House Bill to Offset Data Centers' Impact on Energy Costs Introduced
Rep. Paul Tonko introduced the Power for the People Act, a House bill that would require data‑center developers to pay for the transmission upgrades their power demand triggers. The legislation follows a Senate counterpart introduced by Sen. Chris Van Hollen and targets the growing strain that AI‑driven data‑center construction places on the electric grid. With more than 4,000 facilities already accounting for 55% of new electricity demand, utilities spent $4.3 billion in 2024 on grid expansions tied to these sites. If enacted, the bill would shift billions in costs from households to the tech firms that build the centers.
Die-Hard Eagles Fan in Indiana Created ‘Optimization Algorithm’ to Slash His Annual NFL Streaming Bill by 60%
Ryan Kellermeyer, a Philadelphia Eagles fan living in Indiana, built an optimization algorithm through his startup HUDDLEMAXX that slashed his annual NFL streaming costs by roughly 60%, dropping the bill from $937 to about $375. He filed an FCC complaint...
New Mexico Funds Wi-Fi for Historical Sites
New Mexico’s Office of Broadband Access and Expansion awarded a $460,000 grant to the Department of Cultural Affairs to install free public Wi‑Fi at 12 historic sites, creating 213 new access points. The funding comes from the $100 million Connect New...
Nebraska Broadband Director Patrick Haggerty to Depart May 1
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen announced that broadband office director Patrick Haggerty will step down on May 1. Haggerty, who joined in 2023, oversaw the state's broadband expansion, securing about $44.5 million in federal funds and $21 million in private investment under the...
Sangamon County, Illinois, Approves $500M Data Center After Heated Debate
Sangamon County’s board voted 17‑10, with one abstention, to approve CyrusOne’s $500 million data‑center project on 280 acres of farmland in Talkington Township. The decision clears a major zoning hurdle, though additional permits are still required before construction can begin. Supporters...
Ex-FCC Chief Ajit Pai: Wireless Competition Is Driving Prices Down
Former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai argued that intensified competition among wireless carriers is pushing prices lower while boosting service quality. He cited a 6% decline in wireless plan costs and a 17% drop in smartphone prices, alongside a 50% rise...
First Data Center Project Enters Federal 'FAST' Permitting Program
A Virginia data center expansion has become the first project to receive FAST‑41 coverage, a federal permitting program originally limited to energy, transportation and broadband sectors. The designation, part of the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, offers a coordinated,...
Georgia AG Chris Carr Ready to Shoot at Drones to Stop Prison Cellphone Smuggling
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced a plan to shoot down drones that drop contraband into state prisons, releasing a campaign video that frames the tactic as a "multiple means necessary" approach. He and 20 other Republican attorneys general urged...
Anchorage Blocks New Data Centers in ‘Residential Zones’
Anchorage’s City Council approved a 10‑2 ordinance that bars new data centers from being built in residential zones, limiting them to commercial and industrial districts. The measure introduces a mandatory public‑review process and requires utilities to assess water, wastewater, and...
West Virginia Law Sets 50-Gigawatt Energy Expansion Goal
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey signed House Bill 5381, establishing a long‑term plan to lift the state’s generation capacity from 16 gigawatts to 50 gigawatts by 2050. The legislation consolidates fragmented statutes, mandates a five‑year energy development plan, and prioritizes...
Texas Camps Sue to Block State Fiber Internet Mandate
Nineteen Texas summer camps filed a lawsuit to block a state rule that forces them to install end‑to‑end fiber broadband and maintain a secondary connection. The mandate, enacted under Senate Bill 1 after a deadly 2025 flood, aims to improve...
Pole Attachment Disputes Over Costs, Timelines and Safety at Broadband Breakfast Event
Broadband providers and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association clashed at a Broadband Breakfast event over who should foot the bill for pole replacements, the speed of make‑ready work, and safety liabilities. The utility group warned its members’ poles are...
