Letter

Amidst School Closures, Klobuchar, Peters, Tester Urge FCC to Ensure Students Have Internet Access

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Jon Tester (D-MT) urged Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to take action to ensure that students have access to internet so that they can continue learning while schools are closed and to create a consumer-friendly web portal with additional school resources in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Commissioner O'Rielly Letter to RUS Administrator Chad Rupe Re: Second Round of ReConnect Program

As you are aware, I have been closely following all federal broadband funding programs, including the ReConnect Program’s grant and loan disbursements, to ensure that funds are distributed as efficiently as possible and directed foremost to those communities lacking any broadband service, rather than those areas already served by an existing provider. To that end, I have voiced concerns to the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) over the use of scarce ReConnect Program funding to overbuild existing networks, whether built through private investment or via government subsidies.

Chairman Pai's Response to Senators Thune, Fischer, and Moran on 6 GHz

On Dec 20, 2019, Sens John Thune (R-SD), Deb Fischer (R-NE), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai urging the FCC to take action regarding unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band while protecting existing users of the band. 

Chairman Pai's Response to Member of Congress Regarding Mobility Fund Phase II

On Jan 9, 2020, Sens Joe Manchin (D-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Jon Tester (D-MT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and John Kennedy (R-LA) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to express reservations about the 5G Fund and the decision to focus limited mobile broadband deployment dollars on the promise of a 5G future when many places still lack 4G service or do not have any service at all.

House Commerce Committee Urges Communications Providers to Address COVID-19 Connectivity Challenges

Rep Jerry McNerney (D-CA-09) led a letter to nine major communications providers asking them to outline any potentials plans they are considering implementing to address connectivity challenges related to COVID-19, particularly for individuals who are impacted by the digital divide. Congressman McNerney was joined by 11 other Democratic Members on the House Commerce Committee, including the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Rep Mike Doyle (D-PA-14).

Senators Push USDA to Expand Rural Broadband Access

Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR) led a bipartisan group of senators to urge the Trump administration to expand access to rural broadband by changing a requirement that prevents providers in rural communities across 19 states from even applying to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect program, which funds rural broadband deployment. Since 2018, USDA has been authorized to make grants and loans of about $600 million per year to foster rural broadband through its ReConnect program.

Members Urge FCC to Reconsider Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Order

Rep A. Donald McEachin (D-VA) led 22 of his colleagues from the House Commerce Committee in sending a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai requesting that the FCC reconsider the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Order in light of the last-minute language added to the adopted Order and released Feb 7.

Senator Hawley Questions FCC on Broadband Access in Rural Missouri

Sen Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai questioning Wisper ISP, Inc.’s progress in expanding access to rural broadband internet in Missouri. In 2018, the FCC awarded Wisper ISP, Inc. $176 million to connect more than 60,000 locations in Missouri with broadband service, but little is known about the current state of the project. "The latest data from the FCC shows 45% of residents in rural parts of my state do not have access to a wired broadband service. Missouri ranked 41st in the country for its limited connectivity.

Chairman Pai's Response to Members of Congress Regarding the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund

In the last few weeks of January 2020, several lawmakers from New York wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai over concerns about a recent decision to "make all of New York State ineligible for Phase I Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) awards." On Jan 30, 2020, Chairman Pai responded by stating that the draft report and order, particularly the RDOF's Phase I awards, "contained some overly broadband language on that issue.

Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights: Advanced Telecommunication Deployment Is Not Reasonable, Timely

We encourage the Federal Communications Commission to take a broad, meaningful look at broadband deployment as it relates to its use and to investigate data that demonstrate low-income neighborhoods lack fiber infrastructure. We reiterate that the FCC should reaffirm its 2019 Broadband Deployment Report conclusion that fixed and mobile broadband services are complementary, not substitutes for each other. The FCC’s Broadband Deployment Report and Form 477 data collection must also incorporate key

Public Knowledge in Comments to FCC: High Speed Broadband Benchmark is Far Too Low

Public Knowledge filed comments and reply comments urging the Federal Communications Commission to increase its current broadband benchmark speed to at least 100 Mbps downstream based on evidence that American consumers already are using those speeds and many consumers are adopting even higher speeds. Since those comments were filed, more information has been released from the FCC and other third-party sources that support increasing the FCC's broadband benchmark speed from 25/3 Mbps.