Category Archives: FCC

US Senate passes Klobuchar’s broadband bill – asking FCC to use vetting process for providers getting funding

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KIMT3 reports…

The U.S. Senate has passed the bipartisan Rural Broadband Protection Act, a significant step toward enhancing broadband access in underserved rural areas.
The bill, co-led by Democratic U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, mandates the Federal Communications Commission to implement a thorough vetting process for providers seeking federal funding to ensure they can deliver reliable broadband services.
“We should be able to bring high-speed internet to every family in Minnesota—regardless of their zip code,” Klobuchar said. “This bipartisan legislation will help Americans connect to work, school, health care, and business opportunities by ensuring the companies that apply for federal funding to build out broadband infrastructure can get the job done.”
Capito emphasized the importance of the legislation for West Virginians, noting that it expands on her previous efforts to improve broadband connectivity. “The Senate passage of this legislation is another positive step in connecting every last home, school, and business in West Virginia,” Capito said.
Klobuchar has been a longtime advocate for bridging the digital divide and supports efforts to strengthen the Universal Service Fund, which aids broadband access in rural communities. Her past initiatives include the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act and efforts to ensure proper implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s broadband provisions.

FCC extends (again) pause of Lifeline Mobile data increase and voice phase-out

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The FCC reports…

  1. In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) extends, for a year, the waiver pausing both the phase-out of Lifeline support for voice-only services and the increase in the Lifeline minimum service standard for mobile broadband data capacity. Without this decision, support for services that meet only the voice minimum service standard, which currently stands at $5.25 per month, would be eliminated in most areas on December 1, 2025.[1]  Additionally, absent a pause, the minimum service standard for mobile broadband data capacity would rise from 4.5 GB to 29 GB per month beginning December 1, 2025.
  2. As discussed below, we find good cause to pause these changes for an additional year. Absent this action, the minimum service standard for mobile broadband data capacity would have experienced its largest increase since Lifeline minimum service standards were established.  This action will avoid changes that could potentially result in the disruption of communications for Lifeline subscribers as the Commission establishes and evaluates the record in the Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding, a wide-ranging deregulatory review.[2]  Maintaining Lifeline program stability through this action will limit burdens on providers and low-income households while the Commission considers future activity regarding Lifeline voice-only service and setting minimum service standards.

[1] See Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization et al., WC Docket No. 11-42, Third Report and Order, Further Report and Order, and Order on Reconsideration, 31 FCC Rcd 3962, 3989-97, paras. 73-98 (2016) (2016 Lifeline Order); 47 CFR §§ 54.403(a)(2)(iv)-(v).

[2] See In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete, GN Docket No. 25-133, Public Notice, DA 25-219 (rel. Mar, 12, 2025) (Delete, Delete, Delete Public Notice) (seeking public input on identifying FCC rules for the purpose of alleviating unnecessary regulatory burdens).

Hear is some of their reasoning…

  1. Our decision to extend this waiver stems from careful consideration of how to continue to support a stable and robust affordable communications market through the Lifeline program. This waiver also allows the Commission time to consider the recommendations found in the Future of USF Report and options for deregulatory initiatives in the Delete, Delete, Delete[1]  These factors, in addition to ongoing subscribership to voice-only plans despite their lower support rate, lead us to find good cause to pause, until December 1, 2026, both the elimination of voice-only support and the increase in minimum service standards for mobile broadband data capacity.
  2. Voice Support Phase-Out. In each of the last two years, the Bureau paused the scheduled phase-out in Lifeline support for voice-only services due in large part to a continued reliance on voice service.[2]  Extending the waiver of the voice-only services phase-out ensures that voice-only subscribers are not required to subscribe to broadband bundled plans to maintain their access to a Lifeline-supported service.  It further permits these households to maintain access to voice service that bridges a gap in the pursuit of universal service.[3]
  3. We further find that it is in the public interest to continue to pause the complete phase-out of voice-only support to allow the Commission to fully consider the Lifeline program’s objectives and processes, consistent with the Delete, Delete, Delete Public Notice’s stated purpose of identifying FCC rules for the purpose of alleviating unnecessary regulatory burdens.[4] Pausing the phase-out of voice-only support allows the Commission additional time to consider how voice service fits into a modern Lifeline program.  For all of these reasons, we find good cause to pause the phase-out in Lifeline support for voice-only services.
  4. Mobile Broadband Data Capacity Minimum Service Standard. In each of the last two years, the Bureau paused the increase to the minimum service standard for mobile broadband data capacity, primarily due to potential cost barriers that an increase would bring and data showing that Lifeline subscribers may not benefit from an increase in the usage allowance.[5]  In addition, the pause was needed to allow time for the Commission to consider recommendations to revise Lifeline minimum service standards in the Future of USF Report.[6]  The dual needs to consider future changes to this mechanism and to prevent increased capacity requirements that make service potentially more robust than needed, but prohibitively expensive, continues to support maintaining a minimum mobile broadband data capacity of 4.5 GB.

