Latest news with #internetaccess
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Supreme Court OKs fee that subsidizes phone, internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the fee that is added to phone bills to provide billions of dollars a year in subsidized phone and internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas. The justices, by a 6-3 vote, reversed an appeals court ruling that had struck down as unconstitutional the Universal Service Fund, the charge that has been added to phone bills for nearly 30 years. At arguments in March, liberal and conservative justices alike expressed concerns about the potentially devastating consequences of eliminating the fund, which has benefited tens of millions of Americans. The Federal Communications Commission collects the money from telecommunications providers, which pass the cost on to their customers. A Virginia-based conservative advocacy group, Consumers' Research, had challenged the practice. The justices had previously denied two appeals from Consumers' Research after federal appeals courts upheld the program. But the full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, among the nation's most conservative, ruled 9-7 that the method of funding is unconstitutional. The 5th Circuit held that Congress had given too much authority to the FCC and the agency in turn had ceded too much power to a private entity, or administrator. The last time the Supreme Court invoked what is known as the nondelegation doctrine to strike down a federal law was in 1935. But several conservative justices have suggested they are open to breathing new life into the legal doctrine. The conservative-led court also has reined in federal agencies in high-profile rulings in recent years. Last year, the court reversed a 40-year-old case that had been used thousands of times to uphold federal regulations. In 2022, the court ruled Congress has to act with specificity before agencies can address 'major questions,' in a ruling that limited the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to combat climate change. But the phone fee case turned out not to be the right one for finding yet another way to restrict federal regulators. President Donald Trump's Republican administration, which has moved aggressively to curtail administrative agencies in other areas, defended the FCC program. The appeal was initially filed by President Joe Biden's Democratic administration. ___ Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at Mark Sherman, The Associated Press Sign in to access your portfolio
National Post
3 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Intelsat Partners with Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative to Expand Access to Education in East Africa
Article content MCLEAN, Va. — Intelsat, operator of one of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks, announced today a groundbreaking partnership with Academy Award-winning actor and humanitarian Forest Whitaker's nonprofit, the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI), to revolutionize access to education in conflict-affected regions across Africa. The collaboration will deliver for the first time high-speed internet connectivity to WPDI's Community Learning Centers in South Sudan and Uganda, creating digital bridges to education for thousands of young people in areas where infrastructure has been insufficient or compromised. Article content Intelsat will equip 10 centers—seven in South Sudan and three in Uganda—with satellite connectivity. Over the course of this three-year partnership, Intelsat will provide equipment, managed connectivity services, installation, and ongoing technical support. This unprecedented effort will bring reliable internet access to communities where traditional connectivity infrastructure is inadequate for modern online education. Article content 'Education is the foundation for peace,' said Forest Whitaker. 'At WPDI, we use technology as a conduit to opportunity—bringing knowledge to young people whose lives have been upended by violence and political unrest. With the right tools, youths can reclaim their futures to become powerful agents of peace in their communities.' Article content The initiative comes at a critical time, as digital inequality continues to widen globally. According to the International Telecommunication Union, a mere 19% of people in the least developed nations, like South Sudan and Uganda, use the internet. In areas directly affected by conflict, these numbers drop even further, creating significant barriers to education and opportunity for vulnerable populations. By improving digital access, Intelsat and WPDI are providing learning center trainees with the resources they need to become drivers of positive change in their community and beyond. Graduates of WPDI programs have gone on to become community leaders, educators, and advocates, exemplified by individuals like Benson Lugwar, a former child soldier who is now an elected official and radio host in Uganda. 'At Intelsat, we are great believers in the power of connectivity to promote education and sustainable development around the world,' said Dave Wajsgras, CEO of Intelsat. 