Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser (D-CO) led a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general in urging Congress to help ensure that all Americans have the home internet connectivity necessary to participate in telemedicine, teleschooling, and telework as part of any legislation that provides relief and recovery resources related to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter sent to congressional leaders, the attorneys general urge Congress to:

• Provide state, territorial, and local governments with adequate funding expressly dedicated to ensuring that all students and patients, especially senior citizens who are at risk, have adequate internet-enabled technology to participate equally in online learning and telemedicine.
• Increase funding to the Federal Communications Commission Universal Service Fund, which provides funding to rural and low-income areas, healthcare providers, and educators.

On March 19, 2020, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai regarding keeping Lifeline subscribers connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. "We strongly urge the FCC to commit that no one loses access to Lifeline at this time of crisis. Congress has invested the FCC with emergency powers to waive, suspend, or revise its policies and regulations for challenging times. The FCC should use these authorities to take every action necessary to ensure that Lifeline is available and fits the needs of subscribers. The Commission should also take swift steps to provide information about Lifeline to the public and ensure carriers more aggressively advertise their Lifeline services to all eligible individuals. Americans must know that help is available." On March 18, Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA) wrote to Chairman Pai to encourage the FCC to explore measure to grant provisional approvals for Lifeline subscribers as they become eligible directly or via qualifying support programs. She also wrote that, "To ensure there is service capacity to meet the increase in demand, temporary waivers or modifications to the FCC's current approach to determining Eligible Telecmmunications Carrier status may need to be revisited."

On May 11 and 14, Chairman Pai responded to the senators and Rep Matsui, respectively, describing the aggressive action the FCC has taken to help ensure that Lifeline subscribers stay connected during this crisis. He said in March and April, the FCC temporarily waived several FCC rules that could have otherwise resulted in involuntary removal of subscribers during the pandemic. Additionally, on April 29, the FCC temporarily waived the requirement that consumers seeking to qualify for Lifeline based on their income must provide at least three consecutive months of income documentation. He said the Lifeline waivers are in effect until June 30, 2020 and that FCC staff will monitor the situation and determine whether any additional extensions beyond this date are needed. Chairman Pai also noted that FCC staff and the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) have increased their efforts to promote awareness of the Lifeline program and support other organizations and agencies serving low-income communities. Lastly, Chairman Pai noted that he has called on providers that have signed the FCC's Keep Americans Connected Pledge to go above and beyond the Pledge and expand existing or develop new low-income broadband offerings during COVID-19.

The Federal Communications Commission is pushing to spend billions of dollars to close gaps in America's high-speed internet network, but government officials say they don't have a clear picture of where service gaps exist, meaning parts of the country will be left out when it is time to distribute the funds. Citing concerns about the data, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel wants to delay plans to auction $16 billion to internet-service providers this Oct to upgrade broadband infrastructure in rural areas. “You don’t manage problems you cannot measure,” Commissioner Rosenworcel said. She wants the auction delayed until the FCC has accurate maps of existing service areas.

As a Democrat on the Republican-controlled commission, Commissioner Rosenworcel is unlikely to prevail. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says even with the data problems, the auction will benefit many communities and should move forward on schedule. “The choice we face as a nation is simple: Do we help them now, or do we delay relief until we can determine who else needs help, too? To me, rural America has waited long enough,” he said, adding that the FCC can fill in remaining service gaps when it has better data.

Congress passed a law earlier in 2020 ordering the FCC to start collecting better data. But the law removed the agency’s preferred funding source for the work and didn’t appropriate new funding. Lawmakers say they want to get the FCC the money it needs. The HEROES Act, House Democrats’ pandemic-response bill passed on May 15, would give the agency $24 million to improve broadband data. The bill would also speed up funding to some areas. Separately, House Democrats have proposed an additional $80 billion for broadband infrastructure. The GOP-controlled Senate hasn’t taken up any of the proposals.

The issue of high-speed broadband access has been a concern in Lawrence County (OH) and rural parts of the nation for some time and, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for connectivity has only become more apparent. Gov Mike DeWine (R-OH) said he envisions that when Ohio schools resume in fall 2020, they will be utilizing a hybrid system of in-person and remote learning. Symmes Valley Superintendent Darrell Humphreys said the move to remote learning is difficult for his district, where reliable broadband service is nearly non-existent. Humphreys estimates that only 15 percent of the district’s students have fast Internet service at home, capable of streaming class lessons, that would be conducive to remote learning via computer. 

Rep Bill Johnson (R-OH), who district covers rural counties along the Ohio River, said significant federal funds were approved for rural broadband, which were “set to be rolled out next year.” “I’m encouraging the FCC chair to expedite that,” he said. “And we don’t want to stop there.” Rep Johnson said mapping remains a major hurdle, and said many providers have not given accurate information to the FCC in mapping. “We don’t need a map to know which areas are served and underserved,” he said, stating members can find out the severity of the need from talking to local officials. “Mayors, township trustees, they can tell you where the difficulties are,” he said.