[1] See Future of USF Report, 37 FCC Rcd 10041; Delete, Delete, Delete Public Notice.

[2] 2023 Waiver Order, 38 FCC Rcd at 6100, para. 12; 2024 Waiver Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 7004, para. 12.

[3] See also 2021 Waiver Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 15546, para. 16 (finding that “retail rates for bundled broadband plans that would meet the Lifeline program’s current minimum service standards for broadband data capacity far exceed the cost of plans that would qualify as Lifeline voice-only plans,” which could require some Lifeline subscribers “to either move to a more expensive bundled broadband plan, or forego voice service altogether.”).

[4] See Delete, Delete, Delete Public Notice, at 1.

[5] See 2023 Waiver Order, 38 FCC Rcd at 6101-02, paras. 14-17; 2024 Waiver Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 7005-06, paras. 15-16.

[6] See id.

The FCC denies LTD Broadband’s appeal earlier RDOF decision

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The FCC releases judgement on LTD Broadband’s appeal of  earlier RDOF decision…

We heard this appeal on the record from the Federal Communications Commission and the parties’ briefs and arguments. We fully considered the issues and determined that a published opinion is unnecessary. See D.C. Cir. R. 36(d). It is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the petition be DENIED.

The Federal Communications Commission allocates subsidies to private companies that promise to build out rural broadband networks. At a reverse auction, petitioner LTD Broadband won nearly $1.3 billion of these subsidies. But before LTD could collect, it had to complete a “long-form application” showing it was “legally, technically, and financially qualified” to provide service. In re Rural Digital Opportunity Fund; Connect America Fund, Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd. 686, 717 (2020) (“Rural Digital Opportunity Fund”). LTD failed to do so, and the FCC denied its application. Because the FCC acted reasonably, we deny LTD’s petition.

The document continues outlining the history and decisions.

Big changes expected as another FCC Commissioner resigns

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Radio Link Daily Headlines reports…

FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington has formally announced that he will step down from his role at the end of this week, concluding a tenure that began with his appointment by President Donald Trump during Trump’s first term.

His departure marks the latest leadership transition at the FCC under Chairman Brendan Carr and creates a setback in the timeline for a GOP majority at the agency.

Simington’s exit statement outlines his reflections on the role and priorities that shaped his time on the Commission, including a focus on free speech, national security, and investment in communications infrastructure.

This marks the second recent departure…

As Simington concludes his tenure, Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks prepares to do the same, after formally announcing his resignation during the FCC’s May open meeting.

Before today’s development, Commissioner Geoffrey Starks’ departure was expected to hand Republicans a 2–1 majority on the FCC, with Chairman Brendan Carr leading the agency and Democrat Commissioner Anna Gomez as the lone non-Republican. Instead, with Simington also stepping down, the Commission is now split 1–1, leaving three vacant seats for President Trump and the Senate to fill.

Trump nominee Olivia Trusty has advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee and awaits a full floor vote, but progress has stalled. Several Senate Democrats have threatened to withhold support unless a Democratic nominee is advanced alongside her to maintain ideological balance. And with Congressional focus shifting toward budget reconciliation and appropriations deadlines, there is no timeline for her confirmation.

The FCC releases Internet Access Services Report

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The FCC report summarizes information about Internet access in the United States as of June 30, 2024, as collected by FCC Form 477 and the Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Here are their key takeaways…

