Press Release

The US Senate advanced its version of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The Healey-Driscoll administration and Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) launched the Connected & Online Program, a $23 million initiative to close the digital device gap across Massachusetts.

Verizon Communications has a definitive agreement to acquire Starry, a leading provider of next-generation fixed wireless broadband services.

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), represented by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Digital Equity Act Competitive Grant Program.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the October Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2025:

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced the launch of his “Space Month” agenda. One of the core objectives of the FCC’s Build America Agenda is boosting America’s space economy, and the Chairman has previewed actions that the FCC will vote on later in October to reimagine the regulatory framework for space innovation. First, the FCC plans to modernize the FCC’s licensing processes to match the scale and dynamism of today’s space economy.

Verizon's Board of Directors has appointed Independent Lead Director and former Chief Executive Officer of PayPal Holdings Dan Schulman as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mark Bertolini has been elected Chairman of the Verizon Board of Directors. Vestberg will serve as Special Advisor through October 4, 2026, during which time he will be focused on ensuring a smooth transition including the integration with Frontier Communications, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.

Public Knowledge promoted Nat Purser, formerly a Government Affairs Policy Advocate, to Senior Policy Advocate for her work in championing consumer interests on Capitol Hill. Her portfolio will grow from broadband access, broadband affordability, and spectrum policy to also include artificial intelligence. Prior to joining Public Knowledge, Purser served as a Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) Fellow on Capitol Hill. She previously worked on competition, content moderation, and net neutrality policy at Yelp and in the Michigan legislature.

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) announced it will offer $7 million in state funds to further implement or expand public Wi-Fi in New Mexico communities. The Community Connect Grant Program will award financial assistance grants to roll out or expand Wi-Fi in public areas such as parks, plazas and municipal buildings. The Wi-Fi grant targets communities with poor levels of connectivity and digital inclusion to provide them with sustainable, place-based solutions that meet community needs.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr circulated an item that would revisit the framework established by the FCC’s 2024 Incarcerated People’s Communications Services (IPCS) Report and Order. Specifically, the item would set, on an interim basis, rate caps for IPCS that allow for the full inclusion of safety and security costs to correctional facilities and IPCS providers, consistent with the statute.