Press Release

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it is continuing to build out its senior leadership following the confirmation of Alan Davidson as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. April McClain-Delaney, formerly the Washington Director of Common Sense Media, has been named Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. Andy Berke, former mayor of Chattanooga (TN), is joining NTIA as a special representative for broadband.

Qualified internet service providers and electric membership cooperatives providing internet service can now apply for up to $350 million in grants to expand broadband infrastructure in North Carolina and get more people connected to high-speed internet. Funds from the federal American Rescue Plan are being used to provide the largest-ever round of Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grants available in North Carolina.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced it has awarded three additional grants as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. These grants, totaling $1.5 million, are being awarded to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in Lincoln (OR) and two Alaskan villages: the Village of Clarks Point and the Native Village of Selawik.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the appointment of the following Bureau and Office Chiefs:

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Verizon, and AT&T have agreed on steps that will enable more aircraft to safely use key airports while also enabling more towers to deploy 5G service. The FAA appreciates the strong communication and collaborative approach with wireless companies, which have provided more precise data about the exact location of wireless transmitters and supported more thorough analysis of how 5G C-band signals interact with sensitive aircraft instruments.

This is the right decision. It will ensure that the people of California will continue to have unfettered internet access, blocks internet providers from discriminating against websites for financial or political gain, and reduces the chance that their customers will be ripped off.

The Federal Communications Commission announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the February Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Friday, February 18, 2022:

The Federal Communications Commission adopted an Order ending the ability of China Unicom (Americas) Operations Limited to provide domestic interstate and international telecommunications services within the United States. The Order on Revocation directs China Unicom Americas to discontinue any domestic or international services that it provides pursuant to its section 214 authority within sixty days following the release of the Order.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted an order updating rules in the E-Rate program to clarify that Tribal libraries can access funding to provide affordable internet access in their communities. The Order updates the definition of “library” in the E-Rate program rules to make clear that it includes Tribal libraries, resolving a longstanding issue that limited their access to affordable broadband connectivity through the program.

The Federal Communications Commission proposed new rules that would require broadband providers to display easy-to-understand labels to allow consumers to comparison shop for broadband services. The proposal would require broadband providers to display, at the point of sale, labels that show prices, including introductory rates, as well as speeds, data allowances, network management practices, and other critical broadband service information.