Typical Speeds
• The median downstream speed of all reported fixed connections was 300 Mbps and the median upstream speed was 20 Mbps. For residential fixed connections, the median downstream speed was 500 Mbps and the median upstream speed was 20 Mbps. See Figures 35 and 36.
• The median downstream speed of all reported mobile connections was 34 Mbps and the median upstream speed was 3 Mbps. For residential mobile connections, the median downstream speed was 34 Mbps and the median upstream speed was 3 Mbps. See Figures 37 and 38.
Residential Connections
• Residential fixed connections increased by about 2.4% between June 2023 and June 2024, to about 123 million. See Figure 12.
• Residential (non-business) mobile connections on mobile devices with data plans for full Internet access increased by about 1.6%, to 340 million, between June 2023 and June 2024. See Figure 12.
• Approximately 97% of residential fixed connections had a speed of at least 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream in June 2024, while 94% had a speed of at least 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream. About 66% of all residential fixed connections had a speed of at least 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream. See Figure 15.
• As a national average in June 2024, there were about 93 residential fixed connections with speeds of at least 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream per 100 households; 90 residential fixed connections with speeds of at least 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream per 100 households; and 63 residential fixed connections with speeds of at least 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream per 100 households. See Figure 43.
Census tract and county shares of households with residential fixed connections
• We estimate the share of households with residential fixed connections in individual census tracts and counties as of June 30, 2024, and continue to observe substantial variation among these estimates. See Figures 48 and 51.

And some of the charts I found most useful…

What are potential impacts of DOGE in the FCC?

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Light Reading reports…

According to a new report from The Verge, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has set up shop in the FCC.

What might happen next is anyone’s guess. But it’s possible that DOGE will fire some FCC staffers – and then attempt to hire them back again. That’s what DOGE has done at some other federal agencies in recent weeks, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Nuclear Security Administration.

There is an issue…

The FCC regulates everything from radio to television to satellite communications. It’s meant to be an independent government agency overseen by Congress, but one of President Trump’s recent executive orders asserted more direct White House control over regulatory agencies like the FCC. In doing so, he further stripped the veneer of independence from an agency that has moved forward mostly along partisan lines for decades.

And a potential conflict of interest…

DOGE, meanwhile, is an idea spearheaded by Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and the chief executive of companies including SpaceX, Tesla and xAI. It is intended to trim excess expenses in US government organizations.

Importantly, the FCC has a direct impact on several sectors critical to one or more of Musk’s companies. For example, Carr’s FCC will consider both terrestrial and satellite-based operations in upper C-band spectrum. That may set up a battle between Musk’s SpaceX and 5G operators like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.

Questions about what’s happening with the 5G Fund and how it might impact rural areas

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Light Reading reports…

Criticism is mounting against the 5G Fund, a long-gestating US government program that would distribute billions of dollars to wireless network operators, with the goal of funding the construction of 5G networks in rural areas.

Indeed, the issues are so lengthy and complex that T-Mobile has suggested just ending the program altogether.

“Given the unprecedented infusion of billions of dollars of federal and state funding as well as ongoing private investment in 5G Fund infrastructure, it is premature for the commission to proceed with the 5G Fund auction,” T-Mobile told the FCC in a recent filing. “Indeed, the auction may not be necessary at all.”

5G Fund money would likely be allocated through a reverse auction, where the lowest bid to cover a particular location with 5G wins.

T-Mobile isn’t alone…

T-Mobile isn’t the only company criticizing the FCC’s 5G Fund. However, most other companies argue for a delay in the program, not an end to it. And many are urging the FCC to ultimately expand the size of the 5G Fund from around $9 billion to about $36 billion.

“There are several significant objectives that should be completed before conducting the 5G Fund auction, to avoid wasting or improperly targeting 5G Fund support in rural America,” wrote the Coalition of Rural Wireless Carriers, which represents some small wireless network operators in the US.

The article talks about the option to delay…

The coalition argued that the FCC should wait to allocate 5G Fund cash until the BEAD program is well underway. That way, wireless network operators will know exactly where they can expect to obtain suitable backhaul connections for their rural cell towers.

Also, there’s satellite…

Finally, it’s worth noting that satellites may now play a huge role in the future of any discussion about 5G in rural areas.

Today, satellites are connecting to millions of regular smartphones all over the country, including in the rural areas targeted by the 5G Fund. Specifically, several generations of new Apple iPhones can connect to Globalstar satellites, while T-Mobile’s agreement with SpaceX could expand that kind of capability to millions more.

