With the US Government intending to withhold significant funds under its federal rural broadband expansion programme, the country will gamble with the affordability and longevity of what was billed as a generational investment in connectivity. We tell a cautionary tale for other jurisdictions considering a reshuffle of their public broadband investments.
Regulators will play a vital role in enabling D2D, but many are playing catch up. Authorisation regimes will need to prioritise licensing as well as spectrum and interference management if these new services are to finally help close the digital divide.
With Brendan Carr set to take over the reins at the FCC, the regulator is expected to roll back red tape and prioritise global spectrum leadership. While we expect sweeping changes in consumer protection and net neutrality, Carr’s influence on broadband funding and tech regulation will be more limited.
