Though space agencies are starting to invest in orbital debris removal, most experts believe a commercial marketplace for it is years away. "It's really interesting technology, but where is the customer?" said BryceTech analyst Nick Boensch. Companies and startups in the debris removal space anticipate a sizable commercial demand emerging; however, for now it's a government-driven market only.

NTIA said Friday it's making more than $800 million in digital equity capacity grant funding available. The capacity grant program is "the largest single investment in digital equity in our nation's history," NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson said. Established under the Digital Equity Act, $1.44 billion was made available for NTIA to support digital equity through the program.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel appears likely to circulate proposed net neutrality rules for a vote at the commission’s April 25 meeting, which would mean releasing a draft Thursday under current commission policy. A prime motivation for moving now would be avoiding having the order overturned by a Congressional Review Act vote, should Republicans take the House and Senate in the November elections, said industry officials supporting and opposing new rules.

The FCC violated the Administrative Procedure Act when it amended rules incorporating four new equipment testing standards, and did so without the proper notice and comment protocol, alleged iFixit, Public Resource and Make Community in the opening brief Wednesday (23-1311) of their petition for review at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The opening brief asks that the court remand the rules to the FCC for what the three organizations contend should be a proper rulemaking (see 2311090002).

Advocates of the FCC’s affordable connectivity program and Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program believe funding for both priorities remains available this year, despite Congress having omitted funding in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act FY 2024 minibus spending package enacted last week (see 2403210067). Program backers acknowledge funding will be more difficult as the FY24 package was their best opportunity. They also admit appropriations politics will only prove trickier with Capitol Hill hunkering down for the 2024 election campaign.

Wi-Fi advocates and 6 GHz incumbents clashed on an FCC proposal that would expand parts of the 6 GHz band where new very-low power (VLP) devices can operate without coordination, beyond the initial 850 MHz commissioners approved last year (see 2310190054). The VLP rules took effect March 9. 6 GHz incumbents have lined up in opposition to further changes (see 2403270055).

The federal government should set auditing standards for evaluating “high-risk” AI systems and impose liability for tech companies failing to honor their terms of service, NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson told reporters Tuesday in remarks embargoed until Wednesday, when the agency released its AI Accountability Report.

A Maine privacy bill with strict data minimization standards is moving to the final stages. The joint Judiciary Committee voted 7-1 Tuesday evening to say that the Democratic caucus’ LD-1977 “ought to pass,” while rejecting a Republican alternative (LD-1973). A nuanced exemption for broadband providers, currently in LD-1977, could mean that the proposed law would still apply to mobile services provided by a company that’s covered by the state’s 2019 ISP privacy law, two consumer privacy advocates said Wednesday.

Numerous challenges -- from development of hybrid antennas that work for both satellite and mobile networks, to getting chipset manufacturers on board churning out dual-network chips -- need to be met before satellite/cellular convergence arrives, satellite operator executives said Wednesday during a Global Satellite Operator's Association webinar. Sateliot CEO Jaume Sanpera said terminals that allow seamless connectivity, not just between satellite and terrestrial networks but among mulit-orbit satellite constellations, also are key. Intelsat Chief Technology Officer Bruno Fromont said satellite operators must ultimately become mobile operators, allowing roaming with terrestrial networks. While Mediatek is working on a Ku-band chip to enable higher-speed satellite broadband, the resulting terminals will have to be mass-produced to see the big drops in terminal costs that also are needed, Fromont said. Multiple speakers said direct-to-device (D2D) business models must be assessed.

CTIA is hopeful a legislative vehicle will be found soon that will restore general FCC auction authority, more than a year after it lapsed, CTIA Senior Vice President-Spectrum Umair Javed said Wednesday during a Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy webcast. “It sort of feels like there’s a lot of smoke, and maybe not fire yet,” Javed said. He hopes a bill floated by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, will provide the needed “spark.”