Benton finds connection between ACP and broadband adoption

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A new report from the Benton Institue for Broadband and Society finds…

ACP and BROADBAND ADOPTION
· As ACP enrollment rose from 15 million households to nearly 23 million at the end of 2023, there was a positive link between ACP enrollment (as a share of eligible
households) and the level of broadband adoption (either wireless or wireline) in 2023 data.
· Statistical analysis shows that ACP had a role in “net additions” to broadband subscription levels on the order of 2.9 percentage points nationally, or approximately 3.8 million households.
· There was also a positive correlation between the growth in broadband adoption from 2021 to 2023 and ACP enrollment. This growth was in the context of very small growth in overall broadband adoption from 2021 to 2023. Analysis indicates that, absent ACP, growth in broadband adoption of any type would have been 0.8 of a percentage point lower than it was.
· These two types of positive correlations—between ACP enrollment and levels of broadband adoption in 2023 and growth in between 2021 and 2023—are evidence that areas where significant numbers of eligible households enrolled in ACP had more broadband subscribers than they otherwise would have.
ACP HELPED GET PEOPLE ONLINE in RURAL AREAS
· The “net addition” effect described above was more likely to be a rural phenomenon, meaning rural areas were associated with higher levels of broadband adoption
compared with urban areas—with ACP enrollment having a significant role in supporting subscriptions. The “net addition” effect was 6.9 percent in rural areas, compared with 1.7 percent in urban areas.

ACP HELPED KEEP PEOPLE ONLINE in URBAN AREAS
· In urban and metro areas, ACP had a somewhat stronger influence on retaining existing subscribers. These are the “subscription vulnerable,” whose home internet connections
are sometimes at risk due to household budgetary pressure. Urban and metro areas have higher costs for foundational parts of the household budget, like food and housing. Including those factors in the analysis shows that ACP’s cost relief helps them stay online.
· ACP’s impact on the “subscription vulnerable” affects approximately 11.5 million households in this category; i.e., the ACP keeps about 8.8 percent of households online
with wireline service who otherwise might not be able to sustain service.

Daily Yonder says changes to BEAD could strand rural communities

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The Daily Yonder reports…

In early March, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick proposed changes to a federal broadband connectivity program that would favor Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity, like Starlink, over fiber optic, a faster and more reliable form of internet access.

Critics say Lutnick’s proposal to prioritize LEO will worsen the digital divide by abandoning rural communities without the long term economic benefits of fiber optic infrastructure.

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment, or BEAD, is a $42 billion grant program created by the Biden administration under the Infrastructure, Investments, and Jobs Act of 2021. BEAD aims to connect 25 million Americans with high speed internet in all 56 states and territories.

In a meeting with BEAD staff earlier this month, Lutnick said he wants to make the program “technology-neutral” by shifting the focus to LEO satellite connectivity. Wall Street Journal reporter Patience Haggin said that Lutnick’s proposal would make it easier for Elon Musk’s LEO satellite technology, Starlink, to claim funds allocated for rural broadband development.

Lutnick’s proposed changes would exacerbate the digital divide between rural and urban residents, according to the Benton Institute’s Broadband & Society Director of Policy Engagement Drew Garner.  The Benton Institute is a nonprofit that focuses on broadband access.

Libraries, school and others ask Senate to protect FCC wi-fi order

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Broadband Breakfast reports...

National education groups are concerned that the Senate could prevent millions of people from accessing the internet with federal assistance.

A coalition of 31 education and library groups urged senators in a letter Monday to reject a resolution by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that would roll back the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to allow E-Rate funds for wireless hotspots.

“Almost 20,000 schools and libraries across the country are currently in the process of applying for several hundred thousand hotspots,” the letter stated, adding that millions of Americans could lose access to essential online resources if the measure, S.J.Res.7, is approved.

FCC approves SpaceX’s direct-to-cell Starlink-T-Mobile satellite service at higher power levels

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

The Federal Communications Commission has approved SpaceX’s request to operate its direct-to-cell Starlink-T-Mobile satellite service at higher power levels.
That’s despite the strong objections of AT&T, Verizon, and EchoStar, who found that the decision could degrade terrestrial mobile network performance. AT&T had submitted an analysis predicting an 18% drop in throughput in areas affected by SpaceX’s emissions.
The FCC granted the conditional waiver March 7, with one condition: SpaceX must mitigate any interference issues or risk losing the waiver entirely.

FCC plans a deregulatory initiative dubbed Delete, Delete, Delete

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday announced the launch of “a massive, new deregulatory initiative” aimed at eliminating FCC rules deemed unnecessary or burdensome.

Specifically, the FCC has opened a new docket titled “In re: Delete, Delete, Delete,” in which the agency seeks public comment on which rules, regulations, or guidance documents should be eliminated in the name of streamlining regulatory processes.

“The FCC is committed to ending all of the rules and regulations that are no longer necessary,” Carr said, in a post to X.