Tom Reid, president of Reid Consulting Group, has been working with the Buckeye Hills Regional Council on the issue of broadband in the Appalachian southeast Ohio, concentrating on 32 Appalachian counties and five rural ones. He pulls up the FCC’s maps for Lawrence County and, despite Humphreys’ issues for Symmes Valley students, the map shows Kitts Hill, as well as other rural areas like Getaway are covered. Reid said efforts have been made to improve the situation, with the Broadband DATA Act, moving mapping from a census block model to a location-based model, but he said the issue would remain “if the FCC continues to just believe what carriers say.”

New York City is committed to the goal of universal broadband, as described in the New York City Internet Master Plan (2020). In light of COVID-related health and safety guidance from New York City and public health officials, internet access in the home has become an even more essential service, required for safe access to health care, continuation of employment and schooling, and connections to family and friends. The Internet Master Plan includes a commitment to release a Universal Solicitation for Broadband (USB) to quickly and efficiently solicit innovative solutions from a broad range of market respondents. Building on Mayor de Blasio’s Equity Action Plan to Combat COVID-19 at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the City is releasing the first phase of the USB with a focus on expanding free or low-cost internet to NYCHA residents, specifically. 

The initial phase of the USB, the NYCHA Rapid Response Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI), offers a unique opportunity for internet service providers, both large and small, with plans to rapidly close the digital divide in New York City to bring new service options to public housing communities while minimizing physical contact with residents. The goal of this RFEI is to identify ready-to-deploy ideas or pilot projects that will provide residents of NYCHA communities with free or reduced-cost internet connections. These options may range from new products and pricing, new service options with discounted rates for public housing residents, free Wi-Fi solutions that residents can reach from their homes, or other innovative approaches employing established or emerging technologies. Respondents will identify which communities they are able to serve almost immediately with their solutions and which City resources, if any, would be needed to do so.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau announces the launch of the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (National Verifier) for all new enrollments in Puerto Rico. Starting on June 23, 2020, eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) in Puerto Rico will be required to use the National Verifier’s eligibility determination process for all consumers applying for Lifeline service and must cease using legacy eligibility processes for prospective Lifeline subscribers. As of June 23, 2020, consumers in Puerto Rico can begin to check their eligibility for Lifeline service directly by using the National Verifier consumer portal available at CheckLifeline.org. The consumer portal is available in both English and Spanish language versions. Consumers, as well as service providers, will also be able to mail Lifeline program forms and documentation to the Universal Service Administrative Company for manual review.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) says the Federal Communications Commission should restore net neutrality rules and that ISPs are glossing over the issues the deregulatory ruling raises.  It was filing reply comments in the FCC's Restoring Internet Freedom order. AARP signaled it was not surprised the ISPs were "glossing over" specific issues in their comments, though it was surprised Comcast suggested that there had not been any problems with the FCC's Title I classification in the past, saying that was unsupported by the evidentiary record, a nice way of saying that was not true.  "[T]hese parties do not offer the Commission a plausible path forward, and instead rehash the alleged benefits of Title I classification on broadband investment, all the while ignoring the patent failure of current universal service and competition policies to survive the stress test imposed by the COVID-19 crisis," AARP said. AARP also told the FCC that if it makes any changes to the rules, it should put them out in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking so the public can respond to them before the FCC adopts them. 

Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Angus King (I-Maine), Gary Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Health Care Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act. The new bipartisan bill directs $2 billion to help health care providers increase their broadband capacity and expand telehealth services during the current public health crisis. The Health Care Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act would:

• Provide $2 billion in additional support for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program for the coronavirus response.
• Increase the subsidy rate for RHC Health Care Connect Fund participants during the pandemic, which they can put toward additional telehealth resources.
• Enable mobile and non-rural health care facilities to engage in telehealth during the pandemic under the RHC Program.
• Eliminate red-tape and streamline the program’s distribution of funding so that health care providers can quickly implement telehealth applications and treat patients faster.
• Delay the implementation of FCC rules for one year that would severely impact support for some of the program’s most rural health care providers.

In this Order, we adopt the attached Consent Decree entered into between the Federal Communications Commission and Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (Sinclair). The Consent Decree resolves the FCC’s investigations of (1) real party-in-interest issues originally designated for hearing in Sinclair’s proposed acquisition of stations owned by Tribune Media Company; (2) Sinclair’s compliance with section 1.65 of the FCC’s rules (Rules), which requires applicants to ensure the continued accuracy and completeness of information before the FCC in an application proceeding; (3) Sinclair’s compliance with section 325 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act), and section 76.65(b) of the Rules, which require commercial television broadcasters to negotiate in good faith for consent to retransmit their signals; and (4) Sinclair’s compliance with the sponsorship identification laws. To settle these matters, Sinclair will pay a $48,000,000 civil penalty and implement a compliance plan. 

The Trump administration is signaling a broader crackdown on the Chinese communications sector — well beyond the companies that have already come under harsh US scrutiny. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Hickey said that the government’s past objections to powerful Chinese telecommunications players operating in the US may provide a blueprint for the Federal Communications Commission to pursue other firms as well. “We’re concerned about providers that are subject to the undue influence and control of the Chinese government,” said Hickey. “Once you make that conclusion, it’s hard for me to understand if it’s true for one company or a second company, why wouldn’t it be true for a class?”