On Friday, February 2, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission released the 2018 Broadband Deployment Report. The following statement may be attributed to Benton Foundation Executive Director Adrianne B. Furniss:
Despite years of research, there is still no clear answer to the question: Do cellphones cause cancer? But two government studies, one in rats and one in mice, suggest that if there is any risk, it is small, health officials said. These two studies on the effects of the type of radiation the phones emit, conducted over 10 years and costing $25 million, are considered the most extensive to date.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding, the author of a memo arguing for a government takeover of development of the nation’s 5G mobile network, is no longer serving as National Security Council Senior Director for Strategic Planning. He was not fired; his detail ended and he was not renewed. His last day as a White House staffer was Jan. 31. Brig. Gen.
Chairman Pai: "The report maintains the same benchmark speed for fixed broadband service previously adopted by the Commission, which we earlier proposed to retain: 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload. The report also concludes that mobile broadband service is not a full substitute for fixed service. Instead, it notes there are differences between the two technologies, including clear variations in consumer preferences and demands.
In the wake of the 2015 Title II Order, the deployment of advanced telecommunications capability slowed dramatically. From 2012 to 2014, the two years preceding the Title II Order, fixed terrestrial broadband Internet access was deployed to 29.9 million people who never had it before, including 1 million people on Tribal lands. In the following two years, new deployments dropped 55 percent, reaching only 13.5 million people, including only 330,000 people on Tribal lands.
[Commentary] As Congress continues to hold hearings on “internet expansion” and a possible infrastructure bill is developed, we recommend three action steps that President Trump, Congress and the FCC can and should take to solidify their commitment to improving broadband access in rural America:
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