Infrastructure
Appalachian Regional Commission Prepares Communities for Federal Broadband Money
The commission said it is helping communities prepare to apply for some of the $42.5B NTIA BEAD program.
ACP
The Affordable Connectivity Program was a $14.2 billion program that provided subsidized broadband connections of $30/month, and $75/month for Tribal households. However, the program ended in June 2024 after Congress stopped its funding.
DHS
Former Google Exec to Cyber Office, Verizon Urges Action on USF, T-Mobile Settles Data Breach Suits
Former Google executive Camille Gloster has been appointed by the White House to its Office of the National Cyber Director.
Funding
Treasury Department Announces $357 Million in Additional Capital Projects Fund Awards
Kansas, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota are among the awardees.
FCC
FCC Adopts Spectrum-Sharing Incentives, Proposal on Call Traffic Arbitrage
The agency voted to incentivize the sharing of underutilized spectrum to increase connectivity in the nation.
Benton
BEAD Program Initiative Should Utilize Analysis of Affordable Connectivity Program Enrollment
Analyzing ACP enrollment can help the BEAD program solve the ‘persisting gap between deployment and subscription.’
FCC
Capital Projects Fund Recipients, FCC-CRTC on Robocalls, Bandwidth IG Fiber in Portland
The first wave of money from the $10-billion federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund was announced Tuesday.
Charter
Utah’s Monumental Fiber City, Google Fiber Advertising, Starry Jersey City Expansion
With 141,000 residents, West Valley City, Utah, is now the second largest city in the country fully connected to fiber.
Broadband's Impact
Biden Delivers Remarks on Free Broadband to Qualified Households
Biden compared the value of broadband to telephone service, and drew parallels to the historic effort to connect the country.
Infrastructure
Biden Touts Telecom Commitment to Low-Cost Broadband Options
The commitment is separate from the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program.
Lifeline
FCC Device Partnership, TracFone Settles Lawsuit, New FCC Leadership Hires
The FCC announced a partnership with a trio of companies to deliver devices under the Affordable Connectivity Program.
FCBA
New Affordable Connectivity Program Rules Prevent Credit Checks, Make Termination Harder
The rules prevent providers from denying service to lower-income customers.
Energy and Commerce
House Democrats Prod NTIA Chief on Their Broadband Infrastructure Priorities
Legislators want broadband networks reach as many people as possible, but didn’t specify how NTIA should do this.
FCC
FCC Bans Chinese Telecom, NY Affordable Broadband Enrollment, Indiana Gov. Rejects Broadband Restrictions
Pacific Networks Corp. and its subsidy ComNet LLC were terminated in an FCC vote Wednesday.
Infrastructure
Harris to Visit Louisiana, $17B in Private Broadband Investment, NY Rep Secures Broadband Funding
Kamala Harris was initially slated to visit Louisiana last month, but cancelled due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Expert Opinion
Craig Settles and Sean Gonsalves: Telehealth For All is a ‘Stroke of Genius’
Without access to a secure broadband connection, the co-author of this Expert Opinion would have died.
FCC
Comcast Offers Free Internet, $86 Million for Homework Gap, TPRC’s Call for Research Papers
Comcast has adjusted its historic Internet Essentials program to the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program.
