. That could still be disruptive, he wrote, and customers might not always be comfortable leaving expensive equipment on the ground at tower sites. “While an interesting angle and one that would be incremental to the business, we remain skeptical about the viability of this sort of concept at scale,” he wrote. ### *Satellite* All three CEOs said they weren’t worried that SpaceX’s direct-to-device service would obviate the need for their infrastructure. The satellite company is expected to make an effort to take share in the U.S. wireless market. Hillabrant laid out arguments from two reports on the issue the Wireless Infrastructure Association recently commissioned. He said that the challenging physics of sending signals to and from space made it all but impossible for satellite direct-to-device to serve dense areas that terrestrial cell networks covered with ease. He said that SpaceX and others planning to compete with the company would need terrestrial network components to truly mimic a mobile carrier, which tower companies like Crown Castle would benefit from. It wasn’t clear what satellite companies’ long-term plans were, he said, and added that Crown Castle hadn’t seen any change in radio deployments so far. Cavanagh said SBA had been in talks with more than one satellite company about deploying terrestrial gear, potentially either radios or ground stations, to complement their direct-to-device services. He said that “in the coming year or two” the company would have more to share, and that tower companies stood to benefit from satellite companies inevitably requiring terrestrial equipment to support their service. “We of course agree but are highly skeptical this is even a real thing,” New Street Research analyst **David Barden** wrote in an investor note. “We continue to believe that the fears of LEOs disintermediating towers are overblown and while there remains some potential for it to happen in ultra-rural areas there is also the potential for increased demand for terrestrial infrastructure (for back-up to fiber, etc.).” ### *Dish issue* Each of the three companies are suing Dish Wireless for what they say are improperly unpaid bills. Dish's parent company, EchoStar, sold many of its spectrum licenses and is turning down its network. Dish is bankrupt, and as part of that proceeding is arguing the tower companies’ claims — which range from multiple billions to hundreds of millions — are capped at 15 percent of what they say they’re owed. Hillabrant and Cavanagh said they disagree with that. Crown Castle is seeking the most damages at $3.5 billion. ### John Doyle: The FCC’s New ID Rule is a Gift to America’s Adversaries URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/john-doyle-the-fccs-new-id-rule-is-a-gift-to-americas-adversaries/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T17:45:34.000Z In August 2024, **Ping Li**, a long-time Verizon employee, pleaded guilty to sending the name, residential address, and other biographical information of Chinese dissidents and other targets of interest to the Chinese government. This case reinforced longstanding concerns about Chinese espionage targeting US telecoms, and the intelligence value of personal information held by them. The personal information shared by Li with his Beijing handlers, incidentally, is the same that a new[ proposed FCC rule](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/26/2026-10407/enhancing-know-your-customer-requirements?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) would require US telecom providers to collect from all of their customers. The goal of the rule is to combat spam by imposing more rigorous “know-your-customer” requirements, like obligating phone companies to get and store copies of their customers’ government-issued ID for four years in order to deter spammers and make it easier to hold criminal actors accountable. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) However, an unintended side effect of this rule would be to further enrich a comprehensive, whole-of-population dataset–one that our adversaries have already infiltrated. Mere months after Li’s arrest, reports emerged that Salt Typhoon, a Chinese government-sponsored hacking group, compromised all of the major U.S. telecom carriers and targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate **Donald Trump** and running mate **JD Vance**, as well as staff of the **Kamala Harris** campaign. Salt Typhoon also infiltrated federal wiretap systems, giving Beijing an extraordinary view of who the US government was investigating. We’ve known for years that Chinese security agencies viewed US telecoms as a prime target (that was part of what motivated me to found a security-focused telecom carrier), and it’s no wonder why–almost every adult in the United States carries a smartphone with them, which leaves a metadata trail of everywhere we’ve ever been, and every friend or bank or medical office we’ve ever called or texted, going back years and years. Telecom security, meanwhile, is stuck in the Dark Ages, a Byzantine mishmash of decades of mergers and acquisitions. Access to poorly guarded telecom data allows Beijing to stake out “intelligence high ground.” The FCC reasons that banks also require an ID for you to open an account–so why not adopt the same rules for phone numbers, which can be abused by bad actors in the same way a terrorist or drug trafficker could leverage access to the financial system? But this comparison breaks down when you examine the differences in how bank accounts and phone numbers are used and the incentives their providers have for keeping them secure. Banks can observe your activity at specific points in time, whereas the nature of cell phone service requires passive collection of data at all times, even when you’re not actively using it, making the personal privacy and surveillance implications of phone data far more consequential. Banks also shoulder direct financial liability for a data breach that results in stolen customer funds, whereas the major telecom carriers have managed to breach an astounding[ 400 million individual records](https://www.nonationalphoneregistry.com/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) in the last five years, with nary a blink of an eye by markets or regulators. To put it plainly, our telecom networks are sitting ducks, China is still in them ([the FBI](https://cyberscoop.com/fbi-salt-typhoon-ongoing-threat-cybertalks-2026/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) calls the Salt Typhoon hack “still very much ongoing”), and the new FCC rule proposes to permanently link telecoms’ comprehensive behavioral data with real identities. Aggregating subscriber identities into centralized databases creates "digital crown jewels" that allow Beijing and others to replace complex intelligence gathering and correlation with simple, high-impact queries. Beyond national security, the rule threatens the safety of individual citizens. At least half a dozen domestic violence organizations have submitted comments to the FCC, noting that survivors often can’t produce the identity documents or stable physical addresses that the rule demands, and that creating long-lived repositories of survivors’ information puts them in further danger at the hands of abusers and stalkers. The[ ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation](https://www.eff.org/files/2026/06/25/2026.06.25%5Ffcc%5Fkyc%5Fjoint%5Fcomment.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) have noted that anonymous phone lines give people the courage to reach out to suicide, sexual assault, and addiction-recovery resources, and argue that the rule would build a database of personal information that would become “too lucrative for cybercriminals to ignore.” There’s no evidence that stricter KYC rules mitigate spam (the correlation between countries’ know-your-customer rules and their spam intensity is[ zero](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26109929904/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)), while there’s ample recent, real-world proof that any information that your mobile carrier collects can be breached. Even Taylor Swift has seen that if you tie your identity to your phone service, someone–like[ this Verizon employee](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/verizon-employee-fired-taylor-swift-account-1784132?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)–may try to access your data. Americans, unlike residents of many other countries, have long had the option of being able to sign up for a phone line without presenting personal information or an ID. This option to communicate without being catalogued helps rather than harms our safety and security. We should defend this right both as a feature of a free society and as an imperative for national security. ***John Doyle is CEO and founder of Cape, a privacy-first mobile carrier, and former head of Palantir’s national security business and an Army Green Beret veteran. He’s previously written op-eds for***[ ***The Hill***](https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/5360873-signalgate-cellar-network-vulnerabilities/amp/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***,***[ ***Fast Company***](https://www.fastcompany.com/91165720/your-phone-is-a-hackers-dream-this-is-what-happens-next?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***, and the***[ ***Federal News Network***](https://federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2026/01/china-hacked-our-mobile-carriers-so-why-is-the-pentagon-still-buying-from-them/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***. He’s***[ ***testified before Congress***](https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-receive-testimony-on-threats-and-challenges-posed-to-department-of-defense-personnel-and-operations-from-adversarial-access-to-publicly-available-data-coupled-with-advanced-data-analysis-tools-now-widely-available-on-the-commercial-market?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) ***on telecom and national security, and been an expert commentator for The Washington Post, 404 Media, Nasdaq, Cybernews, and more. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### New Mexico Launches Rulemaking for Broadband Affordability Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-mexico-launches-rulemaking-for-broadband-affordability-program/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:27.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2026 – New Mexico regulators launched rulemaking for what state officials call the nation’s first direct replacement for the Affordable Connectivity Program. The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission opened [a formal rulemaking](https://connect.nm.gov/uploads/1/4/1/9/141989814/order%5Fissuing%5Fnotice%5Fof%5Fproposed%5Frulemaking.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for a statewide broadband affordability program that will offer eligible households monthly internet discounts of up to $30, or up to $70 on Tribal lands, once applications open Dec. 1. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The Low-Income Telecommunications Assistance Program, being administered jointly by the Public Regulatory Commission (PRC) and the state’s Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE), is expected to benefit about 27,000 households in its first year, with the potential to reach more than 100,000 over time. Stemming from [Senate Bill 152](https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/26%20Regular/final/SB0152.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), which Gov. **Michelle Lujan Grisham** signed into law in March, and which took effect July 1, the new broadband affordability law authorizes $10 million in broadband funding to specifically assist low-income families with affording high-speed internet. The money comes from the State Rural Universal Service Fund which is administered by the PRC. After the first year, the PRC may approve up to $45 million to offer broadband subsidies. Under the proposed rules, state-approved internet providers will inform customers about available discounts and verify their income eligibility through a federal database. Once confirmed, providers apply the savings directly to the customer’s bill and seek reimbursement from the state fund. “This program will help address affordability challenges faced by New Mexico families,” OBAE Director **Jeff Lopez** said in [a statement](https://mailchi.mp/b7737715c0c9/press-release-nmprc-proposes-rules-for-statewide-broadband-affordability-program?