People are more likely to believe and act on information delivered by a “trusted messenger”—this was the rationale behind a federal government grant program to promote awareness and increase participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program. The Federal Communications Commission established the Affordable Connectivity Program Outreach Grant Program in August 2022, targeting low-income households, underserved populations, rural and tribal populations, and other communities with low ACP participation rates. Eligible applicants, including government and non-government entities, could compete for awards in four sub-programs. Grantees were to share information about and assist eligible households in applying for the ACP benefit. Research evaluating the effectiveness and efficacy of the ACP has primarily addressed topics such as eligibility and enrollment rates, impacts on broadband adoption, and benefits to enrolled households. Examining the experiences of outreach grantees adds to what we know about how to maximize enrollment in affordable broadband programs, so that benefits materialize across the greatest number of people and communities. To this end, Hanim Astuti conducted a qualitative interview study of ACP Outreach Grant recipients. The lessons and recommendations we present here draw on her interviews with 24 study participants representing 20 awardee organizations based in 16 states.

To preserve E-Rate’s legacy while adapting to today’s challenges, SETDA and CoSN respectfully recommend Congress and the USF Working Group to:

1. Reaffirm Congressional Commitment to E-Rate: Recognize E-Rate’s unparalleled role in fulfilling the universal service mandate for schools and libraries.
2. Modernize to Address Cybersecurity: Expand E-Rate’s eligible services to cover a range of cybersecurity protections such as next-generation firewalls, endpoint security and filtering — services that districts consistently identify as priorities (2024 E-Rate Trends Report). The working group should evaluate outcomes of the E-Rate Cybersecurity Pilot program to determine how federal agencies can continue supporting this issue after the pilot’s conclusion, especially in light of recent unilateral administration cuts to CISA’s support for schools, including MS-ISAC.
3. Support Sustainable Home Connectivity: Coordinate E-Rate with the High-Cost program and BEAD to address persistent home access gaps and meet community broadband needs. We encourage the working group to make clear that “classrooms” are any location where a student is learning, including designating mobile hot spots, bus Wi-Fi and other off-campus connection strategies as eligible E-Rate services, and to work with the Department of Commerce, the FCC and other agencies to speed deployment of other broadband connectivity funds.
4. Ensure Long-Term USF Sustainability: Broaden the existing USF structure’s contribution base to stabilize funding and maintain the program’s independence from the annual appropriations process, while continuing its strong accountability and transparency (CoSN/SETDA Principles Statement). 

NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and 21 state broadband associations submitted recommendations to the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional Universal Service Fund Working Group to guide reforms of the USF to ensure that it will sustain the deployment of robust networks and delivery of reliable services at more affordable rates in rural America. In the comments, the group emphasizes that the ongoing mission of universal service does not end with the initial deployment of a network. At its essence, the USF addresses four goals: promoting availability, affordability, sustainability, and scalability of networks, which the associations say must be kept in mind when considering and pursuing reforms. The associations specifically recommend that the USF Working Group address several issues, including modernizing the contribution mechanism, enhancing the accuracy of broadband maps, improving coordination between the USF programs and other federal broadband programs, and increasing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the administration of the programs.

Applications are open for the second round of the Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans program, Governor Laura Kelly announced. In the second round, $1.95 million in funds will be available for programs designed to enhance the digital skills of state residents. The DOCK program is designed to promote access to digital resources by providing awards to help with funding for digital skills development programs across Kansas. The program supports applicants by reducing the required match with a maximum individual award of $250,000. “The DOCK program underscores my administration’s focus and dedication to providing Kansans with the necessary tools to succeed in the digital era,” Kelly said in a prepared statement. “By investing in digital skills training, we are paving the way for every Kansan to fully leverage the power of technology and unlock its potential as digital needs continue to expand.”

Telecommunications operators talk a lot about the need to build a network that’s resilient to both the expected and the unpredictable. But the meaning of resilience isn’t cut and dry, said Steve Song, senior director of infrastructure mapping and development at the non-profit Internet Society. Instead of trying to create “fail-safe network infrastructure, we’re looking for network infrastructure that’s safe when it fails,” said Song. “That means when there’s a disruption, that there’s always a kind of fallback route for data to travel on.” Underwater cables, which carry the vast majority of global data traffic, are at the heart of the resilience discussion. Steve Roberts, SVP of network investment at EXA Infrastructure, also called to attention “the need for greater network redundancy.” “We are so reliant on these vital pathways to transport data, that more investment into alternative paths is needed to ensure that when a cable is down, whatever the reason, traffic isn’t impacted,” said Roberts. 

On September 15, 2025, United Church of Christ Media Justice helped organize a coalition letter of faith and public interest groups urging the Federal Communications Commission to overturn its unjust and unlawful suspension of fair prison phone and video rates. This letter supports a legal filing at the FCC, in which UCC Media Justice is also deeply engaged. Earlier in 2024, families finally began to see relief from decades of predatory prison phone bills. Thanks to the bipartisan Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act—passed unanimously by Congress in 2022 and signed by President Biden in 2023—the FCC adopted new rules capping the cost of calls in jails and prisons. Those rules took effect starting in January and were fully in place by April 1, 2025. The new FCC leadership has started to dismantle the rules. This summer—without notice, public comment, or any request from industry or law enforcement—staff at the FCC suspended the rules. And now recent court filings show that the FCC Commissioners themselves will vote to end these protections for good. 

Verizon and the state of California seem to be a step closer to resolving issues preventing the California Public Utilities Commission from approving Verizon's bid for Frontier, thanks to a settlement agreement forged with the CPUC's Public Advocates Office. But Verizon still has "more work to do" to be in compliance with the state's diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, says CPUC Program Manager Ernesto Falcon. Verizon's bid for Frontier was approved by the Federal Communications Commission in May, after Verizon sent a letter to the Commission agreeing to abandon most of its DEI programs—a move that appeased FCC Chairman Brendan Carr but put Verizon at odds with California's state laws. Following that, the CPUC released a scoping memo and ruling on May 29, outlining how the proposed merger could be subject to several state regulations and interrogating Verizon's reasoning for dropping its DEI commitments and the company's ability to adhere to state regulations. While concerns around its DEI commitments remain unresolved, Verizon and the CPUC Public Advocates Office reached a settlement agreement, resolving "significant issues" around matters such as "infrastructure deployment; service quality and staffing; and affordability and low-income offerings."

The Federal Communications Commission announced that the Technological Advisory Council will be reestablished for a two-year period. During the Council’s next term, it is anticipated that the Council will meet in Washington, DC, and/or virtually, at the discretion of the FCC, approximately four times a year. In addition, as needed, subcommittees will be established to facilitate the Council’s work between meetings of the full Council. The purpose of the TAC is to provide technical advice to the FCC and to make recommendations on the issues and questions presented to it by the FCC. The TAC will focus on key issues affecting the development and deployment of emerging communications technologies to spur opportunities for innovation, competition, adoption, greater efficiencies, job creation, and other national priorities.