Defense Department Urges FCC to Oppose DJI Petition Over Security Risks
The U.S. Department of Defense formally urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject DJI's petition to be removed from the FCC’s "covered list," which bars certain foreign‑made drone equipment from import and sale. In a memorandum, the DoD argued that...
NTIA Launches Portal to Speed Spectrum Coordination for Space Launches
On April 7, 2026, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) unveiled the Space Launch Frequency Coordination Portal, an online platform designed to accelerate federal spectrum coordination for commercial space launches. The portal replaces a manual, email‑based system, allowing providers...
Aiden Buzzetti: The FCC Should Make Sure EchoStar Creditors Are Paid Back Billions Owed
The FCC faces a pivotal decision as EchoStar, owner of DISH Wireless, seeks to sell its 5G spectrum for roughly $50 billion while allegedly refusing to honor $7‑10 billion in debts to tower owners, fiber providers, and contractors. The dispute stems from...
$28.5 Million Massachusetts Initiative To Bring 27,000 Laptops, Tablets to Residents
Massachusetts is deploying a $28.5 million Connected and Online Program that will distribute nearly 27,000 internet‑enabled laptops, tablets and computers to residents. The initiative, funded by the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund, will allocate 26,368 devices to nonprofits, hospitals, libraries and...
Majority of Vendors Face Disruption Under FCC’s Foreign-Made Router Ban
The FCC’s new rule, adopted in March, bars authorization of any new Wi‑Fi router whose design, assembly, or manufacturing involves foreign facilities. A study by Ookla shows that four vendors—Eero, TP‑Link, Netgear and Arcadyan—each control roughly 9‑10% of the U.S....
The Case for Open Access Hyperscale Data Center Networks
A recent op‑ed by Michael Still of Myriad360 argues that hyperscale data centers in rural America should adopt open‑access colocation models. While current facilities are single‑tenant and isolated, they sit on extensive fiber and network infrastructure that remains unused by...
T-Mobile’s Mint Launches New Bundles Targeting Cable
Mint Mobile, a T‑Mobile subsidiary, unveiled a new bundled offering that pairs a single wireless line with fixed‑wireless home broadband for $45 a month, payable as a $540 annual upfront fee. Customers can add a second line for an additional...
New York Surpasses 2025 Energy Storage Target
New York has deployed, contracted, or awarded 1,952 MW of energy‑storage capacity as of March 2026, exceeding its 2025 benchmark of 1,500 MW by 30 percent. The state is now about one‑third of the way to its 6 GW target for 2030, driven...
Consultants Urge BEAD ‘Rainy Day’ Fund To Cover Gaps
Broadband consultants from the Vernonburg Group are urging the NTIA to set aside a $7.6 billion “rainy‑day” reserve from the $21 billion of unspent BEAD funds. The reserve would address cost overruns, inflation, new rural housing needs and unexpected deployment challenges. Their...
Bundling Emerges as Key Advantage in Rural Broadband Market
The 2026 Rural Broadband Subscriber Study finds that customers who bundle internet, video and related services report higher satisfaction and stronger loyalty, lifting the overall broadband satisfaction score to 7.7 out of 10. An awareness gap shows 32% of users...
Deadline Set for Comments on FCC’s Lifeline Reform
The FCC has set a May 4 deadline for initial comments on a Lifeline reform proposal aimed at curbing fraud, tightening eligibility, and improving oversight. The move follows an inspector‑general report that uncovered roughly $5 million in benefits paid to about 117,000...
Optimum Connects 3,000 Locations in Louisiana's Sabine Parish
Optimum, in partnership with ConnectLA, completed a fiber broadband expansion that now provides reliable high‑speed internet to over 3,000 homes and businesses in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. The project is funded by the state’s GUMBO 1.0 program, which channels federal broadband dollars...
California Activates Nation’s Largest Middle-Mile Network, Connecting Tribal, Rural Areas
California’s Department of Technology activated the $3.2 billion Middle‑Mile Broadband Initiative, the nation’s largest open‑access middle‑mile network. The first connection was made to the Bishop Paiute Tribe in Inyo County, marking the inaugural tribal customer. Governor Gavin Newsom aims to build...
