Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission committed over $77 million in two new funding rounds through the Emergency Connectivity Program, helping to close the Homework Gap. These latest funding rounds are part of an ongoing support from the program, which launched in 2021 and has provided schools and libraries three different “application windows,” for schools and libraries to apply for support.

In June 2018, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to address increasing demand in the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program. Specifically, the FCC: (1) increased the annual RHC Program funding cap; (2) provided for the annual RHC Program funding cap to be adjusted for inflation; and (3) established a process to carry-forward unused funds from past funding years for use in future funding years. The FCC also directed its Wireline Competition Bureau to announce a specific amount of unused funds from prior funding years to be carried forward to increase available funding for future fu

The Federal Communications Commission proposed $4,353,773.87 in fines against 73 applicants in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction (Auction 904) for apparently violating FCC requirements by defaulting on their bids between July 26, 2021 and March 10, 2022. The FCC provided clear guidance in its rules and notices on the monetary forfeitures associated with defaults in Auction 904. The bid defaults prevented 1,702 census block groups with 129,909 estimated locations in 36 states from seeing timely new investments in broadband infrastructure.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to Reps Bob Latta (R-OH) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on June 30, 2022, in response to their letter on the FCC’s fiscal year 2023 proposed budget and full-time equivalent employees.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote to the top 15 mobile providers requesting information about their data retention and data privacy policies and general practices. In the letters of inquiry, Chairwoman Rosenworcel asks about their policies around geolocation data, such as how long geolocation data is retained and why and what the current safeguards are to protect this sensitive information.

Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks announced several changes to his team. Austin Bonner, Acting Chief of Staff and Legal Advisor for media and consumer protection issues, has departed Starks’s office. She heads to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on detail. Justin Faulb, Starks’s Wireline and National Security Advisor, will serve as Chief of Staff. Joining the office as Legal Advisor for media and consumer protection issues is Hannah Lepow.