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  2. September 2025

September 2025

Elon Musk's next target after cars, rockets and robots: wireless networks

Elon Musk has disrupted one industry after another, from space rockets and electric vehicles to humanoid robots. His latest target: the stodgy club of mobile networks. The recent announcement that SpaceX is purchasing $17 billion in wireless spectrum has sent jitters through an industry now eyeing the prospect of Elon-style disruptions to a market long dominated by Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. The new bandwidth is destined for use by SpaceX’s satellite service, Starlink. Starlink’s entry into the sector is likely to put new pressure on major U.S.

DEBUNKING LIES: Protecting Taxpayers from Swampy Special Interests that Want BEAD Money without any Oversight

 

DEBUNKING LIES: 

Protecting Taxpayers from Swampy Special Interests that Want BEAD Money without any Oversight 

BOTTOM LINE: The Trump NTIA is doing what every taxpayer should demand—asking questions before handing  out billions of dollars. If special interests are upset that NTIA won’t give them a blank check, we should be asking:  What do they have to hide? 

Remarks of Assistant Secretary Arielle Roth at the 2025 NTIA Spectrum Policy Symposium

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Arielle Roth delivered remarks at the 2025 National Telecommunications and Information Administration Spectrum Policy Symposium on September 10. "President Reagan once joked: 'The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.''  And let’s be honest—when it comes to spectrum policy, history has often proven him right.  From the decades-long delay of FM radio in the 1940s to foot-dragging on cellular licensing in the 1980s, rigid government gatekeeping too often sideline

FCC denies CRC Communications' request for waiver of the Connect America Fund Phase II auction support recovery rules

The Federal Communications Commission denies the petition filed by CRC Communications LLC seeking waiver of section 54.320(d) of the FCC rules “and any other applicable rules.” We affirm that CRC will be subject to the relevant Connect America Fund Phase II auction non-compliance measures if it does not serve the required number of locations pursuant to its CAF Phase II auction obligations. It would not serve the public interest to provide relief simply because most of the affected locations already happen to be served or will be served.

Chairman Carr Remarks to Chamber of Commerce Global Aerospace Summit

On September 9, 2025, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr delivered remarks at the US Chamber of Commerce Global Aerospace Summit. In his speech, the Chairman framed satellite deployment as the "Space Race 2.0" and detailed how the FCC is working to create a "friendly regulatory environment" for companies to accelerate space operations. "I am optimistic because I am betting on you. Thanks to America’s innovators and entrepreneurs, the United States is not only winning this Space Race 2.0, we are dominating it.

How NTIA is Asking States to Revise BEAD Plans

States may have to rebid their most expensive areas under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. As part of the process to get their final spending plans approved by the Commerce Department, the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration will compare a state’s tentatively approved projects under the $42.45 billion program to a broadband deployment cost model. States will need to negotiate downward or potentially award to another provider areas where costs are above certain thresholds, the people said.

Oregon’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Final Proposal Public Comment Period Opens Sept 12

The Oregon Broadband Office released the state's draft Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program Final Proposal on September 12. Public comments will be accepted through September 19, 2025. Written comments may be submitted by email to BEAD.broadband@biz.oregon.gov. The plan includes $621 million in funding to 19 awardees to cover over 100,000 locations.

BEAD Nondeployment Funds: Going, Going, Gone?

We now know the next Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment fight, and it might be the biggest one yet. On September 5, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration issued a press release talking about the progress of the Benefit of the Bargain round for States to award BEAD funding. The press release announced that 36 of 56 States and Territories have made tentative BEAD awards and have submitted their final proposals to NTIA.

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