In this episode of the podcast, Chris and Sean dive into three key issues shaping the broadband landscape. 

First, they celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Universal Service Fund and explain why it matters for schools, libraries, and low-income communities. 

Then, they take aim at corporate “sludge”—the deliberate barriers big companies use to frustrate customers—and how it reveals the importance of local broadband options. 

Finally, they unpack a promising new lawsuit filed by 21 states and D.C. challenging the Trump administration’s move to cancel Digital Equity Act grants, pushing back to defend federal broadband funding.

Click here to check out the Atlantic story discussing Customer Service and "Sludge".

Click here for more information about the lawsuit filed by 21 states and D.C. challenging the Trump administration’s move to cancel Digital Equity Act grants.

This show is 33 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

Catch the latest episode of the Connect This! Show, with co-hosts Christopher Mitchell (ILSR) and Travis Carter (USI Fiber) joined by regular guests Kim McKinley (TAK Broadband) and Doug Dawson (CCG Consulting) with special guest Blair Levin (New Street Research) to talk about states asking the federal government for defaulted RDOF funds back, the Arielle Roth hearing, the future of the USF, and more. Topics include:

• Achieving Internet for All takes time
• What we learned from the Arielle Roth hearing
• The future of the Universal Service Fund in an LEO World
• States want their defaulted Rural Digital Opportunity Fund back
• AT&T to buy Lumen?
• Dig-Once Challenges

Join us live on March 28th at 2pm ET, or listen afterwards wherever you get your podcasts.

Email us at [email protected] with feedback and ideas for the show.

Subscribe to the show using this feed or find it on the Connect This! page, and watch on LinkedIn, on YouTube Live, on Facebook live, or below.

Catch the latest episode of the Connect This! Show, with co-host Christopher Mitchell (ILSR) joined by regular guests Kim McKinley (TAK Communications) and Doug Dawson (CCG Consulting) and special guests Heather Mills (Tilson) and Lori Adams (Nokia) to talk about what comes next as we approach a new year. Topics include:

• A new anti-municipal network "study" that recently came out
• Connecting the last and most-expensive 10 percent of households with BEAD
• Federal telecom policy in a post-Biden world

Join us live on December 6, at 2pm ET or listen afterwards wherever you get your podcasts.

We return on December 19th at 2pm ET.

Email us at [email protected] with feedback and ideas for the show.

Subscribe to the show using this feed or find it on the Connect This! page, and watch on LinkedIn, on YouTube Live, on Facebook live, or below.

In this episode of the podcast, Chris Mitchell speaks with Andy Schwartzman, Senior Counselor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, about pressing legal issues affecting telecommunications policy in the U.S. Schwartzman, with decades of experience in media and telecom law, discusses the shifting landscape following recent Supreme Court decisions that limit regulatory agency powers. 

They explain the implications of the Major Questions Doctrine and the end of the Chevron Doctrine for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), particularly how these changes impact the agency’s authority to support broadband access through the Universal Service Fund (USF) and Title II regulations.

The conversation also covers the FCC's policy on Wi-Fi for school buses, facing legal challenges due to the narrowed definition of "classroom." Schwartzman provides insights into the FCC's efforts to classify broadband under Title II, emphasizing how critical this designation is for public safety, cybersecurity, and broadband deployment through infrastructure like utility pole attachments. 

As Schwartzman explains, these legal battles highlight the complex intersections of telecommunications law, regulatory authority, and the broader challenges of fostering universal Internet access in a polarized political environment.

This show is 44 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

In this episode of the podcast, Chris sits down with Mike Romano, Executive Vice President of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, to delve into the complexities and future of the Universal Service Fund (USF). They explore the historical roots of the USF, which was established to ensure high-quality telephone service in rural areas by redistributing profits from urban areas, and how it has evolved to support modern broadband needs.

The conversation highlights the urgent need for USF reform, especially as it currently relies on dwindling legacy telecom services for funding. They discuss the late Affordable Connectivity Program's role as a critical but temporary solution to affordable internet access, emphasizing the challenges posed by its dependency on annual congressional appropriations. Mike underscores the importance of creating a sustainable and predictable funding mechanism for both programs to prevent service disruptions and ensure long-term connectivity in rural communities.

Listeners will gain insights into the intricacies of funding mechanisms, the potential impacts of court rulings on USF contributions, and the broader implications for rural broadband infrastructure and investment.

This show is 36 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

This week on the show, the staff get together to bend their collective imagination to what we expect to see as the biggest news stories of 2023. Returning to join Christopher are Sean Gonsalves, Christine Parker, Emma Gautier, and Ry Marcattilio to discuss the BEAD funding rollout, mapping, the current state of preemption laws, Starry, the FCC, and more. 

Who will be right? Wrong? We'll have to wait until December to find out!

This show is 46 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

Transcript below. 

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance here.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

This week on the podcast, Christopher talks with Larry Thompson, CEO of Vantage Point Solutions, a South Dakota-based company which provides engineering, consulting and regulatory services for ISPs of all sizes. The two talk about how the variety of subsidy and grant programs we’ve built to get broadband out into rural areas and make sure folks can afford Internet access came about, and the policy changes we’re likely to see in the near future to make sure existing networks and new construction remains viable. 

In particular, Larry and Christopher spend time talking about the Universal Service Fund (USF) and National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), and how we come to terms with an increasing need for support in the face of a declining base from which to draw funds. Christopher and Larry discuss the USF’s sustainability as the contribution level nears 30%, alternatives to existing models, and what it will take to commit to fast, affordable broadband for all Americans in the decades to come.

This show is 42 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

Transcript below. 

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes here or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance here.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.