Public Municipal Data Centers
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
September 2026
Op-ed
Op-ed
President Trump tries to kill regulations on ‘HOAX’ AI dangers
President Donald Trump tried to shut down a burgeoning push for the United States to further regulate artificial intelligence, saying the U.S.
What an AI slowdown could mean
The increasingly urgent pleas from leading tech executives to slow the advance of artificial intelligence are confronting one daunting obstacle: It’s not entirely clear how they could do that. A slowdown could involve releasing frontier models less frequently, requiring approval before deploying systems with powerful cyber or biological capabilities, giving independent monitors access to AI labs, or negotiating limits with China.
Rural Americans Wait After Judge Delivers Mixed Ruling on Digital Equity Dollars
A federal judge in July gave digital equity advocates a partial victory against President Donald Trump, stopping his attempt to unilaterally kill a multibillion-dollar grant program Congress created. But U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, in a 35-page opinion, also agreed with the administration that it was unconstitutional for the government to use race or ethnicity as the basis to award money under a program created to expand internet skills and access.
Federal Funding for Native Entities: Application Guidance for NEGP & TBCP 3
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and the Native Entity Grant Program, designed to support Native Entities in implementing essential broadband adoption and usage programs, are open for application. Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations are eligible applicants for both programs.
Options on the table for operators as the AI revolution rolls on
Spectate or participate. Those are the options on the table for operators as the AI revolution rolls on, Alianza CEO Brian Beutler argued. And the choice could mean the difference between hitching up to a growth engine or being left behind as a dumb pipe—again. Alianza recently unveiled Crux, a new orchestration platform designed to enable operators to tap into the AI voice market.
Proposed Fourth Quarter 2026 Universal Service Fund Contribution Factor
The Federal Communications Commission's Office of Managing Director (OMD) announced that the proposed universal service contribution factor for the fourth quarter of 2026 will be 0.42 or 42.0 percent. The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB), in consultation with the OMD, instructs the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to apply $69 million in unused funds to offset the Schools and Libraries program demand and $56 million in unused funds to offset the Rural Health Care program demand.
Charter’s CFO says cost synergies from Cox will exceed $1 billion
Charter’s CFO Jessica Fischer is leaving the company on October 15 to become the founding CFO of a new Blackstone–Google joint venture called Crux AI, which will be focused on AI infrastructure. But still representing Charter, Fischer spoke at Citi's 2026 Global TMT Conference.
After decades of broadband expansion, rural Wisconsinites still face ‘last mile’ problem
Every morning, as Mike Hesse gets ready to go out the front door of his family farm, he has a rude awakening. Right at the edge of his property stands an orange and white pole that looks like a PVC pipe. It’s a utility cap for a fiber-optic internet line that cuts through his front yard. “That’s how close fiber internet is to my home here,” he said, standing on his porch.