The White House included provisions on school and rural broadband, spectrum license fees, the FCC’s USF and more in its proposed $3.9 trillion 2015 budget, partially revealed Tuesday in a 218-page document and requiring the approval of Congress (http://1.usa.gov/1c5yFWg). It would include a $56 billion Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative, which promises funding toward various goals in this sphere. The administration will roll out its budget in two phases, the first of which started Tuesday, and then post some other parts a week later. Congressional Republicans have already complained of the broader details.
The White House included provisions on school and rural broadband, spectrum license fees, the FCC’s USF and more in its proposed $3.9 trillion 2015 budget, partially revealed Tuesday in a 218-page document and requiring the approval of Congress (http://1.usa.gov/1c5yFWg). It would include a $56 billion Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative, which promises funding toward various goals in this sphere. The administration will roll out its budget in two phases, the first of which started Tuesday, and then post some other parts a week later. Congressional Republicans have already complained of the broader details.
Companies, associations and think tanks began weighing in last week on how best to overhaul the Communications Act. House Commerce Committee Republicans announced a desire to update the act in December, and they solicited feedback on their first white paper last month. The deadline for commenting was Friday, and several stakeholders released proposals for tweaking the landmark telecom law, with initial comments emphasizing the role of the marketplace and a need to end regulatory silos.
Accuracy of state maps of broadband availability, as oversight shifts to the FCC from NTIA, is generally considered good. And any issues are on very small geographic levels, in a project that’s more comprehensive than anything ever amalgamated in the U.S. That’s according to stakeholders in interviews Thursday. The night before, government, public interest and city officials discussed the national broadband map, as data collection funding is ending for all states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia for maps that some said will be used to parcel out $1.75 billion a year of USF-for-broadband money. Some have criticized accuracy, while acknowledging improvements since the National Broadband Map went online in February 2011 (CD Jan 10/13 p5).
Accuracy of state maps of broadband availability, as oversight shifts to the FCC from NTIA, is generally considered good. And any issues are on very small geographic levels, in a project that’s more comprehensive than anything ever amalgamated in the U.S. That’s according to stakeholders in interviews Thursday. The night before, government, public interest and city officials discussed the national broadband map, as data collection funding is ending for all states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia for maps that some said will be used to parcel out $1.75 billion a year of USF-for-broadband money. Some have criticized accuracy, while acknowledging improvements since the National Broadband Map went online in February 2011.
"The current state of connectivity feeds inequality,” said National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling Tuesday at a Washington Post event on the country’s lingering digital divide. That sentiment was shared by every official and educator who took the stage, as they struggled with how to increase broadband connection and adoption among those who lack access, can’t afford it, or say they don’t want it.
"The current state of connectivity feeds inequality,” said National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling Tuesday at a Washington Post event on the country’s lingering digital divide. That sentiment was shared by every official and educator who took the stage, as they struggled with how to increase broadband connection and adoption among those who lack access, can’t afford it, or say they don’t want it.
Agencies across the federal government must embrace broadband adoption strategies, with congressional prompting if necessary, some broadband adoption advocates told a Senate Communications Subcommittee hearing Tuesday. They highlighted where gaps still exist and discussed the role of public-private partnerships and ways companies have tried to close the digital divide.
Agencies across the federal government must embrace broadband adoption strategies, with congressional prompting if necessary, some broadband adoption advocates told a Senate Communications Subcommittee hearing Tuesday. They highlighted where gaps still exist and discussed the role of public-private partnerships and ways companies have tried to close the digital divide.
FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said one of her key focuses in the incentive auction is to make certain that the broadcast TV spectrum resold for wireless broadband won’t all go to a single carrier and that all potential bidders will compete on an equal footing. Spectrum aggregation has been one of the biggest fights waged as the commission considers rules for the auction, pitting AT&T and Verizon Wireless against smaller competitors. Rosenworcel spoke Wednesday during a taping of C-SPAN’s The Communicators, slated to air this weekend.