House Holds Hearing on Transmission Permitting

Last week, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing to examine the challenges and policy debates surrounding electricity transmission permitting in the United States, with a focus on balancing federal and state authority, improving grid reliability and addressing rising electricity demand. A central theme emerged: while transmission expansion is necessary, policymakers must reconcile competing priorities—affordability, reliability, local control, and national coordination—to achieve meaningful reform.

Watch on demand.

Robocall Report Released by Congressional Research Service

The Congressional Research Service released a report on combating robocalls and robotexts. The report:

• Summarized the extent of the problem with unwanted and illegal robocalls
• Identified existing FCC enforcement authority regarding illegal robocalls
• Discussed regulatory classification of robocalls
• Detailed the technological and procedural tools approved by the FCC to combat robocalls and robotexts

FCC Agenda for May 20 Meeting

The FCC issued the agenda for its May 20 open meeting, where it will consider:

• Enhancing Know-Your-Upstream-Provider Requirements – An FNPRM that would propose to enhance the STIR/SHAKEN framework used by voice providers to combat illegal robocalls by improving know-your-upstream-provider (KYUP) requirements and oversight, raising standards for STIR/SHAKEN attestations, and closing implementation loopholes.
• Streamlining Broadband Data Processes and Reducing Unnecessary Regulatory Burdens – A Report and Order and FNPRM that would take several steps to streamline and improve the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC). This item would alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens on service providers and challenge process participants by streamlining audits and verifications, improving challenge processes, and reducing regulatory burdens that add costs without a corresponding benefit to the quality of provider-reported data, all while ensuring that the data depicted on the National Broadband Map is accurate.
• Modernizing the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) – A Third Report and Order that would modernize DIRS by enhancing its capabilities while eliminating unnecessary reporting burdens. These actions would provide better information to emergency managers during disasters and allow communications service providers to focus their resources on service restoration.
• Launching ‘High-Cost’ Program Initiative – An NPRM that would seek comment on how a High-Cost Modernization initiative could best ensure that all Americans, particularly those in rural areas, have access to next-generation services in an ever-changing environment.

FCC Releases Internet Access 
and Voice Services Reports

The Office of Economics and Analytics released two reports last week:

• Internet access services report provides information about internet connections as of June 30, 2025, collected from FCC Form 477 and the Broadband Data Collection. Among other things, the report said total connections increased by about 1.9% between June 2024 and June 2025 to 559 million, with mobile connections increasing 1.9% to 424 million and fixed connections increasing 1.6% to 135 million.
• Voice telephone services report, which noted that there were 15 million end-user switched access lines in service, 63 million interconnected VoIP subscriptions, and 395 million mobile subscriptions. Also, over the three-year period, interconnected VoIP subscriptions declined at a compound annual growth rate of 2.3%, mobile voice subscriptions increased 2.5%, and retail switched access lines declined 17.9% per year. Additionally, of the 78 million wireline retail voice telephone service connections, 26 million (33%) were residential connections and 53 million (67%) were business connections.

NTIA Details BEAD Contract Terms Required by States

NTIA issued required contract terms states must include as mandated by the BEAD Program general terms and conditions.

NTIA said if a state omits or alters required language, it is out of compliance with BEAD requirements and puts the sub-grant, as well as the state’s award, at risk. In signing the general terms and conditions, NTIA noted that each state committed that it will not enforce any law, regulation, order, contracting requirement or other enforceable obligation against a sub-grantee that directly or indirectly regulates the rates, terms and conditions of broadband internet service, or imposes net neutrality, open access or other utility-style rules on broadband internet service.