1. Monthly archive
  2. September 2019

September 2019

FCC Announces Launch of National Verifier in 11 States

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced the launch of the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier for all new enrollments in Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Starting on October 23, 2019, eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) in these eleven states will be required to use the National Verifier’s eligibility determination process for all consumers applying for Lifeline service and must cease using legacy eligibility processes for prospective Lifeline subscribers.

Chairman Pai Remarks at Americas Spectrum Management Conference

In 2018, I talked about our 5G FAST plan. The plan has three central planks: freeing up spectrum, promoting wireless infrastructure, and modernizing our regulations to promote more fiber deployment. We’ve been active on all three fronts, and there’s mounting evidence that our efforts are working.  We’re working on the complicated task of freeing up spectrum for 5G in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band, commonly called the C-Band. This is a critical band for 5G, and I’m optimistic that we will have results to show on this front this fall.

Moving backwards: consolidation, deregulation & lack of accountability in the US media and broadband industries

The US broadband and media industries are increasingly becoming consolidated, deregulated and freed of accountability, with little attention either from policymakers or the media. While Mexico is moving forward -- having recently developed new institutions and regulations intended to promote competition and accountability in telecommunications and media, the US is moving backwards. Competition in broadband and media in the US is vanishing as a result of decisions, big and small, by the Trump Administration. 

Scoping New Policy Frameworks for Local Broadband Networks

Over many years, locally-initiated and operated broadband infrastructure projects have attempted to resolve the last-mile dilemma. Many generations of do-it-yourself (DIY) network efforts that are either wireless, such as community mesh networks, or wired, such as fiber cooperatives, exist, but in the U.S. scaled developments have been stalled for a variety of reasons that include regulatory prohibitions. This research examines a current ‘third wave’ of community networking, marked by local and DIY efforts as well as technological innovations.

A new report shows that the rural broadband situation in Georgia is worse than first thought

Lawmakers are trying to find ways to provide broadband service to people living in rural areas of Georgia. But that plan might be on hold. Federal Communications Commission data showed the limited reach of broadband, but a second look by Georgia has shown the data is all wrong. Georgia's Department of Community Affairs did its own broadband mapping, counting down to each customer with data from individual broadband providers. Georgia’s new statewide map is expected to be done by the summer of 2020. 

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