1. Monthly archive
  2. December 2019

December 2019

USDA Invests $8.1 Million in Rural Broadband for South Carolina Families

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Jim Hubbard announced USDA has invested $8.1 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve e-Connectivity for more than 3,780 homes in rural South Carolina. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program investments. Home Telecom will use $8.1 million in ReConnect grant funding to deploy 96 miles of fiber-optic cable in unserved areas of Charleston and Berkeley counties in SC.

Two Years Later, Broadband Providers Are Still Taking Advantage of An Internet Without Net Neutrality Protections

This December 2019 marks the two-year anniversary of the Federal Communications Commission’s vote to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order and the agency’s net neutrality consumer protections.

Commissioner Starks at the Center for American and International Law

As communications networks have become more ubiquitous, and more deeply imbedded in every aspect of our society, old silos are breaking down. We can no longer think of our country’s economic success, our security, and our geo-political relations as distinct issues. The networks that intertwine people tie these issues together, and I’m encouraged that we’re increasingly thinking about them holistically. With that theme in mind, I want to highlight three areas where we’re still working to make our policies fit the 5G era: communications infrastructure, security, and democratic engagement.

Experts want to help heartland cities compete for tech jobs. Their plan costs $100 billion.

Experts are proposing that Congress pick eight to 10 up-and-coming tech cities away from the coastal hubs and heavily invest in research and workforce development. They want lawmakers to run a rigorous selection process to pick the rising tech centers, but suggested a list of potential candidates such as Madison (WI) and Minneapolis. The proposal may have a moonshot price tag, but it could gain traction in today's political climate: Economic inequality is emerging as a central theme of the 2020 elections.

The FCC's Push to Purge Huawei From US Networks

The trade war between China and the US has centered largely on escalating tariffs. But in many rural communities, the focus has shifted to the security of networks for which Chinese giants Huawei and ZTE have long provided equipment. As the 5G future approaches, the US is pushing small carriers to rip out and replace whatever parts of their infrastructure come from China, no matter the cost.

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