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), adding that the goal extends beyond building infrastructure to “make this vital infrastructure affordable to all New Mexicans.” Key stakeholders are invited to review the proposed rules and share their feedback. Written comments may be submitted through September 11\. The rulemaking record closes Oct. 6, and the commission must finalize the rules by Jan. 1, 2027. ### *States fill the ACP void* OBAE says New Mexico is the first state to build its own direct replacement for the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. Created by Congress in 2021, the program provided eligible households up to $30 a month toward broadband service, or up to $75 on Tribal lands, before lawmakers allowed the program to lapse in 2024 after funding ran out. An analysis by the Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative, using Federal Communications Commission data, found New Mexico had 160,785 households enrolled in the ACP, a 38 percent enrollment rate, and the third-highest enrollment rate among the nation’s 10 poorest states, behind only Louisiana (46%) and Kentucky (43%). More than two years after Congress let the Affordable Connectivity Program lapse, a handful of states have moved to build their own broadband affordability programs intended to supplement the program. California launched [its LifeLine Home Broadband Pilot](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/with-acp-gone-california-turns-to-lifeline-for-broadband-relief/) in January, offering eligible households up to $30 a month toward home internet service, matching the ACP’s standard benefit level. Under legislation passed in June 2025, Oregon enhanced its Lifeline benefit to provide up to roughly $24 to $25 a month, layered on top of the federal Lifeline discount. The Oregon program also includes a one-time $100 device discount. ### *New York and Connecticut model differs* New York and Connecticut have opted for a different model. Both states require large internet service providers operating within their borders to offer qualifying households low-cost broadband plans. New York’s Affordable Broadband Act, adopted in 2021, predates the ACP’s creation but only became enforceable after [a prolonged legal challenge](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/supreme-court-still-wont-review-n-y-affordable-broadband-act/) from industry groups. The bill requires providers to offer plans in the $15 to $20 a month range. Connecticut’s broadband affordability law requires internet providers to offer broadband plans [capped at $40 per month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/connecticut-law-to-require-affordable-broadband-for-eligible-households/) for eligible households. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026. Industry trade groups including CTIA, NCTA and USTelecom have repeatedly challenged state low-cost broadband mandates. Courts, including the Supreme Court, have [so far declined to](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/supreme-court-refuses-to-disturb-n-y-low-income-broadband-rate-law/) block states’ authority to enact them. Several other states have bills in progress but have not yet enacted or launched programs. Illinois state Sen. **Rachel Ventura**, D-Joliet, introduced Senate Bill 3612 [in February](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/illinois-bill-seeks-broadband-price-caps-for-low-income-customers/), which would cap broadband prices for qualifying low-income households at $15 a month for 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) service or $20 a month for plans of at least 200 Mbps. The bill remains in the Senate Energy Committee since the general assembly wrapped its regular spring legislative session on June 1, still awaiting a hearing. Maryland lawmakers also introduced affordability-focused broadband legislation this session. The bill [was heard February 26](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0571?ys=2026RS&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and hasn’t moved since. ### Commerce Working on New Round of Digital Equity Act Funding URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/commerce-working-on-new-round-of-digital-equity-act-funding/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:27.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2026 – The Commerce Department is preparing a new round of Digital Equity Act funding, the agency told a federal judge Monday. The agency said in [a status report](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.285702/gov.uscourts.dcd.285702.61.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) it was working on a new notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) under the Digital Equity Competitive Grant program, a $1.25 billion program that supported broadband adoption efforts by nonprofits and local governments. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Applicants should be able to seek funding in December 2026, according to the agency. “Although DOC fully intends to meet this deadline, unforeseen variables could occur, as with any grantmaking process,” wrote **Brett Shumate**, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s civil division. The Commerce Department [canceled most of](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/judge-expects-trump-administration-to-reinstate-digital-equity-funding/) its Digital Equity Act funding last year, aside from a $250 million portion for [Tribal entities](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ntia-extends-tribal-broadband-grant-deadlines-following-chickasaw-nation-visit/). The day prior, President **Donald Trump** posted on his Truth Social platform that he and Commerce Secretary **Howard Lutnick** considered the law’s programs “a RACIST and ILLEGAL $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR giveaway” that he was ending “IMMEDIATELY.” The law provided $2.75 billion in total, mostly the competitive program and a similar $1.44 billion program aimed at state governments. It supported projects aimed at increasing broadband adoption, like digital skills training and device subsidies. Under the law, those projects should have been targeted at “covered populations” in which broadband adoption is below average. That included the elderly, veterans, low-income households, and racial minorities, among others. The National Digital Inclusion Alliance, a nonprofit that won funding under the competitive program, sued to have the funding reinstated. Last month U.S. District Judge **John Bates** said he agreed with the Trump administration that the provision directing funding at racial minority communities was unconstitutional race-based discrimination. He struck that provision, saying that he expected the competitive program to be reinstated. Still, NDIA said in the status report that it was debating how to proceed. The organization disagreed that the provision Bates struck was unconstitutional. The Commerce Department told NDIA about the new NOFO in a Monday, July 27 meeting, the status update said. NDIA “is still evaluating” Commerce’s “proposed timeline for the revised NOFO and proposed stay and respectfully requests additional time to confer with its attorneys on a position,” the document read. The group asked for an extra two weeks to file another update with Bates that would lay out a path forward. ### FCC's E-Rate Program Splits Markey, Moulton in Their Second TV Primary Debate URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fccs-e-rate-program-splits-markey-moulton-in-their-second-tv-primary-debate/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T13:16:10.000Z 💡 ■ Moffett Reminder: The Name Cox Communications Stays after Close of Charter Deal Later This Month ■ Hammered by Starlink, Hughes Files for Bankruptcy in a Possible Warning to Earth-Based ISPs with Slow Speeds, High Costs ■ Washington State Regulators Say Starlink Not a Justification for Sunsetting FCC’s $4.5 Billion High Cost Fund ■ Analyst Roslyn Layton Supports Lifting 39% Cap to Give TV Stations Freedom to Innovate ■ The Hammer (a/k/a former GOP Rep. Tom Delay) Says FCC Can’t Lift 39% Cap ■ KeyBanc’s Nispel Concerned about Cable One’s Cost to Finance MBI Deal ■ Report: Hawaii’s 450-Mile Subsea Fiber Project Making Progress ■ FCC Bureau OKs TDS-Granite State Merger in New Hampshire ■ Heinrich Bill Requires FERC To Set Clear Rules for Large New Electricity Users E-Rate: A political fight broke out last night in Massachusetts over a multibillion-dollar FCC program. One of Sen. **Edward Markey’s** proudest achievements is the E-Rate, the FCC’s $2.4 billion annual budget to connect schools and libraries to the Internet. In [a one-hour debate](https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/mass-us-senate-debate-live-video-updates-dems-ed-markey-seth-moulton-face-off-boston-25/FYM62B2CLBFLLA7ZUYZCA6J4DA/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last night at the Dedham studio of Fox affiliate Boston 25, Democrat Markey’s Senate primary opponent – Massachusetts Democratic Rep. **Seth Moulton** – tried to turn E-Rate into a Markey liability, stemming from problems associated with kids’ excessive screen time and unrestricted access to harmful content. “A good model is not what the Congress did with the \[1996\] telecom bill that the Senator is so proud of,” Moulton said. “As a father of two little girls, I frankly dread the time when they become teenagers and get on social media. That should be the lesson of what not to do. We need to protect our kids.” ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WPZh!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1cde9940-879d-4c2c-afc4-997b92e45673_1764x995.png) From left: Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) debating Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass) last night in the Dedham, Mass., studios of Fox affiliate Boston 25. _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### FTC Inquiry into AI ‘Ideological Bias’ Draws First Amendment Objections URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ftc-inquiry-into-ai-ideological-bias-draws-first-amendment-objections/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:27.000Z WASHINGTON, August 3, 2026 – Opponents of a Federal Trade Commission proposal that would treat certain artificial intelligence outputs as potentially deceptive under consumer protection law argue the effort amounts to unconstitutional speech regulation. FTC Chairman **Andrew Ferguson** issued the [proposed policy statement](https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc%5Fgov/pdf/ai-policy-statement%5F0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on July 1, saying [the commission wanted to hear](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/07/ftc-seeks-public-comment-policy-statement-addressing-ai-accuracy?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) from businesses and consumers about their experiences with “the suppression of accuracy” in artificial intelligence systems, including “the subversion of AI systems for ideological ends.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The proposal was issued pursuant to [executive order 14365](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/16/2025-23092/ensuring-a-national-policy-framework-for-artificial-intelligence?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), signed by Trump in December 2025, which directed the FTC to issue a policy statement to clarify how Section 5 of the FTC Act applies to AI models, and whether state laws requiring alterations to AI outputs might conflict with federal law. The EO specifically names Colorado’s revised Artificial Intelligence Act, arguing state requirements “banning algorithmic discrimination may even force AI models to produce false results in order to avoid a differential treatment or impact on protected groups.” The FTC inquiry reprises a similar argument against state laws that may interpose objectives, “such as so-called ‘equity.’” The [public comment](https://www.ftc.gov/policy/public-comments/policy-statement-concerning-suppression-accuracy-artificial-intelligence-systems?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) period on the matter closed Friday. Free Press, a nonprofit media advocacy organization, argued the FTC is exceeding its statutory authority and violating the First Amendment by attempting to police “ideological” AI content under a statute meant to address false advertising. **Shilpa Jindia**, the group’s policy counsel, [said the FTC is](https://www.freepress.net/news/ftcs-artificial-intelligence-policy-statement-latest-white-house-effort-distort-law-and-censor?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) trying to “anoint itself judge and jury over AI content.” Jindia argued the proposal would let the government “unconstitutionally suppress certain viewpoints and elevate others” while doing nothing to address discriminatory outputs affecting protected classes. Multiple stakeholders, including the trade lawyers’ group, the American Association for Justice, urged the FTC to withdraw the policy statement. AAJ President **John Bey** argued the policy wrongly suggests that it can preempt state law, noting that state law has been the only avenue for Americans harmed by AI to seek accountability. **Ben Winters**, director of AI and privacy, at the Consumer Federation of America, also [challenged the preemption](https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FTC-2026-0859-0226?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) theory on similar grounds to other critics, noting the FTC Act contains no express preemption provision and arguing that only Congress, not a non-binding agency policy statement, has authority to override state law. Winters pointed to repeated congressional failures to pass similar AI preemption measures as evidence the approach lacks support. “It’s unpopular, unreasonable, and the last thing we should be doing on AI right now,” he argued. Writing for the libertarian-leaning [R Street Institute](https://www.rstreet.org/outreach/r-street-comment-on-ftc-policy-statement-addressing-ai-accuracy/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), resident senior fellows **Spence Purnell** and **Adam Thierer**, argued the FTC’s approach to ideological content went too far. “The FTC’s proposed policy statement potentially opens a real Pandora’s Box of problems in the way the government regulates how AI companies ‘may be manipulating the behavior of their AI systems contrary to reasonable consumer expectations for objectivity and accuracy,’” the group wrote. The FTC statement is one of several preemption focused actions set in motion by executive order 14365\. The order also directed the Justice Department to [establish an AI litigation task force](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/doj-launches-task-force-to-challenge-state-ai-regulations/) within 30 days, its sole responsibility being to challenge state AI laws inconsistent with new policy. It separately directed the Federal Communications Commission to initiate a proceeding on whether to adopt a federal reporting and disclosure standard for AI models that preempts conflicting state laws. ### Virginia Moves Forward on BEAD Contracts URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/virginia-moves-forward-on-bead-contracts/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:33.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2026 – Virginia’s broadband office is moving forward on ISP grant agreements under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The state has signed agreements with 19 providers so far, and the broadband office said the remaining three would sign their papers by Aug. 16. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Virginia is looking to spend more than $545 million to get service to about 85,000 homes and businesses. Based on data the state submitted to the Commerce Department, the signed contracts cover about 64,000 locations. Providers can now start necessary environmental review work, the broadband office said in an email. ISPs that finalized their awards include SpaceX, Verizon, Breezeline, and Brightspeed, among local providers and phone cooperatives. The three that were held up were Amazon, Comcast, and All Points Broadband. That’s because one ISP, Wi-Fiber, balked and declined to sign a grant agreement for the 1,800 locations it had won. Amazon, Comcast, and All Points are each taking some of Wi-Fiber’s locations, a broadband office spokesperson said in an email, which delayed the signing. Nationwide, projects under the $42.45 billion BEAD program are just beginning to [get off the ground](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-bead-plan-approved/). States are still [hammering out](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/minnesotas-first-bead-contract-lands/) agreements with ISPs, who then have to navigate permitting and environmental reviews. Virginia is looking to get fiber to about 80 percent of its locations, satellite to 13 percent, cable to 6 percent, and fixed wireless to 1 percent. It was allocated nearly $1.5 billion under BEAD, but the Trump administration has made an effort to reduce deployment costs. SpaceX told state broadband offices earlier this year that it could be “untenable” for satellite operators (itself and Amazon) to participate in BEAD without being exempted from certain rules. That was publicly shot down by Commerce Secretary **Howard Lutnick**, but SpaceX has since signed grant agreements with several states. Amazon has finalized at least one deal, but backed out of two others. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is managing BEAD at the federal level, last month [asked states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite-bead-awards-to-be-reduced/) to reduce the locations they awarded to satellite providers. The agency cited new federal maps showing expanded rural coverage or misidentified buildings. That could require amending existing contracts if they’ve already been signed. Analysts at MoffettNathanson predict there will be [some defaults](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-participants-could-face-tough-finances-moffett/) down the line in BEAD’s fiber builds. The eligible locations are all extremely rural, they wrote last week, and increases in cost could quickly make projects unviable. NTIA has said it’s working to mitigate defaults. NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** [told lawmakers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/) in June that a little over 1 percent, or 40,000, of BEAD’s roughly 4 million locations were affected by providers backing out of awards. “I think that’s to be expected in a program this size,” she said. “We planned and we have a process in place to ensure that areas that are subject to changes get served.” She said NTIA was working with states to find backup plans for “about a dozen” states in which providers had refused BEAD awards. ### Ohio Invests $20 Million in Statewide Broadband Expansion Program URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/ohio-invests-20-million-in-statewide-broadband-expansion-program/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:33.000Z WASHINGTON, August 3, 2026 – Ohio is investing $20 million to expand the state’s broadband infrastructure across 15 counties. On July 30, Ohio Gov. **Mike DeWine** (R), along with BroadbandOhio, announced the $20 million in funding will go to Com Net Inc., an Ohio-based broadband provider, to construct a fiber network that spans Ohio from East to West through BroadbandOhio’s Route 30 Middle-Mile Infrastructure Project. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “Reliable high- speed internet starts with having the right infrastructure,” Gov. DeWine said in the Thursday, [July 30 press release](https://development.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/2026-0730-state-announces-20-million-investment-for-broadband-infrastructure-expansion-project?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “This project will significantly improve connectivity for those living and working along Route 30, providing easier access to the online tools that are necessary in today’s economy.” The new network will follow the U.S. Route 30 corridor, span 15 counties and run near healthcare facilities, local governments, higher education institutions, businesses, schools and other critical facilities like Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base. “We’re building infrastructure that will help communities along Route 30 compete, grow and attract new investment,” Ohio Department of Development **Lydia Maihalik** said in [the release](https://development.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/2026-0730-state-announces-20-million-investment-for-broadband-infrastructure-expansion-project?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “By strengthening one of northern Ohio’s key economic corridors, we’re creating new possibilities for businesses and communities from one side of the state to the other.” The U.S. Route 30 Middle-Mile Infrastructure was established in 2025 by the Ohio legislature to support Route 30 corridor construction of commercially available broadband infrastructure. The project will include construction of a fiber network, additional infrastructure and partnerships with major anchor tenants. Under the agreement, Com Net Inc. will have about two years from the start of construction to complete the project and make the infrastructure commercially available for at least 20 years. A Point of Presence, a physical access point that connects networks, will also be constructed in the Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base to provide an important access point to the fiber network. The PoP will also increase the network’s ability to support the base and developments in the region. The Ohio Academic Resources Network will oversee Ohio’s use of fiber capacity made throughout the project. The capacity will extend to community and public anchor institutions like libraries, schools and healthcare facilities. The project is one of Broadband Ohio’s initiatives to bring connectivity to the state. The program oversees several funding programs, including the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment program, the Line Extension Program and digital inclusion grants across the state. ### SpaceX Removing Gas Turbines from Mississippi Data Center URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-removing-gas-turbines-from-mississippi-data-center/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:33.000Z WASHINGTON, August 3, 2026 – SpaceXAI is removing 69 gas-powered turbines from data center facilities’ power plants in Southhaven, Miss., as the company faces pushback from a high-ranking House Democrat. In a [July 30 statement](https://x.ai/memphis/updates?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), SpaceXAI said, “We have entered into an agreed order with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality establishing a fixed removal timeline for all 69 of the temporary, mobile turbines that currently power our facility in Southhaven, Mississippi.” [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The company will keep 41 permanent turbines, noting that it is investing in equipping mobile turbines with advanced emission control technologies that safely convert nitrous oxide into nitrogen and water to improve air quality. This comes as Rep. **Frank Pallone** **Jr.**, D-N.J., wrote a [letter on July 28](https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/july-2026-letter-from-rm-pallone-to-elon-musk-re-spacexai.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to SpaceXAI CEO **Elon Musk**, warning that the company’s data centers in Tennessee and Mississippi, Colossus 1 and Colossus 2, pose serious risks to communities. “What has also become apparent from my examination of data centers is your company’s disregard for the health and well-being of local communities,” Pallone said in the letter. He requested Musk provide information regarding the facilities’ turbines and power consumption and asked to tour the facilities. ### *Violation of the Clean Air Act?* The Democrat said that the company’s rapid rollout of gas-powered turbines and off-grid gas turbines poses massive health risks to nearby communities, saying the turbines violate the [Clean Air Act](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL30853?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). He said the company only applied for 15 turbine permits despite the company operating 60 of them to power the Colossus 2. [In the letter](https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/july-2026-letter-from-rm-pallone-to-elon-musk-re-spacexai.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), Pallone pointed to research showing Colossus 2 turbines can pump out roughly 5,000 tons of nitrogen oxide, 7,000 tons of carbon monoxide, 200 tons of sulfur dioxide and over 40 tons of formaldehyde. Hundreds of tons of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter are also emitted, making Colossus 2 the “largest source of pollution” in the area. [In February](https://apnews.com/article/memphis-xai-elon-musk-pollution-naacp-571c16950259b382f9eae61bd59260ef?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the Environmental Law Center and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People filed a lawsuit, claiming that the turbines violated the [Clean Air Act](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL30853?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and were installed without proper permits, creating pollution that damaged the air quality in some of Memphis’ poorest neighborhoods. ### *Issue of noise pollution, too* Residents in Southhaven, Miss, are also suing SpaceXAI over the ["inescapable and pervasive”](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/data-centers-are-not-that-loud-taxpayer-groups-finds/) noise created by the Colossus data centers and surrounding facilities. Amid the controversy, the company is preparing to construct a fourth data center on the site. According to [Data Center Dynamics](https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/elon-musks-xai-to-spend-659m-on-new-building-for-memphis-data-center-cluster/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), in March, the company applied for a building permit for a four-story, 312,000 square foot facility that cost $659 million, but its use had not been confirmed at the time. Earlier this year during the company’s [IPO prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1181412/000162828026040610/spacexfwp.htm?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), parent company SpaceX stated, “The next phase of expansion at Colossus 2 will bring online at least 220,000 additional GB300 processors and over 400 additional megawatts of compute power.” The company was likely referring to the new data center facility in Memphis. Musk responded to an X user who posted drone footage of the new facility under construction at the Memphis data center complex. In a [July 29 X post](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2082613281328660734?