Wireless Telecommunications

Illinois isn’t doing so great closing its digital divide, and perhaps that’s why people in the state are picking up Starlink broadband at a faster pace than other states. According to new research from Ookla, based on Ookla’s Speedtest data, rural broadband access expanded across the U.S. in the first half of 2026, with nearly every state narrowing the gap between broadband performance in cities compared to broadband performance in rural areas. When compared to the second half of 2025, every state—with the exceptions of California, Delaware, and Illinois—made progress.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration applauded the release of the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum-26-19, which will drastically improve the process for repurposing federal spectrum for 6G—a key initiative for NTIA as it conducts an unprecedented number of band studies to relocate federal spectrum for commercial use. OMB Memo-26-19 rescinds guidance that prevented NTIA and the Federal Communications Commission from running in parallel the wo

The Federal Communications Commission's Office of Managing Director (OMD) announced that the proposed universal service contribution factor for the fourth quarter of 2026 will be 0.42 or 42.0 percent. The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB), in consultation with the OMD, instructs the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to apply $69 million in unused funds to offset the Schools and Libraries program demand and $56 million in unused funds to offset the Rural Health Care program demand.

This report details the experiences of rural first responders in Pennsylvania working with information communication technologies (ICTs) and digital networks. Through a series of focus groups and interviews with law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical service providers, and 911 center representatives, along with county officials and other local stakeholders, we explore the challenges and opportunities brought by digital communication technologies for the work of rural first responders.

Twenty-five years ago, our nation experienced the deadliest terrorist attack in our history. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost on Sept. 11, 2001. Like all Americans, I will never forget where I was and what I was doing that day.

Americans continue to demand more wireless data to power everything—from AI to wearables, digital streaming services, and more. In 2025 alone, Americans used a staggering 159.3 trillion megabytes of data—20 percent more data than was used the previous year and 39 percent more data than was used during the entire 4G decade. That growth reflects the increasingly central role wireless plays in everyday life, as data demand is expected to grow 4x by 2032. And the growth of AI will place an even greater strain on America’s wireless networks.

Communications service providers are pursuing improvements to their sustainability metrics, with some aiming for net-zero carbon emission targets. Beyond carbon emissions, reducing electricity consumption will have a lasting impact on operators, consumers, and society at large.

Comcast has sparked a plan to transform its cost structure and the overall business in a way that will save billions of dollars and enable Comcast to redirect those funds toward growth initiatives, CFO Jason Armstrong revealed at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference. "We embarked earlier this month on the largest cost transformation in the company's history. This will be billions of dollars in costs," he said. "I frame it [as] more of a transformation. It's not a budget exercise.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the September Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026:

Rep Richard Hudson (R-NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a markup of six bills to strengthen communications networks and modernize satellite regulations. 

• H.R. 8255, the Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee.

• H.R. 9129, the GUARD Act, was forwarded to the Full Committee.