'Forest Whitaker and WPDI's efforts represent exactly the kind of transformative work that satellite communications can enable. We're proud to support WPDI's efforts to bring young people together, close the digital divide, and create pathways to prosperity in communities that need it most.' Article content The satellite-powered connectivity will enable WPDI to significantly expand its educational offerings, providing access to digital resources, online courses, and virtual exchange programs that were previously impossible in these remote locations. Students will gain critical digital literacy skills alongside WPDI's established curriculum in conflict resolution, entrepreneurship, and community development. Article content About WPDI Article content The Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) is a non-governmental organization with an international scope and reach, committed to fostering peace and resilience by disseminating skills and promoting climate-sensitive and sustainable development in countries and places affected by violence, poverty, environmental disruption, and marginalization. In Africa, Europe, as well as Latin and North America, WPDI develops a wide range of programs aimed at training and supporting underprivileged individuals and groups, with a particular focus on youth and women, enabling them to become empowered as mediators, educators, entrepreneurs, and leaders, fostering positive transformation within their communities and beyond. To achieve its objectives, WPDI works with the communities to design and implement integrated programs in the four areas of Peacebuilding, Livelihood, Health and Well-being, and Sports. WPDI was founded in 2012 by the artist, social activist, and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace, Forest Whitaker. About Intelsat Intelsat's global team of professionals is focused on providing seamless and secure, satellite-based communications to government, NGO and commercial customers through the company's next-generation worldwide network and managed services. Bridging the digital divide by operating one of the world's largest and most advanced satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructures, Intelsat enables people and their tools to speak over oceans, see across continents and listen through the skies to communicate, cooperate and coexist. Since its founding six decades ago, the company has been synonymous with satellite-industry 'firsts' in service to its customers and the planet. Leaning on a legacy of innovation and focusing on addressing a new generation of challenges Intelsat team members now have their sights on the 'next firsts' in space as they disrupt the field and lead in the digital transformation of the industry. Article content Twitter/X Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Contact Article content : Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Governor appoints federal policy adviser as new state broadband director
Jun. 23—The Governor's Office on Monday announced a new director of the state Office of Broadband Access and Expansion, effective immediately: Jeffrey Lopez. The new leadership comes a month after former Acting Director Drew Lovelace left the office, which is housed within the state Department of Information Technology. A spokesperson for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office at the time told the Journal the state decided to go in a "different direction" looking for its permanent executive. The Governor's Office also said Lovelace resumed his former duties as operations manager, though Lovelace's LinkedIn indicates he left the office in May. Lujan Grisham in a statement backed Lopez's ability to fulfill the role of director and deliver reliable, high-speed internet around New Mexico, including its rural and tribal communities, which have long struggled with access. Lopez's annual salary is $170,000. "Jeffrey possesses the perfect combination of federal policy knowledge, broadband program prowess and familiarity with New Mexico communities that our state needs to maximize the historic broadband investments underway," Lujan Grisham said. Lopez previously served as senior policy adviser and state staff to U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., who chaired the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband. The Governor's Office said Lopez also worked on the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Act, from which New Mexico received $675 million to connect households to good internet. But even with the federal grant, the broadband office estimates about 95,000 households in New Mexico are still left without broadband access. Lovelace approached the Legislature this year with a $70 million ask to fill the gap with satellite technology, but wasn't able to secure the funding. Lujan Grisham on Monday also appointed Aquiles "Alex" Trujillo to serve as deputy director for the broadband office, who has decades of experience in broadband and telecommunications. Trujillo will make an annual salary of $160,000.
Asharq Al-Awsat
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Internet Slowly Trickles Back in Iran
Iranians on Saturday began to see some internet access restored, giving people the opportunity to call friends and family for the first time in days. Those in the diaspora posted on social media about connecting to FaceTime or WhatsApp to call relatives they had been worried about. Government officials had disconnected phone and web services earlier in the week for the more than 90 million people who live in Iran, citing cybersecurity threats from Israel. That left civilians unaware of when and where Israel would strike next, despite Israeli forces issuing warnings through their Persian-language online channels. When the missiles landed, lack of internet connection meant not knowing for hours or days if their family or friends are among the victims. Tasnim News Agency, which is closely affiliated with Iran's government, quoted the information minister as saying that access to 'international' internet should be restored across the country by 8 p.m.
