June 2026

The End of Independent Federal Agencies Will Change Your Business

In a blockbuster case, Trump v. Slaughter, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the president could, at will, dismiss appointees to independent regulatory agencies who had already been confirmed by Congress, overturning a nearly 100-year-old precedent that held the opposite.

Chairman Announces Plan for a Big Auction of Prime Mid-Band Spectrum

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the FCC will vote at the next Commission meeting on an order that tees up a large swath of prime, mid-band spectrum for auction. Specifically, the FCC will vote on July 22 to hold an auction of 160 megahertz of spectrum in the Upper C-Band (3.98-4.14 GHz) in 2027. The rules would also effectively harmonize terrestrial wireless operations across the entire C-Band to create a single “super-band” spanning 440 megahertz (3.70-4.14 GHz). This sets America up to lead the world in next-gen connectivity.

Continental Divide Provides Updates on RDOF Compliance

Continental Divide Electric Cooperative (CDEC) submitted an interim build-out shortfall notification dated Jan. 5, 2026. In accordance with Federal Communications Commission rules and CDEC’s Tier 3 compliance gap status, the Company submitted its first quarterly report regarding progress towards complying with its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund obligations in New Mexico. CDEC reports that, since Dec.

Priority Open Recommendations: National Telecommunications and Information Administration

The Government Accountability Office highlighted three areas where open recommendations to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration should be given high priority:

From governance to execution in federal AI policy

Global artificial intelligence spending is forecasted to reach $2.5 trillion in 2026, according to one estimate, marking a 44% increase year-over-year. In 2027, spending is expected to reach $3.3 trillion, reflecting another 32% increase year-over-year.

NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth Provides Congress an Update on BEAD

The House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology convened an oversight hearing focused on the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator Arielle Roth was the sole witness.

Illinois Launches New Broadband Permit Mapping Tool

The Illinois Office of Broadband (IOB) announced its new Illinois Broadband Permit Map, a leading resource on infrastructure deployment in Illinois. This map shares data on various permitting entities and other features that are helpful in determining where and which permits are necessary for broadband construction.

House vote sets up Senate clash over kids' online safety

After garnering broad bipartisan support, House lawmakers fast-tracked a package of kids' online safety measures, including a version of the Kids Online Safety Act, and sent it to the Senate. The bill passed in a 267-117 vote. The House version of KOSA does not include "duty of care" language—which would require platforms to take reasonable steps to mitigate harms stemming from design features like endless scroll or algorithmic recommendations.