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), the SpaceX CEO said, “To the right is Minihard, which will have the same 220k GB300s with 800gig NICs as Macroharder, but in an improved, much denser configuration.” Musk [nicknamed](https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/musk-confirms-fourth-spacexai-data-center-in-memphis-company-starts-removing-illegal-gas-turbines/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the Colossus data centers Macrohard and Macroharder, an apparent dig at Microsoft. [In May](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/anthropic-partners-with-spacex-to-expand-ai-capacity/), SpaceXAI entered into a partnership with Anthropic, providing the artificial intelligence company access to 300 megawatts of computing capacity through the Colossus 1 facility. ### Federal Broadband Funding Is Expanding Coverage and Competition URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/federal-broadband-funding-is-expanding-coverage-and-competition/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:38.000Z WASHINGTON, August 3, 2026 – Nearly 3.5 million more U.S. homes and businesses that don't have broadband internet have been tentatively promised funding to get it as of June 2026, under a federal infrastructure program. The forward-looking signal is one of many from [a new report](https://www.costquest.com/resources/articles/broadband-in-america/broadband-in-america-report-analysis-of-broadband-coverage-changes-2026-07/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) on how internet access is changing across the U.S., released Thursday by CostQuest Associates. The report found that the number of locations lacking full broadband access fell by roughly 1 million between June and December 2025, with millions more locations now positioned for service through preliminary awards issued under the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) At the same time, the report found federally funded areas are becoming increasingly competitive, with more providers entering markets that once had few broadband options. Twice a year, internet providers tell the Federal Communications Commission where they offer service, down to the individual address. CostQuest, which maintains the federal government’s official broadband availability map, analyzed changes between the FCC's Broadband Data Collection Version 7, released June 2025, and Version 8, released December 2025\. The analysis covers 116.5 million broadband serviceable locations, or BSLs, nationwide using data submitted by 2,129 internet service providers. ### *Unserved fell to 3.27 million, underserved fell to 1.99 million* Over that six month window, the number of locations considered to be served by broadband grew from 110.2 million to 111.2 million, unserved locations fell from 3.44 million to 3.27 million, and underserved addresses declined from 2.76 million to 1.99 million. Interestingly, more underserved BSLs moved into unserved rather than served status, as some areas were reclassified as lacking adequate service rather than improving. Still, roughly half of U.S. counties cut their unserved BSL counts during the period. The report shows that federal broadband funding is translating into measurable progress, as several federal programs are near completion, including the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and other legacy federal awards. The report finds 82.5 percent of BSLs funded by federal initiatives outside of BEAD are now built out with service of at least 100 \* 20 Megabits per second (Mbps). Among 9.9 million non-BEAD addresses, unserved counts fell 7.8 percent in the latest data. Even so, 1.7 million addresses are still waiting on buildout from awarded providers. The report finds federally funded areas are seeing a rise in competition among providers. Nearly 43 percent of federally funded BSLs now have access to more than one provider, as licensed fixed wireless and fiber access continue to expand and raise the competitive baseline in regions that previously had few options. ### *Licensed fixed wireless access continued expansion* Licensed fixed wireless access continued its steady expansion during the second half of 2025\. The technology added 3.2 million served broadband serviceable locations between FCC Broadband Data Collection Versions 7 and 8, a 5.8 percent increase that brought total coverage to 57.5 million locations and expanded service into roughly two-thirds of U.S. counties. Fiber also continued to gain ground, adding 4.1 million served locations over the same period for a 6.1 percent increase. Its pace slowed from the previous six month period, when coverage grew 8.4 percent. The report is explicit that the topline trend hides real divergence at the local level. Some counties posted meaningful gains, others actually saw unserved counts rise, driven by factors like new home construction outpacing buildout, providers pulling back their reported footprints, or shifts in how service is reported to the FCC. With BEAD's newly added locations layered on top, the report frames federal funding as an ongoing, multi-year driver of coverage progress that should continue showing up in future editions of the report. CostQuest says the report will be updated twice a year as new BDC data is released, with the next edition expected to reflect Version 9 data. An [interactive map](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/23861273519a464faee8e700daf4c0a5?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) accompanying the report allows users to explore coverage changes at the county and BSL level. ### EchoStar’s Hughes Files for Bankruptcy URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/echostars-hughes-files-for-bankruptcy/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:37.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2026 – EchoStar’s broadband satellite unit, Hughes Satellite Systems, filed for bankruptcy Monday. It’s the third EchoStar subsidiary to go bankrupt this summer. Dish Wireless, which operated the company’s mobile network, and Dish DBS, EchoStar’s pay-TV unit, both filed for bankruptcy in June. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Hughes has enough money to operate as normal for now, and the rest of EchoStar's companies aren't involved in the bankruptcy, the company said [in a release](https://ir.echostar.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hughes-files-chapter-11-voluntary-reorganization-strengthen?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). “We’re paying our employees, we’re delivering for customers and channel partners as usual, and we expect to fulfill all ongoing forward commitments to our vendors,” EchoStar founder and CEO **Charlie Ergen** said on the company’s earnings call Monday. Hughes did not have enough money to make a $1.5 billion debt payment due Saturday, though. “We had discussions with the bondholders, but weren’t able to come up with a workable solution,” Ergen said. New Street Research analysts had wondered whether [EchoStar closing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/echostar-at-t-close-23-billion-spectrum-sale/) a $23 billion spectrum sale to AT&T would affect the Hughes bankruptcy plans, but it apparently didn’t prevent the filing. In the second quarter of 2026, Hughes lost 59,000 broadband subscribers for a total of 622,000\. That’s worse than the same time last year. The unit generated $50 million in operating income in the second quarter, compared to a $37 million loss the same time last year. Satellite industry analyst **Tim Farrar** [noted on X](https://x.com/TMFAssociates/status/2084287719400956254?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that Hughes’s bankruptcy filing included plans to lay off 400 of its 1,275 employees and transition away from consumer customers in favor of governments and enterprises. The satellite broadband company cited increasing consumer competition from SpaceX, which it didn't expect to end anytime soon. Low-Earth orbit satellites provide much higher speeds and lower latency than Hughes's geostationary units. ### *Earnings* [EchoStar reported](https://ir.echostar.com/news-releases/news-release-details/echostar-announces-financial-results-three-and-six-months-8?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) 118,00 lost wireless subscribers in the quarter, much worse than the 212,000 gained the same time last year. At the end of the quarter the company had 7.38 million mobile subscribers. The company is in the process of shutting down its wireless network after selling much of its spectrum for $42.6 billion. Its Boost Mobile brand will mostly be served on AT&T infrastructure as part of one of those deals. “Since abandoning its efforts to become a fourth facilities-based mobile network operator late last year, EchoStar has clearly taken its foot off the gas when it comes to acquiring wireless subscribers,” BNP Paribas analyst **Sam McHugh** said in an investor note. He wrote that if EchoStar is no longer interested in growing Boost Mobile, it might be interested in selling it. Asked on the call how EchoStar was thinking about Boost, and whether its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deals would survive a transaction or partnership, Ergen said: “We do have a fair amount of flexibility contractually, whether it be M&A or partnering with people.” Ergen said the company expected the spectrum sale taxes and network termination fees to total from $5 billion to $7 billion. That includes a $2.4 billion fund the company was required to set aside for former business partners. Wireless service revenue was about $929 million, compared to $931 million last year. The unit lost $97,000 in the quarter, compared to a $118 million loss last year. In all, EchoStar reported total revenue of $3.58 billion, down from last year, and a net income of $8.46 billion. That’s far more than the $306 million net loss last year. EchoStar attributed it to a $9.73 billion “non-cash gain on deconsolidation” amid the Dish DBS and Dish Wireless bankruptcies. EchoStar is poised to be a large shareholder in SpaceX once its $19.2 billion in spectrum sales to the company close next year. About $11 billion of that was set to be paid in SpaceX stock, but current valuations are higher and would make EchoStar's stake worht more than $30 billion, according to a New Street Research estimate. ### *Dish Bankruptcy* Ergen was optimistic the Dish Wireless bankruptcy could be “wrapped up in the fourth quarter of this year.” There’s a bankruptcy plan confirmation hearing set for Oct. 13. Tower companies have been pushing back on the company’s proposed plan and have successfully stalled the process. They’re suing Dish Wireless for [billions in damages](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/dish-seeking-to-freeze-tower-suits/) over unpaid contract and rent fees after the spectrum sales, and fear collecting pennies on the dollar if the company’s plan goes through. EchoStar is planning to set the minimum bid ($300 million) for Dish Wireless’s network assets as part of the bankruptcy. Asked what the company might do with those assets if it ultimately acquired them, Ergen demurred. “It would be way premature to speculate on that,” he said. “At least in our opinion, there’s not a lot of liquidation value there.” ### *EchoStar Capital* Last month longtime EchoStar executive **Hamid Akhavan** abruptly resigned. He had been CEO of EchoStar Capital, the arm set up to manage the billions in spectrum sale proceeds. The company said at the time this was due to a “change in strategic direction.” Ergen said with EchoStar Capital folding into the company’s corporate development division, the company’s own business would be a considered use for those funds. Akhavan had focused on outside opportunities, which Ergen said would be secondary to the “core business.” ### Bruce Kushnick: An Open Letter Calling for a Debate with the Group Digital Progress URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bruce-kushnick-an-open-letter-calling-for-a-debate-with-the-group-digital-progress/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T17:57:06.000Z A recent story published on *Broadband Breakfast* featuring **Joel Thayer** and **Ethan Tun** of the Digital Progress Institute (DPI) [claimed that outdated rules tying carriers to copper phone lines are diverting billions from modern fiber](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/joel-thayer-and-ethan-tun-stop-making-americans-pay-for-yesterdays-phone-network/) and wireless buildout, and urging the FCC to finish modernizing them. The IRREGULATORS— an independent consortium of senior telecom analysts, auditors, and lawyers taking zero corporate funding — challenge DPI to an open, public debate. DPI’s conclusions rely on incomplete corporate data, manufactured metrics, and corporate-supplied clichés that misrepresent basic telecommunications history. Unfortunately, the FCC’s new deregulatory policies have the same structural data and analytical flaws, making our concerns more critical at this time. ### *The shell game: How AT&T and the FCC hide tens of millions of copper lines* At the core of AT&T’s case against California's Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) obligations is the claim that AT&T spent over $1 billion in 2023 maintaining copper infrastructure serving under 3% of households. This number is a manufactured fiction achieved through regulatory shell games: 1. **Residential Only:** The 3% figure covers *only* residential voice customers. 2. **Excluding IP-VoIP:** Residential customers on copper wires using IP-VoIP (like U-verse) are subtracted from the count, even though they ride the exact same 60-year-old copper wire. 3. **Erasing Business & Critical Data:** The statistics completely ignore business lines, small businesses, government connections, alarm systems, elevator phones, faxes, DSL, and municipal infrastructure. Business and data lines routinely represent **70% to 90%** of copper wires in service. When you count all active services, *30 to 50 million copper access lines across AT&T territories could be hidden from the FCC’s analysis.* ### *Follow the money: How state utilities cross-subsidize wireless* DPI claims state regulations force carriers to burn money on copper. The financial books tell the opposite story. The [**Verizon New York 2025 Annual Report**](https://kushnickbruce.medium.com/verizon-ny-2025-annual-report-published-may-21-2026-is-ny-states-largest-telecommunications-18848229f82c?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) (published May 2026)—filed under USOA accounting rules governing state utilities—reveals a massive cross-subsidization scheme: | Line of Business | NY Annual Revenue | Construction Budget Allocation | | -------------------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------ | | Local Voice Service | $519 Million (\~15%) | $917 Million (\~41%) | | Nonregulated (VoIP / FiOS) | $1.6 Billion (\~47%) | $881 Million (\~39%) | | Backhaul & Data | $1.3 Billion (\~38%) | $443 Million (\~20%) | *Local copper-wired POTS voice service brings in a fraction of the revenue but pays the majority of the construction budget* for networks while virtually no local copper maintenance is being performed, as told by other data within the report. But it is all of these other line items, from Customer Service to Corporate Operations, (lawyers, lobbyists, the corporate jets and even golf tournament), where local service has been charged over 60% of the total. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/08/data-src-image-810a95db-2734-4377-9600-e5c83d0eca29.jpeg) This isn't new. In 2012, a formal filing by the New York State Attorney General revealed that *75% of Verizon's wireline capital expenditure was actually diverted to serve wireless cell sites and FiOS video broadband*, while letting local landline networks decay. Carriers dump nonregulated and wireless expenses onto local service utility books to artificially generate "losses," then claim landlines are unprofitable to justify shutting them off. More importantly, as the IRREGULATORS have documented, the Pacific Bell, AT&T California is a state, telecommunication public utility, and the accounting and financials matched Verizon New York, as Pac Bell has been using the same USOA accounting. We note: it seems that AT&T CA’s full financial report for the state public utility is not publicly available. But most importantly – there is no mention that Pac Bell AT&T is still a telecommunications public utility, and thus the obligation to serve all customers within their franchised territory. ### *Replacing reliable landlines with ‘crap wireless’* While FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** and DPI argue that shutting off copper frees up capital for next-generation networks, AT&T's actual replacement—AT&T Phone Advanced (AP-A)—is a degraded wireless product where the company takes no legal responsibility for reliability. This is from the Terms and Conditions, August 2026: - **No Alarm Support:** AT&T makes no warranty that the service supports burglar alarms, fire alarms, or medical monitoring systems. - **No Emergency 911 Guarantee:** AT&T's legal terms and services state 911 access is not guaranteed to be uninterrupted or error-free and disclaims liability for failed emergency calls. - **Basic Functionality:** Terms advise customers that signal strength depends on moving hardware closer to windows or upper floors. ### *The challenge* The Digital Divide was not created by cities, states, or local regulations. It was created because telecom conglomerates took rate increases, tax deductions (such as Pacific Bell's $3 billion tax write-off in 1994), and regulatory concessions promised for statewide fiber-to-the-home and diverted those funds into wireless. The IRREGULATORS filed 6 adverse comments in the current AT&T-FCC-CA proceeding, and each was based on decades of tracking the fiber optic deployments that did not happen, state by state, even when the customers were charged for a wondrous digital future. *See* [*IRREGULATORS 6 adverse comments*](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/filing/26110043405?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) What should really worry the reader is that almost all of the copper wires were part of the original Bell system state telecommunications public utility that was transferred in 1984\. Through mergers – California, one of AT&T’s 21 states, in 2026, we end up with millions of copper wired services, most not being identified, which should have been replaced with fiber decades ago. Talk about ironic twists: Does it really cost AT&T CA a billion dollars for 188,000 lines, 3% of households, at $5,300 a line? Before the FCC or state utility commissions grant streamlined copper discontinuance, we demand a *full, independent audit* of all active copper lines and state utility books. We invite DPI, to industry representatives, and regulatory officials to an open debate to go line-by-line through our findings or an analysis of the Verizon NY 2025 Annual Report’s financials, and, of course, AT&T California’s financials — and let the public keep score. ***Bruce Kushnick has been a telecom analyst for over 40 years, and currently the Managing Director of the IRREGULATORS. Kushnick’s new music tune “***[***Celebrating Free Speech***](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj50w6Pt9LI&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***,” features excerpts from*** [***Patrick Henry’s immortal speech of 1775***](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyBinHgzfGg&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com)***, which still resonates on this 250th year of America’s Democracy. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.*** ***Broadband Breakfast accepts commentary from informed observers of the broadband scene. Please send pieces to*** [***commentary@breakfast.media***](mailto:commentary@breakfast.media)***. The views expressed in Expert Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Broadband Breakfast and Breakfast Media LLC.*** ### Communications Act Could Give FCC Commissioners Firmer Legal Footing Than Slaughter URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/communications-act-could-give-fcc-commissioners-firmer-legal-footing-than-slaughter/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:38.000Z WASHINGTON, August 3, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission faces distinct differences, and potentially firmer legal footing, than other independent agencies swept up in the Supreme Court’s June decision stripping commissioners of some removal protections. In [a paper](https://techpolicyinstitute.org/publications/freespeech/the-particular-dangers-of-slaughters-impact-on-the-fcc/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for the Tech Policy Institute, longtime communications policy analyst **Blair Levin**, a former FCC chief of staff, argues that the FCC’s situation differs from that of agencies like the Federal Trade Commission in the wake of [the June 29 ruling](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/supreme-court-lets-trump-to-fire-federal-trade-commissioner-carves-out-federal-reserve-exception/) in *Trump v. Slaughter*. Under the ruling, the court held that the president may dismiss confirmed commissioners at independent agencies without cause. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Unlike a standard independent agency, Levin writes, “Congress...did not simply establish an independent agency. It explicitly designed a multi-member, multi-party commission,” writing into the Communications Act that no single political party can hold more than a bare majority of the FCC’s seats. The structural choice reflects Congress’s judgment that control over broadcast licensing and the airwaves should never sit entirely in one party’s hands, he says. The analysis raises the question of whether the FCC’s sole Democrat, Commissioner **Anna Gomez**, could face removal similar to **Rebecca Kelly Slaughter**’s ouster from the FTC. Levin is skeptical: “He might, but I doubt it,” he writes of a potential Trump move against Gomez, noting that her removal without a replacement would leave the FCC without the three-member quorum required for major rulemakings, including changes to broadcast ownership rules that Chairman **Brendan Carr** has pursued. The scenario could cause years of uncertainty for industry and investors relying on FCC decisions, Levin warns, comparing it to the year-long paralysis the National Labor Relations Board experienced after losing its quorum in 2025, [whenTrump fired](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/terminated-ftc-democrats-vow-to-take-trump-to-court/) NLRB Commissioner **Gwynne Wilcox**, in effect, causing hundreds of pending labor cases to freeze. A more likely scenario, Levin suggests, is that Trump seeks Senate confirmation of a third Republican commissioner before moving against Gomez, though he notes that path “also faces legal and political challenges.” Gomez’s own term technically expired June 30, though she may serve until a successor is confirmed or the end of 2027. Levin also notes a widespread view that the ruling changes little at the FCC in practice, since Carr already conducts much of his most consequential work through the bureaus. Carr, for his part, [has argued the FCC](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senators-press-fcc-chair-for-first-time-since-kimmel-controversy/) was never truly independent to begin with. ### *Slaugher spoke about her own case on Monday* Slaughter, the former FTC commissioner whose removal without cause gave the Supreme Court case its name, raised her own quorum concerns in remarks Monday at [an American Antitrust Institute forum](https://www.antitrustinstitute.org/event/aai-clc-gwlaw-conference-ftc-after-trump-v-slaughter/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). Historically, Slaughter said, control of agencies like the FTC has shifted to the incoming president’s party by norm rather than by law. Chairs of the outgoing party have simply stepped down when a new administration takes office, even though the underlying statutes never required it. Slaughter said she witnessed that norm’s strength firsthand: While working in the Senate during the first Trump transition, she tried to convince a Democratic chair at an independent commission to stay on and preserve a Democratic majority, and was told, in blunter terms, to abandon the idea. That norm, she warned, is now in jeopardy. If commissioners of the outgoing party decline to step aside, or if there are none left to begin with, an incoming president could face a stark choice: leave an agency chaired by a political opponent in place, or leave it without enough members to act at all. Slaughter posed the question directly for her own agency: What happens in January 2029 if there are no sitting Democrats left at the FTC? Drawing on her FTC tenure, Slaughter argued removal protections had historically guarded a set of values now at risk across the government. Those include protection against corruption and undue political influence, engagement with opposing viewpoints, an incentive toward consensus, and transparency and accountability through public dissent, she said. Slaughter said minority commissioners at the FTC have historically never felt they had equal access to information even before her own removal. She added that during a brief return to the FTC in September, she was told staff were newly barred from communicating directly with non-chair commissioners. Her remarks suggest that even where legal protections remain intact, the informal norms that made bipartisan oversight functional – equal access to staff and information, orderly transitions, and a working quorum – are already eroding in practice. ### GOP Senators Want Phone Unlocking Mandate URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gop-senators-want-phone-unlocking-mandate/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:38.000Z WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2026 – Five Republican senators want the Federal Communications Commission to adopt a phone unlocking requirement. Sen. **Katie Britt**, R-Ala., wrote [a letter](https://www.britt.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/20260730-Letter-to-FCC-re-Device-Unlocking-PDF.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr** Thursday asking for the move. It came weeks after two letters from House Republicans making [the same request](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gop-lawmakers-want-fcc-to-require-phone-unlocking/). [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) The agency has an open rulemaking on the issue. In 2024 the FCC sought comment on requiring mobile carriers to make phones usable on other networks after 60 days. By default, carriers largely require customers to pay off devices before unlocking them. “These ‘locked’ phones create artificial restrictions for consumers that hinder competition and keep familiar in overpriced plans even when far more affordable options are readily available,” Britt wrote. “The inconsistency among carrier practices functions as a barrier that restricts consumer freedom and limits competition.” Britt and her colleagues said the agency should adopt a 180-day unlocking mandate. That’s what Rep. **Scott Fitzgerald**, R-Wis., argued for last month. It’s also what the cable industry has [argued for](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10182478800477/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). NCTA, the industry’s main trade group, has told the FCC that an unlocking requirement would spur competition by making switching easier. Cable giants Charter and Comcast have been winning over wireless customers with one-year free lines and cheap bundles with fixed broadband. They count more than 22 million mobile subscribers between them. The carriers have opposed an unlocking mandate on the grounds that it would make handset fraud much easier. NCTA agreed to an extent, which is why it pushed fro 180 days rather than the FCC-proposed 60 days. Carr, a commissioner at the time, voted in favor of seeking comment on a universal 60-day unlocking proposal, saying it “might allow us to create a more level playing field” given a patchwork of provider-specific obligations. Under his chairmanship, the agency has made another move to address the patchwork. In January, the agency [granted Verizon’s request](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-grants-verizons-request-for-unlocking-waiver/) to ditch its obligation to unlock phones within 60 days. The requirement was a condition of a 2007 spectrum purchase and did not apply to the other national carriers. “By waiving a regulation that incentivized bad actors to target one particular carrier’s handsets for theft, we now have a uniform industry standard that can help stem the flow of handsets into the black market,” Carr said in a statement at the time. SpaceX also signed on to a [May 28 letter](https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1052835232944/1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) arguing for a 180-day unlocking rule, again saying locked phones reduced competition by making switching [more difficult](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/spacex-broadband-industry-urge-fcc-to-revive-handset-unlocking-rules/). The satellite company has big plans for its Starlink Mobile direct-to-device service, aiming for speeds comparable to terrestrial networks. Investors predict the company is looking to directly compete with the national carriers. Indeed, [Semafor](https://www.semafor.com/article/07/29/2026/spacex-looks-to-compete-with-the-carriers?