FCC
Techies Tout Plan to Share the C-Band and Bring High-Speed Wireless Access to Millions
About 80 million Americans in unserved or underserved locations could receive gigabit broadband access through spectrum sharing.
Infrastructure
Federal Communications Commissioner O’Rielly Defends Budget Cap on Universal Service Fund
WASHINGTON, June 25, 2019- A budget cap to the Federal Communication Commission’s Universal Service Fund will provide “plenty for all,” said FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly Tuesday. The fund is currently paid for through fees imposed by consumers’ phone bills with four sub-programs dedicated to sp
FCC
Federal Communications Commission Votes to Allow Carriers to Block Robocallers By Default
WASHINGTON, June 8, 2019 — Telecommunications providers can now block robocalls by default, according to a Federal Communications Commission ruling on Thursday. In principle, the measure had bipartisan support. But Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel dissented in part because the order didn’t require p
Infrastructure
Commissioner O’Rielly Raises Another Concern about Municipal Broadband: The ‘First Amendment’
BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Critics of municipal involvement with broadband infrastructure will find all manner of reasons to oppose them, and this article from Motherboard elaborates on Federal Communications Commissioner Mike O’Rielly’s views about the subject. This appears to be an extension of
Infrastructure
FCC Chairman Attempts to Assuage Local Government Anger Against the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee
WASHINGTON, July 12, 2018 – In advance of the Federal Communications Commission’s open meeting on Thursday, agency Chairman Ajit Pai announced a local government representative as the new vice chair of the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. The announcement may be one more volley in the back-a
FCC
Trump Administration Trial Balloon About Nationalizing 5G Broadband Networks Greeted with Skepticism and Derision
Editor’s Note: Updated January 30, 2018, at 8:44 a.m. with statement from the National Security Council. WASHINGTON, January 29, 2018 – The Trump administration has made no decisions regarding a National Security Council proposal to nationalize the forthcoming fifth-generation, or 5G wireless broadb
Broadband Breakfast
White House Supports FCC Efforts to Close Digital Divide in Efficient Manner
WASHINGTON, November 21, 2017 — The White House on Friday defended the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to prevent telecommunications service resellers like TracPhone and Simply Wireless from participating in the Universal Service Fund Lifeline program, and to restrict participation in t
Infrastructure
FCC Provides Details for Puerto Rican E-Rate Funding as Chairman Pai Visits Island
WASHINGTON, November 4, 2017 — More than a month after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico’s communications infrastructure, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Friday announced that he will travel to the island territory on Sunday to observe the recovery process and assess the
Infrastructure
FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee Holds Second Meeting With Working Group Reports
WASHINGTON, July 21, 2017 – Speaking at a meeting of the agency’s newly-form Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee, Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly put forward his view that state and local governments are creating barriers to broadband deployment across the United States. “Br
FCC
Before Congress, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Defends 5 Percent Budget Cut and Changes to Net Neutrality Rules
WASHINGTON, June 21, 2017 — Cuts in the Federal Communications Commission budget won’t hinder the agency’s ability to provide services because the agency is entirely funded by fees, Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai told senators on Tuesday during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing to exami
FCC
Federal Communications Chairman Announces Widely-Anticipated ‘Net Neutrality’ Speech on Wednesday
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2017 – The Federal Communications Commission announced that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will speak Wednesday afternoon at the Newseum, at an event hosted by the free-market Freedom Works, to lay out his approach to reversing the agency’s “open internet” order under his predecessor, f
FCC
Broadband Roundup: Advocacy Groups Weigh in Pro-and-Con on Net Neutrality
WASHINGTON, September 17, 2014 – A variety of developments on the battle regarding network neutrality: FreePress Tells FCC Title II Ensures Net Neutrality Protections The advocacy group Free Press blasted Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler’s efforts to use Section 706 of the Tele
FCC
In Partisan Vote, FCC Passes a Modified E-Rate Proposal for Spending Funds on Wi-Fi Connectivity
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2014 – The Federal Communications Commission on Friday voted to modernize of its E-Rate program Friday, reallocating funds from technologies considered obsolete to Wi-Fi based connectivity in schools and libraries. However, owing to strong skepticism from opponents over funding,
Justice Department
FCC Announces Universal Service Fund Strike Force in Effort to Combat Wasteful Spending
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2014 – In an effort to combat ongoing complaints of inefficiency within the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund, Chairman Tom Wheeler on Monday announced a strike force dedicated to “rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse.” To be led by Loyaan Egal, a former
FCC
Phoenix Center Roundtable Features Critics of Net Neutrality Urging Fellow Critics to Make Voices Heard
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2014 – At an informal Phoenix Center roundtable on Tuesday, June 24, Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly criticized net neutrality and urged fellow critics to take advantage of the FCC’s open comment period on the topic. Comedians like John Oliver of the Daily Sh
FCC
Broadband Roundup: Modernizing the E-Rate, Upgrading the FCC, Apple Tapping into Internet of Things
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2014 – A group of more than 40 members of Congress have urged the Federal Communications Commission to modernize the E-Rate program of connectivity for schools and libraries. More specifically, the group is calling for ”100 [Megabits per second] of bandwith or more for every 1,00
