Many people have criticized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its execution of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program, which awarded $6 billion in funding to bring broadband to 3.5 million locations across the country.
The Supreme Court in a 6-3 vote overturned the landmark decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, sharply limiting the authority of federal administrative agencies including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). After the decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, it will be easier to challenge and overturn agency decisions, and federal agencies will be more hesitant to adopt new regulations absent clear Congressional direction.
TBlair Levin, analyst for New Street Research and former chief of staff at the FCC, discusses the Supreme Court's June 28 decision striking down Chevron deference (a.k.a, the Loper Bright decision), and the implications for the telecommunications industry at large.
Experts expressed concern that federal support for municipal broadband is limited, prompting uncertainty about future funding and operational sustainability. Tyler Cooper, editor-in-chief of Broadband Now, said that Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants are less promising for municipal broadband deployments despite initial promises. Cooper expressed concern that BEAD rules and requirements may not favor municipal networks, potentially favoring larger providers.
Linda Hardesty asked, “What if, in ten years, young people don’t subscribe to fixed broadband at all?” Her story is based on a U.K. research group that predicts that within ten years there will be a lot of young people who will never have subscribed to a landline broadband product. Hardesty asks if the same might be true for the U.S. It’s not an obvious answer.
ONAP Tribal Workshop – Includes Special Focus on Broadband Data and Mapping
At this meeting, the Task Force and Working Group Leadership will provide updates on the progress of their respective reports, begin to discuss Executive Summary details, review and discuss program and policy expectations relevant to the Task Force’s duties, and continue to discuss strategies to advance broadband deployment on agricultural land and promote precision agriculture.
This agenda may be modified at the discretion of the Task Force Chair and the Designated Federal Officer.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
This first-of-its-kind kit includes bond forms to address the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announcement to accept surety bonds as an additional form of security in lieu of letters of credit (LOCs) for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) and the Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) formed a surety working group to develop performance bond forms and model language to facilitate the use of surety bonds to meet BEAD Program security requirements.
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