Agenda

Convergence isn’t just a buzzword for big wireless carriers. It’s also on the minds of smaller operators that will be convening in San Antonio (TX), for the Competitive Carriers Association annual convention. In fact, “pure play” wireless operators are pretty much a thing of the past. T-Mobile—CCA’s largest carrier member—ended years of being a “pure play” wireless carrier when it started making moves to build out its fiber footprint.

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 Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition submitted comments to the Universal Service Fund (USF) Working Group, urging Congress to preserve and improve the USF as the nation’s most effective and essential broadband fund that connects anchor institutions nationwide. SHLB’s comments outline several steps to strengthen and modernize the fund, including:

Since Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick’s arrival at the helm of the Commerce Department, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program has gotten a bit off track. In recent days, a fact sheet of sorts has been circulated, ostensibly authored by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), claiming to “debunk lies” by “swampy special interests” about BEAD.

We now know the next Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment fight, and it might be the biggest one yet. On September 5, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration issued a press release talking about the progress of the Benefit of the Bargain round for States to award BEAD funding. The press release announced that 36 of 56 States and Territories have made tentative BEAD awards and have submitted their final proposals to NTIA.

This week, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society released "Achieving Affordability: State Strategies for Getting Everyone Online," an examination of how states are working to make high-speed internet more affordable for their residents. With the release, Benton Research Director Dr. Caroline Stratton hosted a discussion on how broadband affordability, availability, and adoption relate to each other and present current and future opportunities to improve universal access.

When it comes to federal efforts to close the digital divide, Minnesota has been left behind. Program after program has promised transformational change—yet time and again, your communities are still waiting. But Minnesota has the power—and the track record—to build its own broadband future. Federal broadband programs have failed the state. They promised a feast and delivered crumbs. In the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, ISPs defaulted on 80% of  more than $400,000,000 in state RDOF funds and on 78% of the over 142,000 RDOF locations.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the September Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2025: