POTS & PANS (BROADBAND): Where Were the ISPs?

Oct. 20 — ISPs were largely ignored from the start and were only brought into the BEAD process after the rules were largely set in concrete. This is actually not that unusual in the world of grants, but BEAD was supposed to be different. Unfortunately, any hope that BEAD could work well died when it became clear that States were not going to be given much latitude. From the outset, it quickly became clear that NTIA was not going to be an advisor to State broadband programs.

potsandpansbyccg.com/2025/10/20/where-were-the-isps/

 

KSAT: Bexar County, Spectrum partner to bring broadband internet to 12K rural homes, businesses

Oct. 20 — Partnership is funded by combined investment of $46.6 million from Spectrum, $11.8 million grant from Bexar County

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2025/10/20/bexar-county-spectrum-partner-to-bring-broadband-internet-to-12k-rural-homes-businesses/

Broadband Breakfast: Washington D.C. Finalizes Plan for $100M in Federal Broadband Funding

Oct. 17 — The District of Columbia has become the latest jurisdiction to finalize a plan to eliminate Internet access gaps utilizing $100.7 million the city was allocated under the federal government’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/washington-d-c-finalizes-plan-for-100m-in-federal-broadband-funding/

My High Plains: Texas Broadband Development Office to submit BEAD proposal for $1.3 billion in grants

Oct. 17 —  Once approved and implemented, officials said the proposal would make it possible for almost every Texas location on the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map to connect to high-speed internet.

https://www.myhighplains.com/news/texas/texas-broadband-development-office-to-submit-bead-proposal-for-1-3-billion-in-grants/

Texas Public Radio: Bexar County partnership with Spectrum leads to 12,000 rural homes connected to fiber broadband network

Oct. 17 — In November 2023, the county approved allocating $25 million dollars with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as APRA. Cities and counties across the country have until the end of 2026 to spend COVID-era APRA money before needing to return it to the federal government.

https://www.tpr.org/news/2025-10-17/bexar-county-partnership-with-spectrum-leads-to-12-000-rural-homes-connected-to-fiber-broadband-network

Benton Institute: States Keep Working Towards Digital Equity

Oct. 17 — The “Building the Texas Broadband Workforce Grant Program,” created by the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) on June 23, is designed to fund eligible organizations that will create or enhance training programs to fully equip individuals with the skills and capabilities to lay, install, or maintain fiber-optic cabling.

https://www.benton.org/blog/states-keep-working-towards-digital-equity

Benton Institute: 8 reasons why BEAD is the new floor, not the finish line

Oct. 16 —BEAD will likely remain one of the biggest broadband investments in US history. But alone, it will not close the digital divide.

Broadband Communities: Low-latency LEO market projected to reach $21.7 billion by 2033

Oct. 16 — According to Research Intelo, the global low-latency LEO broadband market size was valued at $3.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $21.7 billion by 2033, expanding at a robust CAGR of 23.9% during the forecast period of 2025–2033.

https://bbcmag.com/low-latency-leo-market-projected-to-reach-21-7-billion-by-2033/

Texas Tribune: A new South Texas data center will rely on untapped renewable energy

Oct. 21: The new data center will work directly with a nearby windfarm to use energy the windfarm can’t send to the state’s electricity grid.

www.texastribune.org/2025/10/21/south-texas-data-center-renewable-energy/

Utility Dive: To keep power affordable, regulators must rethink who pays — and when

Oct. 20 — A growing body of evidence shows that widespread residential electrification can actually reduce average rates, but only under the right conditions, write Becky Li and Joe Daniel of RMI.

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/to-keep-power-affordable-in-the-electrification-era-regulators-must-rethin/803154/

Dallas Express: Data Centers Driving Change In Texas’ Energy Sector

Oct. 18  — With electricity prices climbing nationwide and state regulators warning of “lower system stability,” Texas is confronted with the high costs of serving data centers while protecting local communities and resources

dallasexpress.com/state/data-centers-driving-change-in-texas-energy-sector/

Reuters: Energy transition set to divide manufacturers across the Atlantic

Oct. 17 — Manufacturers in North America and Europe are set to embark on starkly different power-source paths in the decades ahead, which could reshape the future prospects for goods producers on both sides of the Atlantic.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/energy-transition-set-divide-manufacturers-across-atlantic-2025-10-17/

KXXV: Harker Heights denies Oncor rate increase as residents struggle with electric bills

