December 2019

In an era where most people take mobile broadband technology for granted, one out of four Fresno County households lack any internet access whatsoever – not even a smartphone. It’s indicative of a “digital divide” that puts low-income and rural households at an economic and educational disadvantage relative to residents who have ready access to up-to-date internet technology. Nationwide, about 17 million households – or 14% of U.S. households – have no internet access.

Huawei's Fifth Circuit challenge to a Federal Communications Commission ban against carriers using federal subsidies to buy its equipment is unlikely to succeed, attorneys and academics watching the case say. The Communications Act gives the FCC near “plenary authority” over how it disperses more than $4 billion in subsidies aimed at furthering universal access to internet and telephone services, Philip Verveer, who served as senior counselor to former Democratic FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, said. The subsidies generally go to rural carriers to expand services in remote areas.