Good afternoon from Washington, DC! Below you will find this week’s Wireless Wrap-Up, your update on the wireless telecommunications regulatory landscape, important wireless decisions, and more! Here is your wrap-up:
BEAD PROGRAM
- On 6/26, NTIA announced that it has allocated funding to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (“BEAD”) program. Funding was allocated based on the number of unserved locations in each state, as reported in the FCC’s latest broadband map. For more information and to view a copy of the announcement, see our post here.
CONGRESS
- On 6/21, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held an oversight hearing on the Federal Communications Commission. All four commissioners were in attendance. The hearing explored several areas managed by the FCC, including the Universal Service Fund, high-cost support, broadband mapping, spectrum auctions, rip and replace, robocalls, satellite licensing, and net neutrality. For more information and to view the hearing, see the Committee’s website here.
- On 6/21, the House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing entitled “Closing the Digital Divide in Rural America.” The hearing explored the continuing need for broadband in rural America and the various federal programs within the USDA that are helping to expand rural broadband access. Witnesses included the Honorable Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, James Assey, Executive Vice President of NCTA – the Internet & Television Association, David Zumwalt, President of the Satellite Industry Association, Bull Hurley, Chair of the Agriculture Sector Board of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, and Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA – the Rural Broadband Association. For more information and to view the hearing, see the Committee’s website here.
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