Oct. 17 — Harker Heights city council denied an Oncor rate increase, providing relief to residents like Arthur Franklin, a father of eight who pays around $500 monthly for electricity, and Oliver Yeboah, who has watched rates gradually climb since the mid-2000s.

https://www.kxxv.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/harker-heights-denies-oncor-rate-increase-as-residents-struggle-with-electric-bills

Fort Worth Report: Colleyville City Council opposes Oncor’s rate increase request as ‘excessive’

Oct. 17 — Colleyville City Council members on Oct. 8 unanimously approved a resolution to deny Oncor Electric Delivery’s application to raise rates within the city, calling the request “unreasonable.”

https://fortworthreport.org/2025/10/17/colleyville-city-council-opposes-oncors-rate-increase-request-as-excessive/

 

Latitude Media: How to fix Texas’ billion-dollar grid congestion in weeks, not years

Oct. 15 — Congestion in ERCOT costs Texans $1 billion to $2 billion every year, and the problem is growing as electrification and data centers drive demand faster than new transmission can keep up. Software-based forecasting can start fixing congestion in a matter of weeks, without the need for expensive hardware or regulatory overhaul.

https://www.latitudemedia.com/news/how-to-fix-texas-billion-dollar-grid-congestion-in-weeks-not-years/

KERA: Arlington rejects Oncor’s proposed rate increases for residential and street lighting

Oct. 15 — Oncor, which builds and maintains infrastructure like power lines and substations, proposed a rate increase of 12.3% for residential and 51% for street lighting, according to a staff report prepared for council.

https://www.keranews.org/news/2025-10-15/arlington-votes-to-reject-oncors-proposed-rate-increases-for-residential-and-street-lighting

Straight Arrow News: A coal power plant in Texas, America’s newest, set to stay idle until 2027

Oct. 14 — The Sandy Creek Energy Station is America’s newest coal-fired power plant, and it’s expected to remain offline until 2027. The power plant near Waco, Texas, which began delivering power to the grid in 2013, suffered a major failure in April after it was shuttered for maintenance.

https://san.com/cc/a-coal-power-plant-in-texas-americas-newest-set-to-stay-idle-until-2027/

 

KDH News: Heights council to consider Oncor rate hike, lease extension

Oct. 13 — Participating cities in the Steering Commitee of Cities Served by Oncor, including Harker Heights, have determined that the requested rate increase in unreasonable.

https://kdhnews.com/news/local/heights-council-to-consider-oncor-rate-hike-lease-extension/article_d7306b4a-130c-4c83-82e5-53ed2a6eb581.html

Energy Law Blog: The Oil and Gas Regulator with an Unlikely Name: The Texas Railroad Commission

Oct. 13 — The Texas Railroad Commission is the earliest dedicated agency to regulate oil and gas, and it has been the model for most other states. This episode explains how it got its unlikely name, who it governs, and its principal roles. From spacing regulations and compulsory pooling to allocation wells, the discussion touches upon the key roles of the agency in managing exploration and production in Texas.

theenergylawblog.com/2025/10/articles/energy/oil-gas/podcast-the-oil-and-gas-regulator-with-an-unlikely-name-the-texas-railroad-commission/

WOAI: Houston Has A Problem: The Worst Power Outages In The Nation

Oct. 10 — Even though this hurricane season has been mild thus far, according to a new report from our tv partner KPRC channel 2, Houston still had the dubious honor of having the highest frequency of power outages in the U.S. for the month of August.

https://woai.iheart.com/content/2025-10-08-houston-has-a-problem-the-worst-power-outages-in-the-nation/

Community Impact: ERCOT predicts Texas power grid will remain stable in December

Oct. 10 — During the winter, demand for electricity spikes when people get up in the morning and return home in the evening. Less solar and wind power are available during these “higher-risk” periods, which can cause tight grid conditions, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said last year.

https://communityimpact.com/austin/south-central-austin/government/2025/10/10/ercot-predicts-texas-power-grid-will-remain-stable-in-december/

Inside Climate News: Texas Grid Operators and Regulators Iron Out New Rules for Data Centers

Oct. 10 — New state legislation seeks to address grid challenges from hosting large energy users like data centers while remaining an attractive place to do business.

insideclimatenews.org/news/10102025/texas-grid-operators-and-regulators-iron-out-new-rules-for-data-centers/

Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: Longer Duration Storage Coming To Texas

