The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) announced an agreement to coordinate responsibilities in ensuring compliance with environmental, historic preservation, and cultural resources requirements related to the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. This collaboration allows high-speed internet service to be deployed quickly while also ensuring safeguards to protect Native lands and interests. Additionally, it streamlines the National Environmental Policy Act reviews for both NTIA, as the lead federal agency for high-speed internet grant programs, and BIA, as authorized to grant rights-of-way over and across land held in trust or restricted status by the United States under the Indian Right-of-Way Act. The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, part of President Biden’s Internet for All initiative, offers grants to eligible Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian entities for high-speed internet deployment, digital inclusion, workforce development, telehealth, and distance learning.

Dish and DirecTV are the latest opponents to issue dueling data about the impact of a proposed rule change for the 12 GHz spectrum band. A proceeding at the Federal Communications Commission is studying opening up 12 GHz spectrum for two-way 5G use. Both companies currently use 12 GHz spectrum for direct broadcast satellite (DBS) video service, but Dish and others advocate a rule change for the band that would enable the band to also be used for mobile and potentially fixed wireless services. According to a DirecTV  study to assess the impact of the potential rule change on DirecTV service––filed with the FCC on July 18––mobile service in the band would create harmful interference for DirecTV subscribers in urban, suburban and rural environments. The study, conducted by satellite and space systems consulting firm SAVID LLC and commissioned by Dish, advises the FCC to terminate the proceeding exploring the potential rule change. In response, Dish made its own filing with the FCC yesterday, offering a rebuttal of the SAVID study. According to Dish, SAVID made unreasonable assumptions in its analysis.

For patients to participate in telehealth encounters, they have to use a number of proprietary, health system-specific portals and platforms. That can be challenging for many older adults and minority groups. Effective virtual care depends on digital fluency, meaning they need to be able to engage in all aspects of digital technologies, from accessing the internet to navigating telehealth applications and performing basic troubleshooting. Many people cannot do this, creating significant barriers to care and telehealth disparities for a large segment of the population. Boston researchers say the technology has the potential to reduce health disparities, but it also is exacerbating structural inequities. “Telehealth is here to stay, and has the potential to actually improve care outcomes, enhance the patient experience, reduce costs, and address health care inequities,” said Rebecca G. Mishuris, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and Chief Medical Information Officer of the Boston Medical Center Health System in Massachusetts. “This, of course, will only be realized if we can address equity in engagement with telehealth, and fully incorporate it into a holistic care delivery model that employs both virtual and in-person care.”

T-Mobile is expanding its Home Internet product, announcing that it is opening it up to anyone who can get T-Mobile service where they live. The new service, called Home Internet Lite, starts at the same $50 per month T-Mobile has previously charged. However, with Lite your data cap at that price is 100GB per month. When you are within the data cap you will not be restricted on the speed of your connection. If you go over your data allotment, the carrier will slow you down to a painfully slow 2G-like 128Kbps speed, which is not enough for Zoom video calls (which needs at least 600 Kbps) or streaming services. While the carrier says that "about a quarter of all households use less than 100GB each month," you should really check how much data you use before considering T-Mobile Lite. The carrier says it will email users when they are at 80 and 100 percent of their data usage, as well as send notifications to the router's screen. Those who have T-Mobile for wireless service will also get a text message.