Open government

The Federal Communications Commission announced that its Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) has undergone a system upgrade which will help enable expanded features and functions to be introduced into ECFS in the coming year. The update transitions ECFS to a cloud-based platform, which will make the system scalable and more agile. In addition, reCAPTCHA functionality has been added to the system. This first phase of the multi-phase ECFS upgrade effort will enable development of new functions that take advantage of the upgraded technology platform.

• Innovative spectrum management:  The FCC will consider an inquiry on how receiver improvements could provide greater opportunities for efficient use of spectrum. It would also seek comment on legal authority and market-based mechanisms that could help create a more transparent and predictable radiofrequency environment for all spectrum users.

Sen Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the Broadband Buildout Accountability Act with Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) to increase transparency for a $42 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Package (BIF) broadband buildout grant awarded to the National Technology Information Administration (NTIA), which is currently exempted from transparency requirements under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Service provider associations are urging the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to take a strong role in implementing the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The $42.5 billion program calls for each of the 50 states to make decisions about awarding rural broadband funding but directs NTIA to oversee the program.

In the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Congress allocated around $65 billion to connect Americans to broadband internet and gave the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) a leadership role in guiding states on how to spend the funds. Now, it will be up to the NTIA and the states to ensure that congressional goals become a reality. This Request for Comment by the American Action Forum raises important questions about the appropriate path forward, and these comments aim to guide the NTIA to maximize the efficiency of each tax dollar spent.

The Rural Wireless Association submitted comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) regarding the agency's implementation of several broadband infrastructure programs created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Recommendations include:

Common Cause submitted comments in response to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)’s Request for Comment on the implementation of broadband programs found within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Common Cause's recommendations include:

The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation (RWDF) submitted comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) highlighting the need to connect broadband infrastructure programs to systemic inequity. In doing so, the Foundation elevated the needs of BIPOC communities who face compounded social inequalities in an increasingly digitized world.