Oct. 10 — Also, utilities took home nearly $100 million in bonuses despite lower achievement; ERCOT’s Monthly Outlook doesn’t consider drops in gas output; minimum demand was up sharply this summer

https://www.douglewin.com/p/largest-battery-project-in-texas

Renewables Now: Advanced Power sells 200-MW battery project in Texas

Oct. 10 — Advanced Power, a developer, manager, and owner of utility-scale energy-infrastructure assets, said on Thursday it has closed the divestment of a 200-MW fully-developed battery storage project in Texas.

https://renewablesnow.com/news/advanced-power-sells-200-mw-battery-project-in-texas-1283041/

Houston Public Media: Renewable energy, power storage key to meeting Texas’ electricity demand, experts say

Oct. 9  — Clean energy and battery storage can create cheaper electricity and a more reliable grid, panelists said during a media briefing Wednesday.

www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2025/10/09/532971/renewable-energy-power-storage-key-to-meeting-texas-electricity-demand-panelists-say/

 

Sierra Club: Texas Energy Demand and Efficiency: What’s Next for ERCOT and Consumers

Oct. 9 — Energy use and peak energy use in ERCOT continues to rise. On February 20th, 2025, we hit an all-time peak winter energy use of 80.6 GWs – surpassing the amount during previous ice storms –  while on August 18th, 2025, we hit our summer peak at 83.9 GW, though forecasts from that period said it could have reached higher if not for demand response curtailments.

https://www.sierraclub.org/texas/blog/2025/10/texas-energy-demand-efficiency-updates

Reuters: Texas wind speeds in focus as rare fossil fuel output cut in reach

Oct. 8 — Texas’s main power generation system is on track for a rare contraction in fossil fuel-fired generation in 2025, as long as output from the state’s massive wind farms rises sharply as expected during the final quarter of the year.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/texas-wind-speeds-focus-rare-fossil-fuel-output-cut-reach-2025-10-08/

Community Impact: CenterPoint Energy to increase customer rates to pay for Hurricane Beryl, other storms

Oct. 2- The Public Utility Commission of Texas on Oct. 2 authorized CenterPoint Energy to issue a customer rate increase—totaling approximately $1.2 billion—to cover repair and recovery costs from Hurricane Beryl and two other storms that affected the Greater Houston area.

https://communityimpact.com/houston/cy-fair-jersey-village/environment/2025/10/07/centerpoint-energy-to-increase-customer-rates-to-pay-for-hurricane-beryl-other-storms/

KPRC: CenterPoint disputes KPRC 2’s investigation into power outage hot spots

Oct. 8 — KPRC 2’s investigation revealed Houston residents experienced the highest frequency of power outages among major U.S. cities in August 2025. Despite avoiding severe hurricane season weather, some neighborhoods endured up to 18 times more outages than the national average.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/central-witness-undermines-case-against-090946054.html

Enverus: The future of ERCOT: 765 kV transmission expansion and fast-track interconnection set stage for unprecedented power growth

Oct. 7 — Texas power market forecast highlights how streamlined queue processes, incentive programs and transmission upgrades are reshaping the grid amid surging demand and electrification..

https://www.enverus.com/newsroom/the-future-of-ercot-765-kv-transmission-expansion-and-fast-track-interconnection-set-stage-for-unprecedented-power-growth/

Republican Party of Texas: Resolution to Eliminate Energy Subsidies and Require Uniform Grid Reliability Standards

Oct. 7 — THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas urges the Texas Legislature to eliminate and counterbalance all taxpayer-funded subsidies, rebates, and mandates for renewable energy sources and related infrastructure, including, but not limited to, wind, solar, electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and electric vehicle charging stations;

https://texasgop.org/resolution-to-eliminate-energy-subsidies-and-require-uniform-grid-reliability-standards/

 

Texas Standard: In 2023, Texas consumed more energy than any other state. What’s driving the numbers?

