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  2. December 2023

December 2023

Sponsor 

Federal Trade Commission

Date 
Tue, 01/16/2024 - 10:00

The Federal Trade Commission will hold a virtual informal hearing on January 16, 2024, on the proposed amendments to the Negative Option Rule.

During the hearing, which will be open to the public and viewable on the FTC’s website, six nongovernmental organizations will provide oral statements addressing issues raised to date during the rulemaking process.


Senators Markey (D-MA) and Blackburn (R-TN) Send Letter To FCC On 12 Gigahertz Proceeding

Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to act expeditiously in its proceeding regarding the 12.2-12.7 GHz spectrum band while continuing to maintain an evidence-based approach.  With the 12.2-12.7 GHz band, the FCC has a unique near-term opportunity to expand broadband access, improve the distribution of spectrum resources, and put our spectrum to its most efficient use, especially in rural areas of the country.

Rep Danny Davis (D-IL) Announces Legislation to Benefit the Nation's Parks

Lessons learned from the Technology in the Parks initiative in Columbus Park have inspired comprehensive legislation with three major components: 

  1. Firstly, we propose to expand the Federal Communications Commission E-rates program to include local parks. This initiative is crucial in bringing broadband access to these community spaces, aligning with the program's existing coverage for schools and libraries.

Brightspeed’s Plans to Invest That $2 Billion in Its Network

Brightspeed’s origin story isn’t typical for the telecommunications industry, at least not for a company of its size. It all started with an investment premise that Apollo Global Management wanted to test. That premise: “If we invested in an under-invested wireline company, could we turn it into a growth company?” Apollo negotiated a deal to buy CenturyLink’s local service business in 20 states, which appeared to be an excellent place to test the premise. Only 2 to 3 percent of the footprint that Apollo bought from CenturyLink had been upgraded to fiber when the ownership was transferred.

Charter’s $1.3 Billion Texas Investment

Charter celebrated the $1.3 billion that the company is investing in rural areas of Texas. Charter will invest $700 million of the money to cover the full cost of network upgrades. The remaining $420 million will cover some of the cost of fiber deployment. The remainder of the cost of fiber deployment will come partially from money Charter won in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund program in 2020, and partially from public-private partnerships with counties and cities.

Is Broadband Essential?

For many years, I’ve heard people say that broadband is essential. But what exactly does that mean? Does it mean that broadband is important in a lot of people’s lives, or does it mean that broadband is something that society can’t live without? Grocery stores, gas stations, and auto repair shops could all be considered essential for society.

New investment in broadband expansion 'an equalizing opportunity' for Wisconsin's rural communities

Leaders from the Biden Administration said access to high-speed internet will bring opportunity and dignity for residents of rural communities in Wisconsin and across the country. Tom Perez, White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Don Graves, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce, visited Dairyland Power Cooperative in La Crosse (WI) on November 30 to talk about federal money for broadband infrastructure. Dairyland is one of the recipients of the Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant, a program created through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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