Federal Communications Commission
After Millions Lose Access to Internet Subsidy, FCC Moves to Fill Connectivity Gaps
The Affordable Connectivity Program, part of a broader effort pushed by the administration to bring affordable internet to every home and business in the country, was not renewed by Congress and ran out of funding earlier this year. read more >
by Associated Press -
The US Government Wants to Make It Easier For You to Click the ‘Unsubscribe’ Button
A broad new government initiative, dubbed “Time Is Money," includes a rollout of new regulations and the promise of more for industries spanning from healthcare and fitness memberships to media subscriptions. read more >
by Associated Press -
Net Neutrality Restored as FCC Votes to Regulate Internet Providers
The move effectively reinstates a net neutrality order the commission first issued in 2015 during the Obama administration. In 2017, under then-President Donald Trump, the FCC repealed those rules. read more >
by Associated Press -
Internet Providers Must Now Be More Transparent About Fees and Pricing, FCC Says
Much like nutritional labels on food products, “broadband labels” for internet packages will soon tell you just what is going into the pricing of your service, thanks to new rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission. read more >
by Associated Press -
Griffin Says Robocaller Ignored Telemarketing Ban, Asks Court for $122M Fine
The motion calls for Rising Eagle Capital's businesses to be dissolved and for owner John Caldwell Spiller II to be banned from all telephone-related services. read more >
First Orion Lets Firms Reach Customers
While robocalls are annoying, they’re problematic for companies that have legitimate reasons to try to reach customers. But there’s one business that’s come up with a solution. read more >
by Lara Farrar -
State Launches Campaign to Expand Internet Access For All Using $1B Grant
With over $1B from the BEAD program, Arkansas stands to build out internet infrastructure in rural areas and finally close the state’s digital divide. read more >
by Lara Farrar -
FCC Bans Sales, Import of Chinese Tech From Huawei, ZTE
The FCC's order applies to future authorizations of equipment, though the agency leaves open the possibility it could revoke previous authorizations. read more >
by Associated Press -
Broadband Efforts to Get $100M Boost
The state will receive $100 million in federal funding “right off the bat” for broadband deployment through the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act that President Joe Biden signed on Nov. 15. read more >
Heartland Forward Announces New Partnership to Help Latinos Access Affordable Internet
Heartland Forward has provided a $50,000 grant to LULAC as part of their partnership. read more >
Arkansas Firms Divide $424M to Deploy Broadband
Arkansas electric co-ops and broadband providers win $424 million to expand broadband to 200,612 homes and businesses over the next 10 years. read more >
$124M in ARC Grants Make Rural Broadband Feasible
Contractors are in high gear because federal funds must be used by Dec. 30. read more >
Digital Divide: Virus Spotlights Arkansas’ Broadband Deficit
The coronavirus pandemic, which has pushed much of daily living online, highlights Arkansas’ status as a laggard in broadband deployment and illustrates the digital divide between broadband haves and have-nots. read more >
FCC Awards $940K to UAMS For COVID-19 Response
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has received $940,000 from the Federal Communications Commission for digital health technology to treat patients for COVID-19. read more >
AT&T Effort to Bring Higher-Speed Internet to Rural Arkansas
AT&T is doing its part to answer the call for more rural internet in the COVID-19 era, combining with the Federal Communications Commission to extend high-speed service to more than 41,000 rural homes and businesses in Arkansas. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Bridging Arkansas’ Digital Divide (John Fletcher Commentary)
The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund could represent the best chance over the next decade to narrow the digital divide for many rural communities. While much work remains to finalize the fund, the FCC’s proposal outlines a framework that will likely define federal broadband policy for rural America over the next decade. read more >
by -
FCC Announces $7M More in Rural Internet Funding
The federal government says it will allocate an additional $7 million in funding over the next 10 years to expand internet access in rural areas of Arkansas. read more >
by Associated Press -
Comcast: Rural Broadband Must Make Business Sense
Pat Ulrich lives in a rural Pulaski County subdivision that has been waiting more than 15 years for broadband internet, but Comcast wants nearly $50,000 to run a cable to her area. read more >
Six Arkansas Electric Co-Ops Stringing Broadband
Six electric cooperatives in Arkansas are bringing high-speed broadband internet access to thousands of their members and plan to offer it to all of their members within the next four to six years. read more >
Thoughts on Sinclair, After Working for John Robert Starr
No, local news folks shouldn’t be pledging their bosses’ allegiance to Trump in the media wars. But they are at financial gunpoint. read more >
by Kyle Massey -