Oct. 6 — The Lone Star State used twice as much energy as California and three times as much as Florida.

https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/texas-energy-consumption-drivers-population-ai-data-centers/

 

Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis: Newest big U.S. coal-plant offline until 2027

Oct. 7 — After a catastrophic failure in April, the newest large coal-fired power plant in the United States is now expected to remain offline until March 2027, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Sandy Creek, a single-unit, 932-megawatt (MW) plant,  is 64% owned by LS Power Development, 25% by the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative and 11% by the Lower Colorado River Authority.

https://ieefa.org/resources/newest-big-us-coal-plant-offline-until-2027

Lampasas Dispatch Record: Save the Lampasas 25 fights LCRA, Oncor project

Oct. 8 — A non-profit group has been organized to oppose one of the routes considered for the 765-kilovolt transmission line project proposed by the Lower Colorado River Authority Transmission Services Corp. and Oncor.Save the Lampasas 25 is rallying support to make the LCRA TSC and Oncor aware how the G-5 route would negatively affect landowners just south of the Lampasas County line.

https://www.lampasasdispatchrecord.com/news/save-lampasas-25-fights-lcra-oncor-project

 

Utility Dive: Texas PUC approves Entergy’s 500-kV SETEX transmission project

Oct. 3 — The Public Utility Commission also selected six projects to receive $381 million from the Texas Energy Fund’s Outside ERCOT Grant Program.

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-puc-entergy-500-kv-setex-transmission-project/801900/

Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: Texas Now #1 in Batteries, Too

Oct. 3 — Texas passes California in batteries; ERCOT’s residential DR program to be discussed by stakeholders today; Texas’ gas interconnection queue up 170% in 18 months; new October peak demand record set.

https://www.douglewin.com/p/texas-now-1-in-batteries-too-grid

Transformer Magazine: Texas approves $13.8 B plan for Permian Basin grid

Oct. 3 — Texas regulators have approved a major reliability plan that could see the state’s first 765-kV transmission lines built in the Permian Basin.

https://transformers-magazine.com/tm-news/texas-approves-13-8-b-plan-for-permian-basin-grid/

KHOU 11: Here’s how much more you can expect to pay after CenterPoint price hike

American Public Power: ERCOT Selects GE Vernova to Participate in Project Tied to Distribution Awareness Platform

Oct. 2 — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas Inc. on Oct. 2 announced it has selected GE Vernova to participate in a Proof-of-Concept implementation of the ERCOT Distribution Awareness Platform (EDAP) as part of ERCOT’s Grid Research, Innovation, and Transformation (GRIT) efforts.

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/ercot-selects-ge-vernova-participate-project-tied-distribution-awareness-platform

Power Magazine: Xcel Plans New Gas-Fired Plants as Part of 5-GW Expansion in Texas, New Mexico

Oct. 1 — Xcel Energy is adding more natural gas-fired power generation in Texas, with plans to convert a retiring coal-fired plant to natural gas, along with building a new peaker plant to provide electricity at times of high demand.

https://www.powermag.com/xcel-plans-new-gas-fired-plants-as-part-of-5–gw-expansion-in-texas-new-mexico/

 

KHOU 11: CenterPoint Energy unveils record $65 billion investment plan for next decade

Oct. 1 — CenterPoint plans to make the investments from 2026 through 2035, and it said it has identified an additional $10 billion of incremental capital investment opportunities.

https://www.khou.com/article/money/business/houston-business-journal/centerpoint-energy-record-65-billion-investment-plan-next-decade/285-a992da8a-07b9-4786-b0ae-f16ca2a66a08

Houston Business Journal: Entergy’s new power plants catch up with demand as the company buys power on the market

Oct. 1 — Entergy currently buys power on the market to meet the demand of Texas counties like Montgomery and Liberty that have massive residential growth. The new power plants are intended to help address that.

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2025/10/01/entergy-power-plants-catch-up-with-demand.html

KFDX: Atmos Energy rate hike impacts Wichita Falls residents

Oct. 1 — Starting Oct. 1, 2025, residents of Wichita Falls will see an increase in their gas bills, following a settlement between Atmos and over 150 cities in Texas.

https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/atmos-energy-rate-hike-impacts-wichita-falls-residents/

 

PV Magazine: Solar plus storage optimization in ERCOT: What developers should know

Sept. 30 — The independence of the ERCOT market is driving Texas’s energy transition, and pushing ahead solar-plus-storage the new gold standard. However, capitalizing on this trend requires developers to master the state’s volatile market by understanding locational pricing and smart battery operations rather than just bolting technology together.

Politico: Vistra Corp. to triple size of its Permian Basin gas plant

Sept. 30 — Vistra Corp. will more than triple the size of its natural-gas-fired power plant in the Permian Basin as the oil-rich region of West Texas braces for booming power demand.

https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2025/09/30/vistra-corp-to-triple-size-of-its-permian-basin-gas-plant-00584409

Reuters: CenterPoint unveils $65 billion capital spending plan over next 10 years

Sept. 29 — CenterPoint Energy on Monday announced it was planning $65 billion in capital spending from 2026 through 2035, as U.S. utilities rush to capitalize on surging power demand.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/centerpoint-unveils-65-billion-capital-201509417.html

 

Midland Reporter-Telegram: Despite changes, ERCOT ‘behind the curve by a long shot,’ experts say

Sept. 29 — Texas officials decided to keep electricity within state lines to avoid that federal oversight, he said. During World War II, an interconnected system was developed to shift power to the Gulf Coast to support war manufacturing. It was so successful, he said, that the interconnected system was kept in place.

https://www.mrt.com/business/article/texas-ercot-grid-demand-21074074.php

Utility Dive: Texas backs NRG’s 721-MW Cedar Bayou gas plant with low-interest loan

Sept. 29 —It is the third loan finalized under the Texas Energy Fund’s In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program and the second to support an NRG Energy project.

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-puc-nrg-cedar-bayou-gas-plant-loan/761337/

Texas Tribune: Democratic Rep. Jon Rosenthal will run for Texas Railroad Commission

Sept. 29 — The day after the four-term Houston lawmaker launched his statewide bid, his former chief of staff, Odus Evbagharu, announced he was running to succeed his former boss in the Texas House.

https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/29/jon-rosenthal-texas-railroad-commission-democrat-legislature-2026/

Bloomberg: CenterPoint CEO on $65B Plan to Meet Electric Demand

Sept. 30 — Jason Wells, CenterPoint Energy CEO, says the company took 100 years to build its system and “may double it” in the next five to 10 years, largely driven by data centers.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2025-09-30/centerpoint-ceo-on-65b-plan-to-meet-electric-demand-video

KFDX: Atmos Energy rate hike impacts Wichita Falls residents

Oct. 1 — Starting Oct. 1, 2025, residents of Wichita Falls will see an increase in their gas bills, following a settlement between Atmos and over 150 cities in Texas.

https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/atmos-energy-rate-hike-impacts-wichita-falls-residents/

TELECOMMUNICATION NEWS

KERA: Dallas approves 200-foot Oncor tower — despite pushback from Irving residents

Oct. 9 — Oncor will be able to construct a 200-foot communication tower near a neighborhood at the border of Dallas and Irving — despite pushback from residents in the area.

https://www.keranews.org/government/2025-10-09/dallas-city-approves-oncor-tower-despite-irving-residents-protest

Broadband Breakfast: Texas BEAD Plan $2 billion Under Budget

Oct. 14 — Texas’s draft spending plan under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program came in more than $2 billion under budget, the state announced Monday.

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/texas-bead-plan-2-billion-under-budget/

Pots & Pans: Who Will Still Need Broadband After BEAD?

Oct. 13  — The bottom line is that we will still be a long way from being able to declare the job done after the BEAD awards. To be fair, BEAD, ReConnect, ARPA, and other grants have made some huge dents in the rural broadband gap. But the day will come when the millions of people who have been left behind will make themselves heard.

potsandpansbyccg.com/2025/10/13/who-will-still-need-broadband-after-bead/

Benton Institute: Hello, it’s BEAD Again

Oct. 10 — The vast majority of states and territories have released their Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program final proposals for public comment. Many have closed their feedback periods, wrapped up their plans, and submitted those plans to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval.

https://www.benton.org/blog/hello-its-bead-again

***

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Supports Court Challenge of Digital Equity Rollback

Oct. 8 — The National Digital Inclusion Alliance has filed a lawsuit in US District Court challenging the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Digital Equity Act Competitive Grant Program.

https://www.benton.org/content/benton-institute-broadband-society-supports-court-challenge-unlawful-rollback-digital-equity

KFDW: Dallas City Council considers fate of controversial cell tower on Irving border

Oct. 8 — Some people in Irving are concerned about a cell phone tower being proposed close to their homes. While their homes are in Irving, the proposed tower is on property in Dallas.

https://www.fox4news.com/news/dallas-city-council-considers-fate-controversial-cell-tower-irving-border

 

Government Technology: Despite BEAD, Bad Internet May Persist in Rural Areas

Oct. 6 — Broadband consultants reflect on the current state of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, while officials in two states report on their progress in rolling out high-speed Internet.

