Wireless Internet

As new spectrum based services come online, the demand for spectrum has increased significantly. At the same time, greenfield spectrum to meet these needs is becoming more scarce, and clearing government and other incumbent users from currently-allocated spectrum has become more challenging.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD), announced the final winners of the 2023 5G Challenge and its $7,000,000 total prize purse. NTIA has awarded $3,000,000, the largest of the 2023 5G Challenge total prize purse, to the Stage Four: Mobility winning contestant team, Lions-NewEdge-Mavenir-Radisys.

AT&T filed a petition for rulemaking asking that the Federal Communications Commission establish a mid-band spectrum screen. As a broader development relating to competition policy, AT&T points to the July 2021 issuance by President Biden of an Executive Order that encouraged the FCC to consider actions to promote competition, including specifically to avoid excessive concentration of spectrum license holdings in the United States.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on whether Summit Ridge Group, the Reimbursement Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) selected by a committee of stakeholders in the 3.45-3.55 GHz band (3.45 GHz Band), satisfies the criteria established by the FCC in the 3.45 GHz Second Report and Order and the Bureau in the 3.45 GHz Clearinghouse Selection Process Order. Following the comment period, the Bureau will issue an order announcing whether the selection criteria have been satisfied.

A House Commerce Committee hearing centered on the future of rural broadband funding had industry leaders testifying on the improvements they deem necessary for the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to be effective. US Telecom CEO Jonathan Spalter said in addition to financial backing, Congress can take non-funding actions to expedite and improve programs for rural broadband, and spoke against BEAD’s letter of credit requirement, which he contended could “actually reduce the amount of broadband deployed in the next few years using private capital.” Additi

US Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced the CLOSE THE GAP Act. Permitting for broadband projects and telecommunications infrastructure on federal land can delay efforts for up to 48 months, jeopardizing broadband projects, increasing costs, and limiting access to high-speed internet and vital telehealth services. The Act will:

The Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules to expedite its processing of space and earth station applications to meet the growing needs of today's commercial space sector. These new rules also serve to lay the groundwork for the Space Bureau’s new Transparency Initiative, which will provide information and guidance, in a variety of forms, to potential applicants in order to prepare them to successfully obtain authorizations for space and earth stations—that is, satellites and the ground-based transmitters communicating with them.

The Federal Communications Commission is seeking further comment on the 5G Fund for Rural America to reignite the FCC's plan to expand the deployment of 5G service to rural communities that remain trapped on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Under President Joe Biden, rural Americans could benefit from the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to expand fast, affordable internet access across the country by 2030. However, the lack of broadband infrastructure is particularly problematic in rural areas, where internet service is often unavailable or limited. Attempts to get broadband to everyone are not ne

GFiber Labs is a new hub dedicated to innovating internet technology and services with specific attention to boosting broadband speed to the home, focusing on "reliability, service, and access." Google Fiber plans to partner with other companies, strategic vendors, and early adopters in the lab and the field. Additionally, the lab will work on fiber networking within the home and conduct network testing outside of that environment in real markets to augment the products and services it's working on in the lab, said Google Fiber Vice President of Technology, Operations, and Product John Keib