What's on the agenda for policymakers.
Agenda
Obstacles abound as Pennsylvania plans for surge of federal broadband funding
In the coming years, Pennsylvania will receive more than $1 billion in federal funding to bring high-speed internet access to everyone in the state. It’s a historic opportunity and a serious challenge, according to a new plan from the state Broadband Development Authority that outlines how it will accomplish that goal over the next five years.
Libraries and schools often form partnerships to creatively address their local “homework gap,” or barriers that some students face to complete online schoolwork without reliable access to high-speed internet. This webinar will feature real world examples of how these community anchor institutions work together to provide students with access to hotspots and devices. It will also cover how they are empowering students with the knowledge and skills needed to complete online assignments, as well as the utilize the wealth of information and educational resources available on the internet.
Morning Plenary Session
9:00 to 9:10 a.m. — Welcome Address
9:15 to 9:30 a.m. — Digital Equity 101
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Roberto Gallardo, Purdue University
Digital equity is a relatively new term. However, its implications are broader than the more specific digital divide. This presentation will define digital equity and show how it interacts with the digital divide, digital inclusion, and above all, community development.
If BEAD Isn’t Enough
There are several states already estimating that the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant funding is not going to be enough money to reach all of their unserved and underserved areas. California, New Mexico, and Minnesota have estimated that BEAD will fall short. By the time the dust settles there will likely be more states. I’m not surprised by this. Just since the BEAD grant program was enacted by the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act (IIJA) in November 2021, there have been some significant cost increases for building broadband networks.
The Importance of the Universal Service Fund
On July 27, 2023, the U.S. Senate's Universal Service Fund (USF) Working Group invited public comment on the future of the USF with the stated goal of creating a bipartisan forum to guide education, awareness, and policymaking on the USF. The opportunity to weigh in with the senators has had me thinking about the importance of the USF for bringing affordable broadband infrastructure and services to millions of people around the country. So I'm taking this opportunity to share my thoughts on one of the most important tools in our national effort to reach truly universal broadband.
Broadband subsidy program that millions use will expire next year if Congress doesn’t act
One of the features that President Joe Biden cited in his plan to bring
Reevaluating the cable-fiber rivalry: Much ado about nothing?
An unsurprising theme at Fiber Connect 2023 was executives from the fiber industry dragging its cable counterpart. For example, AT&T Fiber’s EVP Chris Sambar said, “don’t ask cable about symmetrical speeds, they don’t even know what that means.” Derek Kelly, Lumos’ VP of market development, went as far as to say that “fiber is always the answer,” and suggested cable alternatives will not stand the test of time. But with all this talk about fiber versus cable, is the rivalry being overplayed?
Dish isn’t the only one interested in T-Mobile’s 800 MHz spectrum
Dish Network isn’t the only entity eyeing T-Mobile’s 800 MHz spectrum. Someone else who’s intimately affiliated with the spectrum is showing an interest, and it’s not one of the big wireless carriers. Burns & McDonnell (B&M), a large engineering and consulting firm, is seeking permission to participate in the court proceeding where Dish is asking for more time to buy T-Mobile’s 800 MHz spectrum licenses, according to a research note by New Street Research (NSR). Dish filed for an extension with the US District Court for the District of Columbia earlier in August, 2023.
Chairwoman Rosenworcel's Response to Members of Congress Regarding the E-Rate Program
On August 14, 2023, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to lawmakers' concerns about the E-Rate Program and the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking circulated amongst the FCC.
National Lifeline Association Submits Comments to Senate Universal Service Fund Working Group
Congress and the Federal Communications Commission must act swiftly and purposefully to ensure that low-income households continue to have sustainably affordable access to communications services through a fully funded low-income program that is structured to effectively close the affordability component of the digital divide while preserving program integrity. National Lifeline Association (NaLA) offers the following recommendations and observations: