INCOMPAS News -- December 22, 2025

Vol. 21, No. 49

December 22, 2025

INCOMPAS Policy Summit:

Your Front‑Row Seat to the

Next Decade of Connectivity

Want a front‑row seat with the policymakers and industry visionaries driving the next decade of communications and AI infrastructure? Join us February 4-5 in Washington, D.C. for The INCOMPAS Policy Summit.

Reserve your spot today for two days of powerhouse keynotes from Capitol Hill, the Administration and key agencies, plus deep-dive panels with industry leaders, including:

Wednesday, February 4 – Unleashing Innovation: Building the Backbone for the Digital Age

Breaking the Speed Barrier: Fixed Wireless as the Next Broadband Frontier – Fixed wireless is delivering gigabit speeds faster at lower cost than anyone predicted, and in many cases, connecting consumers who were previously out of reach of wired networks. Hear from fixed wireless companies about how they are scaling to meet the demands of AI-driven applications. This dynamic session features fixed wireless innovators discussing the capabilities of wireless technology, economic models and the regulatory frameworks that will determine whether fixed wireless fulfills its promise as a high-speed broadband solution, especially in unserved and underserved America.
From Copper to Cloud: Protecting Emergency Calling in the IP Transition – As America's voice networks complete their migration to IP, emergency calling faces unprecedented challenges. How do we stop the flood of robocalls and AI-generated spoofing while ensuring 911 calls always go through? This critical session brings together industry leaders to discuss enforcement mechanisms, technology solutions and the policy frameworks needed to protect America's most essential communications service in an all-IP world.
Broadband Permitting and Infrastructure Deployment: Accelerating Community Connectivity – Broadband deployment is racing against time, but permitting delays at the federal, state and local levels threaten to keep American’s disconnected, with implications for global competitiveness. Industry leaders share strategies to streamline approvals, implement rational fee structures and accelerate infrastructure projects that connect communities around the country.
The Invisible Lifelines: Securing America's Global Connectivity – Subsea cables carry 95% of international data, including financial transactions, defense communications and internet traffic, yet remain vulnerable to geopolitical threats, natural disasters and sabotage. As data traffic continues to grow and national security challenges intensify, how can we ensure the resilience of these invisible lifelines? This session explores security protocols, redundancy strategies, investment needs and the international cooperation required to protect the physical infrastructure of the global digital economy.

Thursday, February 5 – The Future of Infrastructure

Data Centers as Catalysts: Investment, Jobs and Grid Modernization – Data centers are among America's largest infrastructure investors, pouring billions into local economies, creating high-wage jobs and funding critical grid upgrades that benefit entire communities. Yet misconceptions persist about their local economic impact and energy footprint. This session brings together industry leaders and economic development experts to showcase how data center investments drive regional prosperity, modernize electrical infrastructure and position communities for the AI-powered economy.
The Competitive Energy Revolution: Building Abundance Through Innovation – As AI, advanced manufacturing and reshoring drive explosive energy demand, can competitive markets deliver unprecedented energy abundance while preserving affordability and reliability for all customers? This session explores how market competition accelerates deployment of diverse energy sources – from next-generation nuclear to renewables to natural gas – and drives down costs without destabilizing the utility compact. Industry leaders will debate breakthrough technologies, investment trends, behind-the-meter generation rights, transmission access, interconnection reform and regulatory changes needed to power America’s AI economy.
Energy Permitting Reform: Unlocking America's Power Future – Energy permitting has become the critical bottleneck throttling America's infrastructure ambitions. Whether new generation facilities or transmission lines connecting to demand centers, these projects often face years-long delays that increase costs, strand investment and leave communities without the power they need. This session will examine how streamlined, predictable permitting processes can accelerate deployment of both generation and transmission infrastructure, while keeping existing reliable energy resources online as we add new technologies to our energy portfolio.

INCOMPAS Calls for Swift Federal Action to Remove
State and Local Barriers to Broadband Deployment

INCOMPAS filed reply comments with the FCC urging immediate action to address state and local permitting barriers that prevent critical broadband infrastructure deployment across the United States. The filing highlights widespread industry consensus that excessive delays, unreasonable fees and discriminatory practices are materially inhibiting the deployment of wireline telecommunications infrastructure needed to connect millions of Americans and support AI development.

“The record in this proceeding tells a clear and troubling story, permitting barriers are preventing Americans from receiving the high-speed connectivity that industry and Congress have invested billions of dollars to deliver,” said Staci L. Pies, INCOMPAS Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Policy. “From rural cooperatives to urban fiber builders, providers across the competitive spectrum are documenting the same fundamental problems: permits that take months or years instead of weeks, fees that bear no relationship to actual government costs and conditions that make projects financially impossible. These aren’t isolated incidents; they’re systemic barriers that require immediate Commission intervention.”

INCOMPAS is calling on the FCC to issue an NPRM that:

Establishes clear shot clocks for permit review
Creates safe harbor fee levels based on actual costs
Prohibits discrimination between providers
Requires transparency in all permitting requirements.

The filing emphasizes that with federal funding deadlines approaching, urgent action is essential to ensure that federal broadband investments reach the communities that need them most.

“The legal authority is clear, the factual record is extensive and industry stakeholders are aligned on solutions," Pies added. "Now is the time for the Commission to act decisively to unlock the broadband infrastructure that America’s economy and national security depend upon."

Sens. Wicker, Capito Introduce BEAD-Related Legislation

Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Supporting U.S. Critical Connectivity and Economic Strategy and Security (SUCCESS) for BEAD Act. The bill would authorize states to use remaining funds from the BEAD program for projects that support state’s deployment plan by enhancing public safety, improving network resiliency, strengthening national security and developing a qualified workforce for emerging technologies.

"I applaud Sen. Wicker and Sen. Capito for their visionary leadership in introducing the SUCCESS for BEAD Act," said INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering. "This legislation directly addresses America's urgent need to outpace global competitors, such as China, in the critical AI race. By taking decisive action to ensure American leadership and strategically directing remaining BEAD funds towards the infrastructure that will power our AI future, Senators Wicker and Capito recognize what INCOMPAS members understand from building networks every day: the AI race and the broadband race are inseparable. From subsea cable systems to wholesale fiber and internet exchange points, this AI-enabling infrastructure is laying the foundation for future AI deployment and scaling.

Pickering continued, "The SUCCESS for BEAD Act represents a powerful use of funding that is consistent with the administration's AI executive order and is critical to promoting and incentivizing a national AI framework, workforce and innovative state AI initiatives. The bill's strategic vision creates AI connectors and corridors that will not only help bridge national security priorities, but also link strategic research centers, military installations, national laboratories, and major hubs of data centers and energy that will power the future of the American economy – many of which will be located in rural and remote sections of the country. With the connection of data center and energy hubs, we anticipate a resurgence of advanced manufacturing at the intersection of telecommunications and AI infrastructure. This convergence will not only strengthen our digital backbone but also revitalize American manufacturing capabilities essential to our economic competitiveness."

"I'm especially encouraged by the bill's comprehensive approach to infrastructure readiness. By directing resources toward training programs in telecommunications, AI, cybersecurity, and electrical distribution sectors, the SUCCESS for BEAD Act addresses the critical challenge of finding qualified workers to build and maintain next-generation infrastructure. Equally important, the bill recognizes that this infrastructure must serve our nation's most vital needs through support for Next Generation 9-1-1 implementation and network hardening, ensuring that our communications systems advance both economic competitiveness and national security imperatives," Pickering concluded. "Expanding broadband access, building AI-ready infrastructure and workforce are not competing goals, they are mutually reinforcing priorities and essential to maintaining America's competitive edge in both the present and future."

FCC Evaluates STIR/SHAKEN Implementation Deadlines

The FCC Wireline Competition Bureau issued a public notice announcing that it performed its annual reevaluation of the remaining STIR/SHAKEN implementation extensions granted by the FCC as required by Section 64.6304(f).

The bureau found the only two remaining extensions – for small voice service providers originating calls via satellite using U.S. North American Numbering Plan numbers and for providers that cannot obtain a Service Provider Code token extensions – remain necessary to avoid undue hardship for the limited number of providers that require them.

Broadband Data Collection Filing Window Opens;

Fabric Challenge Deadline Due March 2

The Broadband Data Task Force issued a public notice announcing that the eighth Broadband Data Collection (BDC) filing window for submitting broadband availability and other data as of December 31, 2025, will open on January 2, 2026.

The task force also announced the deadline for challenges to be considered for inclusion in the June 2026 update of the Fabric is March 2, 2026.

On January 2, 2026, facilities-based broadband service providers may begin to submit data into the BDC system specifying where they made mass-market broadband internet access service available. Such entities, as well as providers of fixed and mobile voice services, must also submit their December 31, 2025 subscription data required as part of Form 477 into the BDC system.

All availability and subscription data must be submitted no later than March 2, 2026.

GAO: NTIA Must Obtain Approval for BEAD Changes

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a decision stating that changes made to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program in a June 2025 policy notice cannot take effect until they are approved by the House, Senate and Comptroller General, as required by the Congressional Review Act.

The policy notice modified and replaced certain requirements outlined in the BEAD notice of funding opportunity. The GAO said the policy notice meets the APA definition of a rule and no CRA exception applies.

USF Working Group Asks FCC for Briefing

Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Reps. Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) sent a letter to the FCC requesting a briefing to provide insight on the implementation of Congress’ universal service directives.

They asked the briefing to cover:

The most recent program outlays and cost projections across each USF program
Assessment of the USF contribution factor and recent fluctuations
Rulemakings or reforms of USF programs under consideration by the FCC
Any administrative challenges, program integrity concerns or operational updates pertinent to congressional oversight of the fund.

Report from Sen. Cantwell Discusses Increased Service Costs

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released a snapshot report highlighting the increasing costs to American consumers of policies being pushed and actions taken by the FCC.

The report noted that TV content, cellphone and broadband access costs have all increased and current policies are steering the communications marketplace toward concentration and opacity rather than competition and affordability.

The report also said this could result in essential digital connectivity becoming more expensive, less reliable and increasingly out of reach for millions.

House Subcommittee Hearing on Public Safety, NG 911

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing last week to examine how to strengthen the resilience, interoperability and effectiveness of America’s public safety communications systems.

Lawmakers from both parties stressed the urgent need to modernize 911 call centers nationwide, improve emergency alerting infrastructure, and ensure first responders can communicate reliably during disasters. Several members pointed out gaps revealed by recent crises, from hurricanes and wildfires to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, arguing that Congress must not wait for the next catastrophe to fix known weaknesses.

The bipartisan bills under consideration would establish federal funding for Next Generation 911 (NG911) upgrades, integrate emerging technologies (like satellite networks) into emergency communications, enhance outage reporting and emergency alert systems, and reauthorize the FirstNet authority that underpins nationwide interoperability.

Witnesses representing 911 professionals, the satellite industry, communications law and emergency management academia discussed strategies to build a “trustworthy, interoperable and resilient” public safety communications ecosystem. These included expanding NG911 across every community, leveraging satellite connectivity to fill coverage gaps, securing sustainable funding, and improving coordination among agencies like the FCC, FEMA and NTIA.

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