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) reported last week that SpaceX was considering competing in the FCC’s upper C-band auction next year or even buying a mobile carrier to compete. Telecom analysts at MoffettNathanson think it’s more likely SpaceX will try to secure a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal to provide service partially on one of the carrier’s infrastructure. The carriers have repeatedly shot the idea down — it’s how the cable companies provide service, and they’re the carrier’s biggest competitors. SpaceX could potentially angle for an MVNO by hoovering up enough spectrum assets to trade, the group has noted. But buying a telecom carrier or building out a network could likely be too much of a headache. Satellite industry analyst **Tim Farrar** noted on X last week that upper C-band spectrum has strict deployment deadlines under the FCC’s recently adopted rules, which for now can’t be satisfied by satellite service. That would make the auction unappealing, he wrote, even as a means of driving up prices in retaliation for carriers’ MVNO refusal. ### ALLO Fiber or Fibber? Regional ISP Ditching Boulder, Colo., Pact after Finalizing Citywide Broadband Deal Just Last Year URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/allo-fiber-or-fibber-regional-isp-ditching-boulder-colo-pact-after-finalizing-citywide-broadband-deal-just-last-year/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T12:53:04.000Z 💡 ■ Ukraine Wants Trump to Expand Starlink Support in Russia War ■ Worcester, Mass., Mulls Fiber Overbuild of Charter ■ USDA Funds Fiber Builds at $185,700 Per Farm ■ Anna Gomez Stay Quiet after MS NOW Host Aims Yiddish Vulgarity at Carr ■ Fiber Lines Considered Top Detector of Earthquakes on Land and Beneath the Waves ■ Louisiana Close to Signing SpaceX to Develop Huge Spaceport Deal in Vermilion Parish ■ Per-Capita Income Soared on Colville Reservation after Broadband Arrived ■ Sen. Murray (D-Wash.) Says New CR Excludes Controversial OMB Grants Rule ■ Com Net Awarded $20 Million for Ohio Middle Mile Project along Route 50 ■ House Bill Would Require NTIA to Track Data Center Water, Electricity Usage No Deal: Is it ALLO Fiber or ALLO Fibber? ALLO Fiber has told officials in Boulder, Colo., that it will halt its planned citywide fiber‑optic buildout, blaming rising costs and shifting market conditions. “These unforeseen developments have created an environment in which ALLO cannot successfully complete the project,” said ALLO General Counsel **Andrew Vinton** [in a July 10 email to the city](https://bouldercolorado.gov/media/21372/download?inline&ref=broadbandbreakfast.com). A year ago, ALLO cut its workforce by about 10% in a matter of weeks, citing a cash crunch and Trump administration changes to the **BEAD program**. ***(More after paywall)*** ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LgDV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F95f32ae8-3c1d-4f3f-b435-e09a37f6725c_1082x609.png) ALLO Fiber CEO Shane West _This post is for subscribers on the Breakfast Club Plus and Breakfast Club Premium tiers only._ ### Energy Department to Turn Kentucky Uranium Plant into Data Center and Gas Complex URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/energy-department-to-turn-kentucky-uranium-plant-into-data-center-and-gas-complex/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:38.000Z August 2, 2026 (AP) – The U.S. Department of Energy is harnessing the [artificial intelligence](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-centers-los-alamos-sandia-7431bea2ee491b7cf4b9aa012ac419f1?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) boom in its bid to convert another Cold War-era uranium enrichment site, tapping private equity to fund a $100 billion data center complex that will include its own new natural gas and battery storage power plant in Kentucky. The department selected investment firm Brookfield Asset Management to develop and operate the data center at the government-owned Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. In March, the department [announced a similar project](https://apnews.com/article/ai-data-center-ohio-uranium-enrichment-4667fa1442ec1c652228337ab4eb68ee?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) at its Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Ohio. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Both are undergoing extensive cleanup, decontamination and decommissioning after decades of fueling the nation's nuclear weapons and power plants. The project is in line with the Trump administration's efforts to make artificial intelligence superiority over China a top national security and economic priority. The federal government is transforming former DOE sites into “engines of innovation and economic growth” to “ensure the United States wins the A.I. race,” Energy Secretary **Chris Wright** said in a statement Wednesday. “There will be a lot of new natural gas power plants, a large data center, thousands of jobs and tens of billions of dollars of investment in rural western Kentucky,” Wright said on the Fox News show “Fox & Friends.” Earlier in July, the Department of Energy said it had picked engineering contractor [Amentum](https://www.amentum.com/news/amentum-selected-for-the-department-of-energy-ai-data-center-and-energy-generation-project/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) to negotiate a lease to develop an AI data center and on-site power plant at South Carolina's Savannah River Site, a massive complex where the federal government once produced materials used in nuclear weapons, primarily tritium and plutonium-239. Real estate, energy and data center services are cornerstones in the investment portfolio of New York-headquartered Brookfield, which reports that it has more than $1 trillion in assets under management. A Brookfield spokesperson estimated that 30% of the $100 billion in spending would go toward construction of the data center and power components, with the rest of the money being spent on the equipment in the data centers, including servers, routers and semiconductor chips. Discussions were ongoing with commercial partners to use the data center space, Brookfield spokesperson **Simon Maine** said. Other partners in the Paducah project are power generation and transmission giant NextEra Energy and local utilities. Florida-based NextEra Energy will build and own the power generation components, which are to include 2 gigawatts of natural gas-fired generation, upgrades to transmission networks and 2.6 gigawatts of battery energy storage to support a new 1.8 gigawatt AI data center campus, the department said. The plant would be the largest gas-fired power plant in Kentucky. A single gigawatt, according to a general industry standard for utilities, can power about 750,000 homes. A power service agreement must be approved by state utility regulators, and excess electricity would be delivered to the regional grid. Construction was expected to be complete in 2031, the department said. Cleanup is continuing at the roughly 3,550-acre Paducah plant site, which was on a list of 16 [federal sites](https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/RFI%20to%20Inform%20Public%20Bids%20to%20Construct%20AI%20Infrastructure%20%28website%20copy%29.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) released last year as locations where the department could invite technology companies to build data management and storage capacity. It shut down in 2013 and the gaseous diffusion process to enrich uranium is considered obsolete. The department has projected that cleanup at the Paducah site would be completed in 2065 at a cost of about $17 billion, including demolishing buildings, disassembling uranium converters, removing refrigerant and treating a large plume of groundwater contamination. In the meantime, the department is working on plans to provide some of the uranium waste being stored for decades at the Paducah site to a pair of companies seeking to use newer technologies to re-enrich it for use in power plants. ### *Group raises questions about projects* A newly formed group called Protect McCracken County has raised questions about the uranium enrichment and data center projects, saying that the work is being carried out beside a river that 5 million people downstream drink from without an independent study of the impact. **Byron Gary**, a senior attorney for the environmental and public health advocacy group Kentucky Resources Council, said any plans to develop the contaminated Paducah site or to withdraw water from the water table underneath it must be carefully executed. He said the construction of a such a large gas-fired power plant — which emits planet-warming greenhouse gases — would have implications for climate change and that his organization would want to be certain that regular ratepayers are not forced to subsidize the power plants and transmission upgrades there. Gary also said his organization will want to make sure that the Department of Energy does not circumvent permitting processes as a way to get around environmental protection laws. “There shouldn't be a justification to get around that and end up potentially dumping a lot more burden on a rural community that can’t afford it,” Gary said. *This article was written by Marc Levy of the Associated Press.* ### Anthropic Says Its AI Modeals Hacked 3 Organizations During Testing URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/anthropic-says-its-ai-modeals-hacked-3-organizations-during-testing/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:42.000Z August 1, 2026 (AP) – [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/hub/anthropic-pbc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said its artificial intelligence models hacked into three other organizations during testing, just days after ChatGPT maker [OpenAI](https://apnews.com/hub/openai-inc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) raised concerns over AI controls after it [disclosed its rogue models hacked](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) another company. Anthropic, the San Francisco-based AI company behind [Claude](https://apnews.com/article/ai-anthropic-copyright-settlement-claude-books-bartz-74b140444023898aeba8579b6e9f0d63?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com), posted on its website Thursday that it discovered the three incidents after reviewing more than 141,000 evaluation runs. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) It had launched a “large-scale” cybersecurity review which specifically looked for evidence whether its AI models were able to access the internet from within testing environments that should have been sealed off, in response to the OpenAI incident, Anthropic said. [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-dario-amodei-ai-afeb5279eef406980dffa46ff91495e0?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said the models involved in the incidents were Claude Opus 4.7, [Claude Mythos 5](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-artificial-intelligence-trump-fable-mythos-d9cc7df5c02e93837d0f0bfb24d5cfd2?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) and an internal research test model. The earliest incidents date to April, the AI company said. “Claude compromised the impacted organizations’ infrastructure using basic techniques,” Anthropic said, such as exploiting weak passwords. In all three incidents, the AI models were tasked with a “capture the flag” cybersecurity challenge, which Anthropic said has been one of the ways it assesses a model’s cyber capabilities. The models were given a fictional scenario and told a piece of secret information, or the “flag,” had been hidden on a different machine on the network with the objective of breaking in and retrieving it, it said. It added that it had already reached out to the affected organizations, which it did not name. Two of them said they had not previously detected the activity. Anthropic said it was “continuing to reach out to the third.” Anthropic said it conducted its review with Irregular, which describes itself as the “first frontier security lab.” “Addressing these risks will require closer cooperation across the AI ecosystem,” Irregular said in a post on X. Last week, OpenAI said its AI models went rogue during an evaluation of its models, breaking into the servers of AI startup Hugging Face. OpenAI described it as a “significant security incident.” These incidents have highlighted the vulnerabilities in AI security and controls and raised questions over [how AI can be safely kept under human control](https://apnews.com/article/openai-hugging-face-hacking-ai-model-708cb598bc1e33cef560e7196adb2afa?