October 7, 2022

Senate Passes Legislation to Enhance Small Business Competitiveness

On Thursday, September 29, the Senate passed legislation directing the Small Business Administration (SBA) to designate a senior Office of Investment and Innovation employee as the broadband and emerging information technology coordinator. The bill also establishes measure to help the competitiveness and productivity of small businesses through broadband access and other information technology means. You can read more about the bill here.

Letter Urges FCC and FirstNet Not to “Market” for AT&T

Earlier this week, a group of public safety veterans wrote a letter urging the FCC to use FirstNet’s upcoming spectrum license renewal to demand greater transparency into the wireless safety network’s contract with AT&T. “FirstNet should not serve as a brand and marketing arm for AT&T’s public safety offerings,” the letter said. All six of the signatories sit on a public safety council operated by Verizon, but told the FCC that they were lodging the complaints “in [their] own capacity.”

House Committee Leaders Urge Senate to Pass Spectrum Innovation Act

On Friday, September 30, following the passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government until December 16 – which included a short-term extension of the FCC’s general spectrum auction authority – House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and other Energy & Commerce subcommittee leadership urged the Senate to pass the Spectrum Innovation Act to extend the FCC’s spectrum auction authority for 18 months. The Spectrum Innovation Act also funds the FCC’s rip and replace program, a particular aspect of the bill strongly supported by NATE. You can read more about the Representatives’ message to the Senate here.

NTIA Says it Has Received Over 235 Middle Mile Applications

On Tuesday, October 4, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that over 235 applications had been submitted for the Enabling Middle Mile Infrastructure Grant Program, which is part of President Biden’s “Internet for All” initiative. The Middle Mile grant program provides $1 billion in funding to projects that connect high-speed internet networks to each other and reduce the cost of bringing internet service to communities lacking it. You can read more about the Middle Mile developments here.