Panelists Share the Innovations That Have Helped Reduce Telecom and Texting Scams
Over 50% of people worldwide report receiving scam calls, texts or emails, prompting the Global Anti‑Scam Alliance to convene a panel hosted by the Stimson Center. Panelists highlighted public‑private innovations that are adding friction to scam delivery, especially a Singapore‑Google...
Researcher: About 12.7 Million Seniors Lack Broadband Subscription, 7.2 Million Lack Computer or Tablet
A new analysis shows 12.7 million U.S. seniors are without broadband and 7.2 million lack a computer or tablet. The gaps are independent, meaning many older adults miss either service or device, and programs targeting only one will leave many unserved. Massachusetts...
6G Could Introduce New Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities, Report Finds
The FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council warned that 6G networks could bring unprecedented cybersecurity and reliability risks. The report highlights that 6G’s reliance on virtualization, artificial intelligence, and cloud‑native infrastructure expands attack surfaces and complicates threat detection. It...
Grain Looking to Market 800 MHz for Direct-to-Cell
Investment firm Grain Management has acquired T‑Mobile’s 800 MHz spectrum and 600 MHz holdings for about $2.9 billion, aiming to lease or sell the airwaves to satellite operators for direct‑to‑cell (D2D) services. The companies seek FCC waivers to suspend build‑out deadlines and allow...
Broadband Expansion Alone Won’t Close the Digital Divide, Panelists Warn
Industry leaders warned that expanding broadband infrastructure alone will not close the U.S. digital divide. While the $42.45 billion BEAD program has funded new networks, 24 % of seniors—about 19 million people—remain offline, and rural communities still face adoption hurdles. Panelists highlighted affordability,...
Ligado Case Might Not Upend Spectrum Auction Certainty: Former NTIA Administrator
Former NTIA administrator John Kneuer told a Federalist Society webinar that the Ligado lawsuit is unlikely to destabilize the certainty surrounding FCC spectrum auctions. Ligado is pursuing roughly $40 billion in damages, claiming the Defense Department’s secret use of L‑band spectrum...
North Carolina Directs $26M to Connect Rural Homes by 2026
North Carolina has allocated nearly $26 million in stop‑gap broadband grants to bring high‑speed internet to 5,161 homes, businesses and community institutions across 66 rural counties by the end of 2026. The program, funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act...
Avi Rosenthal: A Risky Tradeoff in the Race for GPS Backup
U.S. regulators are reviewing NextNav’s proposal to repurpose the lower 900 MHz band for high‑power terrestrial PNT services, a move that would displace billions of low‑power, unlicensed IoT devices. Industry groups warn that even intermittent interference could degrade or disable life‑safety...
Drew Gravitt: Powering the AI Era Isn’t Just an Energy Problem, It’s an Infrastructure One
AI data center electricity use is set to jump 133% to 426 TWh by 2030, dwarfing today’s 183 TWh consumption. The real constraint has moved upstream: 577 U.S. data centers now face lengthy grid‑interconnection approvals and a pipeline of 666 projects that...
Aviation Industry Speeds Up Estimated Gear Replacement Timeline
The aviation sector now expects to replace critical altimeters on priority aircraft by the end of 2029 and complete all retrofits by 2030, accelerating the original 2032‑2035 timeline. The faster schedule is driven by anticipated funding from the upcoming upper...
Court Asked to Pause DEA-Related Lawsuit Against Trump, Pending Key Court Decision
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) filed a motion to pause its lawsuit against former President Donald Trump over the suspension of Digital Equity Act (DEA) grants. The DEA, a $2.75 billion program created under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs...
Panel Warns Black and Latino Communities Risk Falling Behind in AI Era
At the 2026 Tech & Telecom Policy Outlook, a panel warned that Black and Latino communities risk falling further behind as artificial intelligence becomes woven into daily life, largely because of persistent broadband access and digital‑literacy gaps. Speakers linked affordable,...