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as the technology’s usage becomes more widespread globally. Researchers have [warned for years](https://apnews.com/article/skynet-ai-terminator-artificial-intelligence-eb85da03a0161beaa5f3babc4331e93b?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) about risks from technology and the need for stronger AI defensive engineering. “Safety testing happens before a model is released precisely because we don’t yet know what it is capable of,” Anthropic said on Thursday on its website. **Kok Tin Gan**, co-founder & CEO of cybersecurity firm NyxLab, which specializes in cybersecurity and threat detection, believes there will be more such incidents in the future. “It is increasingly about governing what agents are available to the AI, what authorities they possess, which actions require approval, and how we ensure they remain within scope,” Gan said. But the future of AI safety extends beyond just the safety of AI models, he said. “If we simply give the AI a goal and allow it to decide how to achieve it, we should not be surprised when it takes actions that technically satisfy the objective, but fall outside our intended scope or expectations,” Gan said. Therefore, stepping up the governance of the organizations and authorities behind these AI models is going to be increasingly important, he said. *This article was written by Chan Ho-Him of the Associated Press.* ### California Asks Court to Toss AT&T’s Copper Retirement Suit URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/california-asks-court-to-toss-at-ts-copper-retirement-suit/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:42.000Z WASHINGTON, July 31, 2026 – California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and state regulators filed a motion Thursday to dismiss AT&T’s lawsuit challenging the state’s rules that require it to provide basic telephone service. The motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, is the latest turn in a fight that has been building since AT&T sued the California Public Utilities Commission and Bonta [in May](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-sues-california-over-copper-landline-mandate/), after asking federal regulators to find that federal law preempts the state’s carrier of last resort, or COLR, rules. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) As California’s largest designated COLR, AT&T has been required to offer phone service upon request to all residential and business customers within the service territories it covers since 1996. The company’s core argument is that California’s COLR rules force it to keep spending money on aging copper infrastructure even after the Federal Communications Commission’s March *Network Modernization Order* gave carriers blanket authority to grandfather legacy voice service delivered over copper. AT&T says that conflict amounts to preemption under Section 214 of the Communications Act. California disagrees, and it isn’t a new argument for the state. The state’s Public Utilities Commission has told AT&T for years, including when it rejected the company’s 2023 bid to shed COLR status in parts of its territory, that its rules don’t require the company to maintain copper, or any particular technology. “Both for lack of jurisdiction and because AT&T’s preemption claim lacks merit, this Court should dismiss AT&T’s Complaint with prejudice,” the filing submitted by Bonta and state regulators finds. The state’s brief leans heavily on [a July 16 ruling](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-loses-bid-to-temporarily-halt-california-landline-obligations/) from U.S. District Judge **Linda** **Lopez**, who denied AT&T’s request for a preliminary injunction in the case, finding AT&T has been free to deliver basic voice service over something other than copper since the CPUC made its rules technology neutral back in 2012. Because of that, the state argues AT&T has no standing to sue in the first place. The motion contends the company never identifies a specific COLR provision that actually bars it from retiring copper, and hasn’t alleged that regulators have threatened enforcement over its plan to do so. “AT&T has failed to plausibly allege that its desire to grandfather the service offered over its copper wire facilities would result in a violation of the COLR requirements to provide basic service. To the contrary: if AT&T grandfathers the service offered over its copper wire facilities and continues to offer basic service through another technological means, there would be no violation of the law or the regulations in the first place. This Court consequently lacks subject matter jurisdiction to adjudicate AT&T’s preemption challenge,” the filing states. Defendants argued that even if the court considers the substance of AT&T’s claims, there can be no preemption as a matter of law because there is no conflict between California’s technology neutral COLR rules and the FCC’s *Network Modernization Order*. AT&T has separately asked the FCC to let it discontinue legacy copper voice service to more than 184,000 locations in the state, an [application that was approved](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-gets-fcc-approval-for-calif-copper-retirement/). AT&T has maintained it is [investing $19 billion](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/at-t-brings-connectivity-to-california-through-19-billion-investment/) to upgrade its fiber and wireless networks, and that existing customers can keep their traditional landline service until it is discontinued on June 1, 2027. AT&T did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. ### BEAD Participants Could Face Tough Finances: Moffett URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-participants-could-face-tough-finances-moffett/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:42.000Z WASHINGTON, July 29, 2026 – Rural fiber providers participating in the government’s flagship broadband expansion program might have a difficult road ahead, according to one telecom analyst. “We’d predict there will be a lot of bankruptcies among the \[fiber-to-the-home\] builders that won over 70% of the monies,” MoffettNathanson founder **Craig Moffett** wrote in a Wednesday investor note. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) That’s largely because of how low-density the remaining locations are, he wrote. Since the 2021 Infrastructure Law that created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment was passed, eligible locations have shrunk from about 10 million to under 4 million as projects begin to get underway. Those builds were either backed by private funds or the American Rescue Plan Act, but they ended up removing a lot of the low-hanging fruit, Moffett wrote. He noted that BEAD projects were 60 percent public money based on government data, compared to just 20 percent for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund in 2019 “That speaks to how rural the mix is today versus the RDOF program just seven years ago; *nobody* would build to these locations without government help,” he wrote. The number of eligible locations is also set to be reduced further, although locations will be removed from satellite grants, which are much cheaper on a per-location basis than fiber. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is managing the program, is [asking states](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/satellite-bead-awards-to-be-reduced/) to remove from satellite awards locations that new federal maps show as served. That could result in 35-43 percent of all satellite locations being taken off the BEAD map, according to [an analysis by](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-satellite-locations-could-drop-35-42-analysts-say/) New York Law School. That’s about 310,000-370,000 locations. NTIA has been adamant that it’s taking the necessary steps to prevent defaults and address them when they do happen. NTIA Administrator **Arielle Roth** told [lawmakers in June](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/roth-ntia-now-targeting-non-deployment-guidance-this-summer/) that a little over 1 percent, or 40,000, of BEAD’s roughly 4 million locations were affected by providers backing out of awards. It’s still early in the process, and those represent providers refusing to sign their grant award, rather than an in-progress build becoming unsustainable. “I think that’s to be expected in a program this size,” she said. “We planned and we have a process in place to ensure that areas that are subject to changes get served.” She said NTIA was working with states to find backup plans for “about a dozen” states in which providers had refused BEAD awards. Roth said other agency efforts were aimed at reducing the likelihood of defaults, like an electronic permitting system and a prohibition on future opex subsidies for BEAD locations. The latter is aimed at ensuring participating ISPs plan on their projects making money. The agency is also monitoring the fiber supply, Roth said. AI companies are clamoring for the same U.S.-made fiber that rural ISPs will need for BEAD projects. Roth told lawmakers that major fiber producers had committed to setting aside capacity for BEAD participants, and that the agency didn’t anticipate issuing a waiver of its domestic manufacturing requirements. ### Sixth Circuit to Rehear Case on FCC Data Breach Rules URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/sixth-circuit-to-rehear-case-on-fcc-data-breach-rules-case/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:46.000Z WASHINGTON, July 31, 20256 – A full panel of federal judges will rehear a case that upheld expanded telecom data breach rules. The Federal Communications Commission, now under Republican control, has indicated it’s likely to reverse the rules anyway. But industry groups and [GOP lawmakers](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/gop-lawmakers-ags-want-fcc-data-breach-case-reheard/) want the case’s precedent gone too. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) They told judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit that the reasoning behind the 2025 decision would have made it more difficult for Congress to permanently nullify agency rules it disagreed with. Judges apparently agreed it was worth revisiting the issue. The court clerk [wrote Friday that](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca6.150397/gov.uscourts.ca6.150397.109.2.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “a majority of the Judges of this Court in regular active service has voted for rehearing en banc of this case,” meaning a full panel of 13 judges would rehear the case, rather than the usual three. Oral arguments [are set for](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca6.150397/gov.uscourts.ca6.150397.110.0.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) Oct. 21, 2026\. Briefs are due Aug. 31, and replies are due Oct. 12. The case centers on rules the FCC adopted during the Biden administration that expanded the kinds of data breaches telecoms had to report, and expanded the kinds of customer data they would have to protect. Industry groups sued, arguing the rules were too similar to a provision that Congress struck down using the Congressional Review Act in 2017. The CRA, passed in 1996, allows Congress to nullify agency rules with majority votes in both chambers and prevents those rules from being reissued in the future. The president may veto CRA resolutions. In 2025, a Sixth Circuit panel upheld the FCC rules, saying the agency could bring back a smaller part of a nullified package. The Friday order vacated that decision. FCC Chairman **Brendan Carr**, a commissioner at the time, dissented from the rules. He cited the same concerns as the telecom industry. Under his leadership, the agency has been downplaying those concerns and urging against a rehearing. Earlier this month FCC and Justice Department attorneys argued the scenario Republican lawmakers and industry groups feared, agencies repeatedly bringing back nullified rules piece by piece, was unlikely. The government said the 2023 rules were actually not the same as the nixed provision, and thus the decision didn’t mean that agencies were able to re-adopt nullified rules. The court held off on deciding whether to rehear the case for eight months. The FCC told judges it was reviewing the rules, implying it might reverse them, but the court eventually unpaused after the review dragged on. ### FCC Holds Lifeline Mobile and Broadband Standards Flat for Another Year URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-holds-lifeline-mobile-and-broadband-standards-flat-for-another-year/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:46.000Z WASHINGTON, July 31, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission will not require phone companies to offer more mobile data through its low-income internet assistance program. The FCC announced Wednesday that users receiving subsidized mobile broadband through the Lifeline program will continue to get plans with at least 4.5 gigabytes (GB) of data per month through Dec. 1, 2027\. The decision extends a years-long pause on planned increases to the program’s mobile data requirement. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) Under the FCC’s [2016 Lifeline Order](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-16-38A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) the minimum amount of data was supposed to rise over time. The rules included a formula that automatically increased the program’s minimum mobile data requirement. By 2025, that formula would have pushed the minimum to about 29 GB per month, nearly 6.5 times today’s requirement. In practice, however, the mobile broadband formula has rarely been allowed to run its course. Nearly every year since the formula took effect, the Wireline Competition Bureau has issued a waiver pausing the scheduled increase, citing concerns that a higher allowance would raise costs for participating carriers without necessarily benefiting subscribers. On July 1, the FCC’s WCB once again issued a waiver for one year pausing the increases in the Lifeline minimum service standards for the fixed and mobile broadband data usage allowance. Under [the notice](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-796A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) released by the FCC’s WCB on Wednesday, fixed broadband subscribers on plans supported by Lifeline will continue to receive a minimum data allowance of 1,280 GB per month, and mobile broadband recipients will keep a 4.5 GB monthly allowance. Mobile voice service standards also hold steady at 1,000 minutes per month. The minimum service standard for mobile broadband data has remained unchanged since Dec. 1, 2020, when the FCC adopted an order raising the data allowance standard from 3 GB to 4.5 GB per month. The waiver comes as the FCC weighs broader changes to Lifeline. Earlier this year, the agency opened [an inquiry](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-418282A1.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) seeking comment on whether the program should keep relying on automatic formulas to set minimum broadband standards, or instead shift to fixed data amounts, tie requirements more closely to average subscriber usage, or adopt some other approach altogether. That proposal, released in January 2026, found the FCC’s current automatic formula produces results “so far out of step with actual data usage,” and that the agency has issued waivers because strict application would “risk upsetting the careful balance of service quality and affordability.” Lifeline providers, represented by the National Lifeline Association, have opposed previous increases, arguing they could raise costs and ultimately lead to higher prices for consumers. However, some Lifeline users have said the program’s minimum mobile data allowance is not enough for everyday needs. In [a 2020 report](https://themarkup.org/the-breakdown/2020/05/14/is-the-u-s-governments-lifeline-phone-service-really-a-lifeline?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) by *The Markup*, Lifeline participants reported often exhausting both monthly minutes and data. Coverage from the publication noted that the minimum data allowance at the time translated to only about four hours of low-quality video streaming, roughly 600 photo-based social posts, or 200 hours of general browsing per month — framed as inadequate for anyone trying to search for jobs, complete schoolwork, or access telehealth services. While the mobile standard has remained unchanged, the minimum fixed broadband allowance increased modestly in recent years, from 1,024 GB per month in 2020 to 1,280 GB beginning in December 2023\. This year’s waiver froze that standard as well. According to FCC data, more than 8.12 million subscribers were enrolled in the Lifeline program as of June 2025\. Those subscribers receive $9.25 in monthly support for services that include broadband and $5.25 in monthly support for voice-only service. An additional $25 monthly benefit is available for Tribal lands subscribers. The Lifeline program spent $923 million in 2025. The program has experienced persistently low participation. Roughly 22 percent of eligible households currently receive Lifeline support, according to estimates by the Universal Service Administrative Company, meaning millions of qualifying low-income households are not enrolled. ### Lawmakers Want FCC, NTIA to Protect Wi-Fi at WRC URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/lawmakers-want-fcc-ntia-to-protect-wi-fi-at-wrc/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:46.000Z WASHINGTON, July 30, 2026 – A bipartisan group of 19 lawmakers want U.S. telecom regulators to protect Wi-Fi spectrum at next year’s global spectrum management conference. The lawmakers, led by Rep. **April McClain Delaney**, D-Md., [said they were](https://mcclaindelaney.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/mcclaindelaney.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/requesting-agency-update-on-u.s-strategy-for-the-2027-world-radio-conference.pdf?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) “particularly concerned” about China’s desire to “expand or normalize” mobile use in the 6 GigaHertz (GHz) band. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “We expect the PRC \[People’s Republic of China\] to seek revisions to the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 resolutions that would undermine continued international support for unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band,” they wrote. The House members asked for updates from the Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration on how the agencies [were preparing](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/international-coalition-building-important-ahead-of-wrc-experts/) for [WRC-27](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-should-plan-early-for-wrc-witnesses-say/). The conference will be hosted in Shanghai, China. The agencies should be planning to build [international consensus](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-should-prioritize-satellite-spectrum-sharing-at-wrc-groups-say/) on defending unlicensed use in the 6 GHz band, the representatives said. Especially in the Americas, and “including Mexico and Brazil, both of whom have previously taken some degree of alignment with the PRC on issues related to the 6 GHz band.” The letter was signed by 14 Democrats and 5 Republicans. McClain Delaney is a former deputy administrator at NTIA. In the U.S., 6 GHz is entirely allocated for unlicensed Wi-Fi devices. China uses the spectrum for licensed mobile use, and the European Union has opted for mostly licensed mobile as well. The United Kingdom’s telecom regulator [put forward](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wi-fi-proponents-like-uk-proposal-to-share-upper-6-ghz/) a plan earlier this year to share the spectrum between Wi-Fi and mobile. There isn’t a specific agenda item on 6 GHz for WRC-27, and not a lot of precedent for getting something done without one. But hosting the conference confers some advantages in terms of getting one’s priorities across the finish line, experts have said, and [some stakeholders](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/u-s-should-prioritize-satellite-spectrum-sharing-at-wrc-groups-say/) want the U.S. to push for its own priorities outside the agenda. That would involve making satellite spectrum sharing rules more friendly to low-Earth orbit systems. **Ruth Pritchard Kelly**, a professor of telecom law at the Universities of Nebraska and Mississippi and former legal advisor at SES and Eutelsat, said earlier this month that China might actually be on board with that. The change would benefit American companies, but China is also launching its own massive LEO constellations, she noted. U.S. agencies’ preparations for WRC-27 are ongoing. In May, NTIA convened regulators from more than 20 African countries to advocate for the U.S.’s favored satellite policies. Most of WRC-27 will deal with satellite issues, something important for the U.S. since domestic rocket company SpaceX dominates the LEO market, and other American firms are looking to compete. More draft proposals for WRC items are due from the NTIA and working groups to the FCC in September. The U.S. is [planning to finalize](https://www.spectrum.gov/world-radiocommunication-conference?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) its positions and put forward those plans at the next meeting of North and South American telecom regulators in November. There’s still [some disagreement](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/licensed-unlicensed-interests-still-at-odds-on-key-band-ahead-of-wrc/) to be worked out, especially on an item related to mobile use in the 7 GHz band. Unlicensed interests want the U.S. not to advocate for mobile use in the band, while the carriers want exactly that. The White House also supports tapping the band for 5G. Also in November is the International Telecommunication Union’s plenipotentiary conference, where countries will vote for ITU representatives. ITU oversees WRC and global spectrum regulation. The U.S. wants to re-elect American **Doreen Bogdan-Martin** as ITU secretary-general. ### EU to Crack Down on AI Deepfakes, Illicit Imagery and Hacking with New Team in Brussels URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/eu-to-crack-down-on-ai-deepfakes-illicit-imagery-and-hacking-with-new-team-in-brussels/ Last updated: 2026-10-20T21:51:50.000Z BRUSSELS, July 31, 2026 (AP) — The European Union rolled out a new team on Friday to rein in AI companies across the world, in one of the most aggressive regulations the high-tech sector has so far faced as fears rise over the risks the rapidly advancing technology poses to people, politics and prosperity. Brussels aims to track the use of AI models for violations of its new regulations, like the publishing of sexually explicit material, fake photos and videos, and cyber threats to public infrastructure. When the bloc's AI Act comes into force on Sunday, AI companies will be required to make clear to consumers with labels or digital watermarks that chatbots or imagery are generated with AI. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/150-gilbert-flag-and-date-jpg.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [***Learn about the 3-Part Preview of America250 / Telecom150, a Broadband Breakfast conference on October 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150-2/) [America250 / Telecom150 ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/telecom150) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/07/ai_and_congress_event_graphic_v4-jpg-4.jpg)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [***Learn about "Broadband and AI in the Next Congress" at the National Press Club on December 1, 2026**](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) [Broadband & AI in the Next Congress ](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-and-ai/) “As enforcement begins, we are taking an important step towards AI that people and businesses can understand and trust, and whose benefits are shared widely across our society,” said **Henna Virkkunen**, the EU chief for tech sovereignty, on Friday. The European Commission said in a statement that new regulations also include “systemic risks” posed by AI like “chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, loss of control, cyber offense, harmful manipulation and threats to fundamental rights." The team is the latest move in the 27-nation EU’s “tech sovereignty” strategy that welds landmark digital regulations with economic ambition that has seen over the past week billions of euros in fines on Big Tech companies as well as record investment in AI infrastructure inside the bloc. The rollout comes on the heels of [shocking AI safety failures](https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-ai-models-hack-cybersecurity-b0a2c284b981de79c55e2a33712f4bec?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) that rattled the nascent industry. Political leaders worldwide are now weighing control of the technology with market leadership. [Anthropic](https://apnews.com/hub/anthropic-pbc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) said on Friday its artificial intelligence models hacked into three other organizations during testing, just days after ChatGPT maker [OpenAI](https://apnews.com/hub/openai-inc?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) raised concerns over AI controls after it [disclosed its rogue models hacked](https://apnews.com/article/openai-gpt56-sol-hugging-face-63ab84fed5612af04d8a160d60f6def3?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) another company. The EU is now expanding its AI Office in Brussels with an additional 38 people who will begin monitoring AI companies, from the new firms to the American and Chinese tech titans like OpenAI and DeepSeek. Those companies must “document certain information,” said the European Commission, the bloc's tech enforcer, which reserves the right to interview AI company staff during investigations. It has also launched [a Whistleblower Tool](https://ai-act-whistleblower.integrityline.app/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) for tech workers and a Compliance Tool for tech users to confidentially alert authorities to illegal conduct. If models or other products break the EU's sector regulations, called the AI Act, Brussels can fine the firms or cut off their access to the EU market. Recent gigantic antitrust fines on U.S. tech companies have irked U.S. President **Donald Trump**. The EU now clearly sees systemic vulnerability in its deep reliance on American software companies like Amazon, Google and Microsoft as well as imports of Chinese industrial goods and critical minerals. While it is seeking protections from AI, it is also keen to catch up in the AI arms race, where it is a distant third behind the U.S. and China. More broadly, the EU is seeking more independence from both Washington and Beijing by reinvigorating specific domestic industries like manufacturing and defense and forging new trade deals from Brazil to Australia to meet the global rise in economic nationalism spearheaded by Trump. *This article was written by Sam McNeil of the Associated Press.* _Includes the latest 500 public posts. Use `/sitemap.xml` for the complete archive of public content._