https://www.govtech.com/network/despite-bead-bad-internet-may-persist-in-rural-areas

Texas Tech Now: Texas Tech Researcher’s Work Focuses On Rural, Remote Critical Infrastructure

Oct. 6 — Connor is one of the first new hires at Texas Tech University as a result of the Texas University Fund (TUF) initiative voters resoundingly approved in November 2023. The initiative created a $3.9 billion endowment to support the collective research enterprise at the state’s public universities.

https://www.ttu.edu/now/posts/2025/10/texas-tech-researcher-s-work-focuses-on-rural-remote-critical-infrastructure.php

ARS Technica: Elon Musk tries to make Apple and mobile carriers regret choosing Starlink rivals

Oct. 6 — SpaceX’s $17 billion deal to buy spectrum licenses from EchoStar should help Starlink satellites deliver better service to smartphones, and it might give a few large corporations second thoughts about their current partnerships with Starlink competitors.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/starlinks-ambitious-mobile-plan-could-be-trouble-for-apple-att-and-verizon/

Federal Reserve Bank of New York Report: Broadband Affordability: Assessing the Cost of Broadband for Low-and-Moderate Income Communities in Cities

The study found that low- and moderate-income communities pay a notably higher share of their income for broadband. Such communities pay an average of 2.43% of household income for broadband compared to 0.51% in wealthier areas. In cities where broadband is less affordable, households are more likely to use slower or lower-quality plans, limiting their access to online services.

https://www.newyorkfed.org/outreach-and-education/household-financial-stability/assessing-cost-of-broadband-for-low-and-moderate-income-communities

National Digital Inclusion Alliance: It’s Time to Advocate for BEAD Non-Deployment Funds

Oct. 3 — Coupled with the Digital Equity Act, the BEAD non-deployment funds represented Congress’s acknowledgment that addressing all barriers to broadband access, adoption, and use was essential for the programs to be successful.

https://www.benton.org/headlines/it%E2%80%99s-time-advocate-bead-non-deployment-funds

Science Direct: Wired and working? An evaluation of broadband expansion in Rural America

Oct. 3 — This paper estimates the economic impacts of broadband deployment in rural areas in the United States under the Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II Price Cap program – the largest component of CAF, a federally funded initiative designed to subsidize service provision in high-cost, underserved or unserved areas.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308596125001715

 

https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/states-feel-pressured-hurry-new-bead-rules-0

NPR: Rural America still needs fast internet. Some worry new federal plans will fall short

Sept. 29 — The Trump Administration asked states to find the lowest-cost option in the latest program to build broadband infrastructure in rural areas. That opens the door for more types of technology, which some worry could be less reliable in the long-term.

https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-09-29/rural-broadband-internet-bead

Broadband Breakfast: Carr To Congress: FCC Improving Coordination Among Federal Broadband Programs

Sept. 25 — In its April 28 audit, the Government Accountability Office faulted the FCC, along with Treasury, the Agriculture Department, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, for leaving coordination gaps in federal broadband programs three years after an earlier watchdog report called for a national strategy.

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/carr-to-congress-fcc-improving-coordination-among-federal-broadband-programs/

Government Technology: How a Texas City Lost Its ‘Worst Connected City’ Label

Oct. 1 — The city of Brownsville, Texas, was given that designation in 2014. Since then, officials have made investments to change its status, including supporting the deployment of a fiber network.

https://www.govtech.com/network/how-a-texas-city-lost-its-worst-connected-city-label

Broadband Breakfast: Hill Staffers Split on Permitting, Spectrum and Broadband Expansion

Sept. 30 — Aides to some of Congress’s most influential telecom legislators sparred Monday over how to streamline broadband permitting, shape spectrum policy, and advance federal funding for Internet access.

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/hill-staffers-split-on-permitting-spectrum-and-broadband-expansion/

 

Broadband Breakfast: BEAD Work to Continue Amid Shutdown

Sept. 30 — The government shut down at midnight Tuesday, putting swathes of federal employees on furlough. The Commerce Department said its $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program wouldn’t be affected.

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/commerce-bead-wto-continue-amid-shutdown/

Reuters: FCC commissioner says companies should stop capitulating to Trump administration threats

Sept. 30 — The lone Democrat on the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday called on major companies to stand up to threats from the Trump administration against broadcasters and others.

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/federal-communications-commission-chair-denies-targeting-broadcast-critics-2025-09-30/