EVENT Feb 27: FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for February Open Meeting

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It’s always interesting to see what’s on the agenda of a new Administration…

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the February Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 27, 2025:

Enhancing National Security Though the Auctioning of Spectrum Licenses – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would update 10 year-old AWS-3 service-specific competitive bidding rules to bring those rules in line with current practice as the first step in fulfilling the Commission’s statutory obligation to initiate an auction of licenses for the AWS-3 spectrum in the Commission’s inventory by June 23, 2026, under the Spectrum and Secure Technology and Innovation Act.  (GN Docket Nos. 25-70, 25-71, 13-185)

Exploring New Uses for Mid-Band Spectrum in the Upper C-band – The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry exploring whether, and if so how, we could free up additional mid-band spectrum for new services in the Upper C-band to meet projected spectrum demand, spur economic growth, and advance American security interests.  (GN Docket No. 25-59)

Making Wireless Emergency Alerts More Responsive to Public Safety and Consumer Needs – The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking intended to give emergency managers and consumers greater customization of the Wireless Emergency Alerts they send and receive, which would increase public safety and reduce consumers opting out of this life-saving service. (PS Docket Nos. 15-91, 15-94)

Strengthening Call Blocking Rules – The Commission will consider a Report and Order that strengthens the Commission’s call blocking rules by expanding the requirement to block calls based on a reasonable do-not-originate list to include all providers in the call path and by designating an exclusive code to notify callers when certain calls are blocked. (CG Docket No. 17-59)

Combatting Loud Commercial Advertisements – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would undertake a review of the Commission’s commercial loudness rules, in effect since 2012, and seek comment on the need for updates or changes. (MB Docket No. 25-72)

Public Drafts of Meeting Items – The FCC publicly releases the draft text of each item expected to be considered at the next Open Commission Meeting. One-page cover sheets are included in the public drafts to help summarize each item.  All these materials will be available on the FCC’s Open Meeting page: http://www.fcc.gov/openmeeting.

Public Attendance – The Open Meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. ET in the Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.  While the Open Meeting is open to the public, the FCC headquarters building is not open access, and all guests must check in with and be screened by FCC security at the main entrance on L Street.  Attendees at the Open Meeting will not be required to have an appointment but must otherwise comply with protocols outlined at: https://www.fcc.gov/visit.  Open Meetings are streamed live at www.fcc.gov/live.

FCC Chair ends required environmental reviews for infrastructure builds

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The FCC reports…

On January 24, 2025, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr
ended the FCC’s consideration of a Biden-era rulemaking proposal that would have subjected tower builds to additional, needless, and onerous environmental reviews. That proposed rulemaking plan had been under consideration at the FCC since 2022.

Chair Carr said…

“Ending the FCC’s consideration of this Biden-era proposal is just an initial step. I look
forward to working with my colleagues and stakeholders to ensure that the federal government
does not stand in the way of America’s broadband builders and the important work they have
ahead.”

FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel proposes requiring telecom carriers secure their networks

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The FCC reports...

Following recent reports involving an intrusion by foreign actors into U.S. communications networks, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed urgent action to safeguard the nation’s communications systems from real and present cybersecurity threats, including from state-sponsored cyber actors from the People’s Republic of China.  The Chairwoman announced today that the Federal Communications Commission will act to ensure telecommunication companies are required to secure their networks.

“The cybersecurity of our nation’s communications critical infrastructure is essential to promoting national security, public safety, and economic security,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.   “As technology continues to advance, so does the capabilities of adversaries, which means the U.S. must adapt and reinforce our defenses.  While the Commission’s counterparts in the intelligence community are determining the scope and impact of the Salt Typhoon attack, we need to put in place a modern framework to help companies secure their networks and better prevent and respond to cyberattacks in the future.”

Chairwoman Rosenworcel has shared with her fellow commissioners a draft Declaratory Ruling finding that section 105 of Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (“CALEA”) affirmatively requires telecommunications carriers to secure their networks from unlawful access or interception of communications.  That action is accompanied by a proposal that would require communications service providers to submit an annual certification to the FCC attesting that they have created, updated, and implemented a cybersecurity risk management plan, which would strengthen communications from future cyberattacks.

If adopted, the Declaratory Ruling would take effect immediately.  In addition, the draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would seek comment on cybersecurity risk management requirements for a wide range of communications providers.  The proposal would also seek comment on additional ways to strengthen the cybersecurity posture of communications systems and services.

Last month, the Commission proposed cybersecurity risk management plan requirements for submarine cable landing applicants and licensees.  In addition, the Commission previously proposed that participants in the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts maintain cybersecurity risk management plans.