Joe Kane

While distribution reform is the best way to shrink the contribution factor, Congress should also reform USF funding to come from general appropriations, or some other method of encompassing the entire U.S. tax base.

Congress should reform and refocus the Universal Service Fund. It spends too much money, prioritizes the wrong problems, and funds it all with a high, sector-specific tax rate. Congress should reduce the overall size of the program and fund it with general revenue.

States are starting to reveal how they’ll spend their $42 billion in BEAD broadband funds—and the early results show both promise and pitfalls. Some states are driving down costs and saving billions for adoption and affordability, while others risk burning through their budgets on expensive deployments. The stakes are high: BEAD will only succeed if it closes the digital divide on both access and affordability.

The Commission should ground its analysis in consumer experience rather than arbitrary thresholds, and recognize that it is time to recalibrate its priorities to address adoption and affordability barriers that remain the primary drivers of the digital divide.

Space safety is an important and shared interest of governments, private industry, and consumers around the world. But a regulatory framework for it should be evidence-based and even-handed. If the EUSA proceeds, we can expect the same proliferation of copycat space regulations through the Brussels effect.

Critics have claimed low-Earth orbit satellites will not be able to meet the BEAD program’s broadband capacity requirements, that LEO networks lack scalability, that they’re more expensive to consumers, and that BEAD itself ought to be biased against LEOs. None of these claims are true.

Multiple broadband technologies are delivering high-speed Internet service to consumers, creating even more robust competition. Yet, regulations are misaligned with market realities and should be updated to help maximize the consumer benefits of this increasing competition.

Congress risks undermining U.S. leadership in wireless innovation by cutting off critical Open RAN funding just as it gains momentum against China’s dominance.

By leveraging market mechanisms, engaging critical stakeholders, and ensuring robust technical standards, the Commission can facilitate an efficient and effective allocation of the Upper C-band.

Congress has recognized that NEPA has spilled out of any reasonable boundaries and is trying to rein it in. Therefore, good policy sense and compliance with the will of Congress require the Commission to narrow the scope of its NEPA review, not defend its current expansive reach.

If states or NTIA plan to spend tens of thousands of dollars per home on deployment and thereby deny affordability support to millions, they should be prepared to explain why they’re spending most or all their money on 3 percent of the problem.

Watch now for a panel discussion exploring how the broadband landscape is changing, what it means for providers and consumers, and why regulation needs to better reflect today’s dynamic environment.

ITIF’s spring seminar course explores core emerging technologies and issues that are reshaping our world and, in the process, creating public policy challenges and opportunities. The course is open to congressional and federal staff only.

Watch now for an ITIF discussion alongside experts and stakeholders who will provide context and perspectives for the state of U.S. spectrum policy and discuss how we can increase the productivity of scarce spectrum resources.

Watch ITIF's expert panel discussion on the details and likely outcomes of the fair contribution policy proposal, and what the Internet might look like if it’s implemented.

Join ITIF and Eno for a discussion on what the spectrum allocation process looks like, where it falters, and how to reform spectrum allocation to promote long-term safety and productivity. Food and beverages will be provided to all in-person attendees.

Joe Kane joins a panel speaking on what is being done to ensure spectrum is put to its best and highest use, and if there is enough spectrum to keep pace with demand and innovation.

Joe Kane, Director of Broadband and Spectrum Policy at ITIF, moderated a discussion on the FCC’s ongoing efforts to effectuate this portion of the statute and how policymakers can best achieve the goal of equitable broadband deployment.

Watch the discussion surrounding the potential climate tech applications of 5G and what is needed going forward to help ensure that this critical infrastructure can facilitate the low-carbon transition.

View ITIF's event that explored how state-broadband funding is progressing, and how stakeholders are working to take advantage of the opportunities and address the challenges that come with it.