FCC Approves EchoStar Spectrum Sales, With Escrow Requirement
The FCC approved EchoStar's $42.6 billion spectrum sale to AT&T and SpaceX, attaching a $2.4 billion escrow to cover potential liabilities from tower‑company lawsuits. The escrow satisfies demands from the tower industry, which argues the funds ensure payment if courts rule in their favor. AT&T and SpaceX received the spectrum with distinct build‑out and performance conditions, accelerating deployment of low‑ and mid‑band bands. The decision marks a rare regulatory lever to balance spectrum reallocation with infrastructure provider rights.
Senators Affirm Need For U.S. Dominance In Space Exploration
U.S. senators reaffirmed the strategic imperative of American leadership in space during a briefing with the Artemis II crew, following the unanimous passage of the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026. The legislation secures funding and oversight for upcoming lunar and deep‑space...
UK Spent More than $22 Million for Starlink Supplies, Report Shows
The British Ministry of Defence has spent more than $22.6 million on SpaceX’s Starlink satellites and terminals over the past four years, funding both Ukrainian resistance and British forces abroad. Over 50,000 terminals have been shipped to Ukraine since the 2022...
Google Disrupts Hackers Using AI to Exploit an Unknown Weakness in a Company's Digital Defense
Google’s threat‑intelligence team disrupted a criminal group that used a large‑language‑model AI to locate a previously unknown zero‑day vulnerability and bypass two‑factor authentication on a major system‑admin platform. The attackers’ AI‑assisted approach marks the first confirmed case of a large‑language...
NTIA to BEAD Winners: ‘Know Your Rights’
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) warned state broadband offices that any contract changes by ISPs could jeopardize compliance with the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant program. The agency’s memo insists that required language—prohibiting states from...
Constitutional Watchdog Joins Suit Over Canceled Digital Equity Grants
A constitutional law group, the Constitutional Accountability Center, filed an amicus brief supporting plaintiffs in NDIA v. Trump, arguing that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority by canceling the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act grants. The brief asserts that the Constitution...
Evan Swarztrauber: Your Phone, Their Rules. It’s Time to Unlock the Mobile Market
The FCC’s deregulatory agenda has driven a 4% drop in mobile plan prices, yet consumers remain hamstrung by carrier‑imposed phone locking. When phones are sold on equipment installment plans, they stay tied to a single network even after they’re paid...
Anthropic Partners with SpaceX to Expand AI Capacity
Anthropic announced a computing partnership with SpaceX that will give the company access to 300 MW of AI‑focused compute power at SpaceX’s Colossus 1 facility in Memphis, which houses more than 220,000 Nvidia GPUs. The deal is part of a broader strategy...
Ben Sperry: The FCC’s Digital-Discrimination Detour Hits a Dead End
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the FCC’s sweeping digital‑discrimination rule, ruling that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act does not grant the agency authority to impose disparate‑impact liability beyond broadband providers. The court limited the FCC’s...
Airlines Want Reimbursement for Retrofitting Gear After Upper C-Band Auction
Airlines for America is urging the FCC to reimburse the $4.5 billion cost of retrofitting 58,000 aircraft altimeters needed to protect against interference from the upcoming upper C‑band 5G auction. The FCC must auction at least 100 MHz of the 3.98‑4.2 GHz band...
Vermont Provider Launches Discounted Gigabit Program
Maple Broadband, a community‑owned provider in Vermont, launched the “Nonprofit Connect” program offering gigabit fiber at $69.95 per month—a $50 discount from its standard rate. The initiative targets the more than 700 registered nonprofits operating in Addison County, delivering 1 Gbps...
One Year After Cancellation, Digital Equity Act Tied Up in Legal Challenges
One year after President Trump cancelled the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and a coalition of 21 states plus the District of Columbia continue to fight the decision in federal court. The lawsuit alleges violations...
Joel Thayer and Matthew Wong: Space Policy Can’t Run on Dial-Up Speeds
The United States now hosts 15,296 active satellites, generating $65.2 billion in 2024, but the FCC’s Space Bureau backlog has swelled to 1,475 applications, slowing projects. A bipartisan push, including FCC rulemaking and the Satellite and Telecommunications (SAT) Streamlining Act, seeks...
Wireless, Cable Industries at Odds over Spectrum Needs for AI
Wireless carriers, represented by CTIA, are urging the U.S. to allocate additional licensed mid‑band spectrum—specifically 4 GHz and the 6‑7 GHz range—to support the surge in AI‑driven traffic. The CTIA report warns that failing to meet this demand could cost the U.S....
Texas Lawmakers Back Effort To Lift Camp Fiber Requirement
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced support for removing the state‑mandated end‑to‑end fiber optic requirement that youth camps must meet to operate this summer. The rule, enacted after a July 2025 flood that killed 25...
Greece, Birthplace of Democracy, Seeks to Put Humanity Ahead of AI in Updated Constitution
Greece is preparing a sweeping constitutional revision that would legally require artificial intelligence to serve individual freedom and societal prosperity. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presented the amendment as a safeguard against AI‑related risks to democracy and future generations. The draft...