Globe and Mail
15-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
AST SpaceMobile: A High-Risk, High-Reward Play on the Future of Connectivity
Forget what you thought you knew about satellite phones. While market attention remains fixed on artificial intelligence and quantum computing, a Texas-based company is making significant strides in its mission to revolutionize global internet access. AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) is on the verge of launching a commercial space-based cellular network that communicates directly with the smartphone in your pocket. After a volatile journey since its 2021 public debut, a series of critical developments in 2025 are bringing its ambitious vision into sharp focus. Here's what you need to know about this high-profile space stock. A work in progress AST SpaceMobile's first-quarter 2025 results underscored the capital demands of its ambitious mission, reporting a $63 million operating loss driven by heavy research and development (R&D) and manufacturing investments. But that figure now comes with important context. In a pivotal breakthrough, the company secured a term sheet granting it long-term (80-plus years) access to 45 megahertz (MHz) of premium lower mid-band spectrum in North America through a settlement with Ligado. To fund the deal, AST also lined up $550 million in non-recourse financing. This is a game-changing development. It locks in a vital strategic asset and injects substantial capital without shareholder dilution, resolving a major financial overhang and providing the company with a much clearer path forward. Armed with this backing, AST's projections look increasingly credible: gateway equipment bookings of roughly $10 million per quarter and its first major revenue surge, estimated at $50 million to $75 million, in the second half of 2025. The transition from R&D to commercial deployment is no longer theoretical. It's in motion. A market opportunity redefined The global mobile connectivity market is a behemoth, generating over $135 billion in 2024. Yet, vast swathes of the planet and billions of people remain disconnected due to the economic and geographical limitations of terrestrial cell towers. AST SpaceMobile aims to close this digital divide by transforming space into the ultimate cell tower. The company's next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellites, featuring massive 2,400-square-foot communications arrays, are engineered to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth of their predecessors. This technological leap represents a fundamental reimagining of telecommunications infrastructure, offering solutions to challenges such as rural tower maintenance, the high cost of 5G densification, and network outages caused by natural disasters. A deepening competitive moat AST SpaceMobile's core advantage is its ability to deliver broadband directly to standard, unmodified smartphones -- eliminating the need for specialized terminals. Unlike traditional satellite internet providers, AST enables seamless roaming between terrestrial and space-based networks, creating a user experience that mirrors existing mobile coverage. That advantage just became more defensible. The company's new long-term agreement for premium L-Band spectrum is a strategic coup, establishing a regulatory and resource barrier that few can match. Combined with a growing patent portfolio and spectrum-sharing deals with major carriers like AT&T and Verizon, AST is locking in a lead that's increasingly hard to close. But urgency is rising. SpaceX's Starlink may be limited to text messaging in its Direct-to-Cell beta, yet it has already completed its first-generation satellite constellation -- proof of its rapid deployment capability. To rival AST's broadband ambitions, Starlink must still secure new spectrum access and enhance its hardware. However, its momentum highlights the importance of AST's early mover edge. Other players are also closing in. Lynk Global, backed by SES, is advancing commercial operations, signaling that the race for direct-to-device dominance is well underway. A valuation demanding a long-term view As of mid-June 2025, AST SpaceMobile has surged 81% year to date, lifting its market cap above $12.5 billion. For a company just beginning to generate revenue, this valuation is undeniably priced for the future. Traditional satellite operators, such as Iridium, offer limited benchmarks. A better comparison might be early-stage biotech or deep-tech firms -- businesses where value hinges on scalability and binary execution milestones. If AST succeeds in launching its commercial service and captures even a modest share of its massive addressable market, today's valuation may prove conservative. The upcoming launch cadence is pivotal. AST plans five orbital launches over the next six to nine months, beginning in July 2025. The goal is to enable continuous cellular broadband coverage across the U.S., Europe, and Japan by 2026. Execution on that timeline could mark the company's transition from promise to reality, thereby justifying the market's confidence. Risks remain, but so does the asymmetric upside The bullish case for AST SpaceMobile has sharpened. With financing secured and spectrum access locked in, the investment thesis now rests squarely on operational execution. The biggest risks are no longer financial -- they're physical. Satellite manufacturing is complex, and any launch failure could derail the rollout timeline. Regulatory headwinds may also emerge, particularly as astronomers raise concerns about light pollution and radio interference from growing satellite constellations. Still, for investors with high risk tolerance and a long-term horizon, AST offers a rare asymmetric opportunity. The company has cleared major technical, strategic, and financial hurdles. Now comes the hardest part: executing at scale. Success would mean not just delivering broadband from space, but reshaping the entire architecture of global connectivity. That's a transformation worth watching closely. Should you invest $1,000 in AST SpaceMobile right now? Before you buy stock in AST SpaceMobile, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and AST SpaceMobile wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $653,702!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $870,207!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is988% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to172%for the S&P 500. 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