The Federal Communications Commission adopted an Order on Reconsideration relieving certain “mixed support” merging companies from a merger condition cap intended to prevent improper cost shifting post-transaction between affiliates that receive both model-based and cost-based universal service support.
Rep Anna Eshoo (D-CA) announced Rep Michael McCaul (R-TX) as House co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus. Congressman McCaul succeeds Congressman Doug Collins (R-GA) as the Internet Caucus co-chair. Rep McCaul serves as the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Ranking Member and represents the 10th district of Texas. Repr McCaul also serves as the Chairman Emeritus on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the founder of the Congressional High Tech Caucus
The popular conception of the digital divide is that it’s a problem of insufficient density; rural areas lack critical mass for infrastructure investment. In reality, at least 13.9 million disconnected households live in cities and metropolitan areas. Solving the problem requires addressing interrelated challenges of infrastructure and affordability. Where fiber is not easily accessible, fixed wireless is changing the economics of bringing broadband access to larger urban buildings.
House Republicans unveiled the American Broadband Act (HR 3435) to help close the digital divide by ensuring broadband infrastructure reaches all Americans and is not used to fund duplicative and wasteful overbuilding. Republicans on the House Commerce Committee introduced the American Broadband Act to close the digital divide, target rural and unserved areas, remove barriers to deployment, streamline permitting processes, and unleash private investment.
Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law a bill that creates a grant program that government and business groups said is critical to economic development. House Bill 2 creates the state’s first Residential Broadband Expansion Program with grants to offset construction and costs to facilitate expansion of high-speed internet. The plan would be to attack the last mile of connectivity to households. That’s where sponsor Rep. Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township) said connection remains cost-prohibitive to providers to extend service.
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