1. Monthly archive
  2. August 2022

August 2022

FCC Commissioners' Remarks on the 'Your Home, Your Internet' Pilot Program

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, "This pilot program, which we are calling “Your Home, Your Internet” would not be happening today without the leadership of Commissioner Starks. He saw clearly that this was an underserved population that was called out in the law and that needed special focus. So let me call out Commissioner Starks right here and now. I am grateful for his efforts, both for what he did to help get this program going and for what he will do going forward to ensure it is a success.

Digital Divide Consults and Devices for VA Video Connect Appointments

In August 2020, the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) Office of Connected Care recognized the growing demand for patients’ access to video-based virtual care, and that many patients lack a video-capable device, or the internet connection required to access this care. To bridge “the digital divide, which exists between individuals with access to a device and connectivity and those who [lack that] access,” VHA introduced the digital divide consult.

Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Support Authorized for 95 Winning Bids

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB)—in conjunction with the Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force (RBATF) and the Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA)—authorized Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (Auction 904) support for 95 more winning bids.

Frontier CEO: Fiber is a Superior Product to Cable and it Shows

Frontier reported quarterly results and no surprise, all the focus is on fiber. The legacy telecom carrier is attempting a fiber-first transformation after emerging from bankruptcy in 2021. The company now touts a Building Gigabit America strategy and it’s seeing positive momentum in the turn around. The company added 50,000 residential fiber broadband subscribers in second quarter 2022, which is 4 times better than a year ago. Frontier added 281,000 new fiber locations and raised its total 2022 fiber location build guidance to 1.1 – 1.2 million locations by the end of 2022.

Time is now to expand Californians’ access to broadband

California should follow the lead of other well-managed states and streamline its broadband application process and focus on connecting unserved areas and promoting public-private partnerships. Streamlining California’s broadband application process will maximize the funding that needs to be allocated so unserved communities can get connected to broadband.

Will Rosenworcel finally move and push Gigi Sohn into the FCC seat?

The deadlock over the still-unfilled Democrat place on the five-person board of the Federal Communications Commission seems likely to continue until after November’s mid-term elections and on into 2023 – or even longer. The situation is unprecedented and has lasted for so long (over 600 days now and counting) that FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is, at long last, publicly contemplating using the powers she has to put an end to the impasse via her casting vote.

Verizon Joins T-Mobile in Layoffs as Wireless Players Feel the Pressure

Verizon has followed rival T-Mobile in laying off staff. The wireless carrier would not disclose the exact number of employees it's cutting but did confirm the move had occurred. The layoffs come nearly two weeks after the nation's largest carrier announced that it lost 215,000 consumer phone accounts in the quarter that ended June 30. Even with the benefit of business customers, its overall net gain of 12,000 subscribers paled when compared to its rivals.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Isn't Worried About Authority Sunset, 2.5 GHz Auction

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said on August 5 that she is not worried about the impact on the ongoing 2.5 GHz auction if Congress fails to extend the FCC's auction authority by the end of September 2022, when it expires. There is bipartisan support in Congress to extend that authority, but the bill has not made it out of Congress yet and legislators are on their August break, after which they will be primarily focused on getting themselves re-elected, though there is certainly time to extend the authority before the September 30 deadline.

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