Level of Government

The Nebraska Public Service Commission has approved an order awarding 22 grants totaling nearly $20 million from the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Program (NBBP). Created by the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Act the NBBP provides up to $20 million dollars annually for the development of broadband networks capable of at least 100/100 Megabits per second (up/down) in unserved and underserved areas of the state.

The fate of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) hangs in the balance. Amid warnings that the internet subsidy program will shut down this spring without additional funds, Congress proposed legislation that would allocate another $7 billion to the ACP pool. But chances of the bill becoming law is “significantly below 50%,” said New Street Research’s Blair Levin. The $7 billion allotment is slightly higher than the $6 billion figure the Federal Communications Commission requested, saying it would extend ACP benefits through the end of the year.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced requirements and guidance for the wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).  The FCC currently projects that the last month for which the ACP can fully reimburse providers for the ACP benefits provided to enrolled households is April 2024. Should Congress not appropriate additional money, the existing funds will be exhausted, the FCC will have to end the ACP, and providers will stop providing discounts to enrolled households.

The Federal Trade Commission proposes to amend the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule, consistent with the requirements of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The proposed modifications are intended to respond to changes in technology and online practices, and where appropriate, to clarify and streamline the Rule. The proposed modifications, which are based on the FTC’s review of public comments and its enforcement experience, are intended to clarify the scope of the Rule and/or strengthen its protection of personal information collected from children. 

All of the big cable companies, and many of the smaller ones, routinely use hidden fees to disguise the true cost of buying cable TV. The Federal Communications Commission has been moving to tackle hidden fees, and at its December 2023 meeting it released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to eliminate a service fee and early termination fees on customer who want to break the contracts that are required to get promotional pricing. Not surprisingly, the cable industry is fighting vehemently against the elimination of such fees.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote to auto manufacturers as well as wireless service providers to seek their help in protecting domestic abuse survivors from the misuse of connected car tools by abusers.

Reps Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Marcus Molinaro (R-NY) introduced the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill to require US federal agencies and vendors to follow the AI risk management guidelines put forth by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Congress directed the NIST to develop an AI Risk Management Framework that organizations, public and private, could employ to ensure they use AI systems in a trustworthy manner.

Some major US cities are targeting a federal rule that likely stands between them and a gusher of broadband gold. Under current Federal Communications Commission rules, cable’s broadband revenue is off limits to local taxing authorities.

While continuing to fight for Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) funding, we must also prepare for a future without the program if Congress doesn’t act. We spoke with NDIA community members about what you need to help consumers transition off of ACP.  On January 8, NDIA officially filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission sharing your needs and requests and advocating for what consumers and organizations working with ACP recipients need in this challenging time. Our requests to the FCC: 

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded nearly $80 million in the third round of grants from the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund’s first Notice of Funding Opportunity. This round includes the first awards in the Testing & Evaluation (T&E) category, designed to expand industry-accepted T&E activities, making testing more accessible to the entire wireless ecosystem. The $1.5 billion Wireless Innovation Fund supports the development of open and interoperable wireless networks.