Arkansas Tackles Large-Scale Permitting Challenges
Arkansas' State Broadband Office unveiled a 75‑page permitting toolkit to streamline the complex approval process for projects funded under the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The guide centralizes federal, state and local requirements, covering everything from environmental...
USAC Reports Little Change in Q3 Funding Projections
The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) released its Q3 2026 funding projection, showing a consolidated budget of $65.82 million—virtually unchanged from the $65.67 million forecast in Q2. The filing details $18.33 million for rural broadband, $20.28 million for low‑income subsidies, $20 million for schools and...
CBRS Proponents Reiterate Opposition to Higher Power
Proponents of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) reiterated their opposition to any increase in power levels during a New America webinar on May 6, 2026. They argue that higher power would overwhelm the spectrum access systems, cause adjacent‑channel interference,...
Shentel Completes Broadband Project in Franklin County
Shentel completed a $32 million broadband expansion in Franklin County, Virginia, delivering gigabit‑capable fiber to more than 6,700 previously unserved homes. The project was co‑funded by the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) and the county, reflecting a public‑private partnership model. Shentel now...
Senators Release Details of BEAD Permitting Bill
The Senate introduced the Accelerating Broadband Permits Act of 2026, requiring the NTIA to create a public dashboard that tracks BEAD funding, service rollout, and subscriber numbers across all states and territories. The bill also mandates a permitting‑toolkit to map...
USDA Accepts Telehealth, Distance Learning Grant Applications
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $27 million grant round under its Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) program, targeting equipment for remote education and health services in rural areas. Eligible applicants—including state and local governments, tribal entities, nonprofits, and for‑profit...
Corning to Build Three New Manufacturing Plants After $500 Million NVIDIA Investment
Corning announced a partnership with NVIDIA that includes a $500 million cash investment and a $2.7 billion option to buy additional Corning stock. The deal will fund three new optical‑glass manufacturing plants in North Carolina and Texas, expanding domestic fiber capacity by...
Education Department Finalizes AI Priorities
The U.S. Department of Education finalized a new priority on advancing artificial intelligence in education, effective May 13. The policy provides a framework for directing discretionary grant funding toward AI‑related projects without creating a new mandate. It encourages schools and...
North Dakota Signs All BEAD Contracts
North Dakota has signed all of its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant agreements, covering 279 eligible locations—277 slated for fiber and two for cable. The state allocated just $6.1 million of its $130 million BEAD funding to two providers, Midco...
Amazon Leo’s Satellite Total Surpasses 300
Amazon’s Project Kuiper subsidiary, Amazon Leo, successfully launched 32 satellites on April 30, bringing its low‑Earth‑orbit constellation to a total of 302 satellites. The deployment used an Atlas V rocket from the Guiana Space Center, marking the second launch in a week...
Eric Bethras: From Fiber to Fabric, the Next Evolution of BEAD
Eric Bethras outlines Maryland’s Digital Infrastructure Group (DIG) as a model for evolving the BEAD program from isolated fiber builds to a multi‑use digital fabric. The state leverages a geospatial “Single View” platform and a “Goldilocks” investment strategy to align...
FCC Grants 26 Rip and Replace Extensions
The Federal Communications Commission approved deadline extensions for 26 smaller telecom operators participating in its Rip and Replace program, which reimburses the removal of Huawei and ZTE gear. Extensions, ranging up to six months, were granted to address supply‑chain shortages,...
FCC Proposes to Streamline Broadband Data Collection
The FCC is set to vote on May 20 on a draft order that would overhaul the Broadband Data Collection (BDC) system used to build the National Broadband Map. The proposal trims redundant reporting, aligns definitions with Form 477, and introduces...
Charter CEO Discloses Stock Purchase
Charter Communications CEO Chris Winfrey disclosed a personal purchase of 6,936 shares for roughly $1.2 million, paying about $172 per share. The transaction, half funded by his spouse, came days after Charter’s stock plunged 25% on April 24 following the loss of...
Carr: FCC Open to Ideas on Tentative Rural Subsidy Inquiry
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the agency will hold a vote in May on a tentative inquiry to modernize three rural broadband subsidies slated to sunset between 2026 and 2028. The inquiry targets roughly $1.6 billion of the High Cost program’s...
Seattle Considers 365-Day Data Center Moratorium
Seattle city leaders are drafting emergency legislation to impose a 365‑day moratorium on new data center construction. The pause aims to assess the projected 369 MW demand—equivalent to powering roughly 300,000 homes—and its strain on the aging electric grid, water system,...
Bill Introduced to Expand Enrollment of Lifeline Program
Legislation introduced as H.R.8576 and S.4438 would require the FCC to launch a competitive grant program that helps states increase enrollment in the Lifeline broadband subsidy. The bill targets the persistent gap where only about 22% of eligible low‑income households...
Cable One Keeps Leaking Broadband Subs Under New CEO Holanda
Cable One reported a continued decline in its broadband business in Q1 2026, shedding 59,200 subscribers year‑over‑year and 13,500 sequentially, leaving the company with 985,600 internet customers. Revenue fell to $353 million, down from $380.6 million a year earlier, driven largely by...
Rural-Focused $42 Billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program Becomes Operational
The $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is finally operational after four years of planning, a rule overhaul, and months of delays. Most states have unlocked a portion of the funds and have six months to finalize contracts,...
Older Adults Technology Gap Persists Despite Gains: Broadband Breakfast Panelists
A recent Broadband Breakfast panel highlighted that about one in three Americans over 65 still lack a home broadband connection. The disconnection rate fell from 42% five years ago to 32% today, but remains far behind the 18‑64 age group,...
Energy Subcommittee Hearing Focuses on Affordability, Grid Modernization
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee held a hearing on seven bills that address artificial intelligence’s impact on the nation’s power grid. The proposals call for tighter inter‑agency coordination, a public clearinghouse for advanced transmission technologies, and a Federal Energy...
T-Mobile Adds More Than 500,000 Broadband Subs
T‑Mobile added more than 500,000 broadband subscribers in Q1 2026 across fixed‑wireless and fiber, CEO Srini Gopalan announced. Fixed‑wireless net additions accelerated, bringing the base to 8.45 million and targeting 15 million by 2030. Post‑paid accounts grew 217,000 with an ARPA of...
Grain Aiming to Lease Direct-to-Device Spectrum 90 Days After Deal Closing
Investment firm Grain Management plans to lease the 800 MHz low‑band spectrum it bought from T‑Mobile for $2.9 billion to satellite operators within 90 days, pending FCC approval. Grain met with FCC Chair Brendan Carr and senior advisor Arpan Sura to outline...
Capito Bill Tightens FCC Vetting of Broadband Providers
Congress approved the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025, directing the FCC to vet broadband providers before awarding high‑cost universal service funds. The FCC must issue a rulemaking within 180 days requiring applicants to demonstrate technical, financial and operational capability...
California Utilities Have a Solution to Soaring Energy Prices: More Data Centers
California’s soaring electricity rates have prompted PG&E to pursue a counterintuitive strategy: attracting large data centers to its grid. The utility claims that each added gigawatt of data‑center load can shave 1‑2% off residential rates by spreading fixed grid costs...
AFL-CIO President Calls AI 'Single Biggest Threat to Working People of Our Lifetime'
At the National Press Club, AFL‑CIO President Liz Shuler warned that artificial intelligence poses the "single biggest threat" to working people, citing safety, privacy and job security risks. She noted that 7.5 million workers were injured and 5,070 killed on the...
Homeowners Say Ezee Fiber Damaged Homes, Communicated Poorly
Houston homeowners near the Energy Corridor allege that Ezee Fiber’s installation crews damaged driveways, utility lines, and water pipes, and then failed to honor repair promises. The complaints echo earlier incidents that led the Better Business Bureau to strip the...
NTIA To Set Guidance For $21B In BEAD Funds Within ‘a Few Months’
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced it will release guidance for the $21 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) fund within the next few months. Administrator Arielle Roth emphasized a competitive, outcome‑driven approach and strict adherence to program rules....
FCC Split on Lifeline Eligibility Reforms, Gomez Says
The Federal Communications Commission remains divided over the future of its Lifeline subsidy program, which still offers a meager $9.25 per month to low‑income households. Democratic commissioner Anna Gomez warned that the benefit has not kept pace with modern broadband...
Kristian Stout and Michael Calabrese: The FCC Lets Satellite Innovation Breathe
The FCC is poised to vote on a draft order that would replace the 1990s‑era Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) limits with a performance‑based framework for non‑geostationary satellite constellations. The new rules would assess actual interference on legacy geostationary systems...
Federal Approval Clears $319M for North Carolina Broadband Projects
North Carolina received federal clearance for its Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) plan, unlocking $319 million in funding. The first phase will connect more than 93,000 homes, businesses and community anchor institutions by 2030, forming part of the state’s $1.53 billion...
GCI Defends Employment Policies to FCC Critical of DEI
GCI Communication Corp. filed a response with the FCC asserting that it no longer runs formal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, after reassessing its policies in early 2025. The filing comes amid heightened scrutiny from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr,...
Amazon Leo Routers Exempt From FCC Ban
The FCC granted a conditional exemption to Amazon subsidiary Eero, allowing its routers for the Amazon Leo satellite broadband service to bypass the agency’s ban on foreign‑made Wi‑Fi routers. The exemption, the third of its kind after Adtran and Netgear,...
ReConnect Funding Restored in FY2027 USDA Bill
The House Appropriations Committee inserted $40 million for the USDA’s ReConnect program into the FY 2027 spending bill, reversing the agency’s proposal to cut the rural broadband initiative. ReConnect, which provides loans and grants to underserved areas, now receives dedicated funding despite...