Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for waiver filed by Comcast requesting that the FCC waive certain E-Rate rules to allow it to conduct a pilot program with several libraries to expand its “Lift Zone” initiative. Comcast states that its Lift Zone initiative is designed to address the Homework Gap and the digital divide by setting up safe places where students and members of the community may use Internet services to participate in remote learning and complete homework assignments. Comcast proposes to partner with seven selected l

The Federal Communications Commission adopted an Order on Reconsideration relieving certain “mixed support” merging companies from a merger condition cap intended to prevent improper cost shifting post-transaction between affiliates that receive both model-based and cost-based universal service support.

The Federal Communications Commission acted to lower the interstate and international calling rates for incarcerated people and their families. In May 20’s actions, the FCC adopted an Order lowering the interim rate caps on interstate inmate calling services to $0.12 per minute for all prisons and $0.14 for jails with average daily populations of 1,000 or more, providing financial relief to the vast majority of incarcerated people. It also establishes caps on international calling services rates for the first time at all prison and jail facilities.

Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program enrolled more than one million households in the program's first week. Households in all 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa are benefitting from the subsidy program initiated by Congress. Households can qualify several ways such as through their use of existing assistance programs like SNAP, Medicaid, Lifeline or if a child relies on reduced-price school meals programs.

On May 5, 2021, Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to various Members of Congress regarding the FCC's efforts to make the broadband deployment data it collects more accurate, particularly after the passage of the Broadband DATA Act. She wrote, "I am pleased to report that we have made significant progress in just a few months, including the efforts highlighted below.