What's on the agenda for policymakers.
Agenda
The Federal Communications Commission's Office of Native Affairs and Policy, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, and Wireline Competition Bureau will host a virtual listening session for Tribal leaders, staff, and outreach partners on its $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program.
The listening session will take place from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.
As fifth-generation mobile network technology (5G) continues to shape the next decade, countries are racing to harness and secure this technology. 5G’s associated development, adoption, and deployment rollouts have the potential to disrupt the global balance of power.
Antitrust reform has become an increasingly important part of our national policy conversation. Many are calling for a massive overhaul of the United States’ current approach to competition policy. But any proposals for reform should take careful consideration of their potential unintended consequences.
There are solutions though that could help maximize consumer welfare, innovation, and America's competitive edge like:
Topics selected for FCC open meeting agendas will be posted on the Commission's website approximately three weeks prior to the Commission's next monthly meeting. The Commission will also issue a public notice of the "Commission Meeting Agenda" one week before the meeting and announce at that time the items that are scheduled for the agenda.
Democrats Consider Moving Broadband Bills Before August Break
Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill’s commerce panels can’t wait to mark up the broadband portions of the Biden administration’s proposed infrastructure legislation — though the timing still hinges on whether President Joe Biden nails down bipartisan consensus with Republicans or Democrats decide to go it alone. House Commerce Committee Democrats want to mark up their LIFT America Act, H.R.
The FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit has helped make important strides towards closing the digital divide and serves as a springboard to a more just and equitable future, but as vaccination rates rise and our country begins to return to a post-COVID “new normal,” advocates for disadvantaged communities are forced to ask: What’s next? As part of our ongoing conversation about policies and initiatives to tackle the digital divide, we’ll explore permanent solutions that can guarantee meaningful, effective internet access to all communities for the long run.
Bipartisan infrastructure pitch gains steam on Capitol Hill as President Biden weighs in from Europe
A bipartisan group of senators sketching out an infrastructure proposal expanded their base of support June 16, even as they continue to haggle over how to pay for billions of dollars in new spending in line with President Biden’s vision for a massive overhaul of the nation’s public works system. The initial framework—written by the likes of Sens.
A Twitter Chat, to kick off a week of events highlighting the significant role that accurate mapping data plays in ensuring that every resident can access and adopt broadband technology.
Join the conversation by using the designated hashtag, #ShowMeYourMaps
Before you can solve a problem, you must understand it. One of the most pressing issues facing efforts to bring millions of unconnected Americans online is the lack of reliable data on the scope of the divide and where the connectivity gaps actually exist. Inaccurate broadband maps at the federal level have not only provided an incomplete picture of the problem, but have impeded the work of those dedicated to bringing everyone online.
Google and Amazon Defend Home Device Business in Antitrust Hearing
Google and Amazon defended their smart-speaker businesses as US senators warned the grip the companies have over the market could harm competition and consumer privacy. Both Republicans and Democrats at a June 15 hearing raised concerns about what they said were anticompetitive practices, such as selling devices below cost and promoting companies' own services over those of competitors on their platforms. Representatives from Google and Amazon argued that they prevent this by offering an optional range of rival voice-assistant services on their own devices.