NTIA Planning to Finish BEAD Approvals by May
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has set a May 2026 deadline to approve the remaining state broadband spending plans under the $42.45 billion BEAD program. California, Illinois and Oklahoma are the only states still awaiting approval, while 45 states...
Lawmakers Weigh Updates to 1996 Telecom Act at House Hearing
Lawmakers convened a House Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing to examine the Telecommunications Act of 1996, acknowledging that the law’s original competition‑boosting framework has not kept pace with broadband, mobile and digital platform evolution. Chairman Rep. Richard Hudson and former...
World Cup 2026 to Test Mobile Networks Across North America
The 2026 World Cup will stretch mobile networks across the United States, Canada and Mexico as 16 stadiums host millions of fans. Ookla data shows U.S. venues delivering the fastest median mobile download speeds, with Canadian sites trailing and Mexican...
Law and Security Merge as Supply Chain Regulations Multiply: RSA Panelists
At RSA 2026, security and legal leaders warned that digital‑heavy supply chains are expanding the attack surface, citing a recent breach of the open‑source tool Trivy used in AI pipelines. They highlighted hardware visibility gaps and the growing complexity of...
Relocation Costs an Important Part of Federal Spectrum Studies: NTIA Official
Federal spectrum reallocation studies now prioritize relocation costs, as the NTIA requires auction proceeds to cover at least 110% of those expenses. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the agency aims to identify 500 MHz of federal bands for auction, with 200 MHz due...
Fiber Group Says Broadband Key to Closing Connectivity Gap on Tribal Lands
The Fiber Broadband Association released a report showing roughly 24% of residents on Tribal lands lack reliable internet, far above the national 7% average. The study argues fiber is the most durable and scalable solution to close this digital divide,...
Autonomous Cyberattacks Have Arrived, Defense Executives Say
Black‑hat groups have fully automated cyber‑attack capabilities using frontier AI models, a shift that outpaces current defense architectures, according to executives at the RSA Conference. These models can identify and weaponize unpatched software flaws, with a new wave expected within...
NTIA Takes Input on New Innovation Fund Round
The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) held a two‑hour listening session to shape its next $50 million grant aimed at embedding artificial intelligence in wireless networks. Industry leaders such as Airspan, General Motors, Skylo and academic researchers urged...
FCC Looks to Win ‘Space Race 2.0’ with Satellite Infrastructure Buildout
The Federal Communications Commission announced a strategic push to dominate the emerging "Space Race 2.0" by accelerating satellite licensing and allocating over 20,000 MHz of new spectrum. FCC Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz outlined a "licensing assembly line" to speed approvals and...
FCC Bars 7 Individuals After $14 Million E-Rate Fraud
The Federal Communications Commission announced on March 24 that seven criminally convicted individuals who siphoned more than $14 million from the E‑Rate program will be barred from all Universal Service Fund (USF) initiatives for three years. The fraud, spanning 2010‑2016, involved...
Charter Closing Appleton, Wis. Call Center in May
Charter Communications announced it will shut its Appleton, Wisconsin call center on May 21, 2026, affecting 313 employees. The company said the workload will be transferred to other U.S.-based centers and staff can relocate to technical repair sites or apply...
SpaceX Still at Odds on Sharing Rules with SES, Viasat
SpaceX is intensifying its fight with incumbent satellite operators over proposed FCC rule changes that would raise power limits for low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) broadband constellations in the 10.7‑12.7 GHz, 17.3‑18.6 GHz and 19.7‑20.2 GHz bands. The company contends that existing equivalent power flux density...
Daniel Suhr: Broadcast License Revocation Fact Check
The article refutes the claim that the FCC has never revoked a broadcast license over news coverage, citing five historical cases where news distortion or partisan slant led to license actions, including three revocations. Notable examples include the 1975 Star...
