April 2022

As the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) gears up to administer the $42.5 billion Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) rural broadband infrastructure funding program, NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson gave an update at a Washington (DC) event on April 13. Among many broadband infrastructure funding topics discussed, Davidson seemed particularly upbeat about progress with the $1 billion Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program, which is a component of the larger $65 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) wrote a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel regarding the issue of pole attachments. Specifically, Sen Capito stressed that the high costs and long waits imposed by pole owners when poles need to be replaced are hindering the progress of broadband deployment. "There are many reasons for the stubborn lack of broadband access in rural communities, but with recent congressional action, funding is no longer one of them," said Capito.

Deutsche Telekom is making good on its promise to become majority owner of T-Mobile US, paying $2.4 billion to SoftBank Group to increase its stake to 48.4 percent in the US company. Deutsche Telekom (DT), based in Bonn, Germany, bought 21.2 million T-Mobile shares at an average price of $113 per share. The move raised its stake in T-Mobile by 5.3 percent.