Internet/Broadband

• Innovative spectrum management:  The FCC will consider an inquiry on how receiver improvements could provide greater opportunities for efficient use of spectrum. It would also seek comment on legal authority and market-based mechanisms that could help create a more transparent and predictable radiofrequency environment for all spectrum users.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced it has awarded four grants as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.

For anyone planning on funding a broadband project with a grant, there are some important costs to consider. First, grants don’t cover all assets. Most grants cover network assets and assets needed to connect to customers, but grants typically don’t cover vehicles, computers, furniture, test equipment, and any other assets needed to launch a new internet service provider (ISP) or a new market. Grants also aren’t going to cover major software costs like upgrades to billing systems or marketing software.

In April 2021, State District Court Judge Matthew Wilson in New Mexico ordered school officials to take steps to provide the needed devices and broadband connections for students who are forced to attend school remotely. This ruling was made during the deepest part of the pandemic when most schools in New Mexico were shut down. His ruling was based upon complaints that The New Mexico Public Education Department was not complying with a court decision in the case of Yazzie/Martinez v.

The upcoming Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants bring a huge once-in-a-generation grant to states to solve the digital divide and build broadband infrastructure. The average state will get over $800 million dollars, with the exact amount per state still to be determined. It seems almost too absurd to imagine for communities with poor broadband, but there are some states that may end up not getting this funding.

In this analysis, Opensignal takes its first look at the impact of AT&T and Verizon's C-band launches on the 5G mobile experience. We analyzed the 5G speeds seen on the US carriers when connected to mid-band 5G spectrum, using T-Mobile’s 5G experience on the 2.5 GHz band for comparison because T-Mobile is using 2.5 GHz for a similar purpose to C-band.

Senate Democrats used a parliamentary maneuver to advance President Biden’s nomination of Georgetown University law professor Alvaro Bedoya to the Federal Trade Commission, setting the stage for Democrats to gain a 3-2 majority on the panel.

Altice USA isn’t afraid to march to the beat of its own drum and actually thinks it’s going about network upgrades the smart way by jumping straight to fiber rather than following other cable incumbents in pursuing DOCSIS 4.0. The operator recently laid out a plan to overbuild its hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network to blanket 6.5 million locations with fiber by 2025.

The Federal Communications Commission has released its Annual Performance Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The report details the FCC's efforts in 2021 under four main goals: closing the digital divide, promoting innovation, protecting consumers and public safety, and reforming the FCC's processes. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel highlights the FCC's actions over the course of 2021, stating, "During FY 2021, the Commission mounted an extraordinary response to a historic crisis.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alan Davidson met on March 29 to discuss spectrum policy efforts, the first monthly FCC/NTIA coordination meeting since the leaders launched their Spectrum Coordination Initiative. The leaders also announced that they have launched a joint task force which met this week to begin discussing the details of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the agencies.