The Archives

The collection of all scholarly commentary on law, economics, and more

Showing archive for:  “FCC”

Competition in the Low-Earth-Orbit Satellite Industry

Amazon on Friday launched its first two prototype satellites for its planned Project Kuiper internet-satellite network. It was the latest milestone in the rapid evolution of the low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite industry, with companies like SpaceX and OneWeb joining Project Kuiper in launching thousands of satellites to provide broadband internet access globally. As this nascent industry ... Competition in the Low-Earth-Orbit Satellite Industry

Net Neutrality Is Dead, Long Live National Security

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced plans last week for the commission to vote Oct. 19 on whether to take the first steps toward reinstating Title II regulations on broadband providers. Two days later, the FCC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet (SSOI) order. ... Net Neutrality Is Dead, Long Live National Security

The Modern Video Marketplace Does Not Need Help From the FCC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is no stranger to undertaking controversial and potentially counterproductive regulatory projects. The commission’s digital-discrimination proceeding is expected to continue in November, and FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel just announced that the FCC will revive the warmed-over corpse of the 2015 Open Internet Order. This latter item highlights how the FCC’s Democratic ... The Modern Video Marketplace Does Not Need Help From the FCC

Net Neutrality II: Electric Boogaloo—Rate Regulation Hiding in Plain Sight

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel on Tuesday announced the agency’s proposal to regulate internet services under Title II of the Communications Act. Commonly referred to as “net neutrality,” the chair plans to release proposed rules today, with a vote scheduled for Oct. 19 to begin the rulemaking process. Rosenworcel’s speech identified several areas ... Net Neutrality II: Electric Boogaloo—Rate Regulation Hiding in Plain Sight

ICLE on the ACP, BEAD in the Spotlight, Small Steps Toward Ending the Spectrum Impasse

School’s back in session and the Telecom Hootenanny is heating up. We’ve got a hot-off-the-presses issue brief on the ACP, more BEAD agonistes, and the latest on spectrum auctions. The Affordable Connectivity Program: ‘Good Enough’ to Keep Funding In a new International Center for Law & Economics (ICLE) issue brief, Kristian Stout and I examine ... ICLE on the ACP, BEAD in the Spotlight, Small Steps Toward Ending the Spectrum Impasse

Gomez Confirmed to FCC: Here Comes Net Neutrality, But First…

The U.S. Senate moved yesterday in a 55-43 vote to confirm Anna Gomez to the Federal Communications Commission. Her confirmation breaks a partisan deadlock at the agency that has been in place since the beginning of the Biden administration, when Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel vacated her seat to become FCC chair. The commission now has a ... Gomez Confirmed to FCC: Here Comes Net Neutrality, But First…

LEOs Need Love Too and Nobody Wants to Pay for Subsidies

Coming out of Labor Day weekend, there’s not a lot of earth-shaking happenings at the Telecom Hootenanny. But like a visit to the state fair, there’s always something to see. LEOs Need a Seat at the Grownups’ Table Although LEO technology and the market for its services were pioneered by American companies, LEO constellations are ... LEOs Need Love Too and Nobody Wants to Pay for Subsidies

Red Tape and Headaches Plague BEAD Rollout

While the dog days of August have sent many people to the pool to cool off, the Telecom Hootenanny dance floor is heating up. We’ve got hiccups in BEAD deployment, a former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) member urging the agency to free-up 12 GHz spectrum for fixed wireless, and another former FCC commissioner urging a ... Red Tape and Headaches Plague BEAD Rollout

Will the USF Survive the 5th Circuit?

The Telecom Hootenanny is back from a little summer break. As they say on AM radio: “If you miss a little, you miss a lot.” So rather than trying to catch up, let’s focus on some of the latest news from the telecom dancefloor. For this edition of the Hootenanny: we’ve got a big-time challenge ... Will the USF Survive the 5th Circuit?

Antitrust and FCC Oversight Are Needed to Promote Broadband Deployment in the Tennessee Valley

In late June, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter arguing that the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) needs to investigate the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and its local power companies (LPCs) on grounds that abuses of the pole-attachment process appear to be slowing broadband deployment. Given that Congress has prioritized subsidizing broadband access ... Antitrust and FCC Oversight Are Needed to Promote Broadband Deployment in the Tennessee Valley

While Congress Delays, the Task Force Will Play

With the first day of summer less than a week away and political silly season just around the corner, we don’t have much time for hootenannies. Congress needs to channel the wisdom of Jerry Reed, who noted: “We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.” In early March, Congress ... While Congress Delays, the Task Force Will Play

Two FCC Commissioners Walk Into a Bar

Former FCC Commissioners Have Some Thoughts Writing with Kirk Arner in RealClearMarkets, Harold Furchtgott-Roth—formerly of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)—comments on the Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act, recently passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Arner and Furchtgott-Roth note that reauthorizing spectrum auctions is a “good and necessary idea,” but take issue with the “$23 billion Ponzi ... Two FCC Commissioners Walk Into a Bar