1. Monthly archive
  2. May 2025

May 2025

House GOP Spectrum Giveaway Would Punch a Gaping Hole in U.S. National Defenses, Sen Cantwell Warns

Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) condemned House Republicans’ spectrum auction plan as they advance it to the House floor as part of their reconciliation bill. The senator’s latest warning that the plan could jeopardize U.S. national defense and aviation safety systems came following a Trump social media post yesterday insisting the Republican majority auction 600 MHz regardless of concerns.

Analysis

Proposed BEAD Changes Could Delay Deployment by Two Years

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Thursday, May 22, 2025

AT&T to Buy Lumen’s Mass Markets Fiber Business for $5.75 Billion

AT&T will substantially buy all of Luman's mass markets fiber business for $5.75 billion in a move it said will accelerate high-speed fiber internet access for millions of Americans. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2026. AT&T said the acquisition will create jobs in metro areas across 11 states and improve critical connectivity infrastructure. The transaction will allow AT&T to expand in areas including Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Seattle, among others.

DEA: Defend, Educate, Advocate

President Trump announced by tweet (or whatever it is they do on Truth Social) that he was somehow “ending” the Digital Equity Act, calling it “UNCONSTITUTIONAL” and “ILLEGAL.” The next day, letters were sent to states and awardees across the country terminating their grants. And so, just like that, nearly $3 billion in funding and years of work came to a halt. So, what are we going to do about it? When President Trump illegally and unconstitutionally attempted to end the Digital Equity Act, I became angry. Really, really angry